Cat Silhouette Wall Hook

The charming cat silhouette wall hook would make a lovely stocking stuffer for any cat lover, child or adult. It was created by Noah's Ark, an India-based fair trade company, and is available through the Animal Rescue Site store. It's made of cast iron with a ceramic inlay, and measures 5.5 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide.

If you have a moment, don't forget to go to Animal Rescue Site itself and click to donate free food and care to animals. (This checks out on snopes.com as legitimate!) I like to go there, then also click on each of the other "cause" tabs across the top to click-donate food, care, and services. It's a quick and painless way to help out a little.

What: Cat Silhouette Wall Hook
Where: Animal Rescue Site Store
How much (as of today's post): $9.95 (plus shipping)

Tiny Sweets Ponytail Holders

Even though I was an uber-tomboy growing up, I still liked pretty barrettes and ponytail holders, and I would have loved these fabric-covered ponytail holders from Etsy seller Tiny Sweets! Pictured above are a pair of cheeky orange squirrels, and some curious and lively blue mice. I love the nubby texture of the fabric, and the animals are just too cute for words. There are also little goldfish, bears, birds, deer, and the adorable hedgehogs you see below.

In addition to ponytail holders, the Tiny Sweets shop also has fabric button and wool hair clips available, featuring the same kinds of sweet creatures, plus some fruit and flower varieties. A pair of ponytail holders is only $3.75, and in fact the highest priced item in the shop as of today is an adorable set of two panda ponytail holders and a panda hair clip for only $8.50. Talk about affordable stocking stuffers for your little sweetheart!

What: Tiny Sweets Ponytail Holders
Where: Tiny Sweets (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $3.75

Photos on Deck!

Today's post isn't about stocking stuffers per se, but it could be related.... Let me explain! Periodically, Walgreens and CVS offer great deals on photo prints and gifts. And when I say great, I mean great: 25 free prints, a free 8x10, and even a free 8x10 photo collage this last week!

The trouble is, what if you don't have your photos organized? These deals are usually quite time limited -- 3 or 4 days at most from when they're announced until when they end. So what I do is keep my photos "on deck". I tend to use Walgreens for those times when I really want photo prints -- an album commemorating our trip to Japan, so I could actually show it to people easily, for example. One anniversary, I gave my husband a wall-hanging photo frame that actually had seven slots (one for each cat), which was hard to find, so I had a lot of photos printed and then I arranged and re-arranged until I got it just the way I wanted. Because of this, several of my favorite photos are already uploaded to Walgreens website.

Which meant that when the free 8x10 photo collage deal came up this past week, I had photos at my fingertips! I ordered a collage similar to the one shown above, which I will be taking to work and putting up on my metal cabinets with a magnet.

How does this relate to stocking stuffers? You can always put a photo in a nice little frame. Or you can buy adhesive magnet backing and make your own magnet stocking stuffers. Don't forget that Walgreens lets you experiment with your photo images -- you can give them funky borders or neat effects. Or you can experiment with effects -- turning a photo into a "watercolor", for example -- before you upload to Walgreens or CVS.

My point is: be ready for these crazy-good deals when they happen. Have a number of photos uploaded and ready to go, or at least accessible on a Picasa or Shutterfly or other account, so you can get to them quickly. Otherwise it's too easy to let the freebie pass you by because you haven't yet gotten around to uploading the photos from your camera to your computer. I also recommend weeding out bad photos right away -- just delete them! That's the beauty of digital photography, after all -- you can always take more without paying to develop bad photos.

Fairy Doors

Here's a magical stocking stuffer for today's "luxury Friday" post: a fairy door to remind everyone that fairies and other magical creatures may be around us, just out of sight, all the time. Cast in oak-textured plaster and hand-painted in England, these fairy doors make a whimsical addition to a room. The single door ($21.95) measures 2.75 by 2.25 inches, while the double door ($24.95) is 3.25 by 3 inches. A little girl into fairies might like having one of these for her room, although I know plenty of grown-ups who would enjoy them too!

If you're not familiar with The Pyramid Collection, their "tagline" is "Myth, Magick, Fantasy & Romance". They carry a lot of romatic apparel, and many items appropriate for Halloween in addition to "everyday" magical items (although I suppose that's a bit of an oxymoron!). I've been receiving their paper catalog off and on for several years and have always enjoyed looking through it, especially at their unusual jewelry. You can request a free catalog here.

