Awesome Awesome Gifts: 2011

(NSFW: Language) Next time you need to get the point across at work, replace those little Post-its with these stickies which are just a little more direct than “Sign This” or “For Your Approval”.

We can’t seem to find the pin on this bar of soap, cast from an actual WWII steel grenade. We’d advise against traveling with this in your luggage, unless you want “special” treatment from the TSA.

You don’t need to be a geek to know how to pop open a cold one with Art Lebedev’s Ctrl+O bottle opener, although Windows users would appreciate the reference more than Mac fans.

David Thorne has documented his sometimes unsettling, but hysterical digital mischief on his website, 27bslash6.com. His new book catalogs his most memorable exploits – no Internet required.

Add a splash of color to your kitchen while keeping it tidy with Niels Romer’s silicone Dropp bowl – its unconventional shape was inspired by a single splash of paint, frozen in time. Offered in 6 colors.

Mizuno’s high-tech running shoe is designed to offer stability and cushioning with a pair of stacked “wave plates.” Its mesh skin flexes with your foot for optimal comfort. Plus, it just looks damned cool.

Go the F**k To Sleep is a subversive (and really not to be read aloud) bedtime book for parents who know that snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don’t always send a child sailing off to dreamland.

Commonly used office items that are stackable and have a harmonious color range, meant to reduce both the physical and visual clutter on desks. Designed by Adrian and Jeremy Wright.

A boon for multi-taskers, Fred’s clever Dine Ink Pen Cap Utensil set is modeled after the classic Bic ballpoint stick pens, but in this case come with food-safe, reusable fork, knife and spoon caps.

A mechanical pencil with gears inside that rotate the lead to maintain a sharp tip. It doesn’t quite trump our favorite writing instrument, but props for making a pencil commercial seem exciting.

The perfect bowl for just about everything we eat, the Obol can keep your cereal crunchy, your pie a la mode from pie a la melting, and your cookies at the ready to dip in milk. What’s not to like?

You can get Han as a figurine, as a desk and as a soap. Now you can roll like a Hutt mob lord and eat Han Solo with this silicon tray. Carbonite is scarce though, so you’ll have to settle for ice or jelly.

Liked the looks of TDK’s retro-mod boombox? Their Sound Cube is equally cool, with dual 5-1/4″ coax drivers and two passive reflectors on the sides, filling rooms with sound from the inside out.

Pump up the style in your room with the huggable ghetto blaster set by Meninos. Made with microfiber fabric and won’t fade when washed. Boombox and speaker pillows also available separately.

Fred’s Obsessive Chef cutting board is terrific for persnickety perfectionists; the beechwood board offers the most precise measurements in detail. You can wash it twenty times after you use it too.

This rugged AM/FM/Weather radio will keep you connected in the worst conditions. Radio and flashlight can be powered by AC, battery or aluminum hand-crank. Even charges USB gadgets.

While you won’t be able to buy Kermit or Ms. Piggy from the Muppet Whatnot Workshop, you can design your own Whatnot, one of the countless extras in Henson’s puppet-filled universe.

Next time your boss demands copies of that TPS report ASAP, express your apathy by stampling them all together with the latest in stapler-rubber-stamp technology. Take that, evil boss!

We never thought we’d ever say it’s ever okay to stick your hand into a shark’s mouth, but we see an exception has been found here in these funny neoprene oven mitts from Fred Flare.

For those times when you put down the e-Reader and pick up a real book, this softly-glowing glass lamp is the perfect place to rest your book between chapters. Just don’t try to set your Kindle on top.

Your colleagues will know how you’re feeling every morning with Thabto’s lighthearted Mood Mugs; the double wall insulated porcelain pieces feature simple facial expressions to reflect the mood.

This handy, manly gadget not only holds onto your paper money, it’ll protect you from anyone who tries to steal said cash, thanks to a fold-out knife. Bonus points for the carbon fiber and titanium.

Air Swimmers are fish and shark shaped indoor helium filled mylar balloons that you can maneuver in the air with a remote control. They take a single battery and can stay afloat for up to 2 weeks.