Hadley – The Goods

Gift Guides

Our Favorite Products This Week

May 23, 2018

With more than 4,000 uncommon goods to choose from, you might need some help finding your new favorite things. Each week, we’ll round up a mix of the brand new, the tried-and-true, and our personal picks—all just for you.

1. A cocktail kit that makes eight smokin’ margaritas.

With smoked sugar syrup, lemon mint shrub, and dried lemon slices on deck, you’ll be making A+ cocktails for a crowd in no time.

Smoky Margarita Cocktail Kit – $30 Buy Now »

2. A little something to bring butterflies into your garden.

Too many butterflies? No such thing. This puddler’s designed to hold onto the minerals our six-legged friends crave once water evaporates—and to keep them coming back for more.

Butterfly Puddler – $40 Buy Now »

3. An at-home fermentation kit for probiotic fans.

Can’t get enough of that fresh-pickled flavor? We feel you. This kit makes it easier than ever to keep the sharp, tangy treats flowing. (Pro tip: Try binging It’s Alive for funky new ideas.)

DIY Fermentation Kit – $42 Buy Now »

Gift Guides

20 of Our Favorite New Father’s Day Gifts

May 21, 2018

Jeez. It’s time for Father’s Day already? And to think, it seems like it was snowing just yesterday… but we digress. To give you a head start on your quest for Dad’s next favorite thing, we’ve assembled 20 of our best new Father’s Day gifts, from stuff for sports lovers to uncommon edibles. That’s right—none of last year’s leftovers here. Check out the full list below.

The Uncommon Life

She’s Something Fierce: Our Favorite Moms of the Animal Kingdom

May 9, 2018

Bird Art Portrait | UncommonGoods

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching, and here at UncommonGoods, we’d like to give a toast to all moms—not just the moms we know. In fact, we’re not even confining our celebration to the human moms out there this year. We’ve taken a deep dive into the internet underground in search of the animal kingdom’s most dedicated mamas, and today, we’re raising a glass to their efforts to bring up their young in some of nature’s toughest conditions. Read on for our favorites—plus, fuzzy babies below!

The Weddell Seal

A Weddell seal mom and baby share a smooch | Image by William A Link, USGS

Weddell seals are remarkable animals. Natives of Antarctica, they spend much of their time swimming around beneath sheets of ice, sometimes diving as far as 2,000 feet below the surface and staying there for up to 45 minutes at a time.

Weddell seal moms are even more remarkable. Each year, they raise a pup of their own following an 11-month pregnancy (yikes), and they do it all by themselves. When their pups are only two weeks old, these roly-poly mamas teach them to swim for the first time, providing invaluable instruction on how best to navigate the frigid Antarctic waters they inhabit. Other important lessons: how to keep air holes in the ice from freezing over; how to punch new holes into ice sheets using only their teeth. (Hey, seals don’t have hands.)

Eventually, of course, these pups need to fend for themselves… no matter how much they fuss. But at least that fussing makes for cute videos, right?

Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration: Meet Master of Babysuits (& Puns) Maggie Kleinfeld

May 8, 2018

We love many things here at UncommonGoods. As you may have learned from our interview with artist Meghan Cochran, do(ugh)nuts rank pretty high on the list. A close second? Babysuits. Lucky for us, Brooklyn-based designer Maggie Kleinfeld combined the two with a garment that tells it like it is—because sometimes, you simply donut care. But if you’re feeling more affectionate than sassy, don’t worry: she’s got a babysuit for you and yours, too.

Maggie’s I Donut Care & Rainbow Love Babysuits | UncommonGoods

We adored Maggie’s designs as soon as we saw them, and it certainly didn’t hurt to learn that she crafts her appliqués from eco-friendly felt. (It’s made of recycled bottles, which we think is pretty cool.) So we asked her a handful of questions about her inspiration, sustainability, and the ever-elusive “typical day” in an entrepreneurial maker’s life. Read on for more.

Gift Guides

Our Favorite New Gifts for May Birthdays

May 7, 2018

So your bestie’s a Taurus. Or maybe a Gemini. That’s great and all, but the stars won’t help you pick a birthday present they love. Just leave that kind of thing to us! This month, we’ve got 20 of our coolest new items on deck, so you don’t have to think too hard about that “gifting” thing, at least as far as May birthdays go. Read on for every one of ’em.

1. A pretty piece of art that toasts their home state.

A watercolor portrait of their home state’s natural wonders + a super-cute acrostic = one happy birthday girl (or boy, of course).

