Lovely to look at, delightful to make jewelry out of. Our (25) piece set of polished gemstones includes: amethyst; howlite; tiger eye; hematite; amazonite; carnelian; sodalite; turqurenite; plain and rose quartz; rhodonite; unakite; snowflake obsidian; orange calcite; lemon jade; four varieties of jasper (serpentine; red, brecciated, picture and blue dalmation); and more. All approx 5/8" across.

Stainless steel mortar and pestle set. Mortar measures 5-1/4” dia x 3” on a 4” dia attached saucer-like base. Holds approx 250ml. Pestle is 6-3/4” long with 1-1/4” and 2” dia heads. Nice for the lab, or for folks who want everything in their stainless steel kitchen to be stainless steel. You know who you are. And we salute you.

You supply the pot, we'll supply a dozen Venus Fly Trap seeds and a little sack of soil in a 4-3/8" x 2" dia plastic growing tube, plus an instruction sheet on the care and feeding of everyone's favorite meat-eating foliage. Gestation is about (14) weeks, so order early if you're planning a birthday surprise for someone.

Managing people will be so much easier with this giant red NO! button on your desk, or at home. Push it and hear a digital voice deliver (10) different versions of no, including No!; No, No, No; Noooooo; For the last time, NO!; and more. Great for denying tasks at work, and later-bedtime requests at home. (Remember--you can always change your mind to Yes, but going the other way never works.) Measures 3-1/2" dia x 1-1/2" tall in red with a black frame. You add a pair of "AAA" batteries.

Check out our keychain version! Same great sounds in a mini version. 

It’s a ninefer. This 6” long x 1/2” hex ball-point pen has a rubber stylus at the other end, which unscrews to reveal a tiny driver with both 2mm and #00 heads, while the shaft has a little bubble level and (4) rulers: 0-4” x 1/16”; 0-10cm x 1mm; and both 1/200mm and 1/300mm rulers. The ninth part is our name on the side, so you remember where the coolest stuff comes from. Plus it’s in the ruler shade of yellow, with a pocket clip.

Da Mare could use this to point out cracks in the infrastructure at Wrigley Field. You, having a forgiving nature, will resist the urge to point out cracks in da mayor's infrastructure. You will, of course, use it to point out chimney cracks to the tuck-pointer, a cracked limb to the tree-trimmer, and the crack in your profit picture during a slide presentation. You can do all that and much, much more with the bright light from this 5mW green laser pointer. It's an unbelievable tool. If you need a laser pointer that seems to go on forever and is so strong that you can actually see the beam in the dark, it will be the best low-cost investment you ever made. Or the coolest high-end toy. The 532nm Class IIIa light is 5-5/8" long x 1/2" dia, with (2) "AAA" batteries (included), a momentary-on switch, pocket clip, and case. An absolute necessity for construction, surveying, warehousing, inspection and other large sites. And for playing in the dark.

The manufacturer calls it the Quik Fix Zipper but they obviously don't pay a copywriter to create dumb puns. So...it's the Zip-a-dee-doo-dad, a set of (3) replacement zipper tabs/sliders in graduated sizes (#3, #5, and #7) that come apart so you can slip then onto a zipper and tighten them with a little thumbscrew. Handy for busted jackets and sleeping bags. Even handier for pants. Removeable and re-usable.

The smart cutters and choppers these days are using ceramic knives because they stay so sharp for so long, and who remembers to have their knives sharpened? Ours measure 7" long over all, with a deep aqua handle, a 3" blade and a sheath. Don't go into the kitchen without one. Slice, dice, chop and mince, and forget about sharpening. Like you always do.

Our each is a dozen glass gems, in a round cut in (12) different colors, including pink, green, blue, red, golden, white, and various shades of each. Think diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, topaz, whatever. In a dark blue book-like presentation box, the Liz Taylor collection features (12) gems at 40mm across (1.57” or tad bigger than a silver dollar) by 27mm (1.06”) deep.

