I have a little niece who likes Pokemon and plays all of the games, much as I did when I was her age. With the release of the games Heart Gold and Soul Silver, Nintendo licensed a series of small plush through Jakks Pacific based on popular Pokemon …

While shopping at the mall one day for a gift for an out of state friend coming to town, I happened on these resin characters known as Quarry Critters. They are figurines made by Second Nature Design and they are absolutely adorable. I was so excited when I saw …

What a good candle this is for getting rid of icky, stale odors. This comes in its own little can, which means you can seal it up in between uses and take it wherever you like. It survived a whole house move that way!
I appreciate how cleanly …

It is always sad to see Swarovski retire a gorgeous crystal figurine, especially when it is a piece that hasn’t even been on the market very long. That was the case with this little violet figurine. When I heard it was being retired, I made sure I got to …

I had the pleasure of meeting this glass artist, Marilyn Kimble Holt, at a local expo several years ago. She had many of her beautiful art glass figurines and paperweights on display and for sale. So I was lucky that I had the chance to purchase a few of …

I think I bought this crystal figurine in a Hallmark shop in Cape May, NJ, several years ago. Unfortunately, I don’t know the name of the company. I know that it is not a Swarovski piece, because I have many of their pieces, and this doesn’t look like their …

I remember when we used to have irises growing near the front porch of my house when I was a kid. But those were yellow irises, and this one is a purplish blue color. Crystal World does a nice job of making their flower figurines look realistic. I have …

It’s nice that Swarovski gives names to some of their little crystal animal figurines. I believe this was a limited-edition figurine, so I purchased it as soon as I had the chance. I am an animal lover, and I have enjoyed collecting Swarovski animal figurines for about ten years …

I’ve been shopping a lot, lately, for children’s toys and those items that are not exactly toy level, but, more teaching level.
At Target, in Eureka, CA, I came upon a wonderful item that many of my friends have, actually, gone out to buy for their Christmas gifts, as well. …

In the wake of the South Africa World Cup, my godmother gave me the Octopus Paul stuffed toy from Nici. She jokingly said that she gave it to me to help me make the right decisions. I fell in love with it at first sight.
The stuffed toy …

Missy Mo is Swarovski’s cow in their Lovlot collection. The Lovlots are an engaging group of crystal animal figurines that almost look like caricatures and not real animals. The Lovlots include a family of cats, dogs, mice, and so many more kinds of animals! Missy Mo is the original …

I purchased this glass paperweight in Bloomingdale’s at a time when they carried Caithness art glass. I don’t think they carry it anymore. Caithness is a company from Scotland that produces gorgeous handmade glass paperweights. I have a few of them, and I think they are all fascinating in …

Wow, this is a crystal piece that is totally different from ANYTHING else that I own in my crystal collection. I was really in awe when I stumbled upon this one. And I bet if I were looking for something like this piece, I wouldn’t be able to find …

Emily’s Dark Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookies are the perfect gift for any occasion that not only taste good, but also deliver an entertaining fortune inside each cookie. The price of these cookies varies however depending on where you purchase them, but if you purchase them at Wal-Mart then the …

Last fall when I first saw the commercials for these toys, I thought that they were ridiculous, and they even were not that cute. My two daughters were not even interested in them, so I decided I would not join the crazy hunt in finding them around the …

For the Halloween season, my aunt had sent me a large tin carton of three different kinds of popcorn. She had gotten this gift from Popcorn Expressions, and not only was the tin colorfully decorated with Halloween characters such as cats and witches, but the popcorn itself was colorful …

My birthday last year just came and went. Basically I spent my birthday at work like most of us. But what made it extra special was my then girlfriend’s (now my wife ;)) gift to me… Transformers Masterpiece Skywarp!
Out of the box:
I love how there’s no twist ties at …

I am writing this as if it were for teenage girls, only because it can be very hard to stay up with what is in style for teenage girls, their favorite colors, and to know their sizes!
Why not buy them jewelry (inexpensive) kits to make their own pendants of …

The Carol Wright gift catalog features suede zip around credit card holder wallets. They are 4.98 each and are simply beautiful.Comes in blac,brown or being suede. Has about l6 2 sided plastics to hold all credit cards plus two extra pockets on each side and a see …

The gallery that carried this piece was having a sale, so I was very lucky to be able to get it at half-price. I bought it seven or eight years ago, but if I remember correctly, it was originally $150. So I got it for $75. That is still …

For our eldest sons third birthday we bought him some moon sand and the accessories that went with it. We had seen this advertised loads on television in the previous months and thought that Kurt would love it and that it should be clean and tidy to keep …

I have been a crystal lover and collector for about twenty years now, and I must own at least sixty pieces. This awesome crystal sun is one of my top five favorite pieces and maybe even my very favorite. I only wish I knew who the maker of it …

I often find that the quality of assorted boxed chocolates is all over the place, and doesn’t necessarily correlate to the price. In fact, if it’s up to me I prefer not to buy assortments at all. I’d rather pick out only what I like at a specialty shop. …

This is a piece that I bought about ten years ago, which was around the time that I first started collecting Swarovski crystal figurines. I like the faceting on Swarovski’s pieces and the way the light reflects off of them so that you can see virtually every color in …

I have a really wonderful friend who loves to send out surprises to brighten up the days of her friends. Oftentimes, she sends treats from Cheryl & Co.
This company specializes in a variety of cakes, brownies, and cookies. They’ve come up with some inventive ones, that’s for …

