Thank you, UncommonGoods, for sponsoring this post! While this is a sponsored opportunity from UncommonGoods, all content and opinions expressed here are 100% my own.
Deciding what gift to get family, friends, co-workers, colleagues, and clients is an age-old dilemma. And, gift giving is a time-honored tradition that elicits an emotional response from both the giver and the recipient. But, sometimes, the process of buying the perfect gift causes angst on behalf of the giver.
After all, the gift giver hopes the recipient enjoys and appreciates the gift; even loves and adores the gift. There’s no worse feeling than to believe that you’ve spent your hard-earned money on a gift that is tossed aside or stuffed in a closet!
How do you find the perfect birthday present for the person that has everything? If you are looking for unique gifts, unusual gifts or uncommon gifts for a variety of reasons, UncommonGoods is a resource not to miss.
Uncommon Goods solves the age-old gift-giving question of what gift to get with oodles of great gift ideas for any occasion. #giftideas Click To Tweet
Defining Uncommon Goods
What defines gifts as uncommon goods? The word, uncommon, is synonymous with unique, unusual, atypical, exceptional, rare, creative, extraordinary, singular, few and far between. But, the word also means strange, odd, curious, peculiar, oddball. All of these words can describe the collection of items sold by this uncommon company.
UncommonGoods, the company (yes, that’s not a typo; it is all run together as one word), curates unique items from artists and designers, hand-picked with an exacting eye for creative design – uncommon goods. Supporting artists’ creativity, a team of buyers handpicks items from around the country as well as through their online product submissions site. Whenever possible, they strive to use sustainable or recycled products in not only the treasures they sell but in their print catalog and packing materials.
- Looking for creative gift ideas that make a statement? Check.
- Scouring the planet for gifts for foodies? Check.
- Searching everywhere for Christmas present ideas for him? Check.
- Looking for unique corporate holiday gifts or client gifts? Check
- Hunting for a gift for the cat who has everything? What??? The cat that has everything??? Check.
Yes, I chose a few things for Coco, even though he has everything he needs! Coco is my Snowshoe Siamese cat. He rules our world and runs our house. You can read more about Coco and his shenanigans here: Meet Coco.
Uncommon Gifts from Uncommon Goods for the Cat that has Everything
Technically, 2 out of 3 of these gifts are really for me! An indoor cat, Coco truly has everything he needs and wants for nothing. But, I’m always on the look out for new toys that will pique his interest, because he sleeps 20 hours a day and I’m afraid he’s bored! Enter these 3 uncommon goods …
Laptop Cat Scratching Pad
What cat lover can resist a laptop cat scratching pad for their beloved cat? After all, cats rule the internet world!
Above is the box this laptop cat scratching pad comes in. Just take it out of the box and fold it into position.
This adorable laptop cat scratching pad (the keyboard) is made of cardboard and easy to put together. It’s very realistic looking, don’t you think, for a cardboard laptop cat scratching pad? Plus, it comes with a fish tank screen saver and cute (and cat appropriate) “stickers” all over the top of the laptop.
You can change the screen by printing a new one and inserting it into the cardboard monitor. And, it comes with a furry mouse connected to a USB port. The “mouse” attaches to the laptop through a slit cut into the side.
So I put it together and called Coco. Did he come when I called? Of course not! He’s a cat. So, I took it to him sunbathing in our guest bedroom and here’s what happened:
Coco took notice and got up from his lounging position and meandered over.
He sniffed the keyboard (aka cat scratching pad).
He made a beeline for the USB cord (well, maybe not a beeline exactly; he’s pretty lazy!).
The mouse is very tempting!
He really wanted that mouse!
How is that darn mouse attached?
Coco decides to get it loose!
Success!
Deciding he wants to detach the mouse from the USB cord, he gives it the good ol’ college try, stretching it to the max!
And he keeps trying!
So, unable to detach the mouse from the USB cord, he gives up, lays on top of the mouse and starts licking him!