What: Fairy Doors
Where: The Pyramid Collection website
How much (as of today's post): $21.95 / $24.95 (plus shipping)

Wine Cork Place Card Holders

This set of eight place card holders looks like wine corks, although they're actually made of resin. Each holder has a slot for the name cards and a flat base, and the set would make a nice stocking stuffer for anyone who likes to have dinner parties. The holders could also be used to label wine and cheese at a wine tasting party.

For the crafty among you, you might also be able to make a do-it-yourself variety out of actual corks! I think the hardest part would be cutting to get the flat side really flat without crumbling the cork, but I imagine it could be done. I won't label this post as a possible do-it-yourself idea until I've actually tried it myself -- if it works, I'll come back and update!

What: Wine Cork Place Card Holders
Where: Uncommon Goods website
How much (as of today's post): $12.00 / set of eight (plus shipping)

’wichcraft Panini Spreads

Just in time for the new Las Vegas season, Williams Sonoma has begun carrying the perfect food stocking stuffer for Top Chef fans: 'wichcraft Panini Spreads, from Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft restaurants. The choices include green olive tapenade (7.9 oz.), mildly spicy tomato relish (7.9 oz.), and savory-sweet balsamic onion marmalade (8.8 oz.) for $14.00 apiece.

You can also get the set of three for $37.00, saving $5 on the individual jar prices. The customer review ratings on the Williams Sonoma website show an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, so if you have a gourmand (or just a Top Chef fan!) in your life, you'll be set on stocking stuffers this year.

Yum....

What: ’wichcraft Panini Spreads
Where: Williams Sonoma website
How much (as of today's post): $14.00 apiece or $37.00/set of three (plus shipping)

Bedol Water Clock

Check out this funky little clock that runs on water and a little bit of salt -- batteries not included, because you don't need any! This is one of those stocking stuffers that would work for so many different recipients: it would look funky in a dorm room, teens will find it to be "cool", and it's a neat little gadget that even the hard-to-buy-for-men might enjoy. Although it's round, it has a flat bottom so it sits nicely. The clock face is 2 inches, and the overall dimensions are 4.25 inches in diameter by 3 inches high. Instructions are included for how to twist off the top and add the necessary water and salt, which powers the electrodes inside the clock.

What: Bedol Water Clock
Where: Solutions website
How much (as of today's post): $14.99 (regularly $19.95 / plus shipping)

Monkey Door Hangers

Having trouble getting your kids to hang up their towels or jackets? These monkey door hangers from The Container Store might help. They're made of stainless steel, and come in a pack of three for $9.99. Unfortunately, you can't mix and match the colors, so you have to order a set of either pink, green (backordered as of this writing), or brown. If you have a boy and a girl, I guess green would be the most gender-neutral color -- maybe that's why they're backordered!

It looks like they hang over the back of the door, which means they'll be placed too high for very small children to use. Still, they are awfully cute! But in any case, if these don't work for you, you could also look at Home Depot or Lowe's for a hanger that can be mounted lower for smaller children.

What: Monkey Door Hangers
Where: The Container Store
How much (as of today's post): $9.99/package of three (plus shipping)

Original Bronze Doorbells from Modelmaker2

Here is a stocking stuffer that is sure to be unique: an original bronze doorbell from Etsy seller Modelmaker2. We have geckos and/or anoles here in Houston (I always get them mixed up), and I love to watch them, so this little fellow caught my eye right away. The artist, Mike, models the doorbells and then has them cast in bronze; he then hand lacquers them to protect them from the elements. The doorbells, which are meant for wired doorbell systems, come with mounting screws and the illuminated button. The lizard is 4 1/2 inches long.

Mike's other designs include an anchor, a Kokopelli (shown left), a musical G-Clef, an oak leaf and acorn combination, an artist palette and an Irish Claddagh. My first choice would be the lizard, but the Kokopelli is a very close second. Any of these will give the entrance to your home that little something extra, and because of their size, these bronze doorbells would make terrific out-of-the ordinary stocking stuffers.

What: Original Bronze Doorbells
Where: Modelmaker2 (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $25-45

Cupcake-Themed Stocking

Cupcakes seem to be all the rage these days, and not just the cupcakes themselves, but cupcake-themed merchandise. Let's face it: little is cute, so little cakes are almost universally appealing. If you really enjoy seeing the remarkable cupcake creations that individuals and bakeries are concocting on a daily basis, you might enjoy checking out the Cupcakes Take the Cake blog. But in the meantime, here are some ideas for cupcake-themed stocking stuffers!

