The cool thing about the digital revolution is that we haven’t completely lost sight of what not to change. We still want to hold our favorite photos, stick them on the fridge, arrange and share them in an album. Yep, photo albums are still being made and there’s an appealing selection for sale online. At Safe Collecting Supplies, your photos never come in contact with anything other than archival quality materials that are free of plasticizers (chemical softening agents) and stearates. We love the spiral-bound albums with wood covers and acid-free pages, although the cardboard cover versions (pictured) will do the trick . You do have to use corner mounts to affix the photos to the black photo-cardboard pages but that lets you arrange them any way you like. The company also makes screw-type post-binder photo albums and offers a good selection of leather, vinyl and plastic cover photo albums. Uncommon Goods has albums with handmade copper covers and the designs suggest what goes inside — two hearts, baby carriage, graduation, decade, pet ($55). The downside: Each album holds only 24 four-by six-inch photos. Monogrammed items appear to be back in vogue along with plaid, and Neiman Marcus has paired the two with this plaid photo album ($65) available in kiwi or cherry. As always, Target offers a budget beauty with the acid-free red cloth photo album ($15.50), which holds 200 photos and has a window on the cover for an extra. For more spiral-bound albums with decorative covers, check out Mudlark’s selection at Wrapables. And finally, for that basic, sturdy album that holds 300 photos, you can’t go wrong with Pioneer’s bi-directional photo album ($14).

One frustration of vacationing in faraway lands is the desire to bring back way more souvenirs than you can carry — not the made-for-tourists junk, but the countless everyday items that are different enough from our own household wares to capture the flavor of a place, or simply to feel like the perfect tool for a certain job. The folks behind Kiosk appear to have felt this pain intently enough to invent a solution: They bring back enough of these goods that they can sell them to others and finance the shipping costs. The NYC-based retailer is a bit like a fashion boutique, in that most of its stock only lasts a few months: one month they’re featuring Glitter Girl Whistles (pictured) and plastic rope from Mexico, the next they could have booze and fishing lures from Finland. This is both the charm and the frustration of exploring the store’s online catalog: Once yesterday’s import is gone, it’s gone. The exceptions are those items Kiosk has decided to stock permanently, which range from the utilitarian (Japanese metal clips) to the totally whimsical (colorful plastic bird-shaped whistles from Mexico). The unifying factor, according to the store’s curators, is that they seek objects that are “humble, straightforward and beautiful for their simplicity and directness.”

Cast-iron pans are beloved by many chefs, for good reasons: They can go from stove to oven, they are ideal heat conductors, and when properly cared for, they can last decades. Two basic skillets are the Keilen 11.5-inch cast iron skillet at Sears ($9) and Williams-Sonoma’s sturdy 12-inch Lodge skillet ($27). A more sophisticated version can be found at Ginny’s, which carries Paula Deen’s Swirled cast-iron skillet ($50) and matching Dutch oven ($90), with a red enamel exterior and a white enamel interior (pictured). The enamel lining makes it easy to clean and doesn’t necessitate the seasoning and oiling required by more traditional pans. Cabela’s has a cast-iron starter set with three skillets, a Dutch oven with lid and heavy gloves, perfect for cooking over a campfire ($80). Lodge Pro Grid’s cast-iron griddle has a ridged side designed for cooking chops, and even vegetables; its smooth reverse side is ideal for making pancakes ($45). For Dutch ovens, look no farther than the big sale at DutchOvenPro.com, where you’ll find the Ultimate Turkey Roaster set, complete with roasting rack (on sale for $78). What’s Cooking America offers a useful guide to using and caring for your cast-iron cookware — it’s best to wipe off and oil them rather than scrubbing with soap and water. Once you have your pan, you can make skillet cornbread or recipes from Crate & Barrel’s Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook ($17).

Why are people still buying book lights with conventional incandescent bulbs? The answer isn’t price: The famous Itty Bitty light costs $45 (some of which probably goes to that cutesy package), and users have to budget $7 a pop for replacement bulbs. Meanwhile, LED bulbs practically last forever and are more eco-friendly to boot, using much less energy to deliver comparable light. This Xtra Flex 2 from Mighty Bright has a more easily maneuverable neck than the Itty Bitty lamp, clips firmly onto your book (or stands by itself), and at $17 is just over a third of its competitor’s price. Granted, those of us who don’t want to run on battery power have to spend another $10 on an AC adapter — it’s still a bargain, and the cord is long enough to reach the most inconvenient under-the-bed power outlet. The Mighty Bright folks have branched out cleverly, with a two-arm light/magnifier gizmo for crafters and some sleek workhorses for musicians, but the item that will likely come in handy for us all at some point, whether we read at bedtime or not, is a magnifying glass with a built-in lamp — you may still have a hard time comprehending the fine print of that new cell-phone contract, but at least you’ll be able to read it.