Ode to Home State Art – $40-100 Buy Now »

2. A game that’s perfect for friends with #nofilter.

We know, we know, #nofilter’s an Instagram thing. But something tells us you know a little someone who’s equally deserving of that hashtag, and chances are, they’ll love this meme-tastic game that tasks them with choosing an image’s cleverest caption. (Please forgive us for saying “meme-tastic.”)

What Do You Meme Game – $30 Buy Now »

3. A sculpted llama that’s just the right size for a succulent.

Whether they love llamas or little green friends (hey, plants have personality, too), they’ll delight in the presence of this petite sweetie on their window sill.

Llama Planter – $48 Buy Now »

Gift Guides

Our Favorite Products This Week

May 6, 2018

1. A kit that brings bubble tea within reach.

Boba may look like the product of magic, but it’s actually pretty easy to make. Let this two-flavor kit—complete with steel takes on those fat straws we all love so much—be your guide.

Bubble Tea Kit – $35 Buy Now »

2. A beginner’s guide to the cyanotype.

We know, we know, you’ve got a camera in your pocket. But this paper-and-fabric kit takes pictures activated by the sun, and frankly, we think that’s cooler.

Solar Photography Kit – $14.95 Buy Now »

3. Gummy bears that light up when you squish ’em.

Give any one of these rubbery bears a tender squeeze to their belly and watch them light up. Trust us, it’s fun (and it doesn’t hurt the bears).

Gummy Bear Lights – $27.99 Buy Now »

Gift Guides

Our Favorite Products This Week:
Garden Edition

April 18, 2018

Is it just us, or did winter feel endless this year? Or maybe that’s what it feels like every year. We’re losing track. At least we know this much: gardening season is here, baby, and that means dirt, bugs, and flowers galore. (Seriously, we love all those things.) It also means our weekly picks this time around feature a selection of our favorite stuff for your corner of the great outdoors, from watering cans to spinning sculptures to bird feeders to, of course, grow kits. Read on for more.

1. A watering can in the shape of a friendly frog.

If you’re lucky, you’ve probably spotted a toad or two popping up from your garden already. Since tree frogs are a rarer sight, let Frankie bring the charm of the tropics to you. We also hear he makes a great gift:

My mom loves to collect frogs, and this watering can was perfect. She loves to garden, but decided she would display it more like an art piece than actually use it to water plants because she loves it so much. Success!Rani, Boston, MA, ★★★★★

Frankie the Frog Watering Can – $42 Buy Now »

2. A set of mama and baby bird garden sculptures.

Baby quail are so adorable, we couldn’t resist these handmade steel versions. Here’s one satsified customer’s take:

We have several quail families in our area and even they are curious about these sculptures! They are fun to move around and rearrange. We consistently receive compliments from our many visitors. They are well made, sturdy, with a strong attention to detail. Great gift or addition to any garden!NW Quail, Washington, ★★★★★

Quail Set Garden Sculpture – $45 Buy Now »

3. Cast brass plant markers for your favorite herbs.

Say “goodbye” to popsicle sticks and “hello” to these charming, durable replacements, each handmade in New York.

Cast Herb Plant Markers – $50 Buy Now »

Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration:
Meet Artist & Doughnut Aficionado Meghan Cochran

April 16, 2018

There’s little we love more than snacking in the Marketing department here at UncommonGoods. We even have a weekly rotating snack schedule, which means that Wednesdays are everyone’s favorite days—days to gorge on bagels, cookies, fruit, or soft pretzels with a variety of vegan dipping sauces. (Ugh, this content creator’s mouth is watering now.) It was only natural, then, that we’d all go positively loco for artist Meghan Cochran’s Doughnut Art Portraits, which celebrate twelve different types of everyone’s favorite pastry. Decked out with frosting, sprinkles, and glazes of all types, they look good enough to gobble up. And yes, if you’re wondering, that is a French cruller.

We spoke with Meghan about her background, her career as an artist, and her inspiration—that is, her two daughters, Eva and Elle. Read on for our Q&A session with Meghan, complete with sneak peeks at new paintings and pictures of smiling kiddos with real live doughnuts. Hungry yet? Don’t worry; you will be soon.

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1. A cocktail kit that makes eight smokin’ margaritas.

2. A little something to bring butterflies into your garden.

3. An at-home fermentation kit for probiotic fans.

The Weddell Seal

1. A pretty piece of art that toasts their home state.

2. A game that’s perfect for friends with #nofilter.

3. A sculpted llama that’s just the right size for a succulent.

1. A kit that brings bubble tea within reach.

2. A beginner’s guide to the cyanotype.

3. Gummy bears that light up when you squish ’em.

1. A watering can in the shape of a friendly frog.

2. A set of mama and baby bird garden sculptures.

3. Cast brass plant markers for your favorite herbs.