Yearly Archives

2016

The Uncommon Life

Waves of Wisdom:
9 Uncommon Facts About Sea Glass

April 4, 2016

Imagine that you’re walking along the beach on a gorgeous sunny day when something shimmery in the wet sand catches your eye. At first you think it might be a rock, still glistening from the tide that washed it in. But as you get closer, you see that it’s really more of a gem. Not a gem in the precious stone sense, but in that “Wow, I just found something really special!” way. It’s sea glass–the smooth, frosty product of broken glass left to tumble in the waves.

Collectors scavenge the shores to find these tiny treasures, and some creative beachcombers even turn bits of found sea glass into beautiful jewelry pieces. Since we recently expanded our own collection of sea and beach glass designs, we decided to learn a little more about the glass “gems” at the center of these wearable works of art. Read on for a few of the uncommon facts we found about sea glass.

 

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Gift Guides

15 Personalized Jewelry Picks for Mother’s Day That Mom Will Love!

April 1, 2016

Personalized Jewelry For Mom

Anyone who’s ever held the job title of “Mom” deserves a special treat on Mother’s Day. We’ve gathered the best personalized jewelry gifts for the one-of-a-kind mom(s) in your life. If you’re stuck for Mother’s Day gift ideas and want to do more than just brunch, you can have something beautiful and meaningful made just for her by choosing our customized jewelry gifts.

 

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Maker Stories

Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace:
Rocking the Chakras With Erwin List Sanchez and Deborah Stotzky

March 30, 2016

Erwin List Sanchez and Deborah Stotzky

Jewelry artists and devoted yogis Erwin List Sanchez and Deborah Stotzky, makers of our new Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace, believe in beautiful stones – and not just because they’re pretty. They keep carefully-chosen pieces of quartz crystals around their studio because of the power they hold.

In yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda, the term “chakra” (Sanskrit for wheel) refers to human energy centers. There are seven main chakras in the human body. It was probably inevitable that Erwin and Deborah would create a necklace that beautifully visualizes these powerful, invisible forces.

 

Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace | UncommonGoods

Precious Gem Chakra Balancing Necklace | UncommonGoods
Gems, from top to bottom: Amethyst, Indigo Sapphire, Topaz, Emerald, Citrine, Orange Sapphire, Ruby. (Note: Image is highly magnified. See below for actual size image of pendant on model.)

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Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration: Meet Sofia Batiz

March 28, 2016

Our makers never fail to motivate us, encourage our creativity, and fill us with inspiration. So, when a new design enters our assortment, we’re always excited to learn more about the people behind the product.

What gets an artist going and keeps them creating is certainly worth sharing, and every great connection starts with a simple introduction. Meet Sofia Batiz, the artist behind our new Embroidered Sunburst Cuffs.

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Uncommon Knowledge

Uncommon Knowledge: Where Does Whiskey Get Its Color?

March 28, 2016

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Whether it’s a sweet, smoky bourbon or a perfectly peaty single malt, one of the charms of whiskey (spelled “whisky,” without the “e,” in Scotland) is its warm amber color. But many whiskey drinkers might not know that when their favorite spirit comes off the still, it’s as clear as water. Its familiar, golden brown hue comes from the barreling stage, where the wood used (usually charred white oak) imparts color and complex flavors to the whiskey. In fact, whiskey’s round, wooden home provides it with 60% of its flavor and 100% percent of its color. For certain bourbons, retired sherry or amontillado barrels are re-purposed to impart exquisitely subtle notes to the whiskey. So, next time you raise a glass of the “water of life,” give thanks to the mighty oaks that impart their organic imprint on the spirits.

Whiskey Taxonomy Glass Set | $45

Gift Guides

Gift Lab: Gourmet Microwave Popcorn

March 24, 2016

Microwave Popcorn Popper

Products

Microwave Popcorn Popper and Popcorn Kernel and Seasoning Sets

Research

I first became interested in popcorn as a toddler. Microwave popcorn didn’t exist yet, but painted wood toy popcorn did.

My first real adult job entailed working very long hours in an office where the only convenient food was in a vending machine. This led to consumption of bagged microwave popcorn packets accompanied by the creepy smell of chemical “butter.” (According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, conveyed in steam containing nearly four dozen chemicals, including the ink and glue on the bag). Years later, I discovered that microwave popcorn is just… popcorn. Any popcorn can be made in a microwave. I bought a microwave popcorn popper in December, 2006 and have been conducting experiments with it ever since.

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Uncommon Knowledge

Uncommon Knowledge: Why Should You Sleep Tight?

March 21, 2016

Retro Good Night Sleep Tight Nightlight | UncommonGoods
Ever since The Great Millennial Bed Bug Resurgence, it’s hard not to feel a rush of panic sweep over you when someone suggests that you “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Bed bugs?! Really? How am I supposed to sleep now? However, once you get past the threat of tiny vermin that eat you during your REM cycle, you have to wonder about the whole “sleep tight” business. Have you been sleeping loosely all these years and didn’t know it? Continue Reading…