Knives that never need sharpening are usually more expensive than knives that dull over time. But from now until November 30th this Micro Edge 5-Piece Knife Set is 50% off it’s original price over at SharperImage.

About this Knife Set:
- Unique patented MicroEdge™ serrated blades always maintain their razor-thin edge.
- Surgical-grade stainless steel blades feature a full visible tang, secured by three rivets on the ergonomic handle for excellent balance and stability.
- Five-piece set includes paring, utility, chef’s, carving and bread knives.
- Each comes with protective blade sleeve.
- Dishwasher safe.

These would make an excellent gift for anyone who enjoys making food. Having the right knife that’s always sharp on hand is invaluable when preparing food. This five-piece set includes a 3″ paring knife, 7″ chef’s knife, 5″ utility knife, 8″ carving knife, and 8″ bread knife. Each patented Micro Edge knife comes with its own protective blade sleeve.

In order to get this set at 50% off (a savings of about $40) the regular price you must also purchase something else from SharperImage. If you are only looking to buy this 5 piece knife set then I’d recommend looking through the gifts from $5 to $50 section.

Posted by Sean in Household on October 28, 2006
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This is a good gift for all those dashboard drummers who just can’t help but drum out a beat when ever and where ever the feeling hits. With music being stored and played from our own personal computers more now than ever this finger drum mousepad can be a fun little toy for everyone.

This electronic drumpad is a Hammacher exclusive that also serves as a mousepad. Although from the looks of it I’d recommend it for someone who has a wireless mouse. The finger drumming mousepad allows you to play eight different percussion sounds, including bass, snare, two rack toms, a floor tom, hi-hat, crash, and ride cymbals using only your fingers. This fun device requires 4 AAA batterires (the kind most new TV remote controls use) and you can record up to 30 of your own rhythms.

I like to tease, so I think it would be funny to get this for someone who asked for a drum set for their birthday/Christmas/etc. and you let them open this gift first. Then when all the gifts are opened you can bring them out to the garage where the real drum set is set up. It makes for a bigger surprise in the end. Plus when they can’t practice their real drums because of noise, this little finger drum set will keep them busy.

Posted by Sean in Fun,Gadgets,Kids on October 26, 2006
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Looking for some unique and creative cutlery? Check out this saw shaped cake knife from Uncommon Goods. The first thing I thought of is how great it would look slicing into the world famous Bleedy Cake. I also thought this would make a good gift for the handyman or handy woman who likes to cook.

They say it’s great for cutting cake and other desserts, but I wonder how well it does on other things. I wonder if the serrated edge makes it hard to cut vegetables, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? I’d like to use a novelty looking knife as my everyday knife. Maybe a mini clever or machete, or something shaped like a lightsaber for the handle, but with a regular looking knife as the blade. Anybody have any answers to these burning questions?

Posted by Sean in Household,Unique on October 22, 2006
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While this isn’t the most amazing concept in the world it does lend it self to be quite useful for it’s everyday convenience. Normal shower curtain rods only hold a curtain and serve no other purpose, but this shower curtain rod comes with a towel rack. Well, it’s just another bar to hang stuff from, but it works perfect for hanging towels or other garments that need to air dry. This is because when you hang your towel to dry over a wet shower curtain you’re inviting mildew and mold growth due to the material of most shower curtains. Mildew and mold are stinky and don’t make a bathroom visit any better. This extra rod is also perfect for those who use a shower curtain and a decorative liner.

The chrome-finished steel and aluminum-alloy rods mount without tools or hardware, using tension mounted rubber gaskets to hold themselves firmly in place above a standard 5′ tub without damaging tile or drywall. Also includes hardware for more permanent installation if desired.

RELATED: Uniue Shower Curtains

Posted by Sean in Household on October 20, 2006
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Did you miss your chance to get 15% on the last O-Day Sale? Well this is your lucky weekend because Overstock’s got a sweet deal at 12% off everything plus only $1 shipping. But you better hurry because the deal ends 10/23/06 @ 2 PM EST.

