If you like to make your own iced tea on a hot summer day, you know how frustrating it can be to wait for the hot brewed tea to cool. The people at Tea Forte have come up with a way to quicken the process, with their smartly designed Tea Over Ice contraption. Simply steep the bag in hot water in the top chamber, and once it is strong enough, flash cool the drink by pouring it immediately over the ice in the bottom chamber. Pour and serve!

If your beach house is stocked with last year's slimy shampoo bottles (or your hotel room is full of bath products that smell of disinfectant), treat yourself to this travel kit from McBride Beauty. Not only do they boast a luxe line of grapefruit, cucumber, and rosewater scented lotions and shampoos, they also employ an admirably earth-friendly approach to their products, meaning no synthetic fragrances, harsh chemicals, or animal testing. Pamper yourself, paraben-free.

Check out our list of green summer necessities.

We don't typically push for playing with your food, but with this knit cookie collection from Yellow Label Kids, we'll make an exception. The set includes six fake cookies, including chocolate chip, Oreo, and every New Yorker's favorite: black and white. All six are packed into a soft gingham tray so your kid can tote it to tea with her imaginary friend or dessert in her playhouse. Bonus: no crumbs in the carpet, or sugar high-induced tantrums.

Check out other play foods here.

No patio picnic is complete without a chilly glass of iced tea, and this glasses-and-carafe set from Bauer Pottery serves as the perfect receptacle  for any signature summertime beverage. Bauer's most recent pieces are reflections of designs from the company's 1930s heyday, and with plates, vases and teapots in graceful shapes and cool colors, it's no wonder they're still right in style.

Our kids aren't exactly spending their summers practicing long division, and between play dates and swimming lessons, no one is in the mood for an impromptu letters-and-numbers review. With these ice cube trays from Spoon Sisters, at least they can think while they drink. Cubes in the shape of numbers and letters mean kids can spell or count while they sip their apple juice. Try filling them with jello or cookie batter too!

Heavy lipstick in summer is about as appealing as a heavy coat. So when times call for a pulled together look this season, we turn to Sally Hansen's Moisture Plump Lip Balm: equal parts chapstick, lip stain, and plumper. Part of a new natural beauty line created with the help of 'What Not to Wear's' celeb makeup artist Carmindy, this moisturizing, avocado oil-infused formula comes in seven warm weather-ready shades--none of which will dry out or weigh your look down.

Check out more of our beauty tips!

These tea towels from Hammocks and High Tea are perfect for dressing up your kitchen or patio this summer, and are made with airy, eclectic patterns perfect for every taste. Better yet, the dyes are non-toxic and the fabric is a fine, easily washable hemp/cotton blend. Use a couple Sari print tea towels during a curry feast or try the Wild Ginger print during Mai Tais at sundown.

Decorating a nursery can be a tug of war between your modern design preferences and nurturing motherly instincts, but no need to pick one extreme or the other when the people at Binth are turning out bedroom accessories that satisfy both inclinations, like this Cameo Bunny Cuddle Pillow. Equal parts graphic and sweet, it is sure to appeal to your inner mom as well as your inner design snob.

Click here for more nursery decor ideas.

We at Cookie are all about bringing kids into the kitchen, but your favorite Coq au Vin recipe may be a bit over their heads. Cook It in a Cup! by Chronicle Books has a solution. This family-friendly cookbook comes with six silicone baking cups perfect for making kid-sized treats like mini quiches and crumb cakes, and the recipes are complete with color photos and easy to follow instructions for either the oven or the microwave. Start nurturing your young culinarian now, and maybe one day she'll take over dinner duty.

Click here for more tips on cooking with kids.

Your dreams of al fresco summer dining probably don't include a buzzing in your ear. But how many times have you had to inhale your burger to avoid the inevitable evening flux of mosquitos (and whining kids)? Toss out your old citronella candles and opt for these from Smith & Hawken. Loaded with dreamy cedar- and thyme-scented essential oils, they naturally repel bugs. Plus, the rustic terracotta pots will enhance your table setting.