Christmas is a great time to give craft kits or art supplies as a gift.

Creativity for Kids has lots of different craft kits, a number of which EHO has reviewed. they usually offer a good amount of supplies (you can often make more than one item), good instructions, and are geared for kids’ interests. Find more craft suggestions here.

Other items that should make a big hit include:

Scratch Magic Rainbow Finger Paint Kit Young artists create fascinating effects with every dab and stroke. Kids simply apply the washable black finger paint to brilliant multicolor paper. Wipe away areas with fingers.	IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit Make your own book kit allows children to write and illustrate their own story. Receive a color-copied, professionally type-set book in a few short weeks. Children get to design cover and write About the Author biography page. Mail in story in the prepaid envelope, or create book entirely online. Includes 18 book pages, 2 cover pages, 10 washable markers, story web planner, instructions, order form, and prepaid envelope.
Prismacolor 2428 Prismacolor Verithin Colored Art Woodcase Pencils, 36 Assorted Colors/Set Hard, thin cores can be sharpened to a fine point, which is ideal for outlining, detailing, lettering, and cleaning up edges. Hexagonal barrel fits nicely into your hand and won’t roll off tables or desks. Durable point won’t snap under normal pressure, reducing the need for sharpening. Lays down permanent marks that won’t smear when wet, ensuring the safety of your work. Verithin’s are for detail work.	Sanford(R) Prismacolor(R) Professional Thick Lead Art Pencils, Assorted Colors, Set Of 24 Artists’ quality colored pencils for every level of expertise. High quality pigments for a rich color saturation. Soft, thick cores create a smooth color laydown for superior blending and shading. Thick leads resist breakage. These pencils are ideal for Dover coloring books or for the budding artist.
Faber-Castell Watercolor Art-Tricks & Techniques Kit A great way to start in the wonderful world of color The illustrated instructions guide you through 17 special watercolor techniques Everything is organized in a quality portfolio bag with shoulder strap Includes: 12 watercolor crayons 8 watercolor pencils watercolor pad 2 paintbrushes sandpaper to create special effects For ages 8 and up	Fashion Your Own Wire Jewelry Kit: Create your own stylish necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more (Jewelry Kit Series) Inside this all-inclusive kit, jewelry makers will find all the tools and materials they need, from round-nose pliers and wire cutters to an array of colorful beads and wire. The full-color, 40-page project book provides aspiring crafters with essential information and design inspiration, including clear instructions for wire-working that guide readers along each step of the way.

The Eclectic Homeschool Online’s latest update focused on games, so I’m highlighting some of the new games we’ve added to our resource center here.

Double Shutter
by Blue Orange
Double Shutter is an enticing and irresistible game that combines tactical choices, luck and fun for the whole family. Roll two dice, add the dots and find the best combination of numbers to shut two rows of nine tiles. This game is very addictive, always remember to play in moderation!

Flibbix
by Merillian
We’ve got a review of this coming in the future.
Flibbix by Merillian is the fun and exciting new game where you quickly build your own board game, choose your own rules, and then play. It’s super easy, lots of fun, and lets you build and play your own custom games over and over again by using double-sided tiles to lay out your game board. There are endless possibilities for game play - experiment and find your favorite. Make your own rules using the included cards and open-ended rule sheets. Created by a dad and his children for lots of family fun. Game board tiles are easy to connect in any amazing layout you can imagine, so your game looks and plays just the way you want. Flibbix cards encourage fun player interaction, and change your game board and rules in surprising ways. There are even Custom Tiles and Custom Cards that can be whatever you want them to be! With your own board, custom rules and choice of cards, Flibbix is new every time you play. What will your game be like? Race to the finish, but watch how wacky things get along the way! During game play, flip game board tiles, swap them around, and even change the rules. Flibbix is fun for the whole family: Build it. Play it. Twice the fun. Flibbix comes with 45 double-sided magnetic game board tiles, 50 double-sided “Make your own Rules” sheets, 40 game cards, 5 game pieces, “How to Play” quickstart sheet, six-sided die, pencil, and “Game Guide.”

Loopit
by Goliath
Think Scrabble meets logic and you’ve got an idea for how this great family game works. Connect your tile to any of the twisting lines on the board and score points based on the point value of the tile you played, the place you played it and other neighboring tiles. This international sensation is new to the U.S. but a great new twist on an old favorite.

