Get Yourself a Jimi Wallet. Now!

Item: Jimi Wallet

Price: $14.95

Where to Buy: thejimi.com

Review: I got a nice surprise when I wrote about the Jimi wallet in June: The Jimi wallet people offered to send me one. For free.

Um, yes please.

I love it.

It doesn't quite hold enough (five cards and three folded bills) to be my everyday wallet, but it's nice and compact for a small purse. And it's fun to use. And cute. I got a pink one.

It's too late to ask for one for the holidays, but do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a Jimi wallet in the New Year.

Image from: thejimi.com

Special Effects for Funky Photos

Item: BeFunky Photo Effects

Price: Free

Where to Try: BeFunky.com

Review: Add professional-looking special effects to your favorite photos in seconds -- no artistic skills required.

With nine options (including the "Warholizer" and the "Cartoonizer") there's hours of photorific fun at BeFunky.com. For example, see what "Charcola" did to the image above.

The site is free -- you don't even have to register to try it out -- and after uploading your photo, your new funkified image is displayed in seconds. What you do with the image is up to you-- you can purchase the image on shirts, mugs, magnets, keychains, stickers and more right on the site.

Eye Candy for Your Neck: Original Pendants

Item: Glass Pendants

Price: $15

Where to Buy: Althea Loglia's Eye Candy

Review: The first booth I saw at the entrance to the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn earlier this year was for Althea Loglia's Eye Candy, and I immediately stopped in my tracks.

The pendants on display featured vibrant original artwork fastened to glass stones. Each pendant, about the size of a half-dollar, came with your choice of a chain or leather cord.

It took me about 30 seconds to decide that I would be taking one of these pendants home with me, but much longer to decide which one. The pendant I finally chose, primarily yellow and pink, adds a splash of color to dark t-shirts. I wear it at least once a week and haven't tired of it yet.

Luckily, you don't have to wait until next year's craft fair for your very own Eye Candy pendant. You can easily check out Althea Loglia's selection of original and custom-made pendants.

Mr. Poncho: Untangle Your Headphones in Style

Image Courtesy of Mr. Poncho

Item: Mr. Poncho iPod and iPhone covers

Price: $18

Where to Buy: Mr. Poncho

Review: I love my new iPhone.

What I don't love is digging my headphones out of my purse and untangling them on a crowded subway or platform. What's more, my husband goes through several earbuds a year for his iPod, and I think it's partly because they always get smooshed and jostled in his pocket when he's not using them.

Enter Mr. Poncho.

"The birth of Mr. Poncho came after being so fed up with our tangled headphones," Sandy Hyun, half of the Mr. Poncho team, said by email. Hyun and her boyfriend, Roman Pietrs, make each poncho in their Manhattan apartment.

Just slip your iPhone, iPod, or even your Zune into the pouch, and wrap your headphones around the easy-to-use holder in the front.

I came across Mr. Poncho this year at the Renegade Craft Fair, where the poncho was introduced in 2007. After there was a run on the the stock that year, Hyun said they understood that there was an appreciation, particularly among do-it-yourselfers, for "handmade clever inexpensive goods."

Sounds good to me.

The Mr. Poncho website offers a variety of designs, from Day of the Dead skeletons to musical notes to '60s-inspired flower patterns. Or customize your own poncho for $35.

Charming Danforth Pewter Buttons

Item: Danforth Pewter Buttons and Charms

Price: $3

Where to Buy: Danforth Pewter

Review: The Danforth Pewter button display a saw at a small shop in Burlington, Vermont, almost made me what to rip out all of the buttons in my spring jacket and replace them with these bright and shiny alternatives.

And at $3 apiece, it would have been completely reasonable to do so.

Many of the buttons were a little too, well, cute for my tastes. However, I absolutely loved the simple, classic designs on the round buttons the company offers.

In Burlington I was content with buying a Danforth Pewter charm to turn into a necklace. But when I decide my coat needs a makeover, I know where to turn.

Image from: Danforth Pewter

Renegade Craft Fair: Indie Art at Hard-to-Beat Prices

I heard about the Brooklyn stop of the Renegade Craft Fair completely by chance, through a small notice on the New York Times online. But it didn't take long to decide that I would attend.

It took a bit longer to convince my husband to accompany me. But he had almost as much fun perusing the witty t-shirts as I did combing through the jewelry, bags and clothing.

The Renegade Craft Fair brings together "indie crafters"-- more than 300 at the Brooklyn event -- for a one-stop-shop of all things homemade.

And happily, visitors on a budget have plenty to choose from. I picked up a necklace for $15 and could easily have spent 10x that and left McCarren Park with a full bag of loot. I hope to feature on this site some of the unique items I saw for sale, but until then you can read about my experience at the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair.