I really hate shopping for gifts. Rather than spend hours looking for just the right present, I usually end up grabbing a gift card and letting the recipient get whatever their heart desires. After a few rounds of giving people gift certificates, I finally found a way to liven …

I received a box of photo coasters from my mom for Christmas one year. Knowing that my mom bought them, they must be resonably priced. When I opened the coasters I noticed that they are frosted glass with a place to put a picture in the middle …

I was at my local discount dollar store, browsing around for household items at really great prices, I am looking to cut back on my expenses and save money in any way I can. The price of gas is killing me. Well, I picked up toilet tissue, paper …

The ‘Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep’ coin is a decent coin for anyone’s collection. It comes in a standard maroon, Royal Canadian Mint box (similar to a jewelry box). The inside of the box is lined with black velvet and within the black velvet lies this coin. It’s a pure gold …

Ever since the 911 tragedy, it seemks that many Americans fear saying what they think or feel because someone else might find it offensive and seek to hurt or harm them or their families. It is so sad that America has come to this. One of the …

My youngest daughter just had her fourth birthday and so we were looking for something she would really love, as a gift. Her favorite Disney Princess is Sleeping Beauty, so we wanted to get her something that would go along with that.
This doll is great! It’s simply …

Kohl’s department stores make this really adorable looking Ceramic Holiday Candle (for Christmas) in the shape of a cupcake that can be purchased now on their website or at their department store site for three dollars. The original price was close to ten dollars, but since it is after …

As sure as fate, we are all repeatedly asking ourselves how to make somebody a present, how to choose the right gift and how to balance our budget with expectations of recipient. For me, desperate attempts to resolve this kind of problems fast and furiously are finally just a …

My mother is an avid coffee drinker. It does not matter what time of the day it is, day and night, she is always walking around with her Betty Boop coffee mug sipping a freshly made cup of her favorite drink. Although I know drinking too much …

Every year I do stocking stuffers in some sort of Christmas themed bag that I can attach to gifts. This year I am using Secret Santa Gift Bags. Each bag features Santa with a finger over his mouth and a gift tag that says “Secret Santa” on …

If you have a difficult man in your life to shop for, Omaha Steak Company can be found online at omahasteaks.com. They offer a wide variety of meats, side dishes, fish, and cookingware. One thing that most men have in common is that they enjoy good food, …

I bought this crystal turtle at a jewelry store that was having a huge sale, and they carried some giftware as well as jewels. I always get Baccarat and Lalique confused, because their animal figurines are very similar in size and design. I think one big difference between them …

For many years I’ve done most of my souvenir hunting at the spacious Civil War Wax Museum / Gettysbug Gift Center in Gettysburg, PA. As soon as I begin planning my vacation itinerary, I always make a note to stop at the Gift Center to browse around for unique …

Happy Halloween! Wait, what do you mean it’s November?
The Skelanimals line of plush seem to appeal to the new popular crowd - the “emo” and goth kids who want everything to be black, want the bones showing and preferably glowing in the dark, even if it’s just a …

My husband carries appliances and furniture around all day in his store. He comes home exhausted and in need of relaxation. A nice smelling, wonderfully organic, wild honey bath kit from the healing garden really helps him to relax, smell great, and to stay really clean.
This kit is altogether …

Edible Arrangements is a innovative way to give a present to someone. I saw an Edible Arrangement last year that had been delivered to a coworker and was totally surprised at the entire operation. I had no idea that anyone had been creative enough to think this idea up! …

I would have called this piece something like “Mini Butterfly” or “Baby Butterfly” instead of “Spring Butterfly.” This is a small figurine (one and a quarter inches tall), and there is something very sweet and innocent looking about this piece. This looks like a butterfly that is not fully …

My daughter received the Littel People Kingdom Castle for Christmas this year and loved it so much she was playing with it before we even had a chance to get it assembled.
I can see why she likes it so much. Coming complete with a King, King and Dragon, the …

I first found the Unemployed Philosophers Guild on a daily deal website that I love. I noticed their quirky, funny gifts that ranged from insightful to frivolous, but the Shakespearean Insults Mug really made me laugh. Anyone that is very smart, slightly nerdy and studious, but still has a …

I bought this crystal heart about ten years ago at Bloomingdale’s. They used to carry a vast and very impressive collection of giftware that included Limoges (porcelain boxes), Waterford, Halcyon Days Enamels, Swarovski, and Caithness Glass. I don’t believe they carry Limoges, Caithness, or Halcyon enamels anymore (at least …

Nanoblocks are what you get when the Japanese fascination with miniaturization meets the Danish toy phenomenon LEGO. First released exclusively in Japan in 2008 the expanding range of Nanoblock sets has now found footing in over 31 countries including the USA, UK and France. The tagline for the product is, …

Silver heart rings come in a variety of styles and are offered at many different kinds of retailers. The Gucci sterling silver heart rings is a new item and is an ideal gift for your special lady for the upcoming Valentine’s Day occasion.
The Gucci sterling silver heart ring …

I bought this owl in the giftware department of Bloomingdale’s. They carry some interesting glass pieces (figurines, bowls, etc.). Some of them are very modern, so they have a chic design that really pulls you in and makes you want to take a closer look. I have always loved …

Although it is not exactly a modern toy, I find that a surprising number of younger children still hugely enjoy having a piggy bank in which to save their pocket money, so that it can be broken open (sometimes literally!) at a future point in order to give them …

The other day we got a glossy magazine called the Lookbook in our mailbox. I knew it wasn’t a Christmas catalogue we had ordered, and was intrigued when I found out it had been put out by Canada Postal Service.
This 40-page catalogue had a glossy red and green front …