March 2010 New Specialty Toys — Gifts

In bed at night, Amy peers from under her covers at the dark shadows on the wall. But what is that flicker of light from the window? As she discovers the source of the mysterious light in her own backyard, she also learns something important about herself. The light, like many things in life, is something to be treasured but not contained, appreciated but always free. Inspiration for the book came to Robert Nutt, author and illustrator, one summer evening when he and his wife were walking and came upon a house with a yard full of dancing, flickering firefly lights. At that moment, he knew he would write about it. The photo illustrations are his own daughter, Amy. Launch date: March 2010.

TDmonthly Review:

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This patent-pending toy is comprised of a ball and a rope. The ball is attached to one end of the rope. The challenge and fun is to, by holding the rope at one end and with a one-hand motion, cause a knot in the rope. Launch date: June 30, 2010.

Thirty magnetic double Y-pieces click together to form a fun soccer-ball shape, appealing to sports fan as well as creative individuals. The distinctively angled pieces can be put together to create inventive shapes, and the creativity guidebook offers ideas and inspiration for the imagination. "This creativity tool appeals to all ages and can be used at home, at work, and in school to spark the imagination," Lynn Araujo, Communications Director, Creative Whack Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 15, 2010.

Chibi is defined in the Urban Dictionary as a Japanese anime word describing endearingly cute little characters with oversized heads and big engaging eyes. Our anime-influenced Chibi Zoo babies are made from soft, 100-percent polyester velour, embellished with embroidery, and filled with fluffy polyester fibers. They have big black eyes, are approximately 10” tall, and each baby has his or her animal name in Japanese embroidered on the bottom of one foot. Launch date: December 15, 2009.

Users can light up the day and night with BLINGKEEZ, a fun, multi-use light with 10 LED bulbs. The 2.5" sphere features three light settings (disco strobe, party flash, all on), an 18" lanyard with a breakaway safety clasp, and automatic shut-off. Launch date: February 14, 2010.

An ideal piece of desk art, the Hi-Tec Art Cube plugs in to offer a 3-D animated light display that will run for 45 minutes performing various patterns and designs. "The light displays are mind blowing and really shows off how technology is growing at a fast rate!" Roy Smith, CEO, Hi-Tec Art, LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 5, 2010.

The Princess Money Manager coin bank promotes to girls the financial fundamentals of saving, spend wisely and sharing. "Its beautiful and practical design inspires girls and gets them excited about learning how to save money," Carolyn Grossi, President, Little Flower Products LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 12, 2009.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." Dog Tag Necklaces are available in brown, pink, aqua, lavender and green. Launch date: 2009.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." Journals are available in Sweet Treats, Groovy Girl, Meet the Monsters and Smiley themes. Launch date: 2009.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace."® The magnetic Framin' the Moment freestanding dry-erase boards double as a photo holder with the use of Snap Caps. It is available in Birthday Girl, Groovy Day, Camp and Soccer themes. Launch date: 2010.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." This collection covers all 12 signs of the zodiac with a distinctive, colorful design for each.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace."® The company offers custom designs to support local schools, along with coordinating Huggers. Designs may have the school colors and logo, as well as a coordinating rhinestone.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." Cupcakes and ice cream cones with a bit of sparkles make this a tasteful collection.
— In a September 2010 TDmonthly survey, six of 44 retailers cited Snap Caps as a jewelry and accessory top seller. One claimed sales of over 100 per month.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." Designs in this collection include colorful fish, a starfish, flip flops and a beach tote.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." Smiley faces, peace signs, bright colors and messages of love and hope keep things groovy in this collection.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." This adorable collection features fun-loving monsters against colorful backgrounds.

Snap Caps are "the original, interchangeable bottle cap necklace." This collection taps into love, peace and flowers.

Fist Bumps are enormous inflatable fists that are used for fist bumping. Pass them out at parties or take them to a sporting event, they are great for getting autographs on and also make for excellent noisemakers and seat cushions.

The Bat'nBall was designed to take what kids use most and organize it. With its sleek baseball design, the Bat'nBall is a must have in boys and girls rooms. The rack easily mounts to any wall and is small enough that it doesn't take up much space.

This beautiful H'mong Doll (Mother and Child) is created by disabled artisans at the SPIRAL Foundation Workshop in Hue and by women living in the Lao Cai region in the northern part of Vietnam near the Chinese border. All costumes are authentic, just like the ones used by the young H'mong girls in Sapa. H'mong women are known for their beautiful cross stitch embroidery which is often used in combination with batik and applique to create a colorful pattern. Net proceeds from the sale of this Doll will return to Vietnam and Nepal to fund medical programs that will help many newborn babies and young children in great need. Each doll comes with a mother and child, an extra outfit for the mother, and beautifully packaged in a floral fabric bag.

Tiny 7" square "blankies" with satin paws and embroidered eyes. Available in nine styles: Brown Monkey, Pink Monkey, Brown Spot Horse, Pink Horse, Blue Dog, Pink Dog, Orange Dog, Green Frog. Machine washable.

These "working purses" come in the shape of guitars, owls, dogs, horses, and butterflies. They are made of coordinating, designer fabrics with artful detail and sturdy construction. One of 11 styles of "sillos", this sak is for girls ages 3 and up. All are approximately 10" in size.

They are floppy, utterly soft and cuddly, come in fresh distinctive hues and ready to play, gift, or stand brightly in any room decor. Girls will want to collect them, trade them, bond with them, and just carry them everywhere. 12 styles available including Hot Pink Fizz Cat, Dog, and Horse; Pink Dot Monkey and Cat; Flower Monkey, Bear, Dog, and Horse; Tropical Dog, Bear, and Horse. All approximately 11" in size.
— "These ridiculously cute patterned plush toys are new from Douglas in 2010. They come in several different styles and sizes. They seem to build off the success of the 2009 introduction of the Rad Dogs from Douglas," Joe Mitchell, owner of YoYo Joe's Toys & Fun, told TDmonthly at Toy Fair 2010.

These fun Fuzzy Friends slippers will keep your feet warm on those long winter nights. These novelty slippers come in a one size to fit most feet in a range of animal designs to appeal to everyone.