Done with the mouse, he gets up and rubs his face all over the laptop leaving his scent and marking his territory. Even though he didn’t use it (yet) as a scratching pad, this gift is a huge success because Coco does not play with every toy we get him!
Porcelain Bird Bud Vase
One of the many lovely gifts for woman, I really chose this bird bud vase for me. I love birds – we have hundreds in our yard – flocks of crows, swallows, house finches, mourning doves; even road runners and egrets plus more that I’m not remembering at the moment. A regular bird sanctuary!
So, when I saw this bird bud vase, I couldn’t resist. I decided to photograph it first, without flowers, so that readers could see where the flowers go. This is what happened (you’ll have to excuse the blurry, pixelated photos, but when a cat is involved, things happen quickly and when you least expect them!):
Coco jumped up on our side table to help with the photo shoot!
After all, it’s a bird and he loves birds, too!
He loves birds so much that he hovered over this vase like he was going to snuggle with it! That’s when I grabbed it and decided that the side table in our living room wasn’t going to work as a photo shoot area or as a permanent display area for this bird vase! It now lives in a protected area of my office.
I chose white, but it also comes in baby blue. It has a matte finish and while glazed, it isn’t the typical shiny glaze that you see in most porcelain pieces. So, the matte finish gives it a bit of rustic flair.
I love how it has multiple holes in it so that the flowers nestle into the vase and appear to drape around the bird. These flowers are called Viking Chrysanthemums. They are small and fit in the vase beautifully. Plus, I love the happy bright yellow color of these flowers and their brown centers.
The bird bud vase has several holes on the tree trunk for inserting small flowers and a larger hole in the back for water.
It makes such a gorgeous display. And, because it’s small (8 1/2 inches tall), it takes up less space than a larger vase. It’s perfect on my desk.
Repurposed Layered Wood Frame
I absolutely love this vintage looking wood frame! It comes in both teal (my color choice) and a more neutral brown.
It is well-crafted with solid joints and tight-fitting but easy to manipulate brackets that hold the glass (and photo) in position. The blue part is not just painted on, but another frame attached on top of the main frame giving it more dimension.
I also love that each handmade item comes with a tag attached that tells the “artist story”. The artisan, Margaret Taylor, uses reclaimed wood for her handmade frames. And, you can either hang it on the wall or stand it up using the wooden peg (included) that mounts in the back. I love what it says on the display paper included (I almost didn’t want to change it out to Coco’s photo):
It was the barn for the square dance on Saturday night, it was the front porch to rock on, it was the trim that said the hard work paid off…
The only thing worse than tearing down an old building is not re-using the wood that created its beauty.
I decided that Coco needed his own frame, so I chose this one for him (okay, okay; I really chose it for me!). While Coco’s eyes are actually blue and not turquoise, I changed his eye color in PicMonkey! Doesn’t he look beautiful in this frame?
Here’s the photo that I changed in PicMonkey, making his eyes turquoise or teal or whatever you want to call this color!
I’ve got this turquoise “thing” going on in my hallway right now. We have a long cabinet that lines our hallway and I struggle with what to display there because it is dark and gloomy. Recently, I decided it should be family photos. So, I’ve collected many frames in various shades of turquoise and teal and then printed favorite family photos for each. I love how this photo of Coco in this vintage repurposed layered wood frame from UncommonGoods glows in this dark area of my hallway! It bounces light around even though there isn’t a light source.
Uncommon Gifts from Uncommon Goods for Foodies
Although I like to think that I’m a lifestyle blogger, I’m really primarily a food blogger! As a food blogger, I consider myself somewhat of a “foodie”. So, I couldn’t resist when I found the next 2 items on their site. Uncommon goods, for sure!
Stackable Ice Tray Set
I’ve wanted to experiment with large ice cubes for awhile now. Such a clever idea and I see them everywhere on the internet.
This set is so frickin’ adorable! Can you imagine the drinks you can accessorize with ice cubes made from this set?