Just in case you miss this O-Day sale this weekend they are also offering 10% off on all orders made by 10-31-06. But you don’t get the awesome $1 shipping deal you could get if you buy something this weekend.

For those of you who will be ordering the big stuff, we’ve got a special deal for you. Take $15 off any order over $125. This deal also expires 10-31-06.

Helpful hint: If your purchase total is over $125 but under $150 then use the $15 off deal. But if your purchase total is over $150 then I’d suggest the 10% off deal as you will get a bigger discount.
Math:
(10% of $125 = $12.50) $15 off is better than 10% off
(10% of $160 = $16.00) 10% off is better than $15 off

Posted by Sean in Surprises on October 19, 2006
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When redecorating your new living space for that retro/vintage look, one of the easiest and most effective ways to go retro is with lighting. Most places have built in lighting so let’s take a look at what kind of retro makeover we can do for cheap.

Ceiling fixtures are a great place to start because of how easy they are to replace. Plus they are readily available on eBay, and if you are lucky you’ll be able to find one close to your location so you don’t have to pay much for shipping. Searching eBay for retro lighting turns up so many results that you’re forced to weed through it all to find the good stuff, so I’d recommend narrowing it down by category. In this case we can go straight to the Ceiling Fixtures section within the Lamps, Lighting, Ceiling Fans category. Then just search with the keyword retro and pick and choose the style that looks best to you.

Some of these ceiling fixtures are so simple and easy to install it just takes a couple minutes to unscrew the one thumbscrew that’s holding the fixture in place and replace it with your new retro fixture. A good example, and one of our favorites, of this is the light shade type cover (pictured at left). It’s usually in a square shape, hides two light bulbs, and has one hole in the middle from which it’s held in place.

A lot of retro and vintage items on eBay are from people getting rid of their old stuff. So buying retro decor items from eBay gives your home the unique look that isn’t available at your nearest IKEA or Target.

RELATED: Retro Kitchen Appliances, Retro Aprons.

Posted by Sean in Household,Retro and Vintage on October 18, 2006
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Despite a propensity to be painstakingly organized and “on top of things”, I’ve realized that I waste too much time trying to store and recall information. It sort of hit me one day when I was driving in a neighborhood that I haven’t been in for over a decade, and yet could find my way around without really trying to recall. “How much useful information is floating around in my subconscious?” I wondered. Turns out everything I’ve ever experienced is supposedly locked away in there, waiting for me to learn to access it. Supposedly, anyway ; )

That’s where products like the Genius Code Training Program step in. It claims that “you are brighter than you think“, and it will teach you to use your brainpower more efficiently. Dr. Win Wenger, the creator of the system, has learned in his 30 years of study that genius is not a result of genetic superiority, but of a pattern of mental conditioning. Which means, genius is within your grasp. While the complete skeptic in me initially wants to debunk this claim, everything I have learned about memory and brainpower support it. In theory, nearly everyone has genius potential. It’s up to us to discover the learning and recalling methods that allow full use of our brains, though.

One of the cornerstones of the Genius Code and other “become a genius” programs, is subconscious photo reading. I love how this part is phrased: “PhotoReading exposes printed materials to the brain at phenomenal rates, a page per second, all beyond the conscious mind’s processing capability, but within the capabilities of the subconscious. Now, reread that sentence to make sure you got it. It is a wild concept. We actually teach you to ‘mentally photograph’ the printed page at 25,000 words per minute.” I voraciously read for pleasure and education, but being able to absorb and recall 25,000 words per second is far beyond what I am currently physically able to read. Imagine being able to learn a new hobby, language, or skill that quickly! The next time someone points to a helicopter and asks “Can you fly that thing?”, you could actually answer Trinity-style, “Not yet”, and be well on your way in seconds. Genius Code has received excellent reviews, and at $159.99 (shipping is free) it’s a bargain for what you can potentially receive. It’s even easy enough for kids to use, so you and junior can study together.

If anyone has used this system, or any other accelerated learning course, please let us know in the comments how it worked for you.

