This clever kit puts all the survival gear you need for camping trips or — more hazardous yet, dorm life! — into a space that’s only 8 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches. Better yet, that package is a shatter-resistant, leakproof, 32-ounce water bottle (with the lid on a loop so you don’t go losing it in the wilderness.

The water bottle comes stuffed with a nice selection of emergency essentials:

• Whistle
• Flashlight with AAA batteries
• Emergency blanket
• Rain poncho
• Multi-purpose knife with blade, scissors, nail file, tweezers and toothpick
• Waterproof matches
• Nylon-pouch first-aid kit with bandages
• Sting relief pad, antiseptic towelettes and zip-lock bag
• 3″ carabiner

Not bad at all — safety and convenience, for under twenty bucks!
A nifty gift idea from EddieBauer.com.

I just came across this “non-traditional book” in the Potter Style (Random House) line-up — the Holiday Motif Box of Boxes. Basically, it’s 9 self-folding boxes, 12 stickers, 12 wrap bands, and 12 sheets of tissue paper, all done up in a festive holiday motif.

With three size options, you can mix and match bottoms, tops, ribbons, and stickers to create the perfect presentation for the perfect gift.

At $16.95, it may be a smidgen steep for the DIY’er who likes to create and fold her own custom boxes — but such a dandy item for the gift-wrap-impaired male (we won’t mention names) who’d want a special presentation for a tiny hard-to-wrap gift… Like, oh, say, a breathtakingly-expensive handmade charm bracelet…

Here’s a dog-treat maker that I sure wish I’d found at the beginning of the summer, to give “my furry boys” a frozen ice treat on those scorching-hot days!

A fun way to keep your dog cool, properly hydrated, and happily occupied in hot weather, the reusable Cool Dogs Ice Treat Maker suspends your dog’s favorite treats in a block of ice that’s firmly held in place with an extendable, heavy-duty stainless-steel base.

Doggy popsicles!

The kit includes the base, a freezer bucket with a lid, an extension rod for mounting to the ground, and a recipe book for making your own dog treats.

Definitely a clever trick to keep in mind for next year…

Rainy day craft project or clever source of stocking stuffers? Hey, it’s both! Make your own lip balm from yardenxanthe“s kit — ten tubes of natural lip-smacking goodness…

Each kit comes packaged in a takeout container and contains 2 oz lip balm base, 10 tubes, a vial of lip balm flavoring, and instructions. Buttercream flavor oil included.

Bonus: ingredients are vegetarian (but not vegan — blame the beeswax).