First up, how cute is this Sweet Shop Lip Gloss boxed set of four cupcake-shaped lip gloss containers? The gift box (shown above) measures 1.5 by 5.5 inches, and the flavors are strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, and raspberry. These can be found at the EverAfterStore.com website for $12.50.

For an extra special stocking gift, try this James Avery silver cupcake charm (shown right). I've featured James Avery charms before, because I love their simple elegance. This charm is 7/16" long and is available in sterling silver ($48) or 14k gold ($295). Obviously, these wouldn't be appropriate for a very young girl, but they would make a lovely special gift for a woman who loves baking in general and cupcakes in particular.

This next stocking stuffer is a lovely pink cupcake luggage tag (shown left) from the EverAfterStore.com website. This would certainly stand out on the luggage carousel at the airport! The cupcake part measures 3.5 x 3.5 inches. It's made of vinyl and has a clear acetate window on the reverse side with a paper insert for your name and address.

These last three cupcake stocking stuffers (all shown below, left to right) take us back to the under $5 realm... First, we have a cupcake key cap from the Perpetual Kid website that's pretty cute. It measures 1.25 inches in both height and width, fits most standard keys, and costs $4.99.

Next up are these fun cupcake bandages from the Archie McPhee website. The 3.75-inch tall tin comes with twelve latex-free adhesive bandages with sterile gauze. Each bandage measures 1.75 by 1.5 inches, and the tin, which costs $4.95, comes with a free prize inside.

Last but not least, I headed back to the EverAfterStore.com website for these puffy cupcake stickers. Each of the eight puffy vinyl sticker measures 1.25 inches, and they're perfect for decorating school notebooks. The set of eight costs $3.95.

I hope that gives you some ideas! Use your imagination: if your cupcake enthusiast recipient is an adult who bakes, you could include some of these items, plus a rubber spatula/scraper or some other appropriate kitchen utensil. Or if you're making up a gift basket, you could put in a book of cupcake recipes or cupcake-decorating how-to. For a more personal approach, put in your own favorite cupcake recipe. For little girls, you could put in an IOU gift certificate for a cupcake-making session. Have fun!

Jewel Bud Vases

One of my brothers-in-law once sent me a gift from the Red Envelope, and I have to say, it came in one of the most beautiful gift boxes I'd ever seen. And no wonder -- their gift boxes alone are a little on the pricey side! But it's still possible to find good deals there occasionally. Recently I was pleased to find this set of five jewel bud vases on sale for $34.99 (regularly $39.95), which isn't cheap, exactly, but which can make nice and not-too-expensive gifts if you break the set up and spread the cost out over each vase, which would be about $7.00 apiece at this sale price.

Naturally, if you use these as stocking stuffers you'll have to be very careful as they are fragile. But at 2 3/4" high, they're certainly the right size. The set comes with blue, purple, amber, green, and red. If you want to give them to more than one person, you could pair the blue and green together, or the green and red for Christmas.... There are lots of possibilities! I have to say, I do love the simplicity of their lines and the way they seem to glow.

What: Jewel Bud Vases
Where: Red Envelope website
How much (as of today's post): $34.99/set of 5 (plus shipping)

Back to School Socks

Just in time for back-to-school, or for sending your little chicks off the college, here are some back-to-school socks that come in men's sizes 5-10 and women's sizes 6-11. As of this writing, the pencil socks are out of stock, but I actually like the white notebook socks best anyway, followed by the composition book socks. These would make a cute stocking stuffer for college students, or a fun gift for your favorite teacher.

What: Back to School Socks
Where: Uncommon Goods website
How much (as of today's post): $12.00 (plus shipping)

Chocolate Mocha Syrup

Here's a decadent stocking stuffer: chocolate mocha syrup from the Stonewall Kitchen website. It's a dark chocolate syrup with a hint of coffee flavor, which can be mixed into cold milk (maybe with a little Kahlua?) or into a cup of cocoa, or poured over ice cream. The 16.9 ounce bottle should fit into a generous-sized stocking, or of course into a nice gift basket. I even like the looks of the bottle: elegant in a simple way.

What: Chocolate Mocha Syrup
Where: Stonewall Kitchen website
How much (as of today's post): $12.00 (plus shipping / price break when you buy 3 or more)

Shakespeare Lapel Pin

This is such a small thing, but somehow I find it very pleasing -- which is really what stocking stuffers are all about! Perhaps I like this so well because Shakespeare in Love is my favorite movie, or maybe I just have Shakespeare on my mind because I read a short book over the weekend that touched on the ongoing debate about his identity and the authorship of the plays attributed to him.

