Whimsically nautical, a black starfish makes this button unique and exciting. Slightly less than an inch in diameter, and oh-so-useful. Choose it for attire (picture starfish fasteners on a little girl's jumper, or down a very big girl's sundress or button-up skirt), and don't forget its appeal for crafts as well. Use several on napkin rings for your cabana -- or, if you happen to have misplaced your beachfront house, equally splendid in a studio apartment, an Alaskan log cabin, or a suburban tract home. What a versatile button!

The nut of a native palm tree, tagua is also known as corozo or vegetable ivory. It looks like animal ivory, and can be both carved and dyed. Profits made from the nut's use provide a reason not to harvest South American rain forest and deplete the ozone layer.