Mystery of the Abbey
by Days of Wonder
Your objective is to discover the miscreant who pushed Brother Adelmo off to his death at the bottom of the cliffs surrounding the Monastery.

To do so, you will in turn need to visit the Abbey’s darkest recesses, grabbing some relics here, flipping the pages of some forbidden manuscripts there, attend Mass of course, and question your brethren in a shwred manner without attracting undue attention to your own deductions. A healthy dose of deduction, a sprinkle of intuition and an unshakable faith in higher powers will all be needed to unmask the culprit in time!

on the Dot Brain Tease
by Gamewright
See spots like never before! In this amazing brainteaser, try to arrange four transparent squares so they perfectly match the pattern shown on the dots card. Flip, rotate, and overlap the squares to make a “spot on” copy. The challenge is to figure out how they all fit together. Play by yourself or race against others in a Dot-to-Dot Dash. Over 60 different puzzles for hours of brain-boosting fun! Includes: 64 cards, 16 transparent squares and rules of play in English and Spanish. Playing time is about 15 minutes. For 1 to 4 players, ages 10 and up.

Pengoloo
by Blue Orange
Lovable little penguins hide shining, colorful wooden eggs in a fun new game to challenge your child. Kids race to match colored eggs and collect penguin pals to win. Made of smooth, finely crafted, natural wood, these Penguins are ready to play with you. In the Pengoloo Game, players must first put an egg in each penguin and mix them up in the center and pass out iceberg scoreboards. To start play, the youngest player rolls the 2 multi-colored die and then has 2 tries to find eggs under the penguins that match one or both colors on the die. If a player finds one matching egg, he or she places the penguin by their iceberg; and if the player finds both matching eggs, he or she places both penguins by their iceberg and plays again. Finding eggs in the Pengoloo Game is a stretch for the mind and a whole lot of fun. The first player to collect 6 penguins wins the game! The Pengoloo Game from Blue Orange Games includes 12 penguins, 12 colored eggs, 4 iceberg scoring pads, and 2 colored die. For 2 to 6 players. All Wood Game Play Duration is 10 minutes Recommended for Ages 4-8

SET Cubed
by SET Enterprises
Your favorite game in a whole new dimension! Set Cubed is The Curious Game of Clever Connections, challenging a player’s ability to identify sets between the dice in their hand and those already on the board. Combine the visual perception skillset with an element of strategy as players can play up to three dice per turn making as many sets as possible. Create sets up, down and across the board; the more sets you create, the higher your score! As the number of dice on the board increases so do the possible set combinations. Rack up points by using bonus squares. Roll a wild dice and unleash the possible number of sets that can be made during your turn! How many sets can you make? Includes 42 dice, board, cloth bag and instructions.

Spy Wire
by Wild Planet
Players strategically slide tiles to make connections between their defuser and their opponent’s pegs. Each player has nine decoy pegs and three detonator pegs. The goal is to collect all three of your opponent’s detonators as quickly as possible. Electronic countdown timer with explosive sound effects. Fast-moving spy action game with strategy, suspense and sudden-death endings. Includes: molded game console, 35 tiles, 24 detonator pegs and divider shield.

Most of us have a wealth of Christmas decorations, but if it’s time to replace that old artificial tree with something that’s a little more realistic or buy new sets of lights or a beautiful wreath for your door, come visit the new Get Ready for the Holidays section at Amazon. Trees, ornaments, lights, nativity sets and figurines, stuff to help you entertain, and even a section of accessories that prepare you to dazzle this holiday season. You can save up to 25% off select holiday decor as well as find many other bargains. Just follow the link below.

Get Ready for the Holidays

As your family and friends gather for the holidays, you’ll want to have on hand all the essentials for entertaining and preparing memorable meals. Save big on thousands of products for your kitchen and home in Holiday Markdowns. Also, you can start browsing the Kitchen & Home Gift Guide for everyone on your list, from the master chef to the entertainer.

For Her

Stocking Stuffers

For Him

Time for another look at the really good books currently available in the bargain book bin at Amazon.