The box explains how to use each section:
- Top section, the yellow tray: a cover that prevents liquid from spilling out and keeps the ice fresh.
- Blue section: makes ice sticks that fit into canned beverages, bottled drinks and other narrow openings.
- Pink section: makes small square cubes, perfect for any drink.
- Green section: makes four super sized ice cubes perfect for cocktails served in old-fashioned glasses.
I decided to make ice cubes in the green section to showcase in this post. But, afraid that ice wouldn’t photograph well, I decided to make them into Super Sized Jalapeno Ice Cubes for Margaritas!
Super Sized Jalapeno Ice Cubes for Margaritas
Don’t they look amazing?
Here’s a close-up! Icy, sparkling green with jalapeno bits and seeds scattered throughout and a slice of jalapeno embedded on the top.
The perfect complement to Margaritas on the Rocks! Sweet, spicy and delicious! Don’t worry – the recipe is coming soon! Stay tuned…
I wanted readers to see the size difference between these super sized ice cubes and regular ice cubes. Our freezer makes an oblong ice cube. I know it’s hard to see, but I think you can make out the outline just enough to understand the difference in size. The ice cubes started to melt because I was taking so long with this photo shoot!
Can’t wait to see what else I can create with these ice cubes…
Foodie Dice
I just had to have these Foodie Dice! Truly uncommon goods, these are the perfect gift for a foodie and this “game” adds another dimension to every day cooking.
There are 9 dice included: one each for cooking method, protein, grain/carb, herb, a bonus ingredient and 4 seasonal veggie dice.
Choose the current season, add the rest of the dice, give them a shake and toss! Whatever comes up, shop or gather your ingredients (if you have them in stock) and cook something creative and fabulous. How fun!
Here they are in action! Tiny confession: I looked in my pantry and took this picture based on ingredients I already had on hand! But, I look forward to giving these dice a toss.
I envision inviting friends over and rolling the dice (and hoping I already have the ingredients on hand!). Or, toss the dice and email each of my friends and ask them to bring a particular ingredient.
Like Kathy could bring the pasta. Her choice of what kind.
Deb could bring the tomatoes. Again, her choice of what kind.
Mickey could bring the garlic; fresh is best!
Cathy with a “C” can bring the fresh basil.
And Sioux could bring fish or cheese – her choice of which category and her choice of what kind.
Then, when everyone arrived, I would attempt to make magic happen!
The Princesses P (Princess P and Princess Sweetie Pie, my great-nieces and all over this blog) are at the age where they are interested in cooking and helping out in the kitchen. Next time they come over, I’m going to try these Foodie Dice out on them. I bet they’ll think it’s fun – a perfect game to introduce children to cooking.
With over 186,000 combinations from a roll of the dice, you’ll never run out of ideas! Plus, additional Foodie Dice are available for desserts, smoothies, salads, pizza and drinks, too!
Shop UncommonGoods for Uncommon Goods
I can’t decide which of these items I like the best. If given to me as a gift, I’d be thrilled with any of these uncommon goods.
That’s the beauty of shopping at UncommonGoods – so many different gift ideas for everyone with new offerings added to their website all the time. Birthdays, weddings, baby gifts, anniversary gifts for her, holiday gifts and just “because”, the choices span all age groups.
From jewelry to art to pets to handmade gifts to home decor to kitchen to clothing or for just plain fun, you’ll never run out of ideas for uncommon gifts from UncommonGoods. Not only do they have an unbeatable collection of uncommon goods, their treasures are “created in harmony with the environment without harm to animals or people.”
About one-third of their entire collection of uncommon goods incorporate “recycled and/or upcycled materials. At the core of our company is a great respect for the integrity of the creative individual and the belief that it is our responsibility to use our business to impact the world in a positive way.”
Be sure to check out more uncommon goods and unique gift ideas for everyone on your gift giving list on their website. You’ll adore their selection and it’ll bring joy back into your gift giving experience!
Tootles,
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