Posted by Lauren in Unique on October 15, 2006
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Are your USB ports working for you? Usually we connect a boring printer, web cam, or mouse to these ports, but chances are you have a few ports not being utilized. Manufactures have taken advantage of the fact that USB can deliver power from your PC to a small device by creating fun toys that plug into our computers that don’t even involve the rest of the computer.

You can get a USB powered beverage cooler, a beverage warmer, or an Air Purifier and Clock. Add some fun into your work day with a USB powered missile launcher. If you like the missile launcher make sure to check out this Circus Canon Launcher as well.

For the ultimate in computer desk decor try a mini lava lamp or a 6 color cycling mini Christmas tree. A more useful USB powered item might be a personal fan, or a reading light with just enough light to brighten up your keyboard for all your midnight surfing. For added decor try a mini lamp complete with retro orange lamp shade.

If you don’t have any spare USB ports you can always plug in a USB hub that turns 1 port into more. How many more? It’s up to you, add 3, 4, or up to 7 more ports. 7 free USB ports would allow for quite the arsenal of missile launchers.

Bring these toys along for the ride in your car with a FirePod that converts your any 12V automotive DC power source (lighter) into a USB and Firewire port.

Posted by Sean in Fun,Gadgets,Nerd,Unique on October 14, 2006
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“Bird on a Wire” Wall Sculpture

The lowery mood of impending Halloween may have a little something to do with it, but I find this wall sculpture striking. (See the website for a much better “action” shot.) At first I was at a loss trying to decide what atmosphere Bird on a Wire was designed to best compliment. It’s definitely not your average piece of wall art, and I suspected the artist had a distinct vision when creating it. However, monochrome coloring and clean lines are extremely versatile and can look fantastic in many decor schemes. The product description said it best when it claims to “create a handsome accent to any contemporary, rustic, masculine, or modern decor”. And at $62.99, the price is pretty feasible for all budgets, too.
RELATED: Morning Song Sculpture from Acacia.

Posted by Lauren in Household,Unique on October 13, 2006
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I think everyone can look back on their childhood and remember a time when they had a couple board games they liked to play over and over. I can even remember playing some board games 2-3 times a day with my little sisters because they were into them so much. But now we hardly play those older board games anymore, and it’s not just because Tiddly Winks or Mouse Trap lost their fun. If you’re like most people, chances are that some of those board games have missing pieces or aren’t even in your closet anymore.

Every now and then I’d like to play the games of yesteryear partly for the memories, but also for the fun of it. After raiding your game stash and your grandma’s closet for all the vintage board game fun you can find you might want to check out some places online. There is the obvious VintageGameStore.com that sells all kinds of board games, even newer ones, but they don’t have much for product descriptions, so I’d recommend finding the game you want first and then trying them. Finding that special board game from your past can be made easier by checking out the great resources at BoardGameGeek.com. You’ll find pictures, suggestions, and in depth reviews of some classic and new games.

eBay is always a great choice for finding the exact board game you are looking for at a reasonable price. That is why we put a live feed for a search on “vintage boardgames” directly to the right. As of this writing there are vintage games like a copy of Go to the Head of the Class made in 1967, RISK from 1959, Charlies Angels from 1977, and an all time classic Hi-Ho! Cherry-O from 1960. Being the huge Star Wars fans we are here at Mable’s we picked up a vintage 1977 Escape from the Death Star off eBay a while back and played the heck out of it. After finding out it doesn’t have too much replay value, we put it back on eBay and now someone else gets to enjoy it’s nostalgic value all over again.

Vintage board games can also make a great gift idea for a sibling with whom you used to always play a certain game with. Or perhaps another family member and yourself played a board game every Thursday night and you’d like to recreate that. Sending a vintage board game to that unsuspecting person would sure bring a flood of memories back, but actually being there to play it would absolutely make their day.

You might have to fight over the board games on eBay with all the craft peeps who want to take old board games and turn them into something different and useful. Useful like an end table, a purse, or a notebook.

If you have a dedicated game room check out this post over at RacketBoy for a creative idea on setting up some board games based on vintage video games.

Posted by Sean in Fun,Kids,Retro and Vintage on October 11, 2006
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