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth A colorfully illustrated biography of the Greek philosopher and scientist Eratosthenes follows his life as he becomes Alexandria’s chief librarian, writes the first geography book, and accurately measures the globe’s circumference. Hardcover on sale now for $6.99.	James Herriot’s Treasury of Inspirational Stories for Children This complete edition is a wonderful addition to the libraries of all readers, great and small. From the moving holiday miracle of The Christmas Day Kitten to the adorable, rascally antics of Smudge, the Little Lost Lamb, here are Herriot’s masterful stories for children gathered together in one classic volume for the entire family to share and treasure. 260-page hardcover for $4.99.
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor Book) In lyrical text, Carole Boston Weatherford describes Tubman’s spiritual journey as she hears the voice of God guiding her North to freedom on that very first trip to escape the brutal practice of forced servitude. Tubman, courageous and compassionate, and deeply religious, would take nineteen subsequent trips back South, never being caught, but none as profound as this first. Harriet Tubman’s bravery and relentless pursuit of freedom are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. This is a unique and moving portrait of one of the most inspiring figures of the Underground Railroad. Kadir Nelson’s emotionally charged paintings embody strength, healing, and hope. Hardcover on sale for $7.49.	How Big Is God? (HarperBlessings) When a young boy asks his mother where God lives, she tells him “in your heart.” This inspires a slew of curious questions: Is he invisible? Is he like a superhero? Can he fly? How can he be everywhere all at once? In this heartwarming conversation between mother and son, all the ways in which God exists are discussed and the possibilities are endless. Through bright, dreamy illustrations, How Big Is God captures the immensity and wonder of looking at God—and the world—through a young child’s eyes. Hardcover on sale for $5.49.
Chasing Vermeer (Edgar Allen Poe Award. Best Juvenile (Awards)) When a book of unexplainable occurances brings Petra Andalee & Calder Pillay together, strange things start to happen: seemingly unrelated events connect, an eccentric old woman seeks their company, & an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears. Before they know it, the two find themselves at the center of an international art scandal. As Petra & Calder are drawn clue by clue into a mysterious labyrinth they must draw on their powers of intuition, their skills at problem solving, and their knowledge of Vermeer. Can they decipher a crime that has left even the FBI baffled? Hardcover on sale for $6.99.	Heroes: From Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to Churchill and de Gaulle In this enlightening, entertaining work, Paul Johnson continues his engaging history series, approaching the subject of heroism with stirring examples of men and women from every age, walk of life and corner of the world who have inspired and transformed not only their own cultures but the whole world as well. Hardcover on sale for $6.99. I put this one in my own shopping cart.

If you’re a long time user of Avon products, you can purchase them through Amazon and still credit your local Avon rep. Plus you get free shipping on orders over $25. All the fragrances, skin care, bubble bath, makeup…and don’t forget the jewelry…are all easy to browse here: Avon @ Amazon.com

A FamilyFun magazine subscription is currently $9.95. It’s also one of Amazon’s on sale magazines for the month. Which means you get an additional $5 discount at checkout. That brings the grand total for 10 issues/12 months to $4.95. $.50 an issue is a deal that can’t be beat. Subscribe by October 31.

FamilyFun Magazine

I shared an easel with my sisters growing up, and I loved it. I remember the day my older sister told me I’d made my first cursive letter “e”…I’d been doing loops…and how proud I was of myself. Of course, she had to show me what a cursive letter “e” was before I could repeat the feat. Our easel had a chalkboard on one side, and that’s what we used the most because it didn’t require as much oversight by our mother as painting would.

This Melissa and Doug easel has a chalkboard on one side and dry erase board on the other. The current price of $36.48 is 39% Off regular price . The manufacturer describes it:

Creativity Central! This double-sided, wooden easel features both chalk- AND dry erase-boards. With adjustable heights it also includes a locking paper roll holder, a child-safe paper cutter, four clips, and a plastic tray on each side for easy-reach art supplies (not included) and easy-clean storage. With easy assembly, there’s little waiting for the next masterpiece!

Dimensions: 47″ x 27″ x 26″ Assembled

Recommended Ages: 3+ years

You can also get the easel companion set which comes with 4 bottles of poster paint, 4 spill-proof paint cups, an easel paper roll, chalk, paint brushes, dry-erase marker and eraser. The set is $24.95. Easel pads and easel rolls of paper are also available.

Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Companion Set

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Paper (3 pack bundle) Melissa & Doug Deluxe Easel Pad Bundle 2-Pack

I like to buy kids books. But when Christmas or birthday rolls around, it needs to be something that doesn’t come across as educational. Otherwise I get remarks about how they’d like to get something they want not something educational. Of course, if they have books on their list, you go for those titles. But it’s also fun to surprise kids with books they might not know about that you’re sure they’ll enjoy. Here are a few possibilities.