I have been known to crack, break and shatter delicate things, both at home and at the homes of friends. Fine china handed from generation to generation. My wedding dishes. Vintage glass. And so, I am familiar with Replacements, Ltd., the online super glue for friendships strained by the untimely loss of a beloved dish or bowl. An actual storefront in North Carolina with more than 400,000 square feet of tableware, Replacements, Ltd. has the “world’s largest selection of old and new dinnerware, including china, stoneware, crystal, glassware, silver, stainless, and collectibles” and services klutzes young and old the world over. There are 12 million pieces in more than 286,000 patterns, some over 100 years old, but if they don’t have what you’re looking for right now, just fill out an online pattern/piece request form and you’ll receive first notice when they find it. The site bears the logo of the Better Business Bureau’s Online Reliability Program, and everything is guaranteed by a 30-day, no-questions-asked return policy. You can even sell to the company if you’re holding pieces you’d like to get rid of, although they will not purchase china that is chipped, cracked, stained or showing excessive wear. Pieces that are “crazed” or show minor flaws are acceptable. And for those getting married, there’s a bridal and gift registry. According to the frequently asked questions page, the registry is most helpful for newlyweds who want to complete a pattern. If you’re in a hurry and can’t find what you need at Replacements, Ltd., try Dishes From The Past or ebay, where I recently averted trouble after demolishing a forest green glass cereal bowl at a friend’s house. Replacement cost: $7 plus shipping.

Aside from the cliché that guys aren’t supposed to sew, one thing that kept me from approaching a sewing machine for years was that threading them looked pretty intimidating — loop here, insert there, wind around this way and so on. I eventually overcame my fear years back, but might have done so earlier had Singer’s new Curvy machine been available. Selling online for around $300, the machine boasts two features designed to make setup easier: one for threading the needle and another for getting the bobbin thread set up. It also has an electronic stitch-selection device that cleverly informs you of the appropriate length and width settings for a given stitch. Combine all that with handy common-sense features like a spacious compartment for accessories and a built-in trimmer for loose threads, and you have a machine that’s very appealing for beginners and practiced users alike. Testing the machine for ease of use, I found that it took only around half an hour from the time I opened the manual and plugged in the machine to the end of my first job — hemming some pajama bottoms that were clearly designed for a much taller man. While the auto-threading feature wasn’t so intuitive you could do it without a manual, it did simplify things significantly, and must be a Godsend for anyone whose eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Since one assumes that’s a fair percentage of the sewing machine demographic, Singer has probably guaranteed itself a lot of sales with the innovation.

I love using Mexican market bags, or “bolsas,” to pack up my swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, etc. before heading to the pool or beach. Made from woven poly mesh, they are remarkably strong yet weigh almost nothing. The air blows through them, you can see your belongings, and these affordable bags come in way cool colors and designs. At Direct From Mexico, I found a great selection, but there’s a catch or two: The color you get depends on what’s in stock at the time you order, and you have to purchase a minimum of two to four bags per order, depending on the style you want. Example: the fantastic mesh “brief case” (only $5.25), which comes in a plaid weave design must be purchased four at a time. Then again, they make wonderful reusable grocery bags, so why not buy a quartet? Great for taking to the pool are the 18- by 22-inch market bags with woven images of Frida Kahlo, the Virgin Mary and a Day of the Dead skeleton/icon named La Catrina ($9 each, minimum order: 2 bags). At Mexican Sol, buying just one mesh bag is no problem, but the prices are a bit higher — you can find the same Virgin Mary bag here for $11. Still, the selection includes groovy vinyl bags like this one with a loteria image of El Sol ($19). And have I mentioned Mexican oil cloth yet? It’s the festive, vibrantly colored durable vinyl print material you often see spread over tables. Oil-cloth totes from Mexican Sugar Skull ($22) or Tesoros ($8; pictured) are so pretty you might decide to make them your summer handbag of choice .

If you’ve ever loved a print so much that you wanted to wrap yourself and everything in your house in it, you may go mad for mod Marimekko, the Finnish design house that has produced fashion and life style accessories with eye-catching, large-scale, color-saturated abstract prints since 1951. A young Jackie Kennedy first put the unknown Finnish brand on the fashion map when she wore a simple Marimekko dress in bright pink in 1960 for a Sports Illustrated cover. Marimekko faded away for most of the last few decades but began its comeback when a Marimekko pattern was spotted on the curtains in the apartment belonging to Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw. Just in time for this summer’s focus on retro flower power prints — in housewares, fashion, just about everything — the company has licensed its vintage patterns to Crate & Barrel, which carries this Marimekko print of larger-than-life marigold blossoms you can sleep in ($70 to $90). New this spring is H&M’s Tribute to Marimekko line (pictured), with clothes for women, men and even kids (for more, see New York magazine’s “First Look”). You like poppies? You really like poppies? Then consider Marimekko’s most recognizable print, Unikko. You can get it on this shower curtain ($49), throw pillow ($32), tote ($119), serving tray ($25) and last but never least, Manolo Blahnik shoes (available only at Manolo Blahnik stores in New York and London). Marimekko products are also available from a handful of its concept stores in the U.S., including one in Washington, D.C. If you like the Kaiku print, you can get it on a shower curtain ($59), a tea towel ($13) and a latte mug ($14). This print of cows sprinting through spring fields is also available on tea towels, plates, refrigerator magnets and coffee mugs. Many of the Marimekko prints can be custom made into a wall hanging or you can pick from a ready-made assortment, including “Hetkia Moments” ($375) or “Kassiopeia” ($340). For everything from stationery and office supplies to handbags and socks, check out Alway Mod: Everything Marimekko. Don’t forget the dress that started it all or something like it. This Valamo dress is vintage 1960s Marimekko and so is the Enni tunic ($89).