In any event, I know I would love to have this little Shakespeare lapel pin, and it would be a great stocking stuffer for anyone who loves the Bard. If you do have such a person in your life, be sure and look all around the Shakespeare's Den website for all sorts of appropriate gifts and stocking stuffers.

If Shakespeare is too specific, there's also a comedy & tragedy masks lapel pin -- perfect for your high school or college student if they're involved in school plays. And you certainly can't beat the price!

What: Shakespeare Lapel Pin
Where: Shakespeare's Den website
How much (as of today's post): $3.95 (plus shipping)

Hi-Jack Headphone Splitter

Here's a trendy little stocking stuffer that would be perfect for teens and college students: a Hi-Jack headphone splitter, which allows two people to listen to the same iPod, MP3 player, computer, or whatever device with sound that they have. They still each need to have their own headphones or earbuds, but they can plug both pairs into the same device. I first saw this in a Borders store a week or two ago, and it caught my eye with its funky, trendy design. There are other more prosaic headphone splitters, but I think this one is more visually appealing.

This would also be great if you and traveling with your spouse on an airplane and have a portable DVD player -- you could both watch and listen to the same movie at the same time (if you don't like what they're offering on the in-flight entertainment system!).

As mentioned, I saw it in Borders, but it's also available on Amazon through a third-party seller, and I have to imagine you could find it at Target or Radio Shack or a multitude of other stores.

What: Hi-Jack Headphone Splitter
Where: Amazon, Borders, Radio Shack, Target, etc.
How much (as of today's post): $9.95 (plus shipping)

Polymer Magnets and Sculptures from joojoo

Etsy seller joojoo is another of those artists whose displays of artwork are as beautiful as the creations themselves. I was first struck by these snail magnets, because their lines are so simple and clean. The fact that they incorporate real shells makes them twice as wonderful. The batch shown above comes in a set of four in a gift box for $28. The rare earth magnets are embedded into the bottom of the polymer clay, which is nice because it means the bottom of the snails lie flat against the metallic surface instead of sticking out an extra half inch.

Exploring joojoo's shop is a treat in itself. The snails are shown in various poses, and there are several other adorable magnet sets: a bird, a koala bear, acorns (including some in "love" colors), and even a tattooed snail, because snails like to express their individuality too! There is also a section in the shop for jewelry, including a lucky gold kitty pendant, and a section of art prints, many of which feature two dimensional versions of the same critters you see elsewhere in the shop.

Along with the magnets, my favorite sections of the shop are the "mini sculpture" and "terrarium darlings" sections. The terrarium darlings are little polymer trees, grass, mushrooms, and other plants you can place in a terrarium to add a spot of color and whimsy. The mini sculptures are beautiful little figures including tropical bunnies, a pink whale, a shy chicken, and more. Many of the figures were photographed in front of appropriate backgrounds, which makes them all the more fun to look at.

What: Polymer Magnets and Sculptures from joojoo
Where: joojoo (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): price varies

Kids' Audio Books on CD

I'm showing my age here, but I have fond memories of children's books that came with 45 rpm records (or maybe they were 33 rpm?). The record would read the story and the child could read along, and there would be a little chime indicating when it was time to turn the page. I had Disney's The Aristocats, and a Mickey Mouse version of the little tailor who brags about killing seven flies with one blow (I can still hear Mickey's voice saying that in my head!), only everyone thinks he means he killed seven giants with one blow instead of seven flies.

Nowadays, a child wouldn't have the faintest idea what to do with an actual record, but children's audio books are alive and well on CDs. I was in Barnes & Noble the other day, and saw this Olivia Audio Collection for $9.99. It contains all five of the Olivia books by Ian Falconer on one CD, so I consider this quite a bargain! Featuring the voice of Dame Edna Everage, this would make a terrific stocking stuffer, and if your child doesn't already have the Olivia books, it's a great opportunity for a paired gift, with the CD in the stocking and a book or books beneath the tree.

I also saw Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings of Dr. Seuss. Another bargain, this has nine unabridged classic Dr. Seuss tales on two CDs, read by Jason Alexander, David Hyde Pierce, and Michael McKean. The titles include "Hop on Pop", "Fox in Socks", "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish", and more. This one is priced at $19.99, but Amazon sells it for $13.59.

