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Unique Gift Ideas, Jigsaw Puzzles & Speciality Toys Clever gifts, unique games, unusual toys and original puzzles. My Shopping Cart, 0 Items Home Unique Gifts Games Arts and Crafts Kids Puzzles Clearance Search keyword / item #: UNIQUE GIFTS Exclusive Gifts For the perfect party For Your Pet Only available here Halloween Fun Shop Gifts under $10 Best Sellers New On Sale Gag Gifts Collegiate Back to School Nostalgic VHS/DVD Collections Personalized Rest and Relaxation Licensed Products Gadgets For the Home For Kids For Her For Him GAMES ARTS AND CRAFTS KIDS PUZZLES CLEARANCE ONLINE SPECIALS GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICE ONLINE EXCLUSIVES SALE NEW PRODUCTS Home > Unique Gifts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Next NEW! Farting Toilet Paper Cover Truly tasteless fun: pull the paper and let one rip! Drips Of Blood, Set of 4,18X11Sheet Add gory dripping "blood" to any wall or window, indoors or out. RCA Lawton Turntable Bye-bye boring stereo-in-a-box. Hello vintage-look RCA Victrola with modern technology, including CD! $14.95 $19.95 $299.95 In Stock In Stock In Stock NEW! NEW! Pepsi Vending Machine Personal soda machine lets you enjoy an ice-cold drink whenever you want! Chaos Tower Build perpetual motion towers up to 6 feet high! Flying Witch Scary witch comes to life as it flies across your lawn! $199.95 $139.95 $29.95 In Stock In Stock In Stock NEW! 12-in-1 Wooden Game Table Our amazing 12-in-1 cherry finished wood game table fits any decor, entertains the whole family, looks great! Personalized Tavern Beer Glasses These personalized beer glasses make the perfect thirst-quenching gift! Fold A Hoop Indoor Game Shoot a game of hoops indoors, then fold it up and hide it away. $199.95 $49.95 $199.95 In Stock In Stock In Stock 1 to 9 of 407 items | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Next Track Your Order | Customer Service | About Us | My Account | My Shopping Cart Privacy Policy | Shipping Costs & Times | Affiliate Program | Site Map © 2004 Spilsbury © 2004 Spilsbury --
Christmas Gifts for the
Listmania! Christmas Gifts for the Geek in Your Life Your Store See All 31 Product Categories Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help Improve Your Recommendations | Your Amazon Home | Your Profile | Learn More Search Amazon.com Books Popular Music Music Downloads Classical Music DVD VHS Apparel Yellow Pages Restaurants Movie Showtimes Toys Baby Computers Video Games Electronics Camera & Photo Software Tools & Hardware Office Products Magazines Sports & Outdoors Outdoor Living Kitchen Jewelry & Watches Beauty Gourmet Food Beta Musical Instruments Health/Personal Care Travel Cell Phones & Service Outlet Auctions zShops Everything Else Scientific Supplies Medical Supplies Indust. Supplies Automotive Home Furnishings Lifestyle Pet Toys Arts & Hobbies Web Search Listmania! Christmas Gifts for the Geek in Your Life by hang10web , geek in his own right E-mail this list to a friend 1. Kickin' Bot : An Illustrated Guide to Building Combat Robots (ExtremeTech) by Grant Imahara (Paperback) Average Customer Review: List Price: $24.99 Buy new : $16.49 You Save : $8.50(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $2.94 2. Hacking Windows XP (ExtremeTech) by Steve Sinchak (Paperback) List Price: $24.99 Buy new : $16.49 You Save : $8.50(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $11.99 3. Mac Toys : 12 Cool Projects for Home, Office, and Entertainment (ExtremeTech) by John Rizzo, Scott Knaster (Paperback) Average Customer Review: List Price: $29.99 Buy new : $19.79 You Save : $10.20(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 4 to 7 days Used & new from $0.95 4. LAN Party : Hosting the Ultimate Frag Fest (ExtremeTech) by William Steinmetz (Paperback) Average Customer Review: List Price: $24.99 Buy new : $16.49 You Save : $8.50(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $1.72 5. Hacking iPod and iTunes (ExtremeTech) by Scott Knaster (Paperback) List Price: $24.99 Buy new : $16.49 You Save : $8.50(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $5.48 6. Hacking Video Game Consoles : Turn your old video game systems into awesome new portables (ExtremeTech) by Benjamin Heckendorn (Paperback) List Price: $29.99 Buy new : $19.79 You Save : $10.20(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $16.47 7. Wi-Fi Toys: 15 Cool Wireless Projects for Home, Office, and Entertainment by Mike Outmesguine (Paperback) Average Customer Review: List Price: $24.99 Buy new : $16.49 You Save : $8.50(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $11.76 8. Hacking TiVo: The Expansion, Enhancement and Development Starter Kit with CD-ROM by Jeff Keegan (Paperback- October 2003) Average Customer Review: List Price: $29.99 Buy new : $20.99 You Save : $9.00(30%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $9.92 9. PC Toys: 14 Cool Projects for Home, Office, and Entertainment by Barry Press, Marcia Press (Paperback) Average Customer Review: List Price: $29.99 Buy new : $19.79 You Save : $10.20(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $1.91 10. Linux Toys: 13 Cool Projects for Home, Office and Entertainment by Christopher Negus, et al (Paperback) Average Customer Review: List Price: $29.99 Buy new : $19.79 You Save : $10.20(34%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $2.68 11. Apple 20 GB iPod M9282LL/A by Apple Computer (Electronics) Average Customer Review: List Price: $269.99 Buy new : Click for price Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $209.99 12. Apple 4 GB iPod Mini Silver M9160LL/A by Apple Computer (Electronics) Average Customer Review: Offered by: Musician's Friend List Price: $249.00 Buy new : $199.99 You Save : $49.01 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Used & new from $169.99 13. Netgear MR814 802.11b Wireless 4-Port Cable/DSL Router by Netgear (Electronics) Average Customer Review: Offered by: TigerDirect List Price: $99.99 Buy new : $34.99 You Save : $65.00 (65%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Used & new from $23.96 14. Philips DVP642 DivX-Certified Progressive-Scan DVD Player by Philips (Electronics) Average Customer Review: List Price: $79.99 Buy new : $58.99 You Save : $21.00 (26%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $49.99 15. Seagate ST3160024A-RK 160 GB External USB 2.0/FireWire Hard Drive by SEAGATE (Electronics) Average Customer Review: List Price: $249.00 Buy new : $191.89 You Save : $57.11 (23%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $191.00 16. Norton Internet Security 2005 - Single User [AntiVirus, Firewall, Privacy, AntiSpam, Parental Control] [CD] by Symantec (CD-ROM) List Price: $69.99 Buy new : $61.99 You Save : $8.00 (11%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $29.99 17. Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 Windows [CD] by Adobe (CD-ROM) List Price: $99.99 Buy new : $89.99 You Save : $10.00 (10%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Used & new from $83.99 18. Microsoft Windows XP Professional [Old Version] [CD] by Microsoft (CD-ROM) Average Customer Review: Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days. Used & new from $148.63 19. Canon PowerShot A75 3.2MP Digital Camera with 3X Optical Zoom (Electronics) Average Customer Review: Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days. Used & new from $369.95 20. Kodak CX7300 3.2 MP Digital Camera (Electronics) Average Customer Review: List Price: $119.95 Buy new : $99.95 You Save : $20.00 (17%) Availability: Usually ships in 1 to 2 days Used & new from $84.89 Create your own list! See the Best Lists Top 100 Listmania lists Search Listmania lists More about hang10web Related Listmania! Add your list Books for Hardware Hackers, Tinkerers, and Techno Hobbyists : A list by hang10web, Hardcore Geek Fun Ways to Void a Warranty : A list by Dave, hobbyist Making Sense Out of Wireless Home Networks : A list by Dave, Technology Sufferer Get to Know an iPod : A list by A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com, Can Apples do everything? Add your list Related So You'd Like to... 