Virtual Critter Invasion!

We've been invaded! By what you ask? Virtual Critters. What are Virtual Critters? Virtual Critters are wooden fish and wooden snakes, hand-made in Nova Scotia, Canada, by Anne O'Hearn. Their realistic flexibility is due to a canvas 'spine' that holds the individual side-pieces of wood together.

Anne started making her 'Virtual Snakes' in 1997, and in 1999 her 'Virtual Fish' proved to be even more popular than the snakes. These unique 'Virtual Critters' are treasured by individuals, as well as being in demand by art-stores and galleries throughout Canada and the United States. Pick Up Sticks Woodworking (established in 1995) is a family business built around the meticulous craftsmanship of Anne O'Hearn. The 'team' consists of Anne (the genius craftsperson), Doug (her husband who takes care of the books, shipping and correspondence), and an occasional helper in the shop.

Henry Bergeson Kaleidoscopes

For all you kaleidoscope lovers out there, we just got in some beautiful wooden kaleidoscopes in. All Henry Bergeson Kaleidoscopes are handcrafted of fine hardwoods with polished brass fittings and ultra-fine object cases. Each piece offers a unique, unsurpassed visual sensation that will delight both young and old. They are an absolute pleasure to use and are superbly crafted to last a lifetime.

"It all led up to this." Henry Bergeson says this matter-of-factly as the snow falls gently on his mountaintop home. During his youth, Henry developed a love for things mechanical. He took his love and ability to a new level with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

He was uncomfortable, though, with the analytical "hands-off" approach to engineering. Through the "real world" job experience, he developed a sense of the design. He was laid-off during the downturn in business in 1987, so he packed up and moved west. In Colorado, his new home, he followed his intuition and tried his hand at kaleidoscope building. And, well...the rest is in the making.

Each kaleidoscope represents the culmination of the evolution of an art form. Out of a lifetime of "peering into the looking glass", Henry Bergeson's artful engineering has no peer.