The Enchanted World of Winnie the Pooh $13.59 - 32% Off

For Pooh lovers. This ultimate gift package will delight Pooh fans young and old. Chock-full of moving parts and interactive features, this distinctive collection bursts at the seams with playful surprises. An exquisite full-color map of Christopher Robin’s Hundred Acre Wood with hide-and-seek flaps, parties and games from the stories, and profiles and behind-the-scenes tales of Milne and Shepard’s beloved characters are all included. This deluxe, padded treasury will delight collectors and fans of the wonderful world of Pooh. Three cheers for the famously silly old bear!

Spyology (Ologies) $15.63 - 32% Off

Spyology one of the ology series is due out October 28. I haven’t seen it, but I love the Ology books and spying seems like a natural. At least for someone who grew up playing Mission Impossible. I still have my secret agent card proving I was a secret agent. (I know, problematic. No ones supposed to know, so why carry a card that gives it all away. Well, I did want everyone to know. Snort!)

The publisher has this to say: A spy reveals startling secrets and carries out a breathless mission — in an astonishing guide that takes the ‘Ologies to a new level.

The year is 1958, and British spy Spencer Blake, aka “Agent K,” is on an undercover mission to expose a deadly criminal organization. As he traverses the globe with his American and Soviet cohorts — from Scotland to Berlin to Las Vegas to Cuba — he furtively records his secret techniques in a manual for new recruits.

Once they’ve primed themselves on the essentials of spy craft, keen-eyed readers will discover that Agent K has been setting them challenges and clues to decipher all along. If they are clever enough to unravel them all, a great reward awaits!

Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook $14.95 - 32% Off

We love Paula Deen at our house. Now she has a children’s cookbook. Paula is family oriented, so it seems natural she’d write a cookbook that gets moms or grandmas into the kitchen with the children they love. Paula’s recipes are all about making really tasty food. The basics of good cooking is a talent we can pass on to our kids even when we don’t consider ourselves to be good cooks. Let Paula Deed show you the way.

OK, at my house we’re all geeks, but I got a 1 terabyte (1000 GBs) drive first because I have lots of work stuff to backup and store. The envy is palatable when I tell any of my geeky friends what I’ve got.

I leave the hardware purchases to my husband, who has a pretty good track record of choosing good products at good prices. He also has a cache of cables and other computer bits and pieces, so when he ordered my 1 TB drive, he got the one that didn’t come with all the “extra” stuff. If you like having the whole package, the cables and such, then you should go for the Seagate ST310005N1A1AS-RK 1TB Internal 3.5-Inch SATA 32MB Cache Hard Drive. That’s a mouthful. Currently at $191.02 it’s a good price for a quality drive.

I’ve also listed a drive that comes without the cables and extras here, for those that don’t need or would rather get their cables on their own. At $136.99 currently, this is much cheaper. It’s discounted 76% off, so it’s a very good buy.

Seagate also offers external 1 TB hard drives for those who prefer a more portable drive. They connect to your computer through a USB port and can thus be used on all the computers in your house, if you don’t have your computers networked and talking to one another. The one shown below is just $199.99 currently. Again hardware tech stuff I leave to my husband, so you might want to query the recipient about what he or she would prefer.

Seagate ST310005N1A1AS-RK 1TB Internal 3.5-Inch SATA 32MB Cache Hard Drive w/ SATA Interface Cable, SATA Power Adapter, CD with software and manual, Quick installation Guide, Mounting Screws You also get DiscWizard (Windows only) that copies your old hard disk drive and migrates all data, operating systems and programs to you new drive automatically.

Seagate ST31000340AS 1TB Barracuda Sata 7200 Rpm 32MB Cache 8.5MS Hard Drive You’ll need a SATA cable and mounting screws. These are actually pretty cheap at most computer stores. A little more do it yourself, but also less expensive. Installation software and Disc Wizard software is available to download  free at http://www.seagate.com

Seagate ST310005FDA2E1-RK 1TB Freeagent Desk 7200.1 External Hard Drive The FreeAgent external hard drive is the best place to gather and access all of your important photos, movies, music, games and documents. Simply plug in the power and the USB cable and you’re ready to go. Designed to live peacefully in your home or office, the FreeAgent external hard drive is extra quiet and takes up less room on your desk than a stapler. Even the cable ports are base-mounted, to help keep your desk free of clutter.