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Unique Wedding Gifts, Wedding Accessories and Ideas Wedding Guest Books Ring Bearer Pillows Flower Girl Baskets Wedding Accessories Wedding Pictures Create Account | My Account | My Shopping Cart | Checkout | Order History | Logoff Wedding Keepsakes Wedding Guest Book Platters Wedding Pictures Personalized Signature Frame Kit Signature Photo Quilts Custom Photo Quilts Family Tree Platters Custom Wedding Figures Personalized Photo Pillows Wedding Gifts Family Portrait Platters Personalized House Pictures Recipe For a Happy Marriage Wedding Accessories Ring Bearer Pillows Flower Girl Baskets Crystal Bouquets Wedding Tiaras and Bridal Headpieces Bridal Jewelry Resources Wedding Reception Ideas Wedding Shower Ideas Relationships Gift Ideas Tips & Advice About Us Our Team Company Info Testimonials Shipping Privacy Return Policy Product Templates Contact Us Proud Supporters of CCI and puppy raisers of Gretchen IV Welcome to Wedding Shower Gifts! Wedding Gifts , Wedding Accessories , Ring Bearer Pillows , Flower Girl Baskets , Bridal Jewelry , Wedding Cake Toppers , Wedding Tiaras and More! Wedding Keepsakes Ceramic Wedding Guest Books - Signature Platters Ceramic signature platters make unique wedding guest books . Guests sign a hand painted, personalized platter with a special black marker. Fire in your home oven for 30 minutes and you're done! We currently have four wedding guest books available: an oval platter, an extra large oval platter, a heart shaped platter, and a round platter. Great for wedding anniversaries , bar mitzvahs , retirement parties , family reunions and more! 3D Peeps™ Family Prints NEW!!! Brand spankin' new for 2005! A new concept in personalized gifts. Our 3D Peeps™ Family prints allow you to create an adorable shadow box using our large selection of hand drawn characters and accessories. Each figure is carefully created, cut out and layered using small pieces of foam for dimension. The finished product is sure to create smiles! Family Portrait Platters - Personalized, Hand-Painted Ceramic Platters NEW!! You are going to love our Family Portrait platters - everyone does! We custom paint up to 20 family members to your specifications on our lovely Italian platters. We personalize with names, inscriptions and personal details to make every figure look just like the real person. Select from our Family Picnic Portrait platters or our Bridal Party Portrait platters. Personalized Signature Photo Quilts The "Our Life Together" personalized signature photo quilts have space for up to 45 of your favorite family snapshots. Each photo is artistically altered and tranfered onto our lovely, soft cotton, handmade 53" x 70" throw quilts. The couple's names and dates are added to the center square which can be signed by all of your treaured wedding guests. Quilts are ready to ship between 2-3 weeks once we have received your photos! Custom Photo Quilts NEW!! You've been asking for them and now they're here! Custom photo quilts are made to order just for you in your choice of four sizes, many photo configurations, three photo treatments and twenty different fabric selections. Our largest king sized quilt holds up to 117 photos! These quilts take 4-6 weeks to be created and shipped once we receive your photos but they are well worth it. The perfect personalized gift for any member of your family. Family Tree Platters - Up to 26 Family Members NEW!! With space for up to 26 family members on our largest platter, the Family Tree Platters are a great way to display your growing family. Makes a great gift for parents, grandparents, or the bride and groom. Watercolor Paintings Based On Your Wedding Pictures Created using wedding pictures or engagement pictures sent in by the bride and groom, watercolor paintings make a unique and sentimental wedding gift idea. Watercolor wedding paintings make a great gift for the groom or gift for your parents . Wedding gift certificates are available! A great, last-minute gift idea! Purchase a gift certificate and let the recipient choose the pictures to recreate. Enter our gallery for samples of our work. Custom Wedding Figures Based on your Photos! NEW! We are pleased to bring you our new line of custom sculpted wedding figures. These adorable sculptures are hand created with polymer clay. Each head is maticulously sculpted to reflect personal facial characteristics. Simply provide us with detailed facial photos and our team of talented sculptors will do the rest! Personalized Signature Mat and Frame Kit Everthing you need to create a treasured wedding keepsake. Our large 16" x 20" frame comes in three color choices. Select a black or silver archival gel pen. Display a favorite 8" x 10" photo at the reception and collect the signatures and sentiments of your friends and family. When the big day is over, pop in the glass and hang! Personalized Photo Pillows Create a