Wish list: Painted ceramic egg cups

When the sun shines — the tough do housework. This week Esther N McCarthy picks an eco beauty — and some other stuff too...

We’re mad for dippy eggs in our house and these egg cups brought a grin to my mug when I saw them. Beautifully painted ceramics, these fantastic cups featuring Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali by OMM design would be totally wasted on my children, but they’d make a great gift for anyone who likes a bit of artist flair with their breakfast. €21 from hunkydoryhome.com.

Beautiful colours, gorgeous design, check out this 5-piece knife set for €19.95 Available in Carraig Donn stores nationwide and online www.carraigdonn.com.

If you’re pondering how to save water with charges on the way, check this out. Whirlpool have recently launched a dishwasher that uses just six litres of water. The low consumption is achieved by saving the water from the final rinse in a dedicated tank, where it is stored and recycled for use at the beginning of the next programme. Clever. And don’t worry, germophobes — should the dishwasher not be used for any length of time, like when you’re gallivanting off on holiday, the water is automatically drained after three days to prevent bacteria formation. www.whirlpool.ie.

I love this idea of using your laundry as a punch bag -— this is big enough to hold a heavyweight load of washing and apparently, tough enough to take a beating. Ideal for boxers — and panties, there’s even enough room to throw in the towel — arf!