Lionel: Train Sets, Scenery, Tracks and Accessories
:: Since 1900 :: Unbelievable selection :: Fine detail :: High quality ::
Lionel has been making exquisite train sets and accessories since when trains were in their heyday. Now that trains are making a comeback, this is the perfect time to bring your family together over a fun and creative project. Lionel has tons of accessories to bring life to your scene in amazing detail. It is a lot of fun to go through their catalog and imagine what you can do by building a table with contoured terrain, rivers, mountains and a village.
EDIT: Lionel has been importing, so exercise caution before purchasing
Covering several track styles, Lionel’s train selection ranges from old timey, up to super modern bullet trains (as well as Thomas and Friends!). They have great items such as vehicles, people, signs, bridges, tunnels, buildings, roads, tracks, lamps, stations, and more.
Augment their accessories (and save some dough) by crafting your own landscape and printing out your own props and buildings… with a good color printer, some foam core, and your imagination you can create an awesome train set!
http://www.lionel.com/
Great tileable texture collection of digital images- including signs, terrain, building facades and more:
http://www.texturama.com
Printable model train software that allows you to scale appropriately:
http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/model-builder.html
Survival Straps: Bracelets, Alert and Fashionable Gear
:: For ID, medical alerts, or personal statement :: Unravels for emergency use ::
Survival straps are customizable bracelets and gear that display an important message, a meaningful message, photograph, or graphic. They are made from military issue paracord, so it can be unraveled and deployed if you happen to need emergency rope. You never know!
Many options are available, including thickness, weave colors, plate designs (officially licensed sports teams, upload a photo or provide text), and evolve into key fobs, necklaces, bag labels, and more. Made in USA. Thanks to Jenny for the suggestion!
Seaplane Shirts: Fun and Fashionable Shirts for Men
:: Reasonable prices :: Fun fabrics :: Get ‘em quick, rotating designs ::
Seaplane shirts have quite a few outgoing and stylish fabric designs to choose from. Designed to start a conversation, designs are bold and fun, as well as asymmetric in many cases. Vintage cuts and finishes give them a loose and breezy feel. Wear them wrinkly, or iron as you like. Prices are similar to imports, but they are made in USA!
Because styles rotate often, check in occasionally to see their current lineup! Designed for men to wear and for ladies to admire 
http://www.seaplaneshirts.com/
Timeless Frames: Picture, Display and Art Frames
:: Large selection :: Art too :: Wall and table displays :: Reasonable prices ::
Timeless Frames has a large selection of frames and framed art. Most frames are offered in multiple sizes, so be sure to check out an item that catches your eye- it might just be available in your size! Sustainable wood, eco-friendly and metal frame options are available. Also check out their calendars, photo books, photo to canvas printing, and custom framing services. The items in our feature are scaled pretty closely in relationship to their actual size so imagine they are all in a room together 
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They have a few imported frames (the super fancy metal ones) so be sure to add “Made in USA” to your search. We’ve done that for you on the Amazon link below!
http://timelessframes.com/
Double-H Boots: Rugged and Stylish Leather Work Boots
:: For today’s cowboys and cowgirls :: Work boots :: Great prices :: Well-crafted ::
For over 50 years, Double-H has been crafting western boots for men and women that are rugged enough for tough work, but stylish enough to kick around town. They are designed for performance, durability, comfort and style – and we would love to add that they are offered at a fantastic value compared to a lot of imports we see these days!
Check out their huge line of boots, tons of which are made here, but keep an eye out for imports (which are often spotted if you look for the ones with a crazy-high number of fancy doodly-dads on the designs). Their website sports a nifty Made in USA sorting feature (see link below).
Most boots range from $140-$200, which is a fantastic value! We really like the Domestic Harness Motorcycle boots and the steel toe Work Lacer, but there’s surely something for everyone (even dress boots). Fox Creek Leather also carries a few of their boots.
Thrive Furniture: Mid-Century Modern Furniture
:: Customizable :: Eco-conscious :: Lifetime warranty :: Reasonable pricing ::
Thrive Furniture puts a lot of love into their design and construction. With their crisp and modern lines, they have nurtured the best from the Kennedy era and left any badness behind: they’ve kept the class and ditched the kitch. Through their friendly and well-designed website, you get the feeling they are a great team to work with. With a 365 day guarantee and a no-hassle lifetime warranty (cushions have three year warranty), you know it’s well-made and they stand behind their product.
Since they design and build within the same facility (10 feet away!), they will try to accommodate any reasonable customization you may request… for example if you prefer two large cushions vs. three smaller ones. Many models come with several wood stain options on their Beech wood, and multiple fabric and leather options. Framing is made from sustainable Poplar wood. Request a sample before buying!
Furniture covers the full spectrum, from chairs, sofas, beds and ottomans, to coffee tables, desks, credenzas and patio furniture. Shipping is always free. Made in USA!
Shapeways: 3D Printing Factory and Marketplace
:: Many materials :: Growing catalog :: Affordable :: Customization ::
The future really is here! Now 3D printing of real products is competitively priced against traditional mass production techniques! Products are often at the same price, if not less expensive than similar items found in stores. You may upload your own CAD files, or choose from a growing catalog of designs uploaded by 3D designers around the world. For each design, you may choose from a myriad of materials and colors at various price points based on material volume.
The Made in USA aspect could be debated, however we will argue that through growth, their new factory expansion is creating a lot of jobs here, as well as opportunities for budding jewelry and product designers. Originating in the Netherlands, the founders up and moved their headquarters and their lives to NYC – and after great success are currently building a 25,000 square foot “Factory of the Future”, which not only prints objects that may be impossible to cast, but creates a new production technique for the masses. A factory that replaces “mass manufacturing” with “mass customization”, and employs finishing artists to to give your products the final touches.
Shapeways currently offers printing in over 30 materials, including full color printing (think character statues), metals (stainless as well as sterling silver) and food-safe glazed ceramics! To get started, peruse their ever-expanding catalog of designs from their thriving international artist community, or design your own jewelry by using some of their simple online tools. Check out their huge catalog of unique iPhone accessories, jewelry, art, miniatures, gadgets and games.
Currently their printers and materials are sourced from the USA and from Europe, however from a pleasant phone call we discovered Shapeways are always striving to source locally as much as possible.
Chubbies: Men’s Shorts That Are Short Are Back
:: Salute to the 1980s :: Made in USA :: Reasonable prices :: Fun community ::
I don’t know how they did it, but Chubbies makes short men’s shorts cool again! This is definitely an arguable subject, but honestly I was joking on the intro and must say that I am glad that shorts are now made to fall above the knees. I (Eric) am a mere 5’7″ and the long shorts popular in the last decade always looked clowney on me, typically leaving only 10″ of visible leg when wearing calf-height socks.
Chubbies has resurrected the good living of the 1980s and early ’90s, cleverly selling the simple and fun party lifestyle of those times (as I remember them). With shorts names like “The Journeys”, “The Griswolds”, “The Captain”, “The Pregames”, “The Def Leps”, “The Vice”…. and you must check out their other colors in all their glory… these shorts take you back to a time when there was no internet and you had to actually socialize to have a good time. Pick a color, grab a beer and take some photos to share on their Facebook page, and become an official “Chubster”.