Steampunk alert! Also…model and jewelry maker alert! This pair of 10X acrylic doublet loupes is mounted on black eyeglass frames and flanked by LED lights powered by (2) included CR1620 button cell batteries. These are for close work only, from 1" to 1-1/2", and can focus only one lens at a time (not both on the same object) so if you’re a steampunker looking for a new accessory, plan on perching this rig on your pate or chapeau.

Not to be confused with the bucket accordion, the least popular instrument of all time, this is a collapsible bucket, made of silicone with a hard plastic rim. Holds 1-1/3 gallons and stands 7-3/4" tall x 8-3/4" ID at the top, but collapses (accordions) down to less than 2" tall, including the folding handle. Has a little hanging tab at on the lip. Handy anywhere space is an issue, and dandy for boats. BPA-free, heat-resistant and slick as a wet otter, so stuff just slides out.

Let's cut to the chase here -- buy these the first time you read this, or they're going to be gone! There aren't that many of these flexible chopping mats, and the versatile 15" x 12" x 0.024" thick mats are not only ideal for small kitchens where every inch counts, they're great for any kitchen, and for cookouts, camping and picnics. Our each is a set of (2) of the translucent Euro-look mats that protect countertops from sharp knives and fresh-from-the-oven cookies, and protect food from outdoor surfaces. They can be lifted and slightly folded to funnel chopped food neatly into a pot. They're dishwasher safe, and roll up for portage or storage.

Based on drawings from Da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus, this Pathfinders catapult kit uses a pair of bent wooden arms as springs to launch clay balls (included) over (4) meters at enemy fortifications (not included, go make your own enemies). The assembled model will be approx 9" tall on a 10" x 7-1/4" base. Made from pre-cut, untreated wood from sustainable forests, and built with pegs for added strength and verisimilitude. A 2013 Creative Child Magazine Top Toy of the Year Winner and a great resource for STEM activities. For ages 12 and up.

Maybe a little eclectic for an artist with a single style, but perfect for one who's still searching for himself. Or for any hobbyist. There are no (2) brushes exactly alike in this set of (15). They all have natural bristles, color-coded wooden handles and metal ferrules, but they range from fairly fine to 1/2" wide, and 7" to 10" long. There are at least (3) different kinds of bristles, and they are round, blunt and pointed. A nice variety, and a very nice quality for this price.

Clip this little lighted scope onto your smart phone and use the phone's zoom feature to show images (and take photos) up to 30X magnification. Our Optics Guru Paul says it has no business working this well for under ten bucks. Measures 2-5/8" x 1-1/4" and comes with (3) replaceable button-cell batteries for the light. Fits most major brands, like iPhones and Androids and Windows (oh, my!), and probably most tablets, too.

Hang this sucker on the outside of the garage, and read the temperature from the kichen window. If your garage is reasonably close. And it’s not dark outside. The 15–1/2” tall white–plastic alcohol thermometer has red fluid, good–sized black numbers, and clear markings from –30°C to 50°C and from –20°F to 120°F. An easy read.

An exhausted physicist. Also this 3-1/4" dia camping lantern. Stands 5” tall with fold-down handles, but pull up those handles and reveal the super-bright, a whopping 600 lumen COB LED light inside. Turns on when you open it, and has a small compass on top so you can see where you’re going. Measures approx 7” open and will shine for approx (6) hours with a trio of “AA” batteries, which are included. In utilitarian gray ABS plastic.

And easy to store. One of the better pick-up tools we've seen. Folds to just over 16" to store, but locks open at 30" with spring steel arms on an aluminum frame. It has soft, suction-cup-shaped grabbers and big, locking pistol grip. Pretty good gripping capacity too-maybe to 10 lbs or so. Get one for Mom, because at her age she can't reach the things she used to. And then get another one for yourself, because you'll be Mom's age before you know it.