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drowning man sink plugWhatever metropolitan downtown you find yourself in, you're often prone to stumble upon a twee novelty shop. We're not talking the finest penis-shaped rigatoni you can find at Spencer's Gifts, either (although, hey, fun!). We're referring to those petite boutiques where every vintage-inspired magnet or kooky-yet-practical napkin ring reminds you of girls who wear yellow stockings and horn-rimmed glasses.

Of course, online shopping has made it significantly easier to find weird stuff on the internet. Stores like Archie McPhee and Great Big Stuff specialize in novelty items (the latter, incidentally, has generously supplied us with cubicles worth of oversized delight), and Fred & Friends pulls no punches, either. The online store trots out fun, quirky wares that are both aesthetically delicious and supremely practical.

Here are some of our faves from the online catalog:


pens with silly supposed origins


BORROW MY PENs are like those free, custom-designed pens you get from dermatology clinics and car dealerships, but these pens are better because they are stupid funny.


milk bowl with a built-in splash


SPILT MILK is a bowl that looks like an "accident in progress," so you can cross this off the gift list for your OCD-addled friends and family.


USB flash drive with a frayed cord attached


HACKED! is a portable flash drive meant to resemble a tattered USB cable. But it still works, and it halves the chance of your laptop getting stolen.


drain plug with a tiny arm coming out


HELP! is a macabre drain plug that is will make you think a little person is drowning in your used mouthwash.



tie with instructions written on the front


HOW TIE is perfect for the gentleman (or Diane Keaton) who fashions himself fancy, but still doesn't know how to tie a tie, even at, say, 26 years old! Imagine that! (*cough*...I should call my dad.)


to-do list temporary tattoos

TO-DO TATTOO lets you temporarily scrawl your priorities on your hand without looking like a baby. Instead, you look like a genius!