These big, 4" long steel safety pins are practically jewelry in their own right. You get a 5-pack in assorted colors--gold, black, metallic pink, blue, green or others. Perfect for closing buttonless sweaters and tops or securing scarves in fascinating configurations.

Like The Case of the Lost Earring, these mysteries can be solved for less than the price of a half-order of fried rice. You’ve cleaned your closet twice, now get Hang It, the jewelry storage hanger, and park your necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings on a compact, tangle-free hanger that’s easy to find, unless you’re a burglar. In black steel, our each is a pair because you can’t have too many jewels.

If your regular tipple is a snakebite--half lager, half cider--you’ll appreciate this set of (4) 16-oz pint glasses with colorful snakes depicted on the sides. Glasses have that bulge near the top for better grip, and you’ll get (1) each with a purple python, an orange python, a red and blue rattler, and a nice green and red garter snake. Hand-wash only if you want to keep your snakes.

The flat vase is 10-1/2" tall and made of thin formable plastic, flat enough to keep in a file folder, or to fold and put in your pocket when you're carrying roses somewhere. Fill it with warm water and mold it to the shape you want, empty it and fill it with cold water to hold that shape; add flowers. Ours are a lovely white and green, blue, or red floral pattern.

Here on the prairie we resent the calling of those things one puts under a glass "coasters". Why should the ocean fronts always get the credit?? So we are offering these roughly 3-1/2" sq. plastic devices under the inland name of "plainsers" You will get (8) all the same color of our choice, be it orange, brown, gold, black, silver or clear. We say square, but the sides are slightly convex out. Kind of like our midriff. An excellent value under any name.

Or lampy flowers, we're not sure. We do know these ceramic lamp finials (the thingees that hold the shade on) are sweetly colored bunches of flowers, about 1" dia x 3" tall. Our each is a box of (4) including (1) each with yellow chrysanthemums, yellow daffodils, rose, purple and yellow tulips, and rose and purple somethings which we think may sort of be pansies. All have green leaves around the flowers. Very pretty, but we suggest you do not use them with a hi-tech decor.

Got boring throw pillows? We feel your boredom. Try these 18” square (a common throw-pillow size) nylon pillow covers to bring a touch of whimsy to your couch. You pick: the pug dressed as Henry VIII, as they will if left to their own devices; the cat dressed as Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I; or the corgi with top hat, bow-tie and monocle, which they wear when the queen’s not around.

Stick this brand new digital oral thermometer in it to see if you’re sick or not. Measures 5” long in cream-colored plastic, and displays Fahrenheit/Celsius, has a multi-function button, replaceable button-cell battery and auto-shutoff. Beeps with high temps, and comes in a handy plastic case.

Shibusa Studio has miniaturized the business of table-top photography, which we do a lot of, and you should too, don’t you think? Their folding plastic photo booths have a 4-1/4” dia hole in the tops with an attached cover, (2) COB LED light strips powered via USB port or wall adapter that you supply. (We like these). Also have black and white foam backdrops, and fit into black canvas zippered carrying cases. You pick: the small studio measuring approx 11” cubed when assembled; or the large studio, 15-5/8” cubed when assembled. For 3-D photos, add the motorized white plastic photo-booth turntable. Measures 7-3/4" dia x 2-1/4" tall, and will spin approx 5 rpm when plugged in via the 5-foot USB cord. Rated to hold up to 11 lbs.

Back when you could dial M for murder, telephones looked like this one, and people set the alarm by calling the front desk and asking for a wake-up call. You can relive those days, sans the front desk, with this classic telephone-ish alarm clock. The dial is an LED-illuminated quartz clock and the handset is a goose-neck reading lamp with a dozen LEDs and (3) brightness levels. There’s a snooze button and a power button for the clock light in the cradle. The verisimilitudessness is enhanced by the alarm having the same ring as an old rotary phone. Measures 9" x 5" x 4-3/4" and you add (4) C-cell batteries.