Uncommongoods - Quirky, Personalised Gifts You Will Love

I have these stemless wine glasses in my cart

This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links.

Lately, it has been hard for me to write but this weekend I feel inspired to work on a couple of projects. I have also been puttering around home sites a lot lately, as my mum and I have been on a decor mission the past couple weeks. I love home decor sites and unusual home accessories, and so when I was introduced to this site - Uncommongoods.com - I was pretty excited by some of the cute stuff available for the out-of-the-box kinda person.

For the quirky homemaker, there are some really cute items which can make great gifts for family members or friends who have a bit of an unusual style. The stemless wine glasses in the photo are definitely going to be part of my kitchen and entertainment arsenal, but there are dozens of other great finds on the site.

I took a look through their gift registry and what I like most is that you can personalise some of the items like THIS ONE which is part of their anniversary catalogue. You can check out some other items here.

You can also take a gander to their birthday gifts page, where you can browse through gifts for her for your girlfriend or BFF. Or if you are in baby shower season like one of my friends is now, and you have a shower to go to every 5 minutes and you want to be different and not give diaper cakes, then check out those gifts here. OMG - the stuff there is so damn cute.

There is not just stuff for the house, but you can pick up great jewellery and other types of gift items on the site as well.

I am pretty excited to get the stuff I ordered and will be sure to share them with you once I get them. What I really like is that these are items made by small artisans - they are not big brand/chain mass produced items which you will find in every home. The items are pretty but also are made with sustainability in mind, so environmental impact is low. If you like something a bit unique and love to support the independent artist, then Uncommongoods.com is a great place to start.

Although this post is sponsored, and I have been offered products as compensation, the opinions here are entirely my own.

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Avoid the Holiday Rage and Embrace these Holiday Tips Instead

It has been a REALLY long time since I have been here and I apologise. But life happens. I don’t usually do my 2015 round-up this early but I must say, 2015 was not the greatest of the great. Sure there were some awesome moments, but it was not an award-winning year. Still, I am happy to have been here with you.

So it’s the holidays – another ‘winning’ time of year for me. God! I cannot say I loathe holidays but I do hate the way the holidays make people act a little cray cray. The season of love and giving has become the season of road rage, car park rage, Toys ‘r’ Us rage, supermarket rage, department store rage, etc. Everyone is so angry because there is traffic, silly people standing around in stores doing nothing, people picking up the last bottle of Chardonnay you spotted from a mile away and thought – that would be great with Christmas dinner. People are awful this time of year.

While you may get tips for the holidays that include where to shop, when to go and so on, please heed the following tips as well:

Remember the reason for the season. People get themselves worked up over the holidays – worked up over material things, and other nonsense. The cleaning, the cooking, the shopping. The season should be fun and filled with warm memories of great times with friends and family. Don’t lose sight of that.

Appreciate those who work for you to enjoy the holidays. The guys and gals who work really crazy shifts and work long hours in the toy stores, department stores, supermarkets and so on, just so you can get that Elsa doll for little Dana, or that bottle of Flower Bomb for your wife – these people have families and loved ones too. They have homes which they would like to clean and trees they would like to decorate with their kids. Everywhere is busy and crazy and I personally cannot even fathom working in that type of environment without busting a blood vessel, so I appreciate those who do. So be considerate and appreciative when and where you can.

Remember those less fortunate. That grab for that last Elsa doll and the whining that the supermarket does not have the wine you want - pales in comparison to what so many among us lack. The senseless road rage to get to the store to get a parking spot to spend tonnes of money on something so insignificant in the grand scheme of things can often seem so obscene. Invest a bit of that energy to make the holiday a little brighter for someone else and see how good it feels.

Be considerate to those who may not have anyone for the holidays. Some people are alone, plain and simple. Some have lost close loved ones, or have moved away from family – sometimes in a new city or new country. The life of the single man or woman, is not always as fancy free as some make it out to be. It can also be a depressing and lonely time. Seniors, with no close relatives nearby, can have a terrible holiday season. It never hurts to invite someone who may not have the bustling big family and the huge love around them to join in on your celebrations. It can go a really long way.

(Have you seen that awesome Publix commercial? Warms my heart)

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my 2 readers out there. Tomorrow I will do my annual baking and I will spend Christmas Day with the family, including my brother and his munchkins, and other relatives. Be safe. Don’t over-eat. Avoid the rage. Love and blessings.

