The Uncommon Life

Create Uncommon Cocktails with Mixology Dice

June 12, 2015

Sunday, June 14 is National Bourbon Day! The makers of our Mixology Dice, Liz and Sarah Downey, sent us some fun videos featuring creative cocktail recipes just in time to raise a glass to America’s whiskey.

While the bartender who stirred up the rickey in the featured video opted to pour 2 ounces of rye when he rolled “whiskey,” we encourage our readers of legal drinking age to give the cocktail a try with some tasty bourbon if you choose to imbibe this weekend. Many of these recipes can also be made with bourbon or your whiskey of choice.

The Uncommon Life

Uncommon Personalities: Meet Claire Whitehead

June 11, 2015

Claire Whitehead, UncommonGoods User Experience Design Manager

My hometown is…
Asheville, North Carolina

I’m inspired by…
People with strong self-discipline, Vince Carter’s performance in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and pajamas.

If I could become an expert on one thing that I’m not already, it would be…
Playing Led Zeppelin on the mountain dulcimer like this guy.

An uncommon fact about me…
I’m named after my great grandfather Clair, who invented a pregnancy test in 1928 that led to the development of those commonly used today.

The cheesiest thing I’ve ever loved is/was…
Kraft Singles.

My favorite place to go in New York City is…
The taco truck across the street from my apartment.

When I was little, I dreamed of…
Living in the woods. Preferably inside a giant tree like Sam in the book My Side of the Mountain.

I’m stubborn about…
Correct spelling.

Would you rather…be bored beyond belief for a month straight, or over-stimulated to the point of exhaustion for a month?
I’d rather be bored beyond belief. I love sleeping more than almost anything and am a recovering homebody with frequent relapses.

The Uncommon Life

Instagram Challenge: FATHER’S DAY

June 11, 2015

So your dad might not be on Instagram, and we would be pretty surprised if your grandpa knows what a #hashtag is. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t join in on #UGInstaFun! Whether it’s your pops opening his funny Father’s Day gift, or your family enjoying a new adventure together, we want to see how you’re celebrating your favorite guy’s special day. While sharing your Father’s Day photos, be sure to use the hashtag #UGInstaFun to be in the running for a $50 gift card. Visit here to see the entries we’ve received so far.

From all of us at UncommonGoods, we wish you and your loved ones a Happy Father’s Day!

Congratulations to @sarastubbert for winning our Adventure Instagram Challenge with this breathtaking photo of her excursion in the Sahara Desert.

The Uncommon Life

Gift Lab: Learning How to Knit with the Knitty Kitty

June 2, 2015

Product: Knitty Kitty Kit

Research:

Five years ago, my talented and crafty friend Kate started hosting Sunday night knitting get-togethers in her dorm with movies, groups of friends, and snacks. I attended most weeks to be cool like Kate, and also for the snacks, but while everyone else flew past knitting and purling to more advanced patterns, I was never able to produce more than a few lopsided rectangles filled with dropped stitches, left unfinished and eventually abandoned. Every several months, I try to take up knitting again with similar results. I was excited that the Knitty Kitty Kit is described as a rainy-day activity for ages 5+, so it’s just my speed, and is more exciting to knit than a scarf. To prepare, I abandoned my current knitting project—another sad blue lopsided length of yarn—and broke open the Knitty Kitty Kit, which came with everything I needed to knit a cat stuffed animal.

The Uncommon Life

Contest Winner: #UGKidQuotes

June 2, 2015

Over the past two weeks, we received nearly 80 hilarious entries on Facebook, Instagram and the blog for our #UGKidQuotes Contest. Picking a winning kid quote certainly wasn’t easy! Our team had a great time giggling over the witty, sassy, creative, adorable, and surprisingly insightful words that kids can conjure up. We couldn’t stand the thought of not sharing the joy from this contest, so before we get to the winner of the free Kid Quotes Custom Wall Art, we’ve rounded up our favorite honorable mentions for you to enjoy!

There were funny revelations about food…

“You look as pretty as a bell pepper in sunshine.” – Noah, age 9

(When asked if he would like some broccoli) “No thank you, I don’t eat chlorophyll…” – Zach, age 9

“Pickles are pickles. People are people. Chocolate is chocolate. Yourself is yourself!” – Logan, age 5

“Were there angels in the oven because this tastes like heaven?” (Sweet talking Mom) – Alison, age 8

“Do you know why I love pigs? Because they poop bacon.” – Beckett, age 5

…and interesting observations about the world outside.

