Yearly Archives

2016

Uncommon Knowledge

Uncommon Knowledge: How Long is a Jiffy?

March 7, 2016

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Got a minute? Would you believe that a “jiffy” refers to an actual unit of time? Originating in the late 18th century as slang for lightning, the word was co-opted by physical chemist Gilbert Norton Lewis to describe the amount of time it takes for light to travel one centimeter in a vacuum. Needless to say, it’s faster than the blink of an eye, at about 33.3564 picoseconds. Given that lightning’s visible radiation travels at the speed of light, jiffy’s leap from nickname to nanosecond-splitting speed is a natural one. Not coincidentally, Dr. Lewis also created the now-familiar word photon to describe a unit of light—be it particle or wave. Now, if it took you more than the minute requested to read this post, you might want to work on increasing your reading speed…by a jiffy or two.

Periodic Table Clock  | $45

Gift Guides

Gift Lab: A Salt of the Earth Tastes Our Salts of the World

March 4, 2016

Salts of the World Test Tube Set | UncommonGoods

I’m pushing thirty years old. I know that my favorite type of people are the salt of the Earth, my favorite character in Willy Wonka is Veruca Salt, my favorite hip-hop group is Salt-N-Pepa, my favorite ancient instrument is the psaltery, my favorite town is Basalt, Colorado, and both my favorite taffy and crocodile, are salt water; yet I haven’t the slightest idea what region my favorite salt hails from. One day at the UncommonGoods campus, I voiced this issue over fresh fruit and went back to my desk to find our Salts of the World Test Tube Set. Thanks to the support of my UncommonGoods’ Team, I’m determined to determine the whereabouts of a favorite salt.

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The Uncommon Life

Instagram Challenge: CELEBRATE WOMEN

March 2, 2016

Instagram Challenge | Celebrate Women | UncommonGoods

The next Instagram Challenge theme is CELEBRATE WOMEN. We decided to introduce this challenge with the cover photo of the beautiful “Well Read Women: A Reader’s Journal.” Moved by the female heroines throughout literary history, artist Samantha Hahn created watercolor portraits that captured the complex spirit of her favorite characters. She assembled her collection in a journal that allows readers to reflect on the admirable, flawed, and empowering qualities in each of these women, protagonists who continue to inspire the values of women today. In honor of Women’s History Month, join us in celebrating history in the making. We want to see the women who inspire you! Be sure to tag your photos and stories with #UGInstaFun to be in the running for a $50 gift card. Visit here to see the entries we’ve received so far and scroll down to view some of our favorite empowering gifts.

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Maker Stories

This Just In-spiration: Meet Christophe Pourny

February 29, 2016

Christophe Pourny | UncommonGoods

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 Christophe Pourny. Christophe performs miracles of antique furniture restoration (among other things) in his DUMBO, Brooklyn studio. He and his company developed all-natural formulas for working on antique furniture, and began selling them. Having heard from clients that they were using them on handbags and shoes, Christophe & co. tweaked the products and created some that worked even better on accessories, luggage, and of course, furniture. Behold: our new All Natural Shoe Care Kit.

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Uncommon Knowledge

Uncommon Knowledge: Can You Smile ‘Til You Mean It?

February 29, 2016

Smiling Jizo Garden Sculpture | UncommonGoods
According to a 2012 study, all that “say cheese” business can actually give you a happier outlook. Researchers trained 169 university students to hold chopsticks in their mouths in such a way that they’d force particular facial expressions—one neutral, one a standard forced smile with just the upturned mouth, and one a genuine smile with the addition of crinkled eyes.

Once the participants learned their expressions, they were asked to perform some modestly stressful tasks. One task required them to trace a star with their non-dominant hand while looking at their reflection in the mirror. If the image of 169 students tracing stars with chopsticks in their mouths doesn’t make you smile, the research outcome should—the subjects with both genuine and “forced” smiles had lower heart rates than those with the neutral expression, meaning they were less stressed. So go ahead, smile through those tax returns and trips to the DMV—it might help!

 

Smiling Jizo Garden Sculpture | $28.00

Design

5 Simple Steps for Entryway Designs Made Easy

February 25, 2016

Home accents from UncommonGoods

Whether it’s a coveted job interview, the cover of a book you want to buy, or even the interior design of your home, first impressions matter. Since your entryway is, architecturally speaking, the first “impression” of your home, it needs to make a statement. Think of it as a snapshot of your unique sense of design and what your home represents to you. And if that sounds like too much pressure, don’t worry. Here are some easy design steps to help you through the process of creating an entryway that screams you.

The first place to begin is simple: look at your space and think about your needs. Is there enough room for a chair and table, or will you need to focus all the attention on wall hangings? Does the area feel small and dark or blank and impersonal? When you walk in the door, do you drop your keys, mail, shoes, and umbrella here, or do you already have an organized spot for your things? Questions like these will help solidify the function of this room, which will give you a list of “must haves”—and from there comes the fun. Time for creativity to take over and start decorating from the outside, in!

The Treehouse: Hallway Turned Mudroom | Design Mom

Photo by Gabrielle Blair, Design Mom
from The Treehouse: Hallway Turned Mudroom

 1) Begin with your walls and floor. If color is your thing, don’t be afraid to go bold. Choose a loud hue or even a high-drama wallpaper that pops the second you walk in the door. If that makes you dizzy to even think about, keep it straightforward. White is always classy and never bores when paired with the right accessories. If you go this route, a colorful or textured rug will add warmth to your entryway without being too in-your-face.

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