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I have been naughty, but Santa can kick rocks

If you have read this blog long enough, you would already know I love December only because it is my birthday month. Christmas is not my most fave time of the year. It has gotten better in recent times with the fun of being an aunt - Christmas is now about making the little ones happy, hearing their giggles and creating memories for them to cherish. I don't get gifts. I cannot tell you the last time I have gotten a present. And that's okay. The independent streak in me is not worried about that because I usually treat myself, not just at Christmas but all year-round.

Santa has forsaken me and so I have stopped aiming to be nice during the year. I am a permanent fixture on Fatso's Naughty List it seems.

But if I had to ask for a present, it would be...

The Nespresso Citiz for the frothy hot drink lover in me

or...

The ever sexy Keurig.

You had to have seen this coming, right? And make sure you add a year's supply of the capsules as well.I cannot just drink hot water.

Also, I have found that a fitness tracker is really good motivation. I hate getting up at 5 in the morning on a Saturday and Sunday to workout but some days, I take my phone with me, set a target and I really am a bit more amped to get it over with. Since I love all things Samsung, and already use S-Health during my outdoor workouts, you can get me this...

And the slimmer, caffeinated me would love to walk the streets with something new from Mr Kors, like this...

Hamilton Saffiano Leather Tote from Michael Michael Kors

That's about it really. I need new clothes as well but who has that kinda time for a blog about the stuff I want?

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Love is Bigger than a Box of Chocolates

It's been another tedious weekend. I finished my assignment at 9.30am or so. I was cooking this morning at 2am. Showering and then cleaning my room at 5am. It's crazy. I am now settled in bed with True Grit as part of my Sunday decompression and a glass of wine.

I guess everyone is excited for Valentine's Day tomorrow but it's just another day for retailers to dig out people eye (Trini spk). I am sure I will be bombarded by roses and chocolates on the trains tomorrow afternoon, which is fine. It's just the PDAs I can do without out.

But I am a really solid believer that if you're going to spend money to prove you love someone, which in itself is really ridiculous, do it so it helps someone else. Join (RED) has some really fantastic brand partners, and awesome red products which will be perfect for your honey, and help in the fight against HIV/AIDS as well.




Visit http://www.joinred.com/ and support love, AND the fight against HIV/AIDS
These were my top picks for Valentine's Day


I love that these are products people may actually want to be seen in - by established brands. It's often hard for causes to gain traction when the novelty items are cheap and irrelevant to daily life. That may sound awful but I prefer to donate my time or just the funds to a cause, rather than have an entire drawer filled with cheap knick knacks I will never use.  My dad falls for it every time - he has loads of seashell ornaments and homemade cards at home. Cute and sentimental but clutter. Take the money, keep the gift.

But what is hotter than a red Amex card (well, besides a black Amex card), or a red Netbook or that hot ruby faced Emporio Armani watch? Knowing that your money is going towards something worthwhile.

As usual, noone pays me to plug these things - they should - but in this case, it's a freebie. I am loving those Emporio Armani sunglasses like woah.

Love to everyone. Not at full capacity today.

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Amazons - fierce women. Amazon.com - fierce shopping.

Every year I would make my birthday wish list, send it to my friends and I did not expect anything really, but it was always great fun cause they always liked getting my crazy email with my wish list. It was actually my friend, Lyndon who one year actually got me something off my wish list, and my mum as well. I then stopped doing wish lists and started travelling for my birthday and just loved getting emails and texts from my friends and family. I am really easy to please.

But I have done a wish list, (to your left) which was really born out of the fact that I realistically cannot shop as I am used to and this list is a hybrid of my lust list and my necessity list. You will be able to spot the differences - which is lust and which is a necessity. lol. You will also see missing from this wish list the one thing I really want, but Amazon has not partnered with British Airways for some odd reason. The horror!!! I have kept prices at a minimum in the off chance someone actually gets me something but really...give me my moment to cyber shop and satisfy my cravings.

Also, working from home is a real challenge. I idle when I am home. I got nothing done all day - except for the wine and the chocolate fingers. Yet I am still hoping it snows hell hard tonight and tomorrow, so I don't feel any residual guilt about taking another day off and saving myself from going out into that white madness. I am too tropical and hot blooded for my own good!

And I empathise with the Brits on losing out to Russia. It would have been a spectacular tournament no doubt. But still, I got to look at Becks. That's your trophy right there, England. Russia ain't got nothin' like that!!!

Photo credit: BBC Online
David Beckham in a last ditch effort to bring the World Cup home. Pity.

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