I'll certainly be at the 2010 fair, and I only wish I could attend the upcoming Renegade Craft Fairs yet this year:

Los Angeles
California Market Center
July 11-12

San Francisco
Fort Mason's Festival Pavilion
July 18-19

Chicago
Division Street between Damen & Hermitage
Sept. 12-13

A Wallet for the Rest of Us: Jimi

Item: Jimi Wallet

Price: $14.95

Where to Buy: thejimi.com

Review: "The wallet for people who hate wallets."

The Jimi wallet's slogan describes me exactly. Wallets always seem to be needlessly large and awkward, a place to stuff sundry receipts and coins. I currently keep my cards and money in a small change purse to avoid just such an outcome.

But hopefully not for long. I do have a birthday coming up, and this is what I want: a Jimi wallet.

I first came across the Jimi wallet in the gift shop of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and immediately coveted it. The hard plastic wallet is translucent but brightly colored-- a cross between hipster chic and avant garde.

What's more, it's water resistant and can even clip to a keychain or lanyard.

The only problem with the Jimi wallet? Which color to request.

I'm leaning toward pink. Or sea glass green.

Image from: thejimi.com

Want a New Purse? Love Books?

Item: Book Purse

Price: $100+

Where to Buy: Rebound Designs

Review: It's April Fool's Day, but it's no joke that I really want a book purse.

Yep, it's more than 50 bucks, but I figured I could get away with it today.

These purses are made from real hardcover books, and the designer says on her website that each takes 8 to 10 hours to create. The fabric and handles she uses look just as classic as the books themselves.

My favorite? The "Pride and Prejudice" purse, of course. But her catalog includes a few of my favorite books from childhood, too. Alas, most of the purses on her site have already sold, and I really want to visit the Eastern Market where she sells them in Washington, DC each weekend to see the purses for myself.

The book purse is the ultimate gift for the ultimate bibliophile, and it's climbing to the top of my own wish list.

Image from: Rebound Designs

Pretty Peruvian Good Luck Charms

Item: Silver Peruvian Earrings

Price: $20

Where to Buy: Etsy.com

Review: I'm a big fan of gifts that are good conversation pieces.

The shop HuayruroPeru alerted me to the jewelry, keychains and other accessories they sell online- all under $50. What makes them unique? The red and black Huayruro seeds are good luck charms in Peru.

As the economy takes a beating, I'll take some luck however I can get it. Especially when it comes in such a pretty form.

Image from: HuayruroPeru shop on Etsy

Duct Tape Wallet

Item: Duck Tape Wallet

Price: $21.95

Where to Buy: Ducti

Review: When I used to wrack my brain for a gift for my boyfriend-now-husband, my mom would suggest a watch or a wallet.

No doubt those are classic gifts, but why not go for something a little more unique but still in the same vein?

The duct tape wallet is sure to get a smile and a second glance from your guy and anyone who's around when he pulls it from his pocket.

The best part? When the wallet starts to fall apart -- as all billfolds eventually do -- it's easily fixable. With duct tape.

But no need: There's a lifetime replacement warranty.

Image from: Ducti

Pittsburgh Steelers Messenger Bag

Item: Pittsburgh Steelers Messenger Bag

Price: $39.95

Where to Buy: ThePittsburghFan.com

Review: What do you get the Steelers fan who has everything? How about something to put it all in?

True fans probably already have the hoodie, the hat, the jersey, the jacket. Go for something a little different with a messenger bag that's good for school or out on the town. (OK, maybe I wouldn't carry it on a first date or anything, but you get what I mean.)

I'm not a gigantic pro football fan, but I'll be rooting for Pittsburgh this Sunday during the Super Bowl by dint of both my uncles' and my husbands' uncles' mania. But if I was a big fan, this messenger bag would probably be toward the top of my wish list.

Image from: ThePittsburghFan.com

Headphones Hat

Item: Headphones Hat

Price: $24.99 - $29.99

Where to Buy: Tooks Hats

Review: Hate cold weather? Love your iPod? Make peace with both with a Tooks hat with built-in headphones.

The removable headphones come with the hat, making this one functional, fashionable gift.

The headphones hat seems to be practical not only for the music lover, but also for the person who actually wants to stay warm. If you're like me and won't even buy a hat with a fleece band to keep your ears nice and toasty, you're in luck.

The hats are available in a variety of colors and styles. Whether you opt for the beanie, the bomber or the classic knit, the headphones hat is one way to keep your head as hot as your music.

Yeah, I can see you rolling your eyes over that last sentence. I couldn't resist.

Image from: krunker.com

Barack to the Future button

Item: Barack to the Future button

Price: $3

Where to Buy: ButtonsandMagnets.com

Review: If you haven't already heard, Barack Obama becomes the 44th President of the United States this week.

Commemorate the day by buying a button for yourself. Or buy 10 for $20 and give them as a gift to your nine closest Democratic friends.

Don't worry too much about your Republican acquaintances. Were they not brandishing their own Bush buttons eight years ago? I thought so.

Image from: ButtonsandMagnets.com