decorative accent pillow using your wedding or engagement pictures. Our custom personalized photo pillows make a creative gift for weddings, engagements, anniversaries and wedding showers. Gift certificates are a great last-minute wedding gift - allow the couple to choose their favorite wedding picture. Custom Photo Pillows NEW! So many choices! Our new line of Custom Photo Pillows allow you to select a favorite photo and have it printed in black & white, color or sepia tone on a handmade quilted pillow. The finished accent pillow is 18" square with a 2" ruffle in your choice of 20 fabric sets to match our custom quilts. Wedding Gifts Personalized 3-D House Pictures With room for up to 22 family members, the family name, street address and even the family pets, artist Elaine Rock's adorable handmade house pictures make perfect wedding gifts! These special creations also make unique wedding anniversary gifts. The whole family can be represented - right on down to the grandchildren. A Recipe For A Happy Marriage - Personalized Framed Print Created by artist Elaine Rock and personalized just for you! Our adorable 3-D Recipe For a Happy Marriage print is a recipe for success! This is a special gift perfect for anniversaries, engagements, bridal showers, housewarmings, weddings and birthdays. Personalized with the couple's names and wedding date, this handcrafted framed art will last a lifetime. Photo Shadow Boxes NEW! We start with your submitted photo, size it to 5 x 7, unsaturate it to black and white and print it on our dye-sublimation photo printer. Next, we add a touch of fun with a glossy, 3D heart placed just over the hearts in the photo. You select the inscription for the banner. Tiny hand drawn hearts adorn the mat. The photo is framed in our 8 x 10 black shadow box frame for a great gift. Wedding Accessories Ring Bearer Pillows We specialize in unique, handcrafted wedding accessories for the untraditional bride. Our wedding ring bearer pillows are custom sewn-to-order. Select your fabric, colors and accents to match your wedding colors . We have 20 styles to choose from or let your imagination run wild and let us create a one-of-a-kind style just for you. Wedding Flower Girl Baskets Sewn to match your wedding colors, our custom wedding flower girl baskets are almost as adorable as the little girl holding them. Our flower girl baskets can be made to match our wedding ring bearer pillows or created in your own unique style. Select from our huge assortment of colors, fabrics and accents to create beautiful keepsake wedding accessories you can pass down through the generations. Wedding Tiaras, Bridal Headpieces, Halos, Bridal Combs and Hair Sticks Our line of designer wedding tiaras, halos, combs and hair sticks will delight you. Available in a wide variety of styles and colors, you are sure to find a piece that is truly unique to you. Our hair sticks make great wedding accessories for your bridesmaid or flower girl. Swarovski Crystal Bouquets and Boutonnieres New for 2003, our designer crystal bouquets are available with many different configurations. Choose waterfall or straight handheld. Add creamy silk flowers for a touch of elegance. Select your wedding colors. Crystal bouquets make the perfect wedding accessories for the bride with allergies. When flower bouquets have been thrown away, crystal bouquets stay! Designer Swarovski Crystal and Pearl Bridal Jewelry for the Bride, Bridesmaids and Flower Girls Our line of designer bridal jewelry is made with genuine Swarovski crystal, Czech Republic glass, fresh water pearls and sterling silver. With a large assortment of gemstone colors including ruby, emerald, amethyst, diamond, peridot, sapphire and aquamarine, you are sure to find the perfect piece to match any wedding theme. Make sure you check out our line of designer Swarovski wedding tiaras and bridal headpieces to match. Our wedding accessories are created to order just for you! Wedding Accessories Bridal hair accessories, handbags and garters for brides, bridesmaids, flower girls and the mother of the bride. Create your own unusual wedding accessories by selecting fabrics in your wedding colors . Our unique wedding accessories can be found no where but here. Thank you for visiting WeddingShowerGifts.com Wedding Guest Books | Ring Bearer Pillows | Flower Girl Baskets | Wedding Pictures | Bridal