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

Cookies for the Traveler in All of Us

Item: Biscoff cookies

Price: $26.95 (200 cookies)

Where to Buy: Biscoff.com

Review: My favorite airline is Delta not because of low fares or on-time departures. Nope. It's because of those delectable in-flight snacks called Biscoff cookies.

Stronger that a graham cracker, yet sweeter than a ginger snap, the Biscoff cookie is the highlight of the flight. And unlike a lot of in-flight treats nowadays, they're still free (or at least they were the last time I flew Delta more than a year ago).

Luckily, I don't have to wait for a flight to get my Biscoff fix. Over supper one night, my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and I learned of our shared regard for the cookie-biscuit. Lo and behold, I received a whole tin of the treats from them for Christmas one year.

Biscoff cookies not only make a great mid-morning treat at work, but also inspire me to plan my next trip -- via Delta, of course.

Image from: Biscoff.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.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Continuing this week's theme of cheap and easy homemade Christmas gifts that look neither cheap nor easy ... Homemade Chocolate Syrup.

The recipe, from Small Notebook (who, in turn, borrowed it from The Complete Tightwad Gazette) has only five ingredients. And since the result keeps for several months, you can make the sauce at your leisure, far before the last-minute crush of holiday shopping and get-togethers.

Yes, the results look tasty, but what really makes this a gem of a gift is the container you package it in. A flip-top glass bottle (like that used at Small Notebook) with a homemade label makes this easy homemade Christmas gift appear not only delicious, but also thoughtful.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Mix cocoa and water in saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve cocoa. Add sugar, and stir to dissolve. Boil 3 minutes over medium heat. Add salt and vanilla. Cool. Pour into a sterile glass jar, and store in refrigerator. Keeps for several months. Yields two cups.

Cheese Thimbles in Four Flavors

Image from: ShyBrothersFarm.com

Item: Hannahbells cheese thimbles

Price: $7.50 for 13 cheeses (about 3 ounces)

Where to Buy: Shy Brothers Farm

Review: A thimble of cheese: it sounds like an ingredient from a fairy tale.

These thimbles, however, come from a Massachusetts dairy farm. Shy Brothers Farm call them Hannahbells; the French, they say, call them "boutons de coulottes," or "trouser buttons."

Whatever you call them, they look delicious. Hannahbells are available in four flavors: classic French, shallot, rosemary and lavender bud. In addition to the small order of 13 cheeses of the same flavor, they also can be purchased in a sampler pack of 40 cheeses for $20.

I'd skip the crackers with this cheese and pop these thimbles plain.

Rubber Bands That Are Doggone Cute

Item: Animal Rubber Bands

Price: $4.95 (24 rubber bands)

Where to Buy: Brainchildproducts.com

Review: An office supply that's practical and cute at the same time?

These animal rubber bands are molded into the shape of dogs, cats, pigs, ducks, rabbits and turtles. Stretch them out and they look like a normal, albeit colorful, rubber band. Take them off your item and they revert to their natural animal shape.

How can you resist that?

Best yet, the purchase of these animal rubber bands is sure to help the environment at least a bit. Who's going to toss a rubber band in the shape of a kitty into the landfill?

Additional themed rubber band packs: basic shapes, zoo animals, and -- get this -- underwear.

Image from: Brainchildproducts.com

Wall Art That Starts Conversations

The last thing the world needs is another reprint of "Starry Night."

Instead, turn to your digital photos to decorate your walls.

For a fraction of the cost of the framed pictures you can get in any old store, I ordered 8 x 12 prints of a few of my favorite photos taken by either my husband or me, like the one above of the Brandenburg Gate at dusk. Then I bought simple glass frames at Ikea for just a couple of bucks apiece.

Now my hallway is lined with seven prints that not only are pretty, but also bring up good memories whenever I stroll to the living room. I visit Austria, France, Mexico and even Disney World in a few steps, if only for a few moments.

This is a great way to decorate your own home, or a thoughtful gift for a friend or family member with whom you've shared a vacation. They're also perfect conversation starters-- visitors always want to learn where the pictures were taken once they learn we snapped them ourselves.

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.

Brownies for Foodies on the Edge

Image from: Baker's Edge

Item: Edge Brownie Pan

Price: $34.95

Where to Buy: Baker's Edge

Review: The perfect brownie, in my opinion, is the one directly in the center of the pan. Forget the chewy crust. Give me the fudgy crumbs.

But maybe I'm in the minority. I'm sure the people at Baker's Edge hope I am.

Baker's Edge sells "the first and only pan for edge lovers." Every brownie has two or three edges because the pan actually has interior sides.

Now if only they could come up with a pan with no edges whatsoever. Hmm ...

Have a Ball Making Ice Cream

Item: Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker

Price: starting at about $22

Where to Buy: IceCreamRevolution.com (link to Amazon)

Review: Making your own ice cream sounds like a good idea, but I haven't had great luck. It tastes fine, but I've never gotten the thick and creamy consistency that I prefer. I'd rather go to Dairy Queen.

Maybe I'm just impatient. I'm not sure the Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker can change my core qualities, but at least it would give me something to do while I'm waiting for dessert.

Like eCreamery customized ice cream, I learned about the Play and Freeze on an episode of Unwrapped. Who knew the Food Network would become my go-to source for the latest in ice cream technology?

Add the cream, sugar and vanilla at one end of the ball, and ice and rock salt in the other. Then, as they say, have a ball. Shake it, roll it, whatever. Twenty minutes later: Ice cream.

