I wouldn't say that I'm a particularly materialistic person, but we all derive a certain amount of joy from physical objects. These can be cheap or expensive, purchased, received, or made... it makes no difference.
I find that objects that give me happiness fall into two buckets: items that are beautiful in their form and ones that are extremely well-designed in their function.
February 2021 Things
Here's my list for this month...
Swing-out Stool
I have a wonderful swing-out stool from a company called Benchcrafted. It's metal swing-arm with a wooden top. It's attached to my workbench and, well, it's downright wonderful. I've certainly been clipped by it in the knee area a few times, but it's handsome and functional. I love to sit on this and swing without a care while I think through my current wood working project.
Pilot G2 in Burgundy
I've always been a fan of red pens, but I recently moved over to the Pilot G2 in burgundy and have fallen in love. It's smooth, affordable, and the color is unique. I've yet to find another red pen that rivals this Pilot.
Pilot Rollerball Pens
While on the subject of pens, I've found that almost all the Pilot rollerball pens are wonderful. My favorite is the Precise V5, but the V7 and V10 are great too. I fine that I prefer gel pens, like the G2 for daily writing, and my rollerballs for journalling, where the increased smoothness and the spread of the ink on the paper is something I really like.
Rancilio Silvia Espresso Maker
Some months I want to replace my trusty Rancilio, but other months I truly love it. Lately I'm back to loving this thing, despite its many quirks, need for frequent backflushing, and its fickle nature. I should probably consider upgrading from my old v3, but me and this espresso machine have been through a lot so I find myself quite attached to this specific machine, despite its rarity of producing a "godshot."
Handmade Iron Fireplace Tools
Years ago, at a random yardsale I purchased a set of handmade iron fireplace tools -- a shovel, log grabber, and a poker with a stand. I have no idea who made them or when they were made. I assume they are local, but have no idea of their provenance. This was a moving sale so I can't even contact the seller to learn more. Either way, the set is wonderful in its simplicity and it's built to withstand 1000 years of fireplace duty. The wabi-sabi qualities of this set are beyond wonderful and give them a quality that no mass-manufactured good could ever have.