Jewelry Wedding Tiaras and Bridal Headpieces | Wedding Garters | Wedding Accessories Signature Photo Quilts | Personalized House Pictures | Personalized Signature Frame Kit Bridesmaid Gifts | Wedding Gifts | Wedding Shower Gifts | Flower Girl Gifts Fresh Cut Wedding Flowers | Wedding Hairstyles | Wedding Colors | Wedding Reception Ideas | Bachelor Party Ideas Related Links | Awards *** We sell Anniversary Gifts , Birthday Gifts and Christmas Gifts Wedding Gifts and Wedding Accessories Home Our Company | Shipping | Privacy | Returns | Contact Us Reach us Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm Pacific Standard Time at (888)216-GIFT (4438) or email us _
Anniversary Gift The momentous
How to Buy a 50th-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift - eHow.com Clear Instructions on How To Do (just about) Everything Web eHow.com Home Family & Relationships Center Family Life How to Buy a 50th-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift The momentous occasion that celebrates fifty years of marriage is traditionally symbolized with gifts of gold. Steps: 1. Follow tradition and give gold for the 50th jubilee; try to think creatively, though, not literally. 2. Put extensive thought into selecting a gift for your spouse. When shopping for a couple, consult people who know their tastes and preferences, especially for this big celebration. 3. Interpret gold as treasure. A gold key for key rings, golden caviar and tasting spoon or a storage chest or wooden box make ideal gifts. 4. Consider a nontraditional gift, perhaps something for you and your partner to do together such as trip to the Golden Door Spa, gold mining in Northern California or a Gold Coast getaway. Such a present would also work well for a couple. 5. Enclose a personal gift card recognizing that 50 years of marriage is a big milestone. Tips: Real gold in small objects like a tiny gold treasure box reflects the spirit of the occasion. Jewelry is an obvious, and good, choice when looking for gold-themed gifts--especially when the item itself is unique. A fine Chardonnay is a fun play on the theme. And don't forget that flowers are always a welcome means to herald the event. Usually only the immediate family buys expensive anniversary presents. Tips from eHow Users: The perfect gift for your 50th anniversary by shar C. A great gift that is still not widely talked about is a signature frame. It is great because you can display photos on the inside of your frame of some of your favorite memories and have it surrounded by friends and guests that attend your 50 year anniversary. Many of them come with gold frames and a custom engraved brass plaque to tie-in the gold theme. What a great way to remember a once in a lifetime amazing achievement. It also makes a great gift to present to them as a surprise already signed by everyone. Do a search on Google or Yahoo news under "signature frames" for the best priced frames. Rate this tip: 50 year photo journey When my father was reaching 50, we browsed the family photo box and selected 'typically Dad' photographs: starting from him (age 8 yrs) hanging over his (20+ yrs old) brother's motorbike, ending with the photo of his 25th wedding anniversary. All photos, together with important newsflashes that we dug up, were scattered randomly on an A3-size wrapping paper and placed in a picture frame. The picture frame was shown to every visitor before they even got the chance to congratulate him. Rate this tip: View 7 More Tip(s) from Users Please Share Your Tips with Us E-mail this page to a friend Write an eHow Article Suggest a Topic More Resources: Related eHows: Celebrate a Wedding Anniversary Give the Gift of Flowers Buy a First-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Buy a 25th-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Buy a 75th-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Things You'll Need: electronic greeting cards jewelry flowers a fine chardonnay travel gift certificates gift certificates spa gift certificates a gold key chains gold tasting spoons storage chests anniversary greeting cards wrapping paper gift bows tissue paper gift bags gift ribbons Project Details: Skill Advisory: Easy Printable Page Questions Answered and Topics Addressed: How to get an anniversary gift How to buy an anniversary gift Give an anniversary gift How to get a 50th