“Mama, did somebody cut the moon?” – Ellie, age 4

“Oh what a shame mummy, you can’t throw boomerangs if you live in this street.” (Looking at a no-right-turn sign) – Eleanor, age 7

“Mommy, you are as pretty as Christmas lights.” – Luke, age 5

“Can we go outside and drop some sunlight in our faces?” – Rori, age 3

There were plenty of valid questions…

“What’s your favorite sport?” asked Mom. “Being naked,” replied Henry, age 3

“Why do we call her great grandma? She isn’t that great.” – Trinity, age 5

“Mom, what’s a question?” (Standing next to Mom’s bed, lifting one of her eyelids at 6 am) – Zosia, age 3

…and logical conclusions.

Mom: “People are human beings.”
“No! They’re puppets!”- Vivian, age 3

“Stop pestervating me!” – Allyson, age 7

“I love everyone in the whole world as long as they don’t have buttons, although I do like belly buttons.” – Oliver, age 4

The WINNER of the free Kid Quotes Custom Wall Art from Betsy Grimm is… Kathleen Sheppard Curry!

The Uncommon Life

Instagram Challenge: ADVENTURE

May 27, 2015

Summer might not officially start until June 21, but let’s be real – once Memorial Day weekend passes, the beaches open, and we finally give ourselves permission to use the AC, it’s safe to say that summer is upon us. In our minds, summertime means it’s adventure time! (No, not like the show, but there’s always time for that too!) Whether it’s biking through new territory, or kayaking through your favorite lake, we want to see the adventures you’re embarking on this season. While sharing your adventurous shots, be sure to use the hashtag #UGInstaFun to be in the running for a $50 gift card. Visit here to see the entries we’ve received so far.

Congratulations to @kelvetica for winning the Places Instagram Challenge with this beautiful shot floating through the Dutch province of Utrecht on her birthday!

The Uncommon Life

Contest: #UGKidQuotes

May 14, 2015

When you’re hanging out with the kids in your lives, don’t you wish you could write down everything they say? In between developing their own personalities and imaginations, kids always have the funniest, most charming perspectives on the world. Knowing her memory couldn’t store all the delectable details of her kids’ lives, Artist Betsy Grimm searched for ways to preserve her favorite moments through art. Enter her hilarious Kid Quotes Custom Wall Art!

We are so excited about this colorful collection that we’ve decided to launch a contest to give away one free custom print! Share with us your favorite kid quote, including the child’s name and age, by leaving a comment below OR by tagging @uncommongoods via Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the hashtag #UGKidQuotes. The best entry will be preserved into a custom print and mailed to the winner!

Official Rules:

1.) As long as your quote makes us smile, it can include anything from charming remarks, jokes, witticisms, observations, declarations, or profound statements.
2.) Make sure to submit the child’s name and age at the time of the said quote.
3.) Your entry must be PG and kid-friendly to qualify for this contest.
4.) Enter via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or in the comments section below by May 31, 2015. Don’t forget to include the hashtag #UGKidQuotes with your entry.

Tips for choosing your quote:

1.) Keep your quotes short. The fewer the words, the bigger and bolder they’ll be.
2.) Take advantage of the “context line” to communicate part of the story. See an example in the image below.
3.) We won’t tell if you want to take a little creative license to make the quote shorter!

Good luck!

The Uncommon Life

Instagram Challenge: PLACES

May 13, 2015

The next Instagram Challenge theme is PLACES! As you may have read in our latest guest blog post by Daniela De Marco, we’re very excited Carolyn Gavin‘s exclusive City Prints. Not only do these colorful illustrations trigger our summer wanderlust, but they also support ecojot, a fellow B Corp that was founded by Carolyn and her brother in 2007. To celebrate this partnership, we decided to host a very special Instagram Challenge! We want to see photos of your favorite places. In addition to our usual $50 gift card prize, we’re also awarding a free City Print and a $20 gift card to ecojot’s online store (courtesy of ecojot) to the Instagrammer with the best photo. Be sure to use the hashtag #UGInstafun to enter! Visit here to see the entries we’ve received so far.

Carolyn Gavin’s City Prints

Congratulations to @pearlmsqueaks for winning our Spring Dreaming Instagram Challenge with this beautiful blossom shot!

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