An Eames chair is something devotees of modern furniture design would love to have, so does it follow that an Eames chair that's one-sixth the size is equally attractive?

Yes, according to Elsa Mickelsen of Encinitas who sells classically designed furniture of Lilliputian size. "The company that makes the pieces – Vitra of Germany – started selling these miniatures in their gift shop, and they were so popular they started marketing them around the world," Mickelsen said.

Elsa Mickelsen This Eames chair is one-sixth the size of a real chair, one in a line of miniature furniture. The tiny Eames chair costs $200.

The furniture is too big for doll houses, but is perfect for Barbie, the plastic princess. "Adult collectors of Barbie dolls are big buyers. Collectors of 6-to-1 scale action figures buy them, too. They like to pose the dolls with the furniture for photographs."

Every piece is accurate "down to the screws that hold them together. If the original is made from plywood laminate like the Eames chairs, then the miniature is made from the same material, only teeny-tiny."

Collectors have made the furniture hot items, because as soon as a piece is discontinued the price starts to go up. "The pieces make a nice display on a bookshelf," Mickelsen said. Other customers include designers, architects and educators, who use them in tutorial projects.

Mickelsen is an interior designer who operates Elsa Design in Encinitas (elsa@elsadesign or (760) 492-3572), but she said, "the miniature furniture business has grown so much that I don't do much design work anymore."

Pieces range in price from $65 to $625, and are available on the Internet at www.miniaturechairs.com. "If you really like modern design, it's a way to hold a piece of it in your hand."

– CATHY LUBENSKI

The gift of water

Now, there's no need to cry over spilled H2O when crawling under the Christmas tree to water it.

Ever-Green Seasons This wrapped present is actually a watering system for live Christmas trees, eliminating the need to crawl under the tree to water it.

The Ever-Green Christmas Tree Watering System supplies water to the tree stand from – get this – a water-filled container that looks just like a wrapped present under the tree. The hard plastic "gift" holds 2.7 gallons, enough to keep a live tree watered for approximately four to eight days. "It depends on how old your tree is," said Heather Shepardson, inventor and owner of Ever-Green Seasons in Denver. "If it was cut yesterday, it will drink a lot more compared to a tree that was cut three weeks ago. When people first put their tree up, they need to check it every day."

The Ever-Green Christmas Tree Watering System was spotlighted on the HGTV show "The National Hardware Show 2005" that aired earlier this year. It's still posted on hgtv.com as one of the best products from the show.

Shepardson drew on family traditions to create the system. "My grandfather would siphon water through a plastic tube from a bucket into the tree stand. My mom and I were talking about what a great idea that was and I took the ball and ran with it. Making it look like a present was just a lucky idea."

A real red ribbon and bow decorate the green plastic container, adding another touch of realism to the present.

The Ever-Green Christmas Tree Watering System costs $19.95 and is available online at www.watermytree.com. Shepardson promises a one-day turnaround in getting the system on its way through two-day express shipping or ground shipping.

– CATHY LUBENSKI