anniversary gift Choose a 50 year anniversary gift New! -- Related eHows: Celebrate a Wedding Anniversary Give the Gift of Flowers Buy a First-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Buy a 25th-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Buy a 75th-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Check out Thousands of How-To Solutions in eHow's Centers Automotive Careers & Education Computers & Home Electronics Family & Relationships Finance & Business Food & Entertaining Health Hobbies & Games Holidays & Traditions Home & Garden Personal Care & Style Pets Sports & Fitness Travel How to: --? Web eHow.com Home | Site Map | About Us | How To Books | Link to eHow Subscribe to the eHow of the Day Mailing List : Have the eHow of the Day appear on your My Yahoo! Page: Add the eHow of the Day to your RSS reader: © 1999-2005 eHow, Inc. How things get done. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy .
Birthday Presents Some thoughts
Buying Birthday Presents ABC Home Radio Television News …More Subjects Email this page Print-friendly This week's Treasure Past Treasures About Treasure Hunt Buying Birthday Presents Some thoughts onBUYING BIRTHDAY PRESENTS Gidday! You know theres a funny thing about the Carter Clanmost of us have birthdays around the same time. While thats great cause it means we get to do a lot of celebrating it can also be a bit hard on the old hip pocket nerve when it comes to buying all those presents! So, in an attempt to economise this year, I set myself a challenge: to buy five gifts for five members of my family for fifty dollars each or lesssomething for my grandson, my wife, my daughter, my mother and my father. Fortunately, our whole family is mad keen on anything to do with antiques so that solved the problem of where to find all of this gearit was just a quick trip up the road to our local Antiques Centre. Now fifty dollars is not a lot of dough but youd be surprised at what you can do with it if you look hard and you think a little bit sideways When I go shopping at big antique centres the first thing I do is walk every isle looking for likely suspectsthen I do it all again to see if theres anything Ive missed and there always is. Next, I pick out the stuff I want, examine it carefully and then think about it some more before making a final decision. Well, the day I went present shopping was a little bit different because it didnt take me long before I found something really excitinga nice piece of Latticino Glass. It could have been the perfect present for my wife, June, because its just the kind of thing she collects. After carefully examining the piece I found it was in great condition with the only real blemish being a barely noticeable flaw on the surface. If money were no object I would have bought it there and then. But, at $280.00 it was well over my budget! The next thing I found or to be more truthful it found mewhen I fell over itwas this good little retro set. Anodised aluminium cup sets from the 1950s are becoming really popular with collectors these days. At $20.00 this set was a real bargain and would have looked good in my daughter Christines kitchen. I say would have looked good cause Christines the odd one out in our familyher birthday doesnt happen for another six months so shell have to wait. Life can be cruel sometimes! The day was moving on and I still hadnt found something suitable for my wife June that would be within budget. Well, after a bit of snooping around some dusty old shelves I finally found something really interesting tucked away in a dark corner. It was a nice piece of Murano Glass. Fortunately June collects this stuff as well. Im not surprised really as its a style of glass fast becoming popular as a collectible. Entry-level pieces can cost you as little as $20.00 to $25.00 though pieces from the 1930s can command higher prices due to their rarity. The piece I found was circa 1950 and the asking price was $55.00. Now that was about the right market price but, after a little bit of negotiating with the dealer, I was able to buy it for $50.00right on budget. Now if you fossick around a bit in antique centres youre liable to find some very odd things. When I was rummaging through a box of second-hand books and magazines, I came across an illustrated childrens storybook from the 1930s. The thing that caught my