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The Uncommon Life

Crowning the Winner of the Uncommon Bedroom Pinterest Contest

March 9, 2012


The decision wasn’t easy but the process sure was fun. Julia, Cassie and I, each admitted Pinterest-aholics, sat down to determine who created the mother of all pin boards for our Uncommon Bedroom contest. Our work was cut out for us with almost 300 entries, but I promise no arguments ensued. Sadly, there can only be one winner but we wanted to share the honorable mentions that kept us debating before we crowned our Queen of Pins.


We really loved Heather’s board for its rich jewel-tone colors and excessive doillies. We also appreciate the fact that her idea of breakfast includes Nutella and her idea of a bedtime story is Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling.

 


Nicole had some pretty uncommon items in her dream bedroom. We were drawn in by the fancy bathroom tile and stayed for the pebble pillows and little black dresser.

 


There seems to be a very consistent affinity for the color purple on Alexandra’s board. Check out the furniture made of repurposed suitcases and wine crates!

 


Kristi‘s board was full of rich purple hues, hidden closets and spooky details. Her zombie bed kept us talking for days (Do I smell a DIY…)

 


But the board that stole our hearts belongs to Carter. Her dream beach bedroom makes us long for summer, sun kissed cheeks and sand in our sheets. She put together a cohesive mood board with a combination of decorating styles and mixed media to create a beautiful story that ignited our imaginations.

Help us congratulate Carter on Pinterest and check out the boards that stole our hearts.

Design

Summer Picnic Design Challenge

February 29, 2012


It might be cold outside but we have summertime on the brain at UncommonGoods! We are dreaming of backyard cookouts, sandy beach blankets, frisbee in the park, driving with the windows down and picnics with friends. We can almost smell the barbecue sauce.

Why are we so summer crazy? We are very excited for our first design challenge of 2012. We have teamed up with SustyParty and Recyclebank to search for the cutest, funnest, most delicious graphic that will be stamped onto sustainable plates and cups to furnish your summertime meals. Designs will be selected by UncommonGoods merchants, our Voting Tool community and an impressive panel of guest judges, including Diana Yen, of The Jewels of NY.

The winning designer will receive $500. Find out contest rules and how to enter here.

Maker Stories

Inside the Artist’s Studio with Anna Rabinowicz

February 29, 2012

We want to give you an exclusive look inside the workspaces and minds of our uncommon artists. The very first designer’s studio tour features Anna Rabinowicz of RabLabs, the artist behind our Agate Coasters Set. Anna has been in her Flatiron studio for more than two years, a space that she shares with her team and another artist. Always fascinated with stones, Anna was able to start her own business when an opportunity came up with a distributor in Brazil. In addition to running her own business, Anna teaches product design, sharing her deep knowledge of geology and agate formation, with students at the Parsons School of Design.

What is a typical day in the studio like?
In the morning I could be working on designs and Skyping with manufacturers across the world, and then heading to Parsons in the evening to conduct a lecture. In between, I may get a visit from my two young children (Izzy, 4 and Talia, 2), one of the benefits of keeping a studio close to home.


What are your most essential tools?
The Pilot Razor Point II pens are the world’s most amazing pens. I’m very particular about the pens that I use for drawings and their very precise line makes a big difference. I only draw in black pen because it forces me to make design decisions. I prefer to draw on typing paper; if I want to make revisions, I just put another piece of typing paper on top to create a trace over.
My other essential tool is my digital caliper. It helps me to measure things in a really accurate way. For example, I can check the parts that we receive from manufacturers, to make sure that the dimensions are correct. It was a gift from my father when I was in grad school and is one of my most prized possessions!

Where do you find inspiration within the studio?
I am very inspired by the artifacts that we keep sitting around, like the pieces of sea fan and rocks, and the prototypes that I have created. I learn so much about what the final product will look like from the models that I create….like a model made of clay molded around a tiny metal bowl, with natural crystals attached at interesting angles….this piece ultimately became a bowl based on the morphology of natural crystals, which will be produced in lead crystal.


