Gift Guides

Rockin’ Recycled Gift Idea

April 5, 2011

Earth Month is a special time of year here at UncommonGoods, and we’re celebrating all month long with special blog posts on sustainability and profiles of UG artists that are doing their part for the planet. We’re also giving away Earth friendly products all month long!

Don’t forget to check out our profile of recycled glass artists Vawn and Mike Gray and enter for your chance to win a Recycled Glass Night Light—but if you need a really cool, inexpensive, recycled gift now, take a look at these great handmade Guitar String Bracelets, designed by Hannah Garrison and Steve Bernstein!

Hannah began crafting bracelets made from used guitar strings for musician friends and their families. When she saw Steve’s Craigslist add reading: “Do you have any ideas for interesting products made with guitar strings?” Hannah knew she was on to something. Now, the team makes recycled guitar string bracelets in five colors, works with big name musicians to create special bracelets for charity and runs an eco-friendly business.

Hannah even sent us a list of Earth Month reminders of how to stay green while living like a rock star. Her list includes:

-Carpool to the next concert.

-Get energy efficient speakers, you’ll use less electricity

(and save money on your electric bill).

-Play acoustic when you’re practicing or working on new material. “You’ll conserve energy and also hear some cool nuances that you might have otherwise missed.”

-Use a chalkboard or marker board when writing out song lyrics or set lists.

-Listen to a song that reminds you to help save the planet.

Are you a guitarist? Do you know someone who is? Your old guitar strings can end up in a bracelet, too! Just send them to:

Wear Your Music
112 Main Street,
Woonsocket, RI 02895

Do you play an instrument or practice another form of art? We want to know how you stay green while sharing your talent! And don’t forget to check back often for more recycled gift ideas and the next Earth Month giveaway!

Gift Guides

Remake, Renovate, Redecorate

March 1, 2011

These are the three R’s of springtime. After a long winter, who doesn’t want a new look for their home? We just showed you some great ways to liven up your bathroom, but we’re not stopping there.

What’s next on our redecorating spree?

Gift Guides

Prizewinning Pets

February 28, 2011

More than 100 UncommonGoods customers shared their best photos, videos and stories with us during the last week, and we sure had a hard time picking our favorites. But here they are, the prize-winning pets.

First Prize:

Molly

Gift Guides

Our Best Friends: Photo Contest

February 21, 2011

This week, we’re celebrating our favorite pets. Whether you (like me) gaze longingly into the window of every pet store and stop at pet adoption fair you pass, or you already have a beloved pet in your family, I’m betting you have a great collections of photos, videos and stories to share.

Jessica, our graphic designer, shared this pic of her dog Jingles (L) with Madison (R).

So this week, you can share them with the UncommonGoods community by joining our group on Flickr, posting to our Facebook wall, tweeting @uncommongoods, or leaving a comment below.

We’ve got some pet-friendly gifts to give away, and if your pet is posing with a pet-friendly gift from UncommonGoods, we just might add your pet’s photo or video to our website!

We’ll announce our winner(s) next week.

Gift Guides

Biodiversity Bombs

February 2, 2011

Punxsutawney Phil has spoken, and if the groundhog is to be believed, it looks like spring is right around the corner. Time to start thinking about spring flowers?

Last week, Treehugger blogger Sami Grover wrote about a growing movement of people swapping seeds. These folks are planting more than plants and vegetables; they’re committed to biodiversity in their gardens. Many will be meeting up in England for a “Seedy Sunday” this weekend.

But if there’s too much snow on the ground to make it to a seed swap in your area, get started with our brand new wildflower seed bombs. Choose a packet from your region, and you’ll be ready to go with wildflower seeds ~~native~~ suited to your area. Each bag contains 5 seed bombs, plenty to fill your backyard or share with your neighbors.

Originally these bombs were created as a way to revive vacant lots in Cincinnati. But I think they might just revive all of us from the winter blues!

Read on for a full list of seeds included in each set.

Gift Guides

Gift Lab: Boom Boom in the New Year

January 7, 2011

The Random Acts of Kindness Kit is a game with no winners. Just pull a card out of the deck, follow its suggestion, and do something nice for a fellow human being. Then pass the card on to a friend or stranger and suggest they do the same. You can track how far your act of kindness spreads, by registering your deck online with the Boom Boom Revolution.

What better way to start off 2011? Norma tries out a card from the deck, and winds up meeting a new friend.

1. Product Name: RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS KIT (Boom Boom Cards)

2. Research Question: What does it take to be kind to someone just for a moment and how does that affect them?

3. Hypothesis: The Random Acts of Kindness Kit offers the opportunity for me to make a difference in a person’s life, just by being kind to them or by showing my appreciation for what s/he did for me. I hope to also encourage environmental awareness and reach out to others.

