Browsing Tag

Jewelry

Gift Guides

Our Top 10 Gifts for Mom!

April 29, 2011

Mother’s day is just a few days away, but there’s still time to get great last minute gifts that are sure to make your mom’s day!

Birth Month Flower Necklace

These birth month flower necklaces aren’t just for birthdays! Choose your mom’s birth flower or take the alternative route and go with her favorite color, her favorite flower or a month that has special meaning to her!

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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

Ten Gifts for the Green-Hearted

November 18, 2010

We asked you what kinds of gifts you were shopping for and we heard green, fair trade, & sustainable. So our gift to you: a guide of the best gifts to give with a conscious this holiday season:

Black Floral Belt: Like a casual treasure discovered in an open market far, far away, this textured statement piece is a brilliant way to add color and craftsmanship to my uniform of jeans and tees. But the best part? It’s hand-embroidered with curly wool thread by Fair Trade artisans in Peru. Plus: Julia Roberts wears one on in Eat, Pray, Love. (Just saying.)

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Maker Stories

Friday Giveaway: Wax Seal Necklace

September 17, 2010

Thanks to everyone who shared your stories about the loved ones in your lives. And congrats to Sarah Solducky, who will be sending her holiday cards with a special seal this year.

Stay tuned for more giveaways by subscribing to theGoods.


This week we’re honored to give away one of Tania Condon’s elegant sterling silver wax seal necklaces, that she will custom engrave for one lucky winner.

And this week, you have the chance to win one, custom made. Your sterling silver wax seal necklace comes with a tiny tag that you can have engraved with the initials of a loved one and a date to mark a special day in your heart. Your pendant also comes with your choice of initial and a block of wax, so you seal your letters with a personal touch.

Tania Condon’s son Julian is the main inspiration for her pieces, including the sterling silver wax seal necklace, available custom-made for $95. After the birth of her son, Tania took up metalsmithing in order to make a bracelet for her newborn baby. She learned first at classes at a college in San Diego and then with the help of other masters in the trade. Using the design of a wax fob she saw in a British Museum, she came up with the idea of the pendant.

Tania says, “I love writing letters and sending them via snail mail and I seal them with a wax seal of the letter T. Sometimes I get carried away and even use the wax seal for my bills!”

Want to win? You know what to do! Leave a comment below telling us what special event or person you might commemorate with a sterling silver wax seal necklace. Then leave a comment on our Facebook wall, and tweet @uncommongoods on Twitter to triple your chances. We’ll announce the random winner on Monday.

The Uncommon Life

Art shows in California

June 9, 2010

Calling all Californians! (What I wouldn’t give to be laying on a beach in Cali right now….)

UncommonGoods artists Mindy and Grant Searcey have two art shows coming up in your neck of the woods. One is the Hermosa Beach Art Walk June 12-13 where Grant will be showcasing some of his paintings – very cool stuff! In addition to Grant’s work, there will be 100 other local artists plus food and drinks…aaah I love summer festivals:)

grant searcey

The Searceys will also be showcasing their jewelry, which is what we sell at UncommonGoods, at the Contemporary Crafts Market June 11-13 (Booth 415) in Santa Monica. Their jewelry always has a really cool spiritual or mythical element to it: Native American, the Chinese Zodiac, ancient Ayurvedic Indian practices.  It’s very unique and not overly precious, which makes it great for everyday wear.