Fancy keeping an eye on somebody? This pack of eight eyeballs, backed with sticky pads, can be applied to surfaces & objects to create a freakish wall of eyes. Stick a pair on the bedroom ceiling for an early morning fright, or perhaps in the bottom of a cereal box for a brilliant prank. ...

All manner of curious creatures & amazing models can be made from these unique wax coated strings. Once warmed briefly by the heat from your hands, the strings become pliable & sticky, so they can be squeezed together, bent & twisted into lots of different three-dimensional shapes. The string is provided in a variety of colours & four domed polystyrene shapes are included to make a base for insects & animals. With the addition of googly eyes, lots of appealing characters can be made by following the detailed instructions. ...

The Storm Kettle is an astonishingly efficient & ecologically acceptable means of making a pot of tea. Invented in Ireland around a hundred years ago, it has given faithful service in situations as diverse as the Somme trenches, countless sporting riverbanks & moors, remote beaches, camp-sites, mountains, jungles, barbecues, & even recently, Bosnia. It is made entirely of aluminium & stands 38cm tall. The water (1.5 litres or just under 3 pints) goes NOT in the centre of the kettle, but inside its hollow walls. A few twigs or pieces of dried grass are placed in the base, the hole is turned towards the wind & the thing is lit. The funnelling effect concentrates the heat against the inside walls of the kettle, & within just a few minutes the water is boiling. If in the meanwhile more fuel is needed, it is simply dropped in through the top. It comes boxed with full instructions. ...

The strength ball is a popular favourite, & this model has LEDs inside which only work when it rotates at speed. For the benefit of those who have not seen it before, the strength ball uses gyroscopic force to encourage muscle building exercise. The rip cord is inserted & pulled to start the central weight spinning, after that it is up to the individual to rotate it faster & faster. RPM is recorded on the digital counter enabling a competitive element between friends. There is a knack to it but definite benefit can be felt after just a few goes & it is extremely addictive. ...

The stretchy, bright yellow cube of ' Swiss cheese' contains a pair of similarly elastic, cheerful little white mice. The cheese features a variety of craters, through which the mice can be squeezed & threaded, for hours of tactile pleasure. The mice have a cheeky, frolicsome posture which makes them very comical
- already a favourite of ours.
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