Category: Merchandise

Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition

Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition

“Set in 1980 at the fictional McKinley High in Detroit, Freaks and Geeks focused on two groups of outsiders: the stoners, tough kids and bad girls, and the brains, nerds and squares. The program quickly became legendary as a smart, funny and authentic testimonial to the (few) highs and (many more) horrors of high school for the kids who don’t fit in.” And, in a move that real-life freaks and geeks everywhere could relate to, the show got shoved into a locker by its network after only one season.

Shout! Factory pays respect to the cult series created by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad) and Paul Feig (The Office, Arrested Development) by releasing the Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition, “The Ultimate Tribute to One of the Greatest TV Shows Ever.” The Yearbook Edition is presented as an authentic 80-page William McKinley High School yearbook, with front and back pages “signed” by the show’s characters. Packed with exclusive essays, trivia, memorabilia, rare photos, and episode synopses, it contains all the episodes and extras of The Complete Series 6-DVD set, plus 2 bonus DVDs filled with six hours of additional extras never before available in stores:

  • Museum of Television & Radio Panel Discussion
  • Complete Script for a Never-Shot Episode
  • Three Full-Episode Table Reads
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Original Cast Audition Footage
  • Raw Footage
  • Mr. Rosso Live in Concert
  • Sober Students Improv Players
  • Tales of the Secret Service
  • Photo Galleries
  • NBC Promos and EPK
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven
  • Graduation
  • Thanks, Goodbye

“It’s one of the most insanely complete TV artifacts ever.” — Time Magazine
“An obsessive labor of love.” — New York Times

Series stars Linda Cardellini (ER), James Franco (Spider-Man, Pineapple Express), Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Kung Fu Panda), and Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) graduated from Freaks and Geeks to go on to big Hollywood careers, so this box set serves as a career spotlight for them, as well as for the show’s many guest stars and cameo appearances, including Ben Stiller (There’s Something About Mary, Meet the Parents, Madagascar), Thomas F. Wilson (Back to the Future trilogy), Joel Hodgson (Mystery Science Theater 3000), Trace Beaulieu (Mystery Science Theater 3000), David Koechner (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Office), Kevin Corrigan (Pineapple Express), Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees), Allen Covert (The Wedding Singer and many other Adam Sandler movies), Matt Czuchry (Gilmore Girls), Claudia Christian (Babylon 5), Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Samaire Armstrong (The O.C., Entourage), Ben Foster (X-Men: The Last Stand, 30 Days of Night), Alexander Gould (Finding Nemo, Weeds), Kevin Tighe (Lost), David Krumholtz (NUMB3RS, Serenity), Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls, Cloverfield), Rashida Jones (Boston Public, The Office), Sarah Hagan (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and punk rock band Diesel Boy.

McKinley High lives on in the impressive and lasting legacy it leaves behind. Go Norsemen!

Order now at Amazon.com:
Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition

Or order directly through the Shout! Factory website.

Freaks and Geeks: Yearbook Edition is distributed by Shout! Factory. For more Freaks and Geeks information, please visit McKinley High: A Freaks and Geeks Fan Site.

Dr. Horrible DVD available for pre-order on Amazon

from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog:

Well, my turkey (or, in some cases, tofurkey) stuffed friends, we literally just put the finishing touches on the disc. Is it worth fifteen hard-earned dollars? Absolutely. In fact, I can say without reservation that the Dr. Horrible DVD is worth $15.23 EASILY. More, if your dollars weren’t the hard-earned kind, just the kind you have lying around in your mom’s purse. God knows WE’VE worked hard to earn ’em. “Commentary! The Musical” is the most painstaking and exhausting piece of whimsey I have ever mistaken for a good idea. It has nearly twice as much music as Dr. Horrible itself — since you can’t really talk that much during a commentary musical or it sounds like a regular commentary. (Which we also have, with the stars and writers, plus making-of’s, ELE applications, and a few items left lying around by a notorious Bunny…) I can say without hesitation that I hesitate to say it’s great. And by great I mean ridiculous. It’s sophmoric, solopsistic, silly and the most fun I’ve had being exhausted since the fabled Mushortio itself. And everyone sings beautifullly. Which enrages me. I a little bit hate my friends now.

