UncommonGoods (giveaway!)

Talk about perfect timing. I was thinking about what I wanted to do to commemorate my 5^th blogiversary – I had fun with my “four you” giveaway last year and wanted to do it again, but a little different.

As I mentioned in my post last week, one of the most exciting aspects of blogging for me this past year was working on collaborative posts with brands and products that I love. Not only do I get to share some great finds with you all, it takes me out of my isolated comfort zone and forces me to stretch a bit creatively.

Sharing a brand on these pages is something I take very seriously – not only on behalf of the brand, but of my readers, too. I truly strive to share only products that I really like, that are a good “fit” for my blog, and that I think you’ll enjoy learning about. THE most important part of this blog is YOU – because without you I’m simply writing into the ether. And there’s no “there” in that for me.

So I was SO thrilled when the folks at UncommonGoods reached out and asked if I’d be interested in reviewing items from their Kitchen & Bar collection.

I have been a longtime fan of UncommonGoods, so I was super excited for this opportunity. If you’re not familiar with them, UncommonGoods is a Brooklyn-based company whose focus is on “unique jewelry, designer decor, tabletop items and handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment – and without harm to animals or people”.

Some cool facts:

• Half of what UncommonGoods sells is made by hand.
• Most of the jewelry, home decor and tabletop items are made in the USA.
• Half of the entire collection uses recycled and/or upcycled materials.

In addition, UncommonGoods’ “Better to Give” program donates $1 from every purchase to some incredible non-profits – including Women for Women International, an organization that you know I am most passionate about.

I had mostly shopped UncommonGoods for gifts for the kids, well-designed baby gifts and smart travel accessories, so I was excited to pick out some items from their Kitchen & Bar collection. It is HUGE – with a vast array of unique pieces both functional and decorative – and at a nice range of price points too. Click here for perfect hostess gifts, here for unusual housewarming gifts, and here for a lovely selection of glassware.

So what did I get?

One thing that’s been on my kitchen “to-do” list is a major clean-up of my utensil drawer. So. Many. Things. Worse, I still had several – SEVERAL – partially melted items that were victims of what I call “RestingOnTheEdgeOfTheHotPan” syndrome. Pretty.

I solved this problem, stat, with this clever – and stylish – utensil set.

The utensils are heatproof up to 480 degrees – no more melting! Even better? They each have a special handle that raises the head of the utensil off your countertop, to keep it clean. So clever.

If this slate cheese board looks familiar, it’s because I included it in my one and only gift guide last year. In a word? Obsessed. I’ve bought a bunch of these as gifts over the years, and was pumped to have one of my own! SO well-priced, and comes with a gift-ready burlap bag, food-safe chalk and anti-slip feet.

A small-yet-pesky problem, so simply solved. This clever bowl has a special spout that allows you to drain pasta or fruit without setting it in your probs-less-than-clean sink (one of Mike’s pet peeves for sure). You can also serve or eat from this simple bowl, saving clean-up.

Another 2016 resolution? Purge and organize my mess of a container drawer. You know it. We all have it. That myriad of plastic lids and containers – many missing their partners and almost always NOT the size or shape you’re looking for.

So you can imagine how I was ALL OVER this set of nesting containers. Compact, with color-coordinated lids and bases, this made the anal-retentive side of me profoundly happy.

I opened this folding wire basket immediately and put it right to use. I love that it folds flat to store easily when not needed, and can be configured into five different shapes. It’s currently holding Mike’s mail neatly on the kitchen counter, but look how pretty it is as a fruit bowl too!

My last two selections were purely for fun – and would be perfect accompaniments to any gift.

DYING from these sprinkles. Literally. My head is spinning with ideas for how to use, and I am equally smitten with the presentation (that scoop!).

Finally, I am helpless to resist a sweet-salty snack. And these beer-and-pretzel caramels are were heavenly.

Good stuff, right? And now for the fun part – the giveaway!

The nice folks at UncommonGoods have a $25 gift certificate to give to one of my readers – and I will match that in celebration of my 5 years writing this blog.

To enter, leave a comment telling me what you’d like to see more of (or less!) at DD&D. I truly appreciate your input, and this giveaway is my way of saying “thank you”. Please include your e-mail address if it’s not already linked to your comment.

The giveaway is open through Saturday, February 27th at 5 p.m. EST. The winner will be chosen at random, and announced on Sunday, February 28th. Update: Carin is the lucky winner! Thanks for participating!

Good luck!

Note: I was not compensated for this post. UncommonGoods kindly sent my products of my choosing for review; all comments and opinions expressed here are – as always – completely my own.

Related posts:

diy: bug spray (and a giveaway!) “four” you: a blogiversary giveaway! blove: small for big (and a giveaway!)