Aside from giving Mom and Dad's voice a break from reading aloud once in a while, audio books allow children to listen over and over, which in my mind really helps reading sink in. My mother says that she thought I simply had my record books memorized, but then she realized one day I had somehow absorbed how reading works because she bought me a new one and I was able to read it before listening to the record. And if reading is something your children are happy and comfortable with, their entire school experience will be so much easier, and their lives will be enriched in many ways.

Zapi UV Toothbrush Sanitizer

Considering all the undercover news reports about the lack of cleanliness in hotel rooms, even the ones that look clean, it occurred to me that a toothbrush sanitizer might make a nice stocking stuffer for anyone who travels a lot. But it might also be nice for kids on up through teens, and even college students.

In any case, this Zapi toothbrush sanitizer fits most standard toothbrushes and even electric toothbrush heads, and comes with a removable drip tray for easy cleaning. It uses 3 AAA batteries, comes in two colors (blue or white), and measures 3 inches in diameter by 4 inches high. (It also wobbles, which kids will like!)

Personally I'd prefer if it plugged into the wall since I'm sensitive about using up batteries and sending them to the landfill, but maybe this is yet another good reason to get a battery charger, which is another "luxury" stocking stuffer (due to its price) that I mentioned some time ago.

What: Zapi UV Toothbrush Sanitizer
Where: Brookstone
How much (as of today's post): $29.95 (plus shipping)

Beetle Spoons and Sporks

I know the "spork" has a bad rap these days -- we love to make fun of it! -- but what kid wouldn't love to find a beetle spork in his or her stocking? Great for picnics or school lunches, each spork (or spoon, if you just can't bring yourself to buy a spork!) comes in its own compact travel case. As you can see from the picture, the handle folds back to form the wings. I really do think they're pretty cute!

There are a few potential drawbacks to these as stocking stuffers, however. First, if you order from the Container Store's website, which is where I found these, you cannot specify which type/color of bug you want. It drives me nuts when companies do this! Second, the product information doesn't specify whether they're dishwasher safe. And third, they're a little pricey at $9.99 apiece, especially if you also have to pay shipping.

Because of all this, I would likely buy this only in person as opposed to online. That solves the problem of being able to pick the one you want. Plus it should say whether or not it's dishwasher safe, and you'll save on shipping. But it you don't have a Container Store near you, you could always go to Google and search on "beetle spork" to see where else you might find these little critters.

What: Beetle Spoons and Sporks
Where: The Container Store website
How much (as of today's post): $9.99 (plus shipping)

Glorious Garlic Monastery Mustard

Know a mustard lover? He or she might enjoy finding this "Glorious Garlic Monastery Mustard" in a Christmas stocking or gift basket. This mustard took the Silver Medal in both 2006 and 2008 at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival and Worldwide Mustard Competition, so I have to imagine it's Pretty Serious Mustard. But the price is still reasonable: $5.50 for an 8 ounce jar.

If garlic isn't quite what you're looking for, there are seven other mustard varieties to choose from, including Devoutly Dill, Heavenly Honey, Angelic Honey Garlic, and Hallelujah Jalapeno. Don't you just love those names, considering they're coming from a monastery?

What: Glorious Garlic Monastery Mustard
Where: Benedictine Sisters Monastery Mustard website
How much (as of today's post): $5.50 (plus shipping)

Abusive Ink Stamps

OK, fair warning: these ink stamps are not for kids and not even particularly for crafters and traditional inkstampers! Rather, they're a gag gift, and should only be given to those with the particular sense of humor to appreciate them. I found them on the Pop Deluxe website, which offers a choice of six different stamps:

• File under T for Trash
  
• This is F*****G urgent (I told you this wasn't for kids!)
  
• I haven't got time to read this CRAP
  
• Staple this to your FACE
  
• Confidential - read this and I'll have to kill you
  
• Utter bulls**t

The only one I think you could get away with as an office gag gift would be the "File under T for Trash" -- and that's only if you know the recipient well enough to know that he or she will take it the right way. Personally, though, I think these stamps are funny, and I'm seriously considering getting the "Utter bulls**t" one for my dad. He's retired now, but he worked for the same company for 35 years, and had a reputation for not taking any, you know, BS! It remains one of his favorite phrases to this day.