The listed street date is, by the way, a little later than we’d expected — I’m hoping Amazon is just playing it safe and we can beat that date. More on that as we learn it. Expect a twittering sensation.

Finally, I just want to say “thank you” to everybody who has supported this venture. We’ve been able to pay our crew and all our bills, which means a lot. What means more is proving that completely independent ventures can muscle their way through the blizzard of big-budget behemoths. (A blizzard of behemoths? Back to writing school, alliteration-junkie!) All that rhetoric about the future of entertainment that flew about during the Strike is still entirely true. We need to find our own way of producing entertainment. A lot of people are watching Dr. Horrible to see if it’s any kind of model — way more people than I expected — and it means everything to me to help pave the way for artists to start working and making a living from the ground up. There are a couple of real pioneers in this that I know personally: Felicia Day, I’m thrilled to say, and choreographer Chris Elam are both looking far ahead in terms of monetization and interactivity. Me, I’m more like Jimmy Stewart in “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, but at least I’m out there. Thanks, he finally summed up, to you.

My story has become tiresome! But wait till you hear the songs.

Did we cover “silly”…?

Vancouver 2010 Winter Games mascots celebrate first birthday with parties at HBC stores

from Vancouver2010.com:

Put your party hats on and make room for some cake; today marks the first birthday of Miga, Quatchi and Sumi, the mascots for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. And there’s even more reason to celebrate because the mascots’ cyber-sidekick Mukmuk is now featured in his own line of playful merchandise! In addition, starting today, a new animated video about Mukmuk that allows his fans to get to know him better will be available at vancouver2010.com/mascots, as well as a new interactive game featuring a flying Sumi.

Mukmuk, a small and friendly Vancouver Island marmot, is now a plush toy and featured on pins, T-shirts, playing cards, travel pillows and even a berry orange and blue toque just like the one he sports online at vancouver2010.com. Special edition box sets of Mukmuk with Miga, Quatchi and Sumi are now available. Mascot merchandise, including a variety of new Mukmuk merchandise, is available at HBC stores, including The Bay and Zellers, across Canada, starting today at 9:30 a.m. PST. It’s also for sale at Olympic stores, at vancouver2010.com and YVR, the Vancouver International Airport.

Best known for his loud cheers during games and races, as well as his unwavering support for his mascot buddies, Mukmuk entered the international spotlight one year ago when Miga, Quatchi and Sumi were introduced and he was named the first-ever Olympic and Paralympic sidekick. While the mascots travel across the country greeting people in person, until now Mukmuk existed in the vast world of cyberspace and in print where he interacts with the public through online games for the 2010 Winter Games as the driver of an ice resurfacer, hockey referee and even a curling skip. He has also acted as postmaster for public questions sent in about the Games.

“Since their introduction one year ago Miga, Sumi and Quatchi have been welcomed into the homes of thousands of Olympic fans. With the support of their friend Mukmuk, the mascots have worked tirelessly to spread a message of goodwill on behalf of Vancouver 2010,” said Dennis Kim, director of licensing and merchandising of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). “Mukmuk himself has become incredibly popular — in fact he’s developed a great fan base, so in response, we’re pleased to offer this line of Mukmuk products to complement the popular mascot merchandise available.”