attention was that it was full of stories about dogs, so I said to myself that this would be a great present for my grandson. Now that might seem a strange gift to buy for a little boy but what you dont know is our family is awash with dogs, weve got loads of em, so I reckon hell eat that book upthat is when granddads finished with it! There are things you can stumble across in antiques centres that youre never going to find in your average department store. While I was pulling stuff out of a box of odds and sods looking for that elusive bit of treasure I came across a set of novelty coffee mugs, each filled with what appears to be a naked lady! Wouldnt get much coffee in them thoughbut then who would care! Absolute kitsch, but at $19.00 for the three they were almost worth buying just for the fun of it. Now, when I go off to buy presents for my daughter Julie I sometimes like to play a little joke on herI buy the worst thing I can possibly find knowing that shell hate it, but that she wont be able to do anything about it because its a present from her Dad, so shell have to keep it forever. Now Julies mad keen on collecting anything to do with shellsher house is crammed full of em. So, I thought Id find her something that would compliment her collectionand I found it. Its a paperweight cum desk/kitchen ornament, probably made around the late 1940s or early 50s. I think itll look great in her dining room next to her giant clamshell! Now my Mum is an interesting ladyshes in her mid eighties, got white hair, looks like butter wouldnt melt in her mouth, smiles all the time, everybodys favourite grandmother type, but she does have a little vice: she loves a drop of the hard stuff! Now last year I bought her a very nice whisky tumbler. This year I wanted to buy her something that would compliment it. After scouting around a couple of the glassware cabinets, I found just the thing, a nice cut glass water jug. Made in England around 1890, its good quality gear with a deep cut pattern and, surprisingly, in very good condition for its age. It came in at $48.00 so was well within budget. Strangely enough, my Dad turned out to be the most difficult person of all to buy something for, and thats because hes got everything he could possibly want or need, so I made the decision to buy him something I think he might just enjoy. During the Second World War he was in the Royal Engineers and hes collects military badges and medals from that period. Fortunately our local antiques centre has a comprehensive collection of militaria so I certainly wasnt lost for choice. In fact the selection of gear on offer was enormous ranging from World War One Trench Art to modern day memorabilia. After a bit of fossicking I finally settled on a Royal Engineers badge from the First World War. It will fit perfectly with the rest of dads collection and at $28.00, a real bargain. Dad also loves military music so, as well as the badge, I decided to buy him an LP of military music. Now this was just on $4 so the total expenditure on Dad only came to $32.00, and Mum reckons, thats just how it should be! So there you have it, with a little bit of patience and a keen eye, I was able to get all five of them sorted out, no bother at all. The best part about it was the bill only came to $215 .00 which was well under the $250.00 Id originally planned on spending. So, if youre on a budget or in a hurry, large antique centres are a godsend. I reckon any body should be able to find something if they look hard enough. And speaking of looking hard enoughyou know, with that $35 left over I might just go back and buy those naughty mugs! Its a funny old world Bye for now, Alan. © 2005 ABC | Privacy Policy There is a thriving market for vintage Hornby and Hornby-Dublo model trains throughout the world. In Australia, a useful starting point is the Hornby Railway Collectors Association, which caters for collectos of both Hornby 0 gauge and Hornby Dublo trains. Most buying and selling takes place at model railway swap meets and toy fairs, but auctions, specialist shops and model railway exhibitions are also good places to look for bargains.There are literally hundreds of books and magazines devoted to collecting model trains. Most will give you a good indication of current values and condition and some will even give you a rundown on prices paid at recent auctions.