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Design

Warm Wishes

August 16, 2011

Pica said: “Love this, and think it would make a great hostess gift for my bread baking friends!”

Susan said: “Great item, great price! This is the kind of thing that makes a great gift or purchase for my own use. A really useful item!”

This terra cotta bread warmer lets you have restaurant-style warm bread right at your own dinner table. Pop the warmer in the oven for 10 minutes to bring it to the right temperature, then stick it in the bottom of your bread basket for soft, warm slices.

Would you give this bread warmer to friends, keep it in your own kitchen, or both? Leave your answer in our community voting app, and see what voters are saying about this and other potential new goods.

The Uncommon Life

Musical Math

August 15, 2011

We’re not afraid to get nerdy here at UncommonGoods, so when we came across Vi Hart’s blog featuring mechanical music boxes we couldn’t wait to share!

In her first music box demonstrations, the mathemusician twists paper into a Möbius strip and plays an arrangement. A Möbius strip is a non-orientable surface with only one side and one boundary component.

In her second arrangement, Vi gets cranking with four music boxes. Three boxes create a canon by playing the same strip of paper in sequence, while another plays a loop of paper.

Special thanks to Vi for sharing her creativity! Please visit Vi Hart-Music Boxes to read her original post and find links to more great demonstrations.

Design

Top Comments of the Week

August 11, 2011

We asked, you answered. Here are the top comments from our community voting app this week.

Lindsey said” If this fits in the back pocket of jeans – perfect!!! I have been looking for something like this for years. The one I have now is falling apart and the company stopped making them. I WILL buy this as soon as you sell it.”

Thanks for the feedback, Lindsey. We don’t want you sitting lopsided, so the need for a thin, durable, card case wallets is clear. Not only are these upcycled card case wallets sleek, they’re also made by fair trade artisans using old newspapers and cleaned up plastic bags.



Nicole said: “This is insane!! I love it!!!”

Sometimes a little insanity is just what you need to liven up your wardrobe. Thanks for the enthusiasm, Nicole!

Ann said: “Do we really need to promote more alcohol? Think about the children.”

Don’t worry, Ann. If these cufflinks are accepted into our assortment, they’ll only be available in adult sizes. Since these silver-plated cufflinks feature real vintage cash register buttons, and real cash registers sometimes ring-up booze, words like whiskey,” “beer,” and “wine” grace these shiny wrist accessories.

Do you agree with our vocal voters? Visit our voting app to leave your feedback and read more community comments!

Maker Stories

The Science of Design

August 11, 2011

Do you have a formula for success when it comes to design? Do themes in your work emerge as a signature style? We’d love to see your original jewelry designs! Enter our first ever Jewelry Design Challenge for a chance to win $500 and the opportunity to sign a vendor contract with UncommonGoods.

Some people see math formulas, the Periodic Table of the Elements or text books and feel overwhelmed. Tiffany Ard sees these things and gets inspired. From her Chromosome Earrings to her Math Symbol Cufflinks, Tiffany is proud to produce beautiful jewelry for fashion forward nerds.

Continue Reading…

Design

Paper to Silk

August 11, 2011

Finding that perfect gift for a special couple isn’t always an easy task.

We’re happy to provide a little advice and proudly offer our original Anniversary Book as a suggestion for a great wedding or anniversary gift. This hand-bound journal includes pages to help loving couples celebrate years the first twenty years of marriage, and features pages in 5-year increments for each year from 25-50.

You told us that you loved this little journal so much that we needed to take it to the next level. And with your suggestions, we developed a more complete Anniversary Journal featuring pages for each year up to that golden 50th anniversary.

Continue Reading…

Design

Give Us Direction

August 10, 2011

Crumpled City Map

Emmie said: “Great idea and reasonable price – most of my travel books/maps are damaged from the winds and rain and are useless after one vacation. GENIUS!”

Would a map of New York City make navigating the boroughs a breeze? Could you use a map of London on your next European adventure? Crumpled City Maps make bringing a map along easy. Since they’re made of a durable, waterproof, rip-resistant material, you can crumple them up and stick them in a pocket or pouch. If you agree with Emmie and think this idea is genius, find your way to our community voting app and share your feedback!

Design

This Just In: 4-in-1 Parenting Towel

August 9, 2011

Parenting Towel

William said: “This is a thoughtful product; both in quality and design. I appreciate that it holds its value over time as the children grow.”

Kara said: “I could have used this back when my kids were young. Most times the front of my shirt looked like I took a bath too.”

Trisha said: “Great idea in my opinion. Practical, useful now and later. Perfect item for UncommonGoods.”

Our buyers agree with Trisha that the 4-in-1 Parenting Towel is perfect for UncommonGoods. Thanks to community votes and feedback, this practical parenting apron, that doubles as a towel, triples as a baby wrap and quadruples as a comfy toddler robe, is now available for purchase!

We can’t wait to see which products our voters will help us add to our assortment next! Visit our community voting app to tell us which goods you love.

Design

Fresh Idea

August 9, 2011

Natural Air Purifying Bag

Ann said: “We need to keep the air cleaner! Plus if it gets rid of allergens-well that’s priceless. And it’s not that pricey either. Does it have an odor to it? How many months does it last?”

Ann may be pleased to know that this practical little pouch is stuffed with bamboo charcoal, a natural, non-toxic, odor-free material that’s been used as an air freshener for centuries in Japan. The charcoal is solar-activated, so you just set it in direct sunlight for an hour once a month and it sops up smelly particles and allergens in the air for up to two years.

Do you agree with Ann that cleaner air is a beautiful thing? If you want to see the Natural Air Purifying Bag in our lineup, go to our voting app and make a stink about it!