Today, Miga, Quatchi and Sumi will be handing out special invitations at HBC’s flagship downtown Vancouver store welcoming families to their birthday party on Saturday, November 29. Parties will be held on Saturday at five HBC stores in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland. The mascot trio will be on hand to visit with youngsters, pose for photos and hand out slices of their special birthday cake. The store locations are:

  • The Bay Park Royal (West Vancouver) from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  • The Bay Downtown (Vancouver) from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • The Bay Metrotown (Burnaby) from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
  • The Bay Oakridge (Vancouver) from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • The Bay Richmond (Richmond) from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Mukmuk gets his name from the word “muckamuck”, Chinook jargon for food, because he loves to eat. He is enamoured with all the different types of food found in British Columbia, and is particularly fond of berries and mountain flowers. The Vancouver Island marmot is a species unique to the mountains of Vancouver Island.

A year ago more than 800 schoolchildren witnessed the mascot trio emerge from the mists of a magical West Coast setting of gigantic trees, soaring mountains and majestic ocean. Since then, the mascots have travelled across the country making friends and lighting up the faces of tens of thousands of youngsters and grownups alike at almost 300 public appearances in schools, hospitals and community events. They even paid a visit south of the border where they delighted crowds in Los Angeles and took part in an ice show during the opening days of the Beijing 2008 Summer Games. Highlighting their love of winter sports and the great outdoors, they have skated at Vancouver’s GM Place, travelled by dogsled in Calgary and even snow tubed at the Quebec Winter Carnival, and most recently-cross country skied at the opening of Whistler Olympic Park in BC’s Callaghan Valley.

The mascot microsite at vancouver2010.com has been immensely popular in its first 12 months. Its success includes more than 1.8 million page views, over 336,300 views of the animated mascot video page, more than 92,550 plays of the Operation Recycle game, and well over 500,000 page views of the mascots’ profiles.

The mascots, designed for VANOC by Vancouver-based Meomi Design, are a key component of the Games identity and a playful way to engage a young audience, and, at the same time, increase understanding of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit vancouver2010.com for further details on programs and schedules.

VANOC Communications
mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

WALL-E on DVD

WALL-E, the #1 animated film of the year from Disney-Pixar, is released on DVD today, November 18!

The highly acclaimed director of Finding Nemo and the creative storytellers behind Cars and Ratatouille transport you to a galaxy not so far away for a new cosmic comedy adventure about a determined robot named WALL-E.

After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, the curious and lovable WALL-E discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. Join them and a hilarious cast of characters on a fantastic journey across the universe.

Transport yourself to a fascinating new world with Disney-Pixar’s latest adventure, now even more astonishing on DVD and loaded with bonus features, including the exclusive animated short film BURN-E. WALL-E is a film your family will want to enjoy over and over again.

Bonus Features (Single-Disc Standard Edition):

  • BURN-E — Hilarious, All-New Animated Short, “Bringing Light to the Galaxy… Eventual-E”
  • Presto — Amazing Animated Theatrical Short Film
  • Deleted Scenes: Garbage Airlock and Dumped
  • Sneak Peek: WALL-E’s Tour of the Universe — WALL-E Takes You on a Real Ride Through Space
  • Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up — Legendary Sound Designer Ben Burtt Shares Secrets of Creating the Sounds of WALL-E
  • Audio Commentary with Director Andrew Stanton
  • And More!

Feature Running Time: Approx. 98 Minutes/Colour/Digitally Mastered. Rated G. Earth (and Space) Friendly Eco-Packaging: “Get into Environmentalit-E. Join Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment as we strive to develop and utilize the most environmentally responsible business practices. For this release of WALL-E, we developed a 100% recyclable DVD package. Find out how you can help WALL-E reduce waste and recycle. Visit Disney.com/gogreen.”

For more WALL-E information, visit the official WALL-E website and Amazon’s WALL-E page, and pick up a copy of the companion book to the film, The Art of WALL-E.