Around the Office: prototypes, Anna’s desk, agate bottle toppers and napkin rings

What is your secret to time management?
I like to close my laptop so I can focus without the distraction of email. But sometimes there are a lot of immediate concerns that punctuate the rest of my work. That is the nature of design and being in New York, and that is OK too. The design process is really circular — an expectation that things will work in an orderly fashion is unrealistic. We turn back to original decisions over and over again.

Where does collaboration come into play in your work?
RabLabs is a small business and time is precious so I really enjoy collaboration. My distributor and I were sharing ideas earlier this week about the work flow when a shipment came in from Brazil. Clients have great suggestions about what they want to see. I collaborate with my photographer on photo shoots. All the relationships I have are intended to be in that fashion. There is a lot we can all learn from each other because everyone has different competencies and perspectives.

How do you recharge your creativity?
I love to watch Bollywood movies. I find them to be very over-the-top, visually spectacular and super absorbing. They’re also extremely romantic.

Design Inspiration: a collection of toothbrushes from around the world, Espera sea fan colander, rock samples

What was the toughest lesson you learned as a young designer?
I’ve learned over the years that it is not always possible to produce everything that I dream about. I can draw something beautiful of something that you think should come to life, but it may be impossible to fabricate, or would take an unrealistic amount of time. Before I understood the intricacies of fabrication, I thought that all I had to do was be stubborn and tenacious in order to get things made.

How do you decide when it is time to celebrate a small victory?
What I get most excited about is when parts get back from the manufacturer. That is when I feel like I have accomplished something and I am creating. I get excited too when we are in magazines, that’s always fun.

Is there a quote that keeps you moving forward?
Being a designer means looking closely at the world around us for inspiration and realizing that the things around us are really magical. Using the inspiration that surrounds us, we have the ability to make magic with our designs.


What new skills are you learning at the moment?
I am learning a lot about crystal manufacturing for my newest designs. I’m learning a lot about the production parameters and how these pieces are made. Back to my biological inspiration for these pieces — if you understand how something forms in nature then you can understand how to fabricate something in a similar fashion, because it references the origin of the piece.

What advice would you have given yourself 5 years ago?
I would have gotten more help and hired people sooner. For many years it was just me and an excellent operations manager, Janelle, and a Brazilian manufacturing specialist, Renata, both of whom worked remotely, until I started hiring interns and a designer, Kevin. Support is very important, even back when I started the business in my 91-year-old grandma’s basement. In those years, she was in charge of all the UPS shipping and she and my mom even helped to assemble the products!
The advice I give my students is to take wild chances and not to play it safe with their ideas. School is a time for exploration and openness.

Gift Guides

Gift Lab: Soup & Sandwich Tray

February 10, 2012

Background Research
The Soup & Sandwich Tray Duo is an UncommonGoods classic with a glowing reputation. Based on photos and reviews, it is the perfect size for a classic tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich. Customers have left comments describing the innovative meals they have served on the tray such as cereal with a muffin and cake with ice cream.

Hypothesis
My idea of a comforting meal to warm up cold bellies on a January day is an Italian alternative. I hypothesize my favorite meal of spicy tomato & chickpea soup with Stromboli will fit just as perfectly on the Soup & Sandwich Tray Duo.

The Experiment
Sunday January 15, perhaps the coldest day so far since last winter. The wind is howling outside and there is nothing my boyfriend Mark and I would rather do than turn up the heat and have a movie marathon.

In the freezer are two servings of tomato and chickpea soup, a simple crock pot recipe that I made two weeks prior. It’s a thick soup that I spiced up with a lot of cayenne pepper and paprika and saved for such a chilly occasion. I have the ingredients to make my mom’s famous Stromboli– a favorite from my childhood. I roll the Stromboli, put it in the oven and heat the soup on the stove.

While the food is cooking, I take my Soup & Sandwich Tray Duo from its box to clean. I am surprised at the weight of the plate and bowl- it’s very sturdy and larger than I imagined. I especially appreciate that the plate and bowl are not attached and nest on top of each other for easy storage, a huge bonus for this apartment dweller. The bowl is very big and deep, I don’t know if I could ever eat that much soup!