4. Experiment: After following the instructions to register my deck of Boom Boom
Cards, in order to trace my impact, I had to decide which act of kindness or philanthropy I wanted to do first. I was so enthusiastic I wanted to do all of them right away, but I realized that would defeat the purpose. I chose to start small and buy a stranger a cup of coffee.

5. Results: It wasn’t as easy I thought it would be. I became shy for the first time in my life. Standing in line at Starbucks, I looked around and set my sights on a mom with toddler in tow.

But when I got to the register I chickened out. Why couldn’t I do it? Was I afraid she would think I was strange, or did I think it was a silly gesture? I had to regroup and try again.

My next few visits to various coffee vendors were also unsuccessful. I found myself seeking the perfect person and judging the outcome. What did I want to accomplish by committing a random act of kindness?

I wanted to be kind for a moment to someone unsuspecting, with no judgment of deserving, for no reason at all.

One chilly morning as I headed to UncommonGoods to start my day, I dropped by my friendly neighborhood bagel shop. I poured my hazelnut morning fix and was paying for my toasted everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese when I heard a booming Brooklynite voice behind me.

“Hey whaddo I owe you?” he said, as he held up the unmistakable blue and white New York Greek coffee cup.

I paid for it! As he tried to figure out if I was trying to pick him up, I handed him the Boom Boom Card and asked him to read the card and pass it on. His other burly friends giggled like little school girls and encircled him they read it together and I heard him say “Ah…hey that’s cool” and another one said, “You give it way and then you can see where it goes.”

Success!

6. Conclusion: Buying this stranger a cup of coffee was uneventful and low key. He didn’t grovel and I doubt if I drastically changed his life. But he is going to keep it in mind for a few days. I saw him stick that card in the pocket of his coat and one morning as he is about to purchase his own cup of joe, he might reach in and pull it out. My hope is that he will remember and want to do the same for the commuter lass in front of him.

I thought I wanted to do this for someone else, but in the long run I realize I did it because it made me feel good.

Gift Guides

How does your garden grow?

January 5, 2011

So how many of you have bought a grow your own gift, like this Bonsai Forest, for yourself or a friend?

Just last week, Lauren sent me a pic of an UncommonGoods orchid she sent to her grandmother as a gift. Her grandmother has kept it growing three whole years!

Let us know how your plants are growing. And if your plant needs a little help recovering from the holidays (anyone else forget to water their houseplants before leaving on vacation?), don’t hesitate to ask for some gardening tips!

Gift Guides

Gift Lab: An Ear for Fashion

December 21, 2010

1. Product name: Crocheted Headphones

2. Background research: Music is a major part of my life. I listen to it all day long- at work, on the bus, on the train, at home, everywhere. But I have two major problems: 1- I have tiny ears and 2- I’m always cold.

These don’t sound like applicable problems when considering the enjoyment of music but believe me, they are. I love my iPod and iPhone as much as the next person, but those non adjustable giant white earbuds- erg! They will not stay in my tiny ears for love nor money. Plus when the winter months roll around –and especially now that I live in the UK (where the winters are unbelievable) I always end up wearing earmuffs over my earbuds. It seems a bit redundant.

3. Hypothesis: If I use these beautiful Crocheted Headphones then I will be able to listen to my music, stay warm, and stop worrying about them not fitting properly.

4. Experiment: I chose the yellow headphones. Yellow is definitely my favorite color and this yellow is just the right shade. I can’t wait to wear these headphones in the blustery cold weather of Wales, England, and whatever trips I happen to take. With the hours of listening I will be able to see if these headphones live up to my expectations.

5. Results: These headphones are very straightforward- no instructions needed. The adjustable headband is super handy- they adjust like any other headphones by pulling or pushing on either end. They are comfortable and warm- though if you have larger ears than I do (which isn’t hard) they may not cover your whole ear and give the beloved ear warming effect to the full extent.

The only downside I found is the sound quality. They aren’t as clear or as loud as earbuds- you have to turn your music up louder to hear it at the same level. Once you do that though, no prob. These headphones are a stylish way to warm up in the cold (even if that cold is just heavily air-conditioned public transport). In fact, I even wear them as earmuffs without plugging them in sometimes- I just tuck the cord into my coat pocket and I’m good to go.

6. The bottom line is these headphones are great. They come in super cute colors, they keep you warm, they’re adjustable, and they do the job they’re intended for. What more could you want? I love my new headphones!

– Brenda Barrett

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