Order now at Amazon.com:
WALL-E (Single-Disc Standard Edition)
WALL-E (Three-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy)
WALL-E (Two-Disc and BD Live — Blu-ray]
WALL-E (Three-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy and BD Live — Blu-ray)
The Art of WALL-E

The Builder’s Studio at Etsy

Robot Bride and Groom Wedding Cake Topper Wood Statues with Base
Robot Bride and Groom Wedding Cake Topper Wood Statues with Base

The Builder’s Studio at Etsy makes shopping for the artsy geeks on your holiday list a more creative experience:

Hey worldly neighbor! While you’ll see a variety of my arts in my shoppe I have been specializing in a range of what some call Retro Tech … futuristic items that look like we thought they might years ago. But here’ the kicker. With few noted exceptions, they’re all made of wood! Yes, wood, and most of the time I let it show through.

Robots, ray guns, rocket ships. But I don’t limit myself to just one monotone style nor field of interest… for my entire life I have enjoyed science fiction and fantasy of all kinds. I liked steampunk before it really had a name, so am doing some of that. Some of my items are quite realistic, little miniature models you might think were metal or originally plastic… but they’re not! I enjoy good humor and do some funky items. Cute is nice too. Goth, sure! Harcore science… why not?

And what use are these items? If you need to ask… I’ll tell you. Some things have a very specific purpose… jewelry in the form of necklaces or pins, that’s an easy one. How about Christmas ornaments? Or a dangle to hang in a window or from a chandelier or rear view mirror? How about a wedding cake topper… plenty more of those coming! Need a prop for a party, Halloween, a costume used for a convention, or to use while taking photographs? I have life size items namely in the form of ray guns.

But what else? Maybe the other, table top items? The sculptures, the statues, the art? What do I use them for? Or items I buy from others that are “like” mine? I’ll tell you that too. A stimulus to my imagination, something cool to look at and decorate my house, bragging rights even. But most important they can make you feel good — remember the childhood days of summer, starry nights maybe a week after you went to the drive in and say saw Star Wars or the latest space flick … the world was open, everything was possible, and you didn’t want the night or the summer to ever end! I consider these momentos of those times, part present and future.

Choose from sci-fi ornaments and statues, steampunk sculptures, robot wedding cake toppers, funky jewelry, ornamental canes and walking sticks worthy of a wizard, fantastical paintings, and many other retro creations. If you can’t find the exact gift you’re searching for, The Builder’s Studio enthusiastically does custom orders of all kinds and sizes. It’s the next best thing to having access to a Star Trek replicator.

Pucca: Secret Samurai Santa

Following on the heels of the popular DVDs Pucca: Kung Fu Kisses, Pucca: Ninjas Love Noodles, and Pucca: Spooky Sooga Village comes the “Outrageous Action, Kung Fu Comedy, and Holiday Hijinks!” of Pucca: Secret Samurai Santa. The bite-sized Pucca cartoons, which premiered on the Internet then leaped to TV, are “an unexpected mix of martial arts, Chinese food and comedic quests in the pursuit of love”, and are fun for all ages:

Candy canes and Christmas cookies fly as Pucca, Garu, Santa and their friends take on winter, keeping one step ahead of polar bears, shifting glaciers and Santa imposters. Pucca has been supergood this year, but will that be enough to get her what she wants for Christmas — the ninja boy Garu? Grab a hot bowl of noodles and hop on the sleigh — these snow ninjas are just getting warmed up. Yule love it!

Geared toward kids ages 7-12, Pucca follows the adventures of Pucca, the daughter of a Chinese restaurant owner, and her comical and single-minded pursuit of her one true love, Garu. Unfortunately for Pucca, Garu is more interested in becoming a ninja than in Pucca. Her sole mission is to win the heart of her intended either by her knowledge and expertise of martial arts or by her girlish charms.

The recipient of two Leo Awards, celebrating excellence in British Columbian film and television (for Best Screenwriting in Animation Program or Series and for Best Overall Sound in an Animation Program or Series), Pucca is based on the internationally renowned Pucca merchandise brand and Internet short, spawning over 3000 different products in over 150 countries.