I know this stocking stuffer isn't for everyone, but I really want to have a wide variety on here, and since I have 365 days in the year to post stocking stuffers, surely I can take a day now and again for something really silly!

What: Abusive Ink Stamps
Where: Pop Deluxe website
How much (as of today's post): $7.99 (plus shipping)

Gardening Knowledge Cards Quiz Decks

At $19.90, this stocking stuffer just squeaks in under my $20 limit, but since the Gardening Knowledge Cards Quiz Decks comes in a set of two, you might consider putting one deck in the stocking and saving the other for another occasion, effectively bringing your price down to $9.95 apiece. One deck covers the "Kitchen Garden" and the other covers "The Potted Garden". Each deck has 48 cards with questions ("What are heirloom vegetables?" "Can I subdivide my Christmas cactus?") and detailed answers, making the decks fun and different stocking stuffers for the gardener in your life.

What: Gardening Knowledge Cards Quiz Decks
Where: Bas Bleu website
How much (as of today's post): $19.90 for set of 2 decks (plus shipping)

Silver Origami Jewelry

I've always considered origami to be a delicate, fascinating art form (one that is generally far beyond my capabilities!). Here, Etsy artist Gary from Allegro Arts goes one step further by turning origami into lovely silver jewelry -- and jewelry, as you know, is perfect for extra special stocking stuffers!

Naturally, I was first drawn to the pair of kitty earrings shown above. But I also love the seahorses! These and several of the other designs (goldfish, butterflies, angels, puppies) are available as earrings or pendants. I was also particularly taken with the elephant (shown at left). I'm amazed that such a simply shaped piece so clearly and unmistakeably evokes "elephant", but there it is. For each piece, Gary lists the size so you know exactly what to expect.

Don't forget to take a look at the rest of his wares, some of which incorporate beads and crystals. You'll especially want to see the gorgeous "Tres Mariposas" (three butterflies) bracelet, which combines handmade glass beads and sterling silver butterflies.

What: Silver Origami Jewelry
Where: Allegro Arts (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $20-$60 (plus shipping)

Making the Most of Blog Labels

One of my original goals when I started this blog was to make it easy to find stocking stuffer ideas for different recipients by age, gender, or interest. As I've found new stocking stuffers, I've realized that they don't quite fit any particular category, which meant inventing new categories.... In any case, if you haven't already tried out the labels shown in the left column on this blog, I hope you'll find them useful at some point! On November 1, 2009, I will have posted at least once a day for an entire year, which means that just as we truly head into the holiday season, there should be a lot of posts ready and waiting that people can find simply by clicking on a link in the left-hand column.

The obvious categories are there: men, women, boys, girls, kids (meaning either boys or girls), teens, college students. I've also tried to identify specific interests: cat lovers, computer geeks, entertainers, crafters, gardeners, sci-fi geeks, art lovers, and so on.

Next, I've tried to note actual descriptions of types of gifts. This includes gadgets, kitchen, books, games, gag gifts, and more.

Because this blog is year-round, I've tried to find small items appropriate not only for stockings, but for other gift-giving holidays. These are labeled as Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, and so on.

And last but certainly not least, there's price! I use four price categories: under $5, under $10, under $15, and under $20. The exceptions are items posted on "luxury" Fridays (labeled "luxury items") and some of the Sunday "Etsy" items. The prices do not include shipping, in part because many of the items listed might be available in traditional stores.

So my reasons for today's post are twofold. The first is to explain how these labels came about and how you can use them, and the second is to ask you whether there are any other labels you think would be worthwhile. For instance, I thought about separating "babies" from "kids", but not having any of my own, I'm not sure if you would really give a baby many stocking stuffers since they can't have very small things, and they're not necessarily old enough to use many stocking stuffers. And I'm afraid if I went with "babies", "toddlers", and "kids", I'd really be off the mark, since I'm not great at judging age appropriateness (I think that's a talent that appears magically when your first child is born!).

In any case, I'm open to suggestions. Any other labels you might find useful, or anything confusing about the ones I'm using now?

Art by the Meter Folding Ruler

Oh dear, just when I thought I couldn't possibly add yet another category of stocking stuffers! Today's "luxury Friday" stocking stuffer is an "Art by the Meter" folding ruler from The Library Shop. It measures in both inches and centimeters, but the interesting part is that one side shows sections of beautiful full-color paintings, while the other side lists artistic movements by epoch, more specifically from "Roman funeral art and mosaics in the first centuries AD through the works of Islamic, Chinese and Mayan art into the Renaissance and on to the modern era." For each work of art pictured, the ruler gives the period and artist, title of the work, and the year of creation.

