UncommonGoods for Uncommon Shoppers

Living in the Midwest, I'm rather used to winter. As a matter of fact, when I have ventured outdoors this week, I have done so looking like Randy from A Christmas Story.

Poor Randy.

I’m so bundled up that if you knocked me over, I’d fall down and be forced into snow angel servitude. And no, I can’t put my arms down either.

You can imagine how I feel, then, about going out to shop for Christmas in this type of weather. The thought of having to leave my warm home (or office) and foray out into the freezing cold does not appeal. Neither does standing in line, overheating in my too-hot coat. I'm in the throes of menopause, dammit. I don't have time for this.

That's why I have turned to shopping online. However, I have found that even having the entire world at my fingertips via my trusty laptop, I tend to get bored with the same old offerings from department stores and discount stores. In my search for something different, I ended up finding something amazing--UncommonGoods.

What? you may cry. Why should I click on that link when I can find the tried and true at Wally World?

I'm telling you why. Because you're going to find the most unusual items as you browse through their interesting website. Guys, having a problem finding something for your lady? Try this link for a plethora of gifts for women...933 of them, to be exact.

For instance, for the woman in your life who enjoys reading--or writing--here's a scarf that I think would be perfect.


For your writer lady.

You think that's cool? For women (like me) who think owl mugs are cool (also like me) you can also find these little beauties:

I want ALL of the owls.

I know, right? 

I can hear what you're saying, though. "Chris, Poopwa, may I just say that I don't have a special lady in my life. I'd just like to find something that's Uncommon. And Good." Well, here's what I have to say to that:  I give you the fire escape shelf, found in Home Decor. This is different, but in a good way, not in a I'm-just-trying-to-be-diplomatic way.

 

Now you just need a tiny criminal escaping the good guy.

 

Not into fire escapes, or plants? Everyone likes candles, though. Check out these beauties.

and my favorite color, too.

Personally, I don't know how people can go through life without having at least one candle lit during the day. I love candles and this set has both the beautifully cut glass and the color I like. Take notes, people. In case you're looking for gift ideas for me.

Speaking of gift ideas, recently I celebrated a big birthday...the big 5-0. I'd like to point out that this is something I would have liked:

 

She's beautiful. She's petite. She's beautifully crafted and hangs outside in your garden, where she hopefully will attract more fairies. If not, though, you haven't lost out because she's still a wonderful addition to your outdoor space. You can find more unique birthday gifts here.

The best part of the whole website, though? The people at UncommonGoods have worked since 1999 to bring only the best artisans together in one space. Their work is showcased on an easy to navigate site. I have spent many a lunch hour paging through their website, finding item after beautiful item. Anything you could purchase from them would be unique and well made.

Now, what I need is an UncommonCheckbook with a hefty balance so that I can buy every single thing I want from this company.

Find UncommonGoods on Facebook, Twitter, and that site no one can ever leave: Pinterest. Tell them Poopwa Foley sent you. They know me there.

Happy shopping!

 

 

Note: This post is sponsored by UncommonGoods. However, all comments and opinions are mine.

 

 

 

 

Touch my Nook.

It was a Christmas present, my new Nook.  I found out later that the very child I had made fun of for going out shopping on Black Friday had, in fact, waited in line for a very long, long time at a local store to buy a Nook for her mommy, at a very, very good price. 

not exactly a Nook, but you get the idea.

All that and a gift card to fill it!  And didn’t I feel like a horse’s ass for teasing?

I immediately mess it up play with it, in the process downloading what I found out later was a very norty book veiled as a romance novel.  It amounted to poorly written erotica.  I read skimmed it and wished for a red pen the entire time.  Don’t these people even edit?  Or attend church?

I figured out how to find the good books, the really good books, and managed to blow through my gift card in under seven minutes.  I also had several books pop up in my library that I didn’t order.  In chatting with a friend later, I discovered that she too had a couple show up in her Nook, uninvited, right around the time she had gone into (rhymes with Smarms & Coble) where there is wifi, as opposed to her home, which is wifi-lacking.

She went back in to Smarms & Coble to find out why these books were downloaded into her library and wouldn’t you know it, those books were gone.  Missing.  She was unable to find them anywhere in her Nook and hadn’t pushed any buttons to remove them.  Now, my friend is not a stupid person and has not begun seeing things that aren’t there.  Yet.

However, the skeevy bookstore employee obviously decided to have a little fun with her.

  

Friend:  Hi, I was just wondering why books I didn’t buy are being downloaded to my Nook? (Hands over Nook)

Bookstore:  (scrolls through her Nook library.)  You must have downloaded them.  Or someone lent them to you.  But they’re not in here anymore.

Friend:  (grabs Nook back, pages through) What the…They were just there!!! 

Bookstore:  (shrugs) Well, they’re not there now.  Next customer in line?

