It finally looks like 3D printing is about to take off in a big way. But not all 3D printers are alike.

One clever new example is Glowforge, a desktop 3D laser printer that allows you to create a large variety of consumer items out of any material -- from a leather handbag or wallet to hard wood jewelry boxes and household items to a child's doll house or even office furnishings.

Designs are derived from popular software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, Glowforge's own online catalog, or even from drawings from pen and paper. There's no need for complex CAD software.