Closed, the ruler measures 9 inches long. Open, it's two meters (81 inches). It certainly would fit in a stocking, but here's where the new category comes in. I think it would be great for college students taking art courses, or for men and women who truly love art. But it wouldn't be appropriate for all college students, or all men and women. And so now I have a new category: "for art lovers". (I'll have to go back through my posts and see if that applies to any of the other stocking stuffers I've listed!)

Have a great weekend!

What: Art by the Meter Folding Ruler
Where: The Library Shop website
How much (as of today's post): $22.50 (plus shipping)

Cat and Dog Car Plaques

Now that I see these, I'm amazed someone didn't think of them earlier -- because we all know that cats are at the top of the evolutionary food chain, right? Well, at least they seem to think so! And I guess somebody figured they better make one for dogs just to throw them a bone.... (Yes, I admit it! That very bad pun was intentional!)

Anyway, these car plaques from One Nation Under Dog come in three varieties: cat, dog, and Dogwin. They are 5 inches long and come with adhesive on the back, so they can be stuck to bumpers, windows, computers, or any other flat surface you can think of. It's the perfect stocking stuffers for cat or dog lovers.

(Note: I first came across these car plaques at the Gifting Gumshoe blog, which has lots of great gift ideas.)

What: Cat and Dog Car Plaques
Where: One Nation Under Dog website
How much (as of today's post): $6.00 (plus shipping)

Bubble Gum Fairy Eggs

If you have a little girl who likes fairies, these Bubble Gum Fairy Eggs would make a cute stocking stuffer. I found these on the Archie McPhee website. The speckled white, blue, green, and orange pieces look like tiny bird eggs and come in assorted fruity flavors. They're packaged in a charming star-shaped tin that measures 3" x 3" x 1". It would also work in an Easter basket as an alternative to jelly beans.

What: Bubble Gum Fairy Eggs
Where: Archie McPhee website
How much (as of today's post): $4.95 (plus shipping)

Savin' to Quit Bank

We all have days when we can relate to this stocking stuffer: a "Savin' to Quit" bank from the Perpetual Kid website. Made of tin, it measures 3.5 by 4.5 inches, so it's perfect for a stocking. It also makes a fun gag gift for an office Christmas exchange, or a nice stocking stuffer for your spouse if his or her job has become a little stressful for tedious.

On a side note, this reminds me -- if you're saving your loose change, don't forget to get it to the bank every once in a while to earn a little interest, because every little bit helps. We're fortunate in that our credit union has a change counting machine we can use for free. The CoinStar machines you see at the grocery stores have fees, but you can change your coins in for free if you're willing to accept a gift card instead of cash. The available gift cards include Amazon, Starbucks, iTunes, Lowes, and more.

What: Savin' to Quit Bank
Where: Perpetual Kid website
How much (as of today's post): $7.99 (plus shipping)

Ninja Star Coat Hook

Here's a stocking stuffer for boys, teens, college students, and even some grown-up (or not so grown-up!) men: a ninja star coat hook. One point of the stars screws into the walls, making it look as if the recipient has narrowly escaped a ninja attack!

According to the Think Geek website, the hooks are made of a strong nickel-plated zinc alloy. The dimensions are 4" x 4" x 0.31", and the screw is permanently attached, so you don't need any hardware of your own. Any boy (or tomboy, for that matter) into martial arts movies or anime would enjoy having this in his room. I think it would be great for dorm rooms, too, as long as they don't have those cinder block walls that I remember....

What: Ninja Star Coat Hook
Where: Think Geek website
How much (as of today's post): $12.99 (plus shipping)

Wooly Baby Upcycled Slippers/Booties

The tagline for the Wooly Baby Etsy shop is "giving new life to old sweaters." Artist/owner Josie recycles (or upcycles!) used wool sweaters by taking the wool and refelting it into sturdy warm slippers for your little ones. She also uses reycled leather jackets for the soles, giving new life to yet another commodity that might otherwise end up in the landfill.

That's impressive enough as it is, but just look at the beautiful slippers/booties that the Wooly Baby shop has to offer! There are hi-top and low-top slippers, plus "Billy Goat slippers" designed for all-day wear with additional leather reinforcements at the heel and toe, and "Bear Slippers" that are extra thick and warm for those cold climates.

