What's New from Klutz?

 What's new from our friends at Klutz? 
We just couldn't resist giving this Klutz classic a little polish . . . Nail Art is getting a fresh look with all- new photography, layout, and design - plus new polish colors, an exclusive fine-tipped detail brush, and gorgeous new designs.
This time-tested favorite is a fully-photographic instruction book packed with tips, techniques, and over 35 designs to paint on fingernails (and toenails, too). With 6 colors of water-based, non- toxic, peel-off nail paints, you can try every design idea on (and off - and on - and off) with no nail polish remover required.
From apples to zigzags, there's something here to please even the most finicky fingertips!

 There's a reason Klutz's magic books have sold like, well, magic, with more than 3.5 million books in print. We think it's because the pure joy of wowing a roomful of onlookers with some deft, old-school magic is still the greatest thrill around for a kid (and, ahem, some adults).
That's why we've created Prankster Magic, a fool-your- friends book of tricks that combines all-new material with the best from out-of-print books such as Coin Magic, No-Practice Magic, and Card Trickery. Written in the notorious Klutz Immaturity voice, this book includes sections on coin tricks, card tricks, and (how did you know?) mind reading. These are easy pranks and quick tricks - no hokey hocus-pocus, no need to borrow someone's rabbit - just the sweet spot between mischief and amazement!

Chain Reactions is packed full of ideas, instructions, and inspiration for 10 LEGO machines that spin, swing, pivot, roll, lift, and drop. Each machine alone is awesome, but put them together and you get incredible chain reactions. Then, combine the machines in any order you like to create your own chain reactions. Our team of experts worked with educators and 11-year-olds to invent the machines, then wrote a book that teaches the skills (and some of the physics behind the fun) kids need to create their own amazing chain reaction machines.
Our book includes 33 special LEGO elements that combine with basic bricks from your collection to make your machines go. But don't worry that you won't have the right bricks; we worked with the folks at LEGO to make sure you'll need only the most common bricks, and that there are plenty of substitutes. The result is a chain reaction of fun, as one thing leads to another and another and another.....
Check out these and many more Klutz books at: Durango Toy Depot

Did Ya Know?

The Hoberman Sphere, magic, myth or math?

A Hoberman sphere is an isokinetic structure patented by Chuck Hoberman that is capable of folding down to a fraction of its normal size by the scissor like action of its joints. Colorful plastic versions have become popular as children's toys: several toy sizes exist, with the original design capable of expanding from 9 inches in diameter to 30 inches.
A Hoberman sphere typically consists of six great circles which can be unfolded by allowing certain members to spread apart. This can be accomplished by feeding out a string or cable in the larger models. The operation of each joint is linked to all the others in a manner conceptually similar to the extension arm on a wall-mounted shaving mirror.

"The Hoberman Sphere has become a classic and a favorite of kids and adults everywhere. It expands from 9" to 30" in diameter with a magical motion that amazes everyone that sees it. Everyone in the house should have their own, because nobody will want to share.

All Spheres comes with a pulley, hardware and instructions to hang as a cool, kinetic mobile; an educational booklet about the geometry of the Sphere; and a 21 Cool Things to Do activity sheet.

Ages 4 and up."

Flasback Friday!

I really love summer.... I really love all the seasons really!

There's nothing like a little commotion in Historic Downtown Durango....

A day in the Life...

Working in a Toy Store.....

Silly Kaelin.....

I remember walking through a Toy Store as a kid and looking in awe at the walls that were covered in toys and games.  My parents would have to drag me out of the store because I would want to stay and play with everything.  As I got older, not much changed and now I find myself working at 

Durango Toy Depot and having a great time whenever I’m here.

Toy Stores have a certain type of magic that easily enchants anyone who walks through the door. There is something that brings a person of any age back to their childhood as soon as they take that first step through the door.

Today I find myself lucky enough to experience this when I go to work. 

An average workday for me usually consists of unpacking new toys. I like to use this time to test them out. Just the other day, I tested two whole boxes of new Folkmanis Puppets! Needless to say, they were very happy to be out of the box and going on new adventures with each other!

Working at a toy store means that I get to bring smiles to people every day and 

I couldn’t be happier!

How Many Hats?

 There are days when I can wear fun hats that help me throughout the day. Truth be told, I wear my thinking cap everyday! Sometimes it looks like the one here, sometimes it looks like my favorite baseball cap, sometimes, my thinking cap is very small and nearly invisible to the naked eye!

The most important part of wearing my thinking cap is that it helps me gather my thoughts because this hat helps me focus my brain waves, helps me to concentrate on my head, and this one helps redirect my thoughts back into my head so they don't wander off somewhere else! At any rate, there are lots of things to think about in a day besides what toys I should play with. 

A day at the toy store usually starts with an hour or two of grown up stuff like checking emails, looking around the store to be sure all the toys are where they belong after they have played all night, posting important pictures on Facebook, returning phone calls, making sure all our paperwork is in order, going to the bank, checking on orders, stocking the shelves, and doing what I didn't do the day before. We try very hard to get all this done before the store opens so that we can give all our attention to the guests who come in to look and shop. Then

that's when I get to wear one of my favorite hats! 

That's  right, let the magic begin! We watch eyes light up, we can hear laughter, and I can focus on giving everyone in our store a 3D, hands on, kinda happenin experience!