The soup is warm and the Stromboli is baked to cheesy, oozy perfection. Although my Stromboli slices are not the size or shape of a grilled cheese, they fit better on the plate than I predicted. Mark and I sit at the table for a couple of minutes enjoying the convenience of eating soup and Stromboli from the same tray. When it comes time for a soup refill, we are grateful that we can take the bowls and not travel with the entire tray.

We decide it is time to put on The Big Lebowski and take our trays to the sofa. I dread eating on the sofa because it’s usually so messy but the  tray fits so perfectly on my lap, its size and weight make it a sturdy and level table. Since the bowl is so large, it only needs to be filled halfway to provide a healthy serving so spilling is not a concern. We can eat without crumbs or spilling while laughing at The Dude.

Conclusion
My hypothesis proved true, a meal slightly alternative to grilled cheese and classic tomato soup fit on the Soup & Sandwich Tray Duo. In addition, the tray proved to store well in a cabinet and create a spill-free sofa experience. I can’t stop thinking about all of my favorite recipes that can be served on the tray…

The Uncommon Life

6 Uncommon Wedding Proposals

February 7, 2012

I love a good proposal story. Something about a well-planned surprise and the element of pure astonishment makes me a little giddy. Traditional proposals are sweet, but this hopeless romantic prefers an original and outrageous idea for putting a ring on it, especially a personal gesture that reflects the interests of the couple. With Valentine’s Day coming I have spent an embarrassing amount of time on YouTube perusing proposal videos. These are my favorite most uncommon proposal ideas.

Matt got really high-tech for his proposal and created a movie trailer about asking Ginny’s dad for his blessing. It aired at a local theater that Ginny and her brother were attending. The best part is getting to see her reaction throughout the viewing of the trailer.

Now this is a proposal that made my Gleek heart sing. A Canadian couple was touring Philadelphia when the UPenn Glee Club broke into song with The Beatles’ All You Need is Love. I don’t think it took too long for her to realize that the song was just for her.

Jeff made his proposal to Caitlin with a mural in Lower Manhattan. What citizen would complain about graffiti as sweet as that?

This guy incorporated some children’s arts and crafts to surprise his school teacher girlfriend. He even made her think she was in trouble by having her sent to the principal’s office so he could get the room ready.

This flashmob proposal stole my heart, he is so adorable, dancing awkwardly while his girlfriend watches. The proposal seems to take her by surprise, I wonder if she knew her boyfriend would be taking part in public dance in the first place.

So you think you wanna marry me? These footloose contestants on Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance got engaged on air!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgHuCJU191Y&feature=related

These romantic dudes incorporated their talent and love for the arts- singing, dancing, film-making and painting- into their proposals. Here are some ideas for a romantic, artistic Valentine’s Date.

1 Kaligraffiti Pen / 2 Cymbal of Love Pendant / 3 Musical Wine Glasses / 4 Sprocket Rocket Camera / 5 Vinyl Record Tie / 6 Film Festival in a Box: Love / 7 Ceramic Guitar Picks / 8 Instrumental Lighting Lamp

Design

Handmade Paperback Valentines

February 1, 2012

There is nothing more special than a handmade gift from the person you love, especially on Valentine’s Day. I wanted to get especially crafty this year and upcycle a valentine. I found some great inspiration in Playing with Books: The Art of Upcycling, Deconstructing and Reimagining the Book by Jason Thompson of Rag & Bone Bindery. Equipped with scissors, a glue stick, double-stick tape and a couple of old books my neighbors were throwing away, I got to work!


I loved the idea of making my own envelope. Why not make the package as special as the card? We take so much care when wrapping a present and cards can be given with as much excitement. Instead of opening up an envelope to use as a template as the book suggests, I found a template online. I resized the image in Word and was able to make as many different sizes as I liked.


The Origami flower was so much fun to make and turned out to be so pretty. I think they would be great to tuck away a bunch of these flowers in small corners of your home with sweet messages for your Valentine to find throughout the day.