The original Play and Freeze makes a pint of ice cream. Hungrier? Get the Mega ball for a quart.

Image from: IceCreamRevolution.com

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.

I Scream, You Scream for Customized Ice Cream

Item: Customized Ice Cream

Price: $49.99 (half gallon)

Where to Buy: eCreamery

Review: I began to appreciate gourmet ice cream only after a trip to the Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont earlier this year. After I sampled the strawberry cheesecake ice cream at the end of the tour, generic five-gallon ice cream tubs were never the same again.

So it was with interest that I watched a rerun of the Food Network's "Unwrapped" focused on ice cream. One of the featured items: eCreamery's customized ice cream.

You not only choose from more than 60 flavors like avocado, saffron, cheesecake and all of the classics, but you also pick the percentage of cream (8, 12 or 14 percent) and and design of the packaging. You even get to name your own concoction.

Your sweet, personalized treat is delivered in 5 to 10 days.

The ice cream does come in under 50 bucks for a half gallon, but shipping is a pricey $30. Full gallons are $79.99, and mix-ins are $5 each, with a limit of two. Another option: Choosing two flavors intermixed for an extra $10. Blueberry Mocha anyone?

A Good Gift with a Cord: Immersion Blender

Item: Immersion Blender

Price: $39.99

Where to Buy: Sears

Review: An immersion blender might be the best gift my husband has ever bought himself.

He loves to cook, so he considers it a toy. I love to eat, so I get to enjoy the butternut squash bisque, fruit smoothies and other concoctions he whips up.

Immersion blenders come in different styles and price ranges, so do a little research to find the best for you or the recipient. Our immersion blender is easy to store and easy to clean-- I love kitchen gadgets that are dishwasher-safe!

Image from: Sears

Eating Safely ... In Any Language

Item: Food Allergy Cards

Price: $8.50

Where to Buy: SelectWisely

Review: When you have food allergies, the scariest place in a foreign country can be its restaurants.

It's hard enough to get some servers in the US to understand that my husband is deathly allergic to nuts. Now imagine trying to express it in another language.

That's where these food allergy cards come in. Available for dozens of allergies, the cards describe the allergy in any of 15 languages. And they're laminated for easy conveyance in your wallet or purse.

Relying on pantomimes isn't a good idea when it comes to food allergies. A food allergy card can make the difference between a relaxing vacation and one spent in the hospital.

Image from: SelectWisely

Old School with the Rubik's Cube

Item: Rubik's Cube

Price: $9.45

Where to Buy: Amazon.com

Review: I had all but forgotten about the Rubik's Cube. Then I got two reminders within just a few weeks of each other.

#1: I was on the subway and a man entered the train selling something out of bag. Usually it's some kind of booklet or piece of junk. This time it was small Rubik's Cubes for a dollar apiece. Demand was so high, he ran out of them and had to turn away at least one customer in our car.

#2: Jon Stewart razzed astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson of the American Museum of Natural History for completing the Rubik's Cube in the green room of The Daily Show. That guy's a genius.

So while I haven't picked up a Rubik's Cube in years (a decade? More?), I wouldn't mind trying. And I'm guessing you know a few people who would too.

Image from: Amazon

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

Like Tea, Only Boozier

Item: Cocktail Infusions

Price: $12 for eight

Where to Buy: Tea Forte

Review: If you're more than a year or two out of college, you're probably tired of mixing vodka with 7-Up. But if you're clueless when it comes to mixed drinks, it may be difficult to find a grown-up beverage you can easily make at home.

With these cocktail infusors, all you need is a little liquor and one or two other common ingredients and you've got the makings of a sophisticated party. Well, at least it's more sophisticated than a 12-pack of PBR.

The infusers come in three flavors: Lavender Citrus, Lemongrass Mint and Silkroad Chai. Each purchase comes with a recipe book. Cheers!

Image from: Tea Forte

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

Dish Towels That Make a "State"ment

Item: Each State Dish Towel

Price: $18

Where to Buy: C.S. Post & Co.

Review: Want your state to clean up its act? How about starting with your kitchen counter.

These old-fashioned dish towels feature the most popular attractions, people and cities of whatever state you choose. You can see the designs at the C.S. Post site before you buy. Ohio's dish towel is a pretty good representation: the presidents, Cedar Point, Ohio State and even Ohio University among a myriad of other drawings. The Columbus Blue Jackets even get their due.

New York's dish towel is focused mostly on the city, which isn't a huge surprise. But c'mon. You couldn't include Niagara Falls? Or for that matter, the Mets?

I'm not sure I'd spend upwards of a grand for a full set. In any case, some of the states aren't available (sorry, Alaska, Delaware, and a handful of others). But whether you're homesick or a new homeowner, these dish towels are one way you can literally get the dirt on your favorite state.

Image from: C.S. Post & Co.

Having a (Literal) Ball

Item: Send-a-Ball bouncy balls

Price: $19.95

Where to Buy: SENDaBALL

Review: If you're never content with a Hallmark card, Send-a-Ball was created for you.

This Chicago-based company sends inflated "greeting balls" to the address of your choice, in a rainbow of colors for a variety of causes.

Birthdays: "Have a Ball on Your Birthday." Babies: "Have a Ball with Your New Baby." Sickness: "Bounce Back Soon." Can't find the message you're looking for? Create your own for no additional charge.

You might not be thrilled spending 20 bucks on a bouncy ball, but your recipient will surely have a ball receiving it.

Image from: SENDaBALL