Cards: Your Voice Here

For Valentine’s Day, how about cards that talk--in your own voice--flowery picture frames or some handy gadgets that could make life a little brighter for a loved one?

Although talking greeting cards have been available for several years, the latest technology has brought them to another level. Now you can send your own greeting on Hallmark Recordable Greeting Cards. A voice chip allows the sender to record a 10-second message. If you mess up, you can re-record.

Valentine Recordable Greeting Cards ($7.95) come in six designs and are available nationally in card and gift stores. The only drawback? Because the computer chip adds weight, it will cost $1.45 to mail this valentine.

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Frame It: The latest old-fashioned photo frames from Los Angeles designer Deborah Rhein would please a mom, aunt or grandmother. Rhein decorates pine frames with dried flowers. Among her new designs are one with a dozen single roses and one featuring traditional English garden flowers. They are available in sizes of 3 1/2 by 5 inches, 5 by 7 inches and 8 by 10 inches. Each is hand done and signed.

The frames, ranging in price from $28 to $90, are available at Nordstrom, Fred Segal and Saks Fifth Avenue stores; at A Room With a View and Z Gallerie in Santa Monica, and Jumping Dog in Century City. Or you can order them from Rhein, 318 W. 9th St., Suite 1009, Los Angeles, Calif. 90015; (213) 624-ROSE.

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Mug Magic: Drink holders in cars were designed for soda cans, not coffee mugs. So a practical gift for commuters or travelers is the Tower Travel Mug, one of few that fits almost every cup holder for the road--or in the boat or the golf cart. Minneapolis marketing executive Tom Schaeppi designed the six-inch-tall mug “because of my own needs. I was using one of those wide-bottomed mugs and setting it over the drink holders in my van. That didn’t make a lot of sense, so I started looking for one that would fit, and it wasn’t out there.”

Tower Travel Mug holds 12 ounces and has a spill-resistant lid. It comes in black recycled plastic (suggested retail, $3.99 to $5.99) or black, white, teal, rose or gray ceramic ($10.99 to $14.99). The mugs are available nationwide at Target stores, coffee and gourmet specialty shops, and selected auto dealerships, or by writing to TM Marketing, 510 1st Ave. N., Suite 403, P.O. Box 3200, Minneapolis, Minn. 55403; (800) 359-0794. By mail, the plastic mug is $5, plus $2 shipping; ceramic, $14, plus $2.50 shipping.

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Clutter’s Gone: Perfumes are de rigueur for Valentine’s Day, but don’t rule out practical personal care items. An organizer called the Basket Case can help end cosmetic clutter. It’s a lattice-work basket with a high-tech look made of recyclable plastic. The Basket Case comes in a small round (6 inches high, 12 inches in diameter) or medium oval (6 by 11 by 16 inches) in cobalt blue, jade and ruby. Each has room for cosmetics, a hair dryer and large shampoo bottles, and there’s a pullup tray with sections for soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, dental floss or manicure supplies, cotton swabs and razor.

Manufactured by Cosmepak in Morristown, N.J., the Basket Case ($11.99 round; $14.99 oval) is available nationwide at Wal-Mart, K mart, Target, J.C. Penney and Drug Emporium.

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Tooling Around: Pocket Workshop is a nifty little tool with a variety of uses. It combines 11 tools in one and has a vinyl pouch for easy carrying in a pocket or on a belt. In a sturdy 5 1/2-ounce unit, Pocket Workshop contains pliers (regular and needle-nose), a file, a Phillips screwdriver, three sizes of slot screwdrivers, large and small knife blades, a wire cutter, and a can and bottle opener.

At $19.75, it is far more reasonably priced than other versions. To order, write to St. James, P.O. Box 558, Ventura, Calif. 93002. Shipping and handling are included in the price.

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Control of the Remote: “Where’s the remote?” is a frequent question in American households. A useful present to help organize your electronics at home or at the office is the Remote Center, a smoked bronze-colored acrylic case with four compartments to hold remote control units of all sizes. Measuring 10 by 5 1/2 by 3 inches, the Remote Center has a lid with a hinged cover to protect the devices from dirt, spills and damage.

The Remote Center ($19.95, plus $3 shipping and handling) is available from Milah Products, 6345 Denny Ave., Suite 4, North Hollywood, Calif. 91606; (818) 503-3353.