Not sure about wool slippers for your baby or toddler? Wooly Baby also has a website separate from the Etsy store with more information. The product description page notes that each pair of slippers has felted wool inner and outer surfaces, plus non-skid soles made of flexible leather. The high-topped slippers have an inner elastic band to keep the slippers from slipping off (no pun intended). The FAQ page notes that some types of wool are itchier than others, and if your child is sensitive, you should stick to lambswool, merino, cashmere, or angora, which are the softest and most comfortable against bare skin. Slippers made of wool or shetland wool would likely be more comfortable with socks. Each pair of slippers in the Etsy shop has the exact description of the type of wool they're made from, so you can make an informed decision.

In addition to making a lovely and generous stocking stuff for children or grandchildren, these slippers would be great in a baby shower gift basket. And not only would you be giving a generous and lovely handmade gift, you would be helping the environment by choosing a gift made from recycled materials.

What: Wooly Baby Upcycled Slippers/Booties
Where: Wooly Baby (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $28-44 (plus shipping)

Free E-book Downloads from Girlebooks

Can you believe it's already August? Wow, this year is flying by!

Today's stocking stuffer is almost free, it's do-it-yourself, and it's something you can do at the very last minute if you get caught short. All you need is a flash drive, which is the part that isn't quite free. But maybe you have one on hand anyway -- I have at least six or seven of them that I've picked up various places.

Have you heard of Girlebooks? It's a website with the tagline "ebooks by the gals". Their stated goal is "to make classic and lesser-known works by female writers available to a large audience through the ebook medium." They provide many free downloads of ebooks that contain works that have entered into the public domain, and also provide links to ebooks by women that are for sale. If you're not familiar with the term "public domain," it means books for which the copyright has expired, meaning that anyone can reprint the book and sell it without having to pay the author or the author's estate. In other words, these are generally older books, but don't let that fool you into thinking they're uninteresting! Here's a sample of authors for whom Girlebooks offers selected free downloads:

• Louisa May Alcott
  
• Jane Austen
  
• Anne Brontë
  
• Charlotte Brontë
  
• Emily Brontë
  
• Willa Cather
  
• Agatha Christie
  
• Helen Keller
  
• L.M. Montgomery
  
• Dorothy Sayers
  
• Edith Wharton
  

The books are offered in multiple formats, including Adobe Reader PDF, eReader PDB, Microsoft Reader LIT, Mobipocket/Kindle PRC, and plain text. Unless you have a dedicated e-book reader, which I don't, PDFs are probably the best choice because just about every computer has a free PDF software, and if you don't already have it you can download it for free. I still generally prefer books in the printed form, but I have read a few books on the computer, especially at lunchtime at work, and found it easier and more pleasant than I thought it would be.

So back to the stocking stuffer aspect: all you have to do is take a flashdrive and download several books to it to have a great stocking stuffer for the book lover in your life. For instance, you could put all of Jane Austen's books on the flash drive: Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, and the lesser known Sandition and Other Stories. (Sandition is actually an unfinished novel, so they've collected some short stories into the same volume.) You can also take a shortcut by simply downloading Girlebooks' The Complete Works of Jane Austen as one file, but I actually like the idea of downloading them separately because Girlebooks has gone to the trouble of creating lovely covers for each of them. A flash drive filled with these books would make a lovely addition to a Jane Austen themed stocking (don't forget the Jane Austen action figure!), but it also stands on its own very nicely.

You could also do the same with L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables books, although unfortunately copyright restrictions prevent Girlebooks from providing one of the books in the series, Anne of Windy Poplars. It seems odd, but copyright law is extremely complicated and these kinds of oddities do occur. For Agatha Christie, only two of her dozens of books are available so far (The Secret Adversary and The Mysterious Affair at Styles), but you could combine them with the two Dorothy Sayers mysteries featuring her Lord Peter Wimsey character for a mystery-themed stocking stuffer. Or you could put all of Louisa May Alcott's books on the drive, or simply some combination of books by different authors. This would even work for a teen or tween girl, because you can get the classics Heidi, The Secret Garden, Little Women, What Katy Did, and at least the first three Anne of Green Gables books. I loved each of these books as a kid, and it's clear that they're enduring classics that each generation can discover anew.

You can conveniently browse the Girlebooks catalog by title, author, American literature, British literature, young adult, and new releases. And Girlebooks is constantly adding new free e-books to its catalog, so be sure to check back there, or subscribe to their updates so you don't miss anything!