Friend:  Now, wait just a damn minute.  I can barely download books I want, much less lend stuff I didn’t buy!

Bookstore:  If they were ever even there (smirking) I’m thinking maybe that’s exactly what you did; you lent them to someone.  You can do that, you know, lend your Nook library to someone.  It’s in the directions.  That’s probably what you did.

Friend:  (voice is rising a little bit) I didn’t lend them to anyone!  I just got this thing, and I can’t work it; what makes you think that I am so technologically gifted that suddenly I learned how to share my library with someone?
 

Bookstore:  I’m just saying you probably touched your Nook to someone else’s.  Did you touch Nooks?  

Friend:  (gasps) I’ve never, even seen another person’s Nook, much less touch them together or let someone touch mine!  I’m not that kind of person!

Bookstore:  You had to have touched Nooks with someone.  It’s ok; we all want to see what other people’s Nooks look like.  It’s human nature.  Some people cover their Nooks with special decorations and some people just let them be au natural.  (Giggles) 

Friend:  (quietly, defeated) Mine has a light on it so I can use it in bed.

Bookstore:  Oh, a party girl, huh? 

Because I was laughing so hard as she related that story to me, I hardly heard anything past “touching Nooks together.”

Wait…I think I already downloaded that book.

Christmas wishes. And gift cards.

My husband asked me the other day for a Christmas list.  I hemmed.  I hawed.  I wrote a total of:  two things.  One, a good pair of silver hoops for everyday wear (read:  days when I'm too lazy to look at my earring "shirt" and find something color coordinated) and also a soft, comfy black cardigan.  Oh, I may have mentioned "a ring" too.  In that silly, girly, breathy I-want-sparkly-jewelry sort of way. 

Are there other things I want?  Sure there are.  However, I'm the one who does the most Christmas shopping (I'm a control freak) and when I see something around Christmas time that I want, weeeeeellllll, pretty much I get it. 

Case in point...ordering from Kohl's online today.  Got everything I needed for other people but WHAT'S THAT???  Pajama pants with penguins on them?  Yes, please.  Click!

I'm a procrastinator.  I don't do my Christmas shopping like a lot of people, which is to say that I do it much later.  As of right now, I'm only about 50% done and instead of being out shopping right now...I'm writing.  And thinking seriously about a glass of wine.  But really, my kids are old enough now that they would rather have gift cards.  And how long does it take to go get a gift card?  They don't run out, they're always the right size, and the kids really, truly appreciate them. 

I buy gift cards as opposed to the jeans or shirts I would get them once upon a time that would sit in their closets, tagged, until they were outgrown and given to Amvets, mostly because those ba$tards at Plato's Closet buy everyone else's stained, torn clothing but not my new stuff that has tags on it.  People at Plato's Closet, pay attention.  Stop buying crap from your friends. 

I buy gift cards for the kids because I don't have a personal shopper.  Because I am not very good at picking out things that my children would actually wear.  The only things I'm pretty safe buying for them are camisoles (for the girls, and maybe one for me) and funny t shirts (for the boy, and maybe one for me).  I don't really have any sort of sense of style or color matching ability.  What this means is I wear black pants a LOT.
 
Popular gifts for the youngsters:  McDonalds gift cards.  Victoria's Secret gift cards.  Walmart, or Target, or Plato's Closet gift cards (for those children who like Abercrombie jeans without the Abercrombie price).  Gas station gift cards.  A gift card at virtually any store that would actually prevent me from picking out actual clothes, thinking, "Oh, (fill in name of unfortunate child) would just love this.  It would look so great on them.  So smart.  She/he could even start a fad."*

*Note to my mother:  nothing that you said would start a fad actually STARTED a fad. 

And of course, in their Christmas stockings, it's pretty standard:  candy, scratchoff cards, body wash, a Christmas Pez thingie.  An orange.  A candy cane.  Hope they're not looking at this because then they'd know what's in their stocking.  Again.  For the fifth year in a row.

(Actually, thinking about this, why the orange?  Why, because my mother used to put one in my stocking.  Sometimes we'd poke the candy cane IN THE ORANGE and suck out orange juice.  We were hardcore like that.  I also remember my sister and I getting Leggs.  Remember?  pantyhose in the egg container?  Good times.)

No matter what you gift your children with, or how soon or late you shop, it's a wonderful time of year for sharing with friends and family.  That's my focus.  In the hustle and bustle of baking, shopping, holiday parties, etc, it's really easy to lose sight of that.

And that leads me to remember one more thing that is on my Christmas list, every single year...that my family stay happy and healthy.  It is really the most important thing in the world to me.  Every year I hug my family a little tighter.  And next year, there will be a little granddaughter to celebrate with!  I am literally quivering with joy.

Merry Christmas!