Pucca: Secret Samurai Santa collects ten holiday- and winter-themed episodes from the South Korean series, with English and Spanish language options. The episodes, as listed on the DVD’s colourful insert sheet, are:

  • Tis the Season for Revenge
    Candy canes and Christmas cookies fly when a mysterious stranger seeks Yuletide revenge on Santa.
  • Northern Lights Out
    Garu must face the perils of polar bears, shifting glaciers and snowstorms in order to switch the Northern Lights back on.
  • Secret Santa
    Santa isn’t so jolly when Tobe steals his suit.
  • On Thin Ice
    Tobe has a new plan: to freeze Garu and keep him as a trophy forever!
  • Snow Ninjas
    What happens when the switch controlling the seasons breaks? Snowstorms, tornadoes and hail, that’s what!
  • Woolen Warrior
    Pucca’s extreme knitting helps Garu succeed in the ultimate ninja challenge.
  • No Year’s Eve
    Muji can’t face getting older, so he puts a stop to the New Year’s party.
  • Lumberjacked
    The maple syrup of Canada is in trouble! Cue tree climbing, log splitting and hungry bears!
  • Puccahontas
    Garunimo must face eagles and white-water rapids to become a full-fledged warrior. Luckily, Puccahontas is on hand to help.
  • Swiss Kiss
    Yodeling and cheese fondue are on the menu for Pucca and Garu when a helicopter ride ends at a surprise destination.

Tucked inside the DVD case is a bonus “ninja star” ornament for children to decorate with their artwork or photo. (A picture of Pucca kissing an indignant Garu underneath the mistletoe would look suitably adorable hanging from the Christmas tree!)

Order now at Amazon.com:
Pucca: Kung Fu Kisses
Pucca: Ninjas Love Noodles
Pucca: Spooky Sooga Village
Pucca: Secret Samurai Santa

Pucca: Kung Fu Kisses, Pucca: Ninjas Love Noodles, Pucca: Spooky Sooga Village, and Pucca: Secret Samurai Santa are distributed by Shout! Factory Kids, a division of Shout! Factory. For more Pucca information, please visit Vooz and Pucca Club.

Official Guild Tees Now Available

from The Guild:

We’re very excited to announce that Jinx Tees is now the provider of the official Guild Tee! The quality of the shirt will be much better than the print-on-demand we’ve been providing before, and they will be providing DVD fulfillment to us as well, saving Felicia and Kim from packaging DVDs on the floor of the kitchen as they have been the last few months! Maybe they won’t get lost as much either! 🙂

We hope you enjoy this new offering, and we will be adding new designs as the season is launched on November 25th.

And if you purchase a Tee, please submit a picture of yourself in it to make our new Jinx store look fancy! Look for more exciting updates on the show in the coming weeks, there are some doozies down the road!

Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition

Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition

Shout! Factory stylishly marks a major milestone in the history of a beloved cult comedy series with the deluxe DVD box set Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition.

For ten side-splitting seasons — including successful runs on Comedy Central and the SCI FI Channel — and one theatrically-released feature film, the crew of the Satellite of Love orbited Earth, faced with the arduous assignment of watching and lampooning the most problematic movies ever made. Now, 20 years after their initial launch into pop culture infamy, hosts Joel Hodgson and Mike Nelson — along with robot pals Tom Servo, Crow T. Robot and Gypsy, and their loyal fans, the MSTies — can finally celebrate with the DVD debut of Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition.

The four films assembled in this set are Season 2’s First Spaceship on Venus, Season 7’s Laserblast, Season 9’s Werewolf, and Season 10’s Future War. Bonus features are a 3-part look at the 20-year history of MST3K including brand-new interviews with the creators, cast and crew; the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con International reunion panel (featuring Joel Hodgson, Mike Nelson, Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy, Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl, Bill Corbett, J. Elvis Weinstein, Paul Chaplin and Bridget Jones-Nelson, and moderated by Patton Oswald); original trailers; and “Variations on a Theme Song”, featuring all six versions of the show’s theme song. All of this cheesy goodness, slipcased in DVD slim cases, comes bundled in a limited-edition tin box with four exclusive MST3K lobby cards (recreations of the DVD cover art that are suitable for framing) by artist Steve Vance, and a limited-edition Crow T. Robot figurine.

