You are here: Home / Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet

A camping we will go!

September 1, 2011 By Tori Leave a Comment

We all love our outdoor gear here at Daily Grommet. When a potential Grommet comes our way that requires us to get outdoors and test it, almost everyone is up for it. With diverse interests, there’s almost no sport or outdoor activity that we can’t cover. Wendy is a  bicyclist, Jeanne’s family enjoys fishing, and Jules has the  snow ski adventures covered. Many of us (myself included) love to get in touch with the outdoors and go camping.

camping gear list - places

 

It seems many of us went camping this year and came back to the office with smiles, stories and photos of our favorite camping spots to share. Jen’s favorite spot is Yosemite on the top of North Dome looking over at Half Dome (to the right of El Capitan).

 

 

—

camping gear list - Trek Light Gear

Kate shared her trip backpacking on Mt Greylock in the Berkshires (she reported lots of bugs!) and took a tent to Acadia in Maine, too. She always takes along Grommet find Trek Light Portable Hammock (looks comfy to me!).

Do you go camping? What is your favorite spot or thing about camping? The consensus here is 1. Stargazing and 2. S’mores. We’d love to know your vote!

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet

National Dog Day: doggie love and giveaway

August 26, 2011 By Tori 2 Comments

In honor of National Dog Day, today’s blog post goes out to all the dogs out there. It’s no secret that there is an official ‘Daily Grommet Dog Pack’ around here (okay maybe it’s just an occasional meet-up of our dogs when we bring in them into the office), so we thought why not give them some extra love on this official day?

National Dog Day

Here’s Sydney, Stud and Dodger (3 of our Daily Grommet Dog Pack)

Daily Grommet is definitely a pro-pet workplace. Even when we do not have any four-legged friends in the office, we manage to go out and meet new ones (remember Chico?). Not to mention, a mild fight can break out over deciding who gets to test the newest pet-friendly Grommet finds. We have many unique finds the dogs go wild for. In fact,  I have a good feeling all of our pups are hooked on the Himalayan Dog Chews (I know my Dodger is).

We also take any opportunity to talk about dogs here on the blog. Whether it’s sharing a story of the bond between people and their pets,  spotlighting a very talented artist who paints pet portraits, or interviewing an actual dog blogger and author (we had a translator), we love all things d-o-g.

national dog day

Here is McKinley [left] and Scout [right]. In the middle is a brand new pup (name to be decided).

And