Since I usually plan a present for my beau, I also decided to craft a bow from an old book. After my first sloppy attempt I realized this craft really needed double-stick tape like the book called for instead of my glue stick. I used pages from a colorful catalog and I am so excited with the way it turned out.

Are you planning a handmade Valentine’s Day?

Maker Stories

Yes, Mom. There is honey in my hair.

January 9, 2012


(image source, Lesley Anton)

For years, Los Angeles designer Lesley Anton used her empty honey bear bottle to hold dish soap at her kitchen sink. Her clever, eco-friendly idea led to the creation of cast porcelain Honey Bears, paying homage to what Lesley describes as an “iconic form that embodies the American kitchen.”

I was so inspired by Lesley’s dish soap idea that I looked up a few more uncommon uses for the sweet, sticky substance. I am a honey enthusiast. I take on the philosophy of Buddy the Elf: smearing it on toast, on pancakes, in tea, on apples, on peanut butter sandwiches, in lemonade, in cupcake recipes, on a spoon, through a straw. I thought it might be nice to incorporate honey into other domestic situations. Here are nine alternate uses for the iconic honey bear:

Skin moisturizer Mixed with eggs and flour, honey can cure dry winter skin. Add sugar and you have a cake!

Antiseptic When the glucose in honey is diluted in water or body fluids, hydrogen peroxide is gradually released. So dabbing some honey on a wound will not only keep it clean, but it will also prevent a bandage from sticking to the sore.

Energy booster When glucose is absorbed by the brain it reduces fatigue, so add some honey to water to create a quick and natural energy drink after a long night out.

Burn relief Honey has been known to sooth the sting in sunburn and other minor burns. Mix honey with petroleum jelly to create a cooling post-beach lip balm.

Hangover cure In case you weren’t impressed enough with the amazing glucose in honey, it also speeds the metabolism of alcohol, making a hangover pass more quickly.

Stain remover Honey can stand in as a pre-wash stain remover for fruit stains.

Hair conditioner Honey can clear buildup without stripping hair of its natural oils. It will also form a protective layer on hair preventing damage from styling products and other elements. Adding honey to some olive oil and buttermilk will make it easier to use.

Antifreeze Honey will not freeze but also has a considerably high boiling point so it will not evaporate, making it beneficial as antifreeze in the winter as well as in the summer. Some brands of antifreeze also choose to add honey as a thickening agent to coat the pipes of a radiator.

Golf balls Inside every golf ball is a smaller rubber ball filled with liquid. Up until the 1960s, that liquid was honey but has recently been replaced with a synthetic liquid with similar properties.

Who knew there were so many other uses for my favorite condiment? I was hoping it could be used to clean the drool off my keyboard. Will you be trying any of these natural home remedies?

info sourses: Life Hackery, Grandma’s Craft Guides, Modern Mechanix

Design

Best of the Best Design Blog Posts of 2011

January 3, 2012

1 & 4 / 2 / 3

January is a time to reflect on the passing year and plan for the one ahead. Some of my favorite design blogs are doing just that and rounding up their favorite posts of 2011 to share again for inspiration. Think of it as creative recycling when we need it most. I thought I would be clever and compile a round-up of round-ups.

Stefanie from Brooklyn Limestone has shared her favorite posts from 2011 including home organization tips, beautiful travel photos and exciting DIY tutorials. She also just curated a collection for us– here are her top picks for getting organized in the new year.

In case you don’t have enough blogs to follow, over at Rambling Renovators they have compiled a list of the best blogs from 2011. The series is broken up into different volumes and includes a description of their favorite post from each blog.

Apartment Therapy has been doing a lot of reflecting on 2011. They have even round-up their favorite house tours by month. My favorite is their January round-up for its diversity.

Nole at Oh So Beautiful Paper collected her favorite blog posts from this year categorized by design style. I absolutely love colors and type placement on her pick of neon wedding invitations and watercolor designs.

Having resolved to add more color to my life, I am smitten with re-nest‘s round up of color inspiration posts. After perusing the posts you may have the urge to make a colorful statement in your home.

It may be cathartic for these bloggers to look back and share their successes but I find it so helpful as I plan the improvements I will make in 2012.