MST3K‘s production company, Best Brains, transferred the show’s worldwide home entertainment and digital download license from Rhino to Shout! Factory in January 2008, so be sure to contact Shout! Factory to suggest which episodes — such as Season 3’s Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Season 4’s Manos: The Hands of Fate, and Season 10’s Soultaker — to release next on their label. A reissue of the long out-of-print music CDs Clowns in the Sky (Seasons 1-7) and Clowns in the Sky II (Seasons 8-9), updated to include songs from Season 10, would also be an essential pick to accompany the Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition box set.

Order now at Amazon.com:
Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition

Or order directly through the Shout! Factory website.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition is distributed by Shout! Factory. For more Mystery Science Theater 3000 information, please visit The Official Mystery Science Theater 3000 Website and Satellite News: The Official Mystery Science Theater 3000 Fan Site. Post-Mystery Science Theater 3000 projects: RiffTrax (Michael J. Nelson), Cinematic Titanic (Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, J. Elvis Weinstein, Frank Conniff and Mary Jo Pehl), and Darkstar (Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, Mary Jo Pehl, Josh Weinstein, Beez McKeever and Frank Conniff).

Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition

Kermode Kids, a family-run company based in Kamloops, BC, Canada, brings their slogan, “Exploring nature, Expanding horizons”, to life with their inaugural game, Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition. This card game is a variant of the original Go Fish!, with 13 animals — Black Bear, Wolverine, American Badger, Mountain Caribou, Cougar, Grizzly Bear, Mountain Goat, Grey Wolf, Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Canada Lynx, Vancouver Island Marmot, and Elk — representative of the westernmost province of Canada taking the place of the usual fish. (One quibble this review’s playtesters had: where’s the national animal of Canada, the beaver?) The cards are illustrated by Chemainus, BC, artist Michael Hames and feature fun educational facts written by BC biologists about each of the game’s animals.

From the game:

“Wild British Columbia” — It is an image that visitors and residents alike embrace and hope to experience. Hiking through the fragrant, blossom-wrapped meadows of the high-country, kayaking alongside the mystical viewscapes of the Pacific Ocean, sitting in serenity among the majestic and primevel coastal forests: these are just a few of the wonderful and memorable vignettes that British Columbia has to offer.

From the wet and wild, west coast to the dry and dusty deserts, from the low-lying lakes and rivers to the high, rugged mountain peaks, this coastal province offers a wide range of homes to a wide range of animals. In fact, almost one third of all the black bears in Canada live in British Columbia! Often called the Serengeti of the North, northern British Columbia in particular is home to an amazing concentration of large mammals, like mountain sheep, bears, elk, wolves and caribou. In a country renowned for its wilderness, British Columbia is truly the jewel in Canada’s crown.

Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition supports 2-6 players, ages 4 and up, and is a fast and easy game to learn and play, with thick, glossy cards that will stand up to constant use. A suggested gameplay alternative, to slow down the lightning pace of the game and take greater advantage of the scientific information it contains, is to have the players read aloud the fact write-ups on their cards when they complete animal sets; children too young to read can substitute by making animal sounds.

Upcoming from Kermode Kids:
Old Maid! British Columbia: Bird Edition (November 15, 2008)

Which bird uses swim goggles to see underwater? And who puts glue at their door to keep unwanted guests out? Find out by playing Old Maid! British Columbia, featuring 14 members of British Columbia’s bird community. With 14 vibrant illustrations by a BC artist and 27 memorable fun-facts written by BC biologists, this card game will be a hit with adults and children alike. Each deck includes a “How to Play” card.

