The simple play of light and shadow can be so mesmerizing. This new shadow projecting lamp from Brooklyn based Lumen uses a flock of birds to create it’s beautiful shadow play. Measuring a wee 5″ x 2.5″, the shadows it projects get larger as you move the lamp away from the wall. It makes a great conversation piece for living room display, yet I envision placing them on a nightstand (or uber sleek Lumen shelf). I’d just love to have my own flock of birds next to my bed And since it’s oil powered, there are no power cords to tie it down and no electricity being used. This lamp is (almost) free as a bird…
$47.99

Related: Lumen “cedar tree” lamp & Lumen “bloom” lamp

It’s been a long day on teh Interwebz. I’ve been glued to my laptop most of the day doing nerdy behind-the-scenes work for Mable’s and our Halloween website. Kinda fun, but rather tedious work.

But you know what makes it all better? Perpetual Kid is having a Spring Cleaning Warehouse Sale. A bunch of their items are marked down 20% – 70% off. Now would be a good time to stock up on Dead body Towels for company and replace that busted travel hula hoop of yours. Sheesh, why am I still writing this, I could be securing a lifetime supply of Cocktail Monkey necklaces right now.

Even better is their newest item: novelty ice cubes in the shape of… wait for it… dentures. (If this is your first visit and you weren’t sure what to expect from a “Unique Gifts Blog”, you now know just what you’re in for.) It’s official: these chompy cool treats are going to be the official ice cube at Mable’s HQ this summer.

I was cruising the Internet like I normally do and went to check out a couple of my favorite stores and noticed a couple had an awesome sale going on. I learned all about sharing in the first grade and I want to exercise that skill now and share these great deals with our readers.

Get up to 50% off some items over at the ThinkGeek January Clearance Sale. Awesome gifts like digital photo frames, 8-bit tie, USB beverage coolers, watches that double as a camera, or LCD screen, or even USB storage, and tons more. Check it out.
Hot Tip: Be sure to browse the Mega Deals section for the biggest savings.

Also definitely worth taking advantage of is the Perpetual Kid Huge January Sale. Get unique gifts at jaw dropping prices like USB heated gloves, ABC cookie cutters, marshmallow blaster, and lots more. One of my favorites is the You Are Here Doormat.

A few years ago I purchased a star projector toy, imagining and hoping that it would transform my bedroom into my very own planetarium. Like many people, stars and starlight have always held a special fascination for me. Who doesn’t enjoy stargazing every now and then? Those teeny twinkling specks of light remind us of the enormity of the galaxy, and are just so beautiful to behold. Well, imagine my disappointment when said child’s toy failed to create anything resembling a sky full of stars. Instead I saw blurry smears over a small section of my ceiling. I packed up the plastic hunk of junk, returned it to the manufacturer, and wondered if I would ever get that starlit bedroom that I so dreamed of.

Fast forward a few years and someone finally got it right! The Laser Star Projector is not a toy and promises to “fill any room from the tiniest bedroom to the largest warehouse with a crystal clear animated star display“. Yes, it’s animated, too! You’ll see thousands of green laser stars and blue clouds (along with the occasional shooting star) that are constantly moving and morphing. Everyone who sees it in person supposedly has an OMG moment, and I can’t wait to try it out for myself.

OK, I may not have a jetpack or servant robot yet, but this kind of technology will pacify me for now.

Also available @ Think Geek

$189 (with Free Shipping @ Perpetual Kid)

It’s spring time, and Easter is just around the corner, which translates to a lot more get-togethers with friends and family. Laughter is heeling and these Pick Your Nose party cups will make anyone giggle, not to mention create many timeless picture opportunities. So invite your family and friends, get your camera charged up, and drink until your heart stops … from all the laughter.

You get 24 12-oz paper cups in each pack, evenly divided between male and female noses, to experiment with new styles of facial hair and noses.

If you haven’t already gotten your party supplies for Easter make it easier on yourself and shop online to have them delivered so you can get on with your life.

$7.49

Scents surround you wherever you are. Some can be terrible, and bring back unpleasant memories, yet others are delicious, comforting or serene. What every scent has in common with one another is association. Every smell makes you think, feel, or remember something (whether you are fully conscious of it or not). For me, smelling cotton candy always makes me think of my sister, and her love/obsession with it. I remember us eating pink cotton candy together at Disneyland, and it always puts a smile on my face. Sweets are a pretty much universally delicious scent. After all, can you think of anyone who doesn’t like one type of sweet? Perpetual Kid offers a collection of fragrances from Demeter, my personal favorite perfume company. All the favorites like birthday cake, bubblegum, pina colada, vanilla cake batter, and marshmallow are available. They even carry some of the more “original” scents, such as sawdust, Play-Doh, and cannabis. My personal favorite is Waffle Cone, which I usually wear daily. After all, It’s always nice to hear “Mmm, you smell like cookies!” when you walk in a room.

$18.99

Looking for other places to buy?
COUPON: Get 10% off your purchase at Perfume Country. Their regular price for all Demeter 4oz. sprays is is $24.99 (retail is $39.50), and they carry tons of scents. (Coupon expires 3/30/07)
Unbeatable Sale also offers 4oz. Demeter at a great price ($31.36) and they have a lot of scent options, too.

A familiar theme here at Mable’s is functional things in attractive packages. I’m bored of household items in greys and whites, and I’m pleased to see that the creators of Hot Heads Oven Mitts feel the same. Who says kitchen safety has to be boring? These silicone oven mitts are heat resistant up to 446 degrees, and are flexible, strong, and lightweight. Now you can shield your hands from steaming temps while bringing a smile to your face. Much more durable and heat resistant than traditional woven oven mitts, these silicone mitts are, in the words of Howard Hughes, the way of the future! These would also make great hand puppets for the kiddos, so don’t be surprised if you get requests to borrow these for playtime. Choose from orange doggy or green froggy.

$9.99

Call them drink markers, drink hangers, or just plain fun, Mable’s has always been a fan of cocktail glass decorations. Due to the success of the cocktail monkeys, mermaids, and elephants the powers-that-be have created some new friends to hang from our cocktail glasses.

Now you can adorn your beverage of choice with a black cat cocktail buddy (for that retro look) or a red demon, complete with pitch fork (for that little devil in all of us). Each box comes with about 50 little drink hangers to help your party goers remember which glass is theirs.

Whether you’re throwing a small lounge party or a big open bar type party these cocktail hangers always get rave reviews. I suggest handing out one for each drink refill so by the end of the night, or early morning, everyone can review how many drinks much fun they had. Come Monday morning your party goers can hang these from their cubicle, office desk, office lamp, etc. and they will forever remember the great time they had at your party. You can also use these as secret invitations; just hand out one to each coworker you’d like to have attend your get together and they’ll know whose house to be at this weekend.

Got any other ideas or past experiences with these little drink markers? Leave a comment and share it with everyone.

$6.99 – $8.99