These double-sided clips from Calumet are perfect for controlling light within small-scale or tabletop photography setups. The sprung clips rotate on the steel U that connects them, so they’re easily manipulated to stand on their own, with one clip acting as a foot while the other clasps the reflector. They're sized to hold small homemade reflectors (Mylar glued to cardboard is one of my favorites, see below) in order to bounce light precisely where you need it on your miniature set. They can be used with something like a small piece of black foamcore to block light (flag), as well.

These little clips are among my most valuable tools for food photography; my ideal setup is a single large light source (often a window) and a bunch of 3"x3" reflectors on these clips to redirect the light within the scene (see below).

They’re superb for shooting jewelry, Lego constructions, anything small, putting highlights exactly where you want them or just bouncing bits of light to illuminate your subject.

Open-ended toys are the best. That's why construction sets like Lego, or the previously reviewed Kapla Blocks, or Zomes, are perennial favorites. Their simple, durable, reusable parts build an infinite number of complex creations, providing endless hours of play. The best construction systems will last many lifetimes and are generally worth their modest investment, unlike most toys.

Magna-Tiles are the best open-ended construction set for very small kids I've seen. Magna-Tiles are plastic tiles with tiny super magnets embedded in their edges. Even a very small child can quickly assemble a structure that won't topple, since the magnets snap to form when you get them close to where they want to be. They come in a mix of squares and triangles that tend to "guide" construction towards recognizable building forms, which is okay since there are still many options to explore. But this small boost really aids the youngest toddlers who may have trouble with the go-anywhere blocks of Kapla. Also, the tiles are large, too big to swallow, so safe for wee ones.

We have a set on a our living room coffee table and I notice that adults love to build with them as well since you can erect a cool structure in only a few minutes. Everyone is an architect at heart.

Magna-Tiles aren't cheap. With 8 rare earth magnets per piece, each tile costs about $1. They are pretty unbreakable, so they should outlive you. Get the transparent variety -- they are like stained glass.

The OXO Steel Strainer really qualifies as a cool tool because it takes an everyday tool that everyone knows and makes it so much better. It's the nicest Hawthorne strainer I've ever seen, dispensing with the useless handle, and adding a nice little rubber pad to put your index finger on as you strain. It's a joy to use.

I'll still use a julep strainer for anything with tons of floating herbs or fruit stuff—also for straining canned food instead of the previously reviewed Can Colander.

I used a normal pool brush before, and always had the problem with the brush not sticking to the wall. I would normally have to use a lot of force to successfully brush a vertical section of pool wall. Then the brush finally broke. So I went to a local pool supply to get another brush and came across the Wall Whale brush. It’s unique because in addition to the brush, it has a fin, which creates a powerful force, that basically sticks the brush to the pool wall. It's pretty effortless to use, and successfully cleans the area that I brush.

I have had it for a few months and love it.

Before I start a new painting, I usually draw what I want in Adobe Illustrator, and then transfer a printout of that drawing to canvas or board to paint. I've tried opaque projectors, but the image is faint (at least on the el-cheapo version I use) and I don't really have room to set it up. I've also tried using a piece of paper that I've rubbed pencil or charcoal on, but that produces a blurry line.

Like an idiot, it wasn't until a couple of days ago that I considered the possibility that there might be a transfer paper for artists. Of course, there is one. It's called Saral Wax-Free Transfer Paper, and it works like a dream. It comes in five different colors, but I can get away with blue and white. It leaves a clear, thin line that erases easily and doesn't mess up the color of the paint I use. I'm already hooked on it for life.

If you send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Saral, they'll send you free samples in all five colors.

The iStubz is a miniature USB cable for iPhones/iPods. It comes in either 7cm or 22cm lengths, and is probably the best eight dollar purchase I've made in the past year. The reason I'm so in love with this little tool is that it can live permanently in my bag without taking up any space or tangling up on anything. This is great since I regularly forget to charge my iPhone at night and often have to charge it on the go. It's also ideal for charging/syncing from my laptop, keeping cables from getting tangled in my mouse and still allowing my phone to be within arm's reach. It's doubly useful when coupled with the socket-to-USB converter packaged with the iPhone. I keep them mated in my bag, so if I happen to be somewhere without my laptop or a convenient USB port, I can still stay charged.

At first sight it’s a nice-looking puffy jacket. Then someone picks up said puffy jacket and throws it at you. You put your hand out ready to catch a pound or so of duck-filled garment and then - nothing. Not what you expected. It’s as though a helium balloon just brushed against your hand. It’s thick and puffy and warm, but it doesn’t weigh anything.

And so began my love affair with the Montbell Ex Light Jacket. Not to be confused with its heavier cousin, the Montbell UL Jacket, the Ex Light weighs in at a scant 5.7 oz for a medium. Don’t expect frills such as pockets or hemmed waists, or the insulation and more durable exterior of a thicker down coat.

I wore this jacket whenever I had a chance on the Wonderland Trail. Rest stops, camp, heck I even slept in it on most nights. It’s a perfect complement to my lightweight summer bag when things get a little chilly at night.

Granted, I’ve spent more time in this jacket off the mountain at this point. It’s so snug, so cozy that I’ve been living in it for most of the winter. It replaces my Bozeman Cocoon Vest, and for 0.4 oz more it packs a whole lot more warmth. The downside is that I’m more vulnerable to rain as the Cocoon was synthetic and this is down, but I’ve found it to be a worthwhile tradeoff.

Two things smoothed out my family’s move a few years ago: designating Open First boxes for each room in our new home, so that on the first night after the move we wouldn’t be missing any essentials; and this Smart Move Tape.

The clearly marked and color-coded designations (Office, Bedroom, Bedroom #2, Kitchen, Storage, etc.) made unloading go quickly for our movers, and organizing our many cardboard moving boxes much easier for us later on. No doubt we could have accomplished something similar with a handful of colored Sharpies, but it would have taken a lot of consistently careful writing to even approach the same effect—at a time when we were looking to make less work, not more—and the colored tapes really help make sorting a breeze.