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Quirknotes: Dog

Celebrated for their irreverent humor and whimsical illustrations, Quirk Owner's Manuals have been translated into more than 18 languages, with sales of more than one million copies worldwide.

Now Quirk is unveiling a stationery line based on the three most popular titles in the series: The Baby Owner's Manual, The Dog Owner's Manual, and The Cat Owner's Manual. Each set features 16 notecards with envelopes in a nifty slipcase portfolio. They're perfect for new baby announcements, new pet announcements, neutered pet announcements, and countless other friendly messages!

Paul Kepple and Jude Buffum are better known as Headcase Design. They have designed and illustrated numerous books, and their work has been featured in many design and illustration publications, including American Illustration, Communication Arts, and Print.

Posted by impart

Quirknotes: Cat

Celebrated for their irreverent humor and whimsical illustrations, Quirk Owner’s Manuals have been translated into more than 18 languages, with sales of more than one million copies worldwide.

Now Quirk is unveiling a stationery line based on one of its most popular titles in the series: The Cat Owner’s Manual. This set features 16 notecards with envelopes in a nifty slipcase portfolio. They’re perfect for new pet announcements, neutered pet announcements, and countless other friendly messages!

Posted by impart

Knitted Icons

Sometimes you just want to cuddle up with a handmade doll of Mr. T! With Knitted Icons, you'll find patterns for creating dolls of the world s most beloved personalities everyone from Madonna and Jackie O to Chairman Mao and Che Guevara. Each doll measures a substantial 10 inches tall suitable for posing on your desk, bookshelf, or other doll display.

From Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley to Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II, and even King Kong, Knitted Icons is full of memorable personalities and easy-to-use patterns. Every finished doll is photographed in glorious full color and accompanied by a brief biography, along with memorable quotes from the icons themselves.

Go ahead knit yourself a legend!

Posted by impart

Gnome and Garden

To some, they are symbols of luck and hope. To others, they are protectors of gardens. And to others still, they are tiny, weird-looking men with beards and pointy hats. But gno matter how you perceive them, it’s time to welcome these whimsical creatures into your home (or office) with Gnome and Garden, a kit that celebrates gnomes through the ages. This lovingly illustrated package includes one miniature garden gnome, one faux lawn, decorative flowers, exotic backdrops, and a full-color illustrated book on the history and mythology of gnomenkind.

Place your plot of grass on a desk or tabletop, choose your favorite backdrop, arrange the flowers, and situate your gnome where you can easily see him. Now you can experience the serenity of the garden indoors!

This unique kit is perfect for gnome enthusiasts everywhere-and anyone who needs more luck in their life. We’re sure there’s gnothing like it on the market!

MARCUS MENNES has been tracking, studying, and observing gnomes for most of his adult life. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Posted by impart

Field Guide to Gestures

Furrowed brows, wiggled fingers, wrinkled noses, shrugged shoulders-with so many rich and varied gestures at our disposal, it’s no wonder anthropologists claim at least 90 percent of all human communication is nonverbal. But what do all of these signs and signals really mean? And what secrets do they reveal about the person you’re speaking with? Field Guide to Gestures has the answers.

Whether you’re communicating with friends, lovers, coworkers, foreigners, or strangers on the street, this handy guide will help you decipher the mysteries of human gesticulation. It features color photographs of more than 100 different gestures, plus a detailed synopsis explaining each gesture’s meanings, origins, and subtle nuances (nodding “yes” takes on an entirely new meaning in Greece!). It’s so full of interesting information, you’ll feel compelled to give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

NANCY ARMSTRONG and MELISSA WAGNER are freelance writers living in Philadelphia. They wave their hands when they talk, and are keen interpreters of gestures glimpsed across crowded bars. They are the coauthors of Field Guide to Stains.

Posted by impart

Big Fat Lies

The brilliant minds at mental_floss have entertained millions of trivia buffs with their unique magazine and publishing program. Now they’ve produced their first trivia card game. Each card contains two statements. One is true, the other is not. Can you spot the Big Fat Lie?

Here’s one from the Arts & Entertainment category:
A) The first name of actor Will Smith is short for “Willard.”
B) Rapper Dr. Dre was briefly enrolled in medical school before turning to a career in hip-hop.

Here’s another from the History & Geography category:
A) U.S. presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe all died on July 4.
B) Authors Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley were both born on October 31.

If you guessed B for both, you’ve identified the Big Fat Lies! With 400 questions in a wide range of categories–everything from Science and History to Popular Culture–Big Fat Lies! is perfect for cocktail parties with friends and family fun in the car.

The editors of MENTAL_FLOSS are responsible for the best-selling books Condensed Knowledge and Forbidden Knowledge.

Posted by impart