Both of these environmentally-minded games would make perfect British Columbian souvenirs, or inexpensive stocking stuffers and gifts to mail this holiday season.

Order directly through the Kermode Kids website.

Go Fish! British Columbia: Wildlife Edition and Old Maid! British Columbia: Bird Edition are distributed by Kermode Kids, a division of KermodeKids Ventures Ltd.

Guyot Designs Squishy Bowls and Utensils

Squishy Bowls
Squishy Bowls

Guyot Designs, an outdoor products specialist, prides itself on being a holistic company, dedicated to creating functional yet beautiful designs that respect a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and corporate ethics. Their products are strictly eco-friendly, with the goal of being 100% recyclable and reclaimable, and are produced by fair and sustainable labour using the cleanest technologies possible; some of Guyot Designs’ products are even shipped without packaging to reduce waste and environmental impact, as part of their “carbon negative” initiative. They partner with independent inventors and designers to help them bring these unique and undiscovered products to the marketplace, then contribute partial sales proceeds to socially important causes like the Rocky Mountain Institute.

The company is probably best known for its innovative and award-winning Squishy Bowls. These space-saving bowls, made of flexible food-grade silicone that’s temperature resistant to 400°F, are designed to be collapsible, so they can be brought along anywhere without taking up much space, but always retain their shape. They’re available in four vibrant colours — Lime, Slate, Tahoe Blue, and Tomato — and are easy to clean, as they only require a quick hand wash with soap and water. (One review suggested turning the bowls inside out to lick them clean, but this proved to be a bit awkward and messy.)

Ideal companions for the Squishy Bowls are the Utensils, particularly the MicroBites size. These versatile 5-in-1 cooking, eating, and serving utilities consist of a spoon, fork, knife, spatula, and spreader, all in two pieces which ingeniously snap together. The Utensils are available in Celery, Mustard, and Tomato, and the MicroBites in Slate, Tangerine, and Tomato. They range from 6 to 9½ inches long and are made of a high-temperature nylon polymer that can withstand heat up to 450°F. They’re safe on Teflon and other coated cookware, can be easily boiled and wiped clean, and have specially long handles to keep your hands clean with deep pots or containers. As an added bonus, they have holes in the ends of the handles that enable them to be attached to packs with carabiners, which makes MicroBites convenient, lightweight tools to carry around at conventions such as Comic-Con.

The full line of Guyot Designs’ products includes the SplashGuard (Universal, Original, and Mini in multiple colours and image designs), Gription, Firefly, Bottles (surgical grade stainless steel that comes in four shapes and sizes: The Standard, Shorty, Commuter, and Backpacker — Insulated version coming soon), Lid, Squishy Bowls (Bowl & Cup Set, Medium Bowl, The Travel Shot), Utensils, MicroBites, and Spork. A stand-out is the Firefly, which turns your water bottle into a lantern, night-light, or reading lamp: “The Firefly’s design allows it to be used right side up, upside down, or hanging from the nearest handy branch. The unique replacement lid design contains integrated LED lights which spread a warm glow throughout the bottle. The variable light levels allow you to go from tent nightlight to nighttime trail lantern with the push of a button… the control is at your fingertip! The electronics are in a sealed compartment, so there’s no risk of water or juice gumming up the works! Compatible with all standard wide-mouth bottles sold through specialty Outdoor Retailers.” The Firefly uses 3 AAA size batteries; rechargables are recommended since they are more enviromentally friendly. (Hopefully a solar-powered Firefly 2.0 is currently in development to eliminate the need for batteries altogether.)

Guyot Designs offers long-life products with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Order now at Amazon.com:
Sports & Outdoors › Guyot Designs

Or order directly through the Guyot Designs website.

The items mentioned in this article are distributed by Guyot Designs and its associated Retailers and Distributors.