Meryl's Notes Blog

Mugs, ties, shirts, sweaters… tired of giving those as gifts? Or does the recipient have just about everything you can think of? Not likely when you check out these sites with original and unique items.

I could spend hours on many of these sites. Instead, I forced myself to break away and post them here. This way, I have them all bookmarked in one place.

Kevin Kelly’s Cool Tools isn’t a shop stop, but Kelly finds a lot of cool stuff. Kelly writes, “I am chiefly interested in stuff that is extraordinary, better than similar products, little-known, and reliably useful for an individual or small group.”

Etsy sells handmade gifts. You can shop by color, location (geolocator), time (time machine), material, tags, and category. Click on Sampler to get top sellers, top items, random sellers, random items, and recently sold items.

’80s tees brought on lots of memories from my child of the ’80s days.

Eco-Artware.com has artful, creative, and environmental-friendly gifts. Street signs have been recycled into keychains. Motherboards become coasters.

Surprise.com gives you gift ideas from all over the Web. Know someone who’s all stressed out? Loves to talk politics? Is socially-conscious? The site provides ideas for all of them and more.

t spheres help the overly stressed folks by combining massage and aromatherapy.

Turn Your Head makes an optical illusion of your profile into a three-dimensional visage.

Big Feet PJs sells grown up PJs with (drum roll) feet! If you or the recipient lives in a cold place, this might be the answer to warm nights (insert crack joke here).

Do you know someone who is slow to wake up? With this Puzzle Alarm Clock, he has to wake up and put the four-piece puzzle back together to shut up the clock.

For the traveler, Weekends Away has theme gift suitcases and gift cards so you can pick the right one to fit the occasion or the recipient’s personality.

Individual Icons recycles jewelry made out of objects like chainmail, grommets, and rulers.

Find unusual and lesser known games at US Games, which also carries tarot cards and has a Web museum of rare cards and games.

Satinbox.com carries a variety of original and unique lifestyle product gifts that you would normally find in different specialy stores and boutiques. With Satinbox.com you find products categorized by your recipient’s lifestyle. One of its bestsellers is the fashionable apron.

Wootini sells three-dimensional art from artists all around the world.

Uniting word fans and geeks with L33t tiles.

Have fun with strangers with Flapart Covers in which you put your real book inside these phony books and the titles will shock your friends and strangers who look at the cover to see what you’re reading. Sample titles: Do-It-Yourself Liposuction, Coroner by Correspondence, and How to Steal From Your Employer and Get Away With It.

Don’t know if your recipients have food allergies? Play it safe with Divvies, which sells good food that are free of nuts, milk, and eggs. The only thing is those with gluten allergies aren’t covered. The food is even Kosher.

For book lovers and book club friends, Overdue Media sells items that say things like “WWDD: What would Dewey do?” “What happens in the library stays in the library.”

Can’t find the right accessories for your iPod? Think Different Store is a real brick and mortar store that — of course — sells online. Sure glad it’s not located in my town. Heck, not even my side of the country as it’s in New York.

Give your flashlight some legs with Flashlight Friend. No more rolling off the table.

Elsewares carries products from independent designers like the Egglings and iPod flourish.

Museum of Useful Things is about beauty and function.

Pixelgirlshop has fine art and homemade items.

I heart NY, I heart TX. What do you heart? Show it off with jewelry from State of Mine. [Last few Links: Daily Candy]

StitchPixie sells vinly and jewelry pop art and retro novelties in bright colors.

Dora’s book from Nick Jr. Personalized Books was a slam dunk with my three-year-old, a big Dora fan. He took it to school and the staff loved it. He told his teacher, “Zachy book.” She thought he meant that it was his book; she looked closer and realized he was IN the book: name and face. Current offers are Dora and Blue. I’m sure it changes as different characters get popular with kids.

Four Idle Hands has devilishly good stuff. I loved their 6/06/06 contest and lucked out in coming in second place. I ordered insomnia bookmarks and they’re wonderful. Unlike a typical flat bookmark, these stay within the page nicely because of their thin string, which doesn’t slip considering both ends have an object.

Quirky Gift calls itself the “home of really unusual presents.” For the person who can’t quit smoking, you might consider the coughing ashtray — if you’re brave. For the hosts of the New Year’s party, a champagne parachute.

American Science and Surplus is passionate about “discovery and invention.” The site contains closeouts, surplus and overruns of eclectic products related to science or education. The business has been around since 1937 and you can learn more from the manifesto.

My 10th grade computer literacy teacher wrote notes in shorthand. None of us could read it and it intrigued me. Shorthand classes are hard to find, but it’d be cool to know how to write in “code.” Shorthand Press attempts to revive the art of writing shortcuts with its products.

Don’t trash those special tees. Recycle them into quilts. I collected uniforms, shirts from shows, and others over the years and had them made into a quilt at Old Town Quilts. I love it. I want to add on to it, if I can as I’ve collected more.

Chopstick Art and Furniture.

Daydream Toy showcases original toys for all ages including a beanbag doll (Beanstalks) that can stand on its own feet.

Office Playground: Gifts for coworkers, bosses, and even yourself.

Pylones: Fish pens, crocodile staple removers, colorful sugar pots, whimsical umbrells are just of the few of ordinary items receiving a personality. One caveat, the site is difficult to browse but it’s worth it when you find the right thing.

TreasureKnit: Photo blankets, pillows, towels, tapestry.

Knock Knock: Greeting cards, stationery, organizers, and other fun stuff.

Grandma’s Chicken Soup: Winter… love it… hate it… we don’t want to think about it, but people often get sick with a bad cold or G-d forbid, the flu. Of course, chicken soup is wonderful in the winter, not just when you’re ick.

Barbara K 30-piece signature tool kit: All the tool basics in one case along with instructions, which have a place in the case so they don’t get lost.

BeyondBookmarks: Know someone in college? Far away? Recovering? Send ‘em a fun care and gift package.

Wishingfish.com: “Eclectic mixture of styles: vintage and modern, funky and sophisticated, East meets West.”

See Jane Work: Stylish and useful tools to help working women manage their time and stay organized.

Toss Designs: Bags and designs that combine style and function.

Purseket: Switch purses in an instant and find everything.

Dynomighty: Recyclable goodies like wallets, tags, jewelry.

ModCloth carries affordable and trendy accessories and clothing.

day-lab stocks retro, vintage and eclectic jewelry, accessories, and knickknacks.

Modern Tribe has unusual Jewish gifts like No Limit Texas Dreidel.

Teramasu has the latest in fashion accessories. Cute stuff!

Fred Flare: Stay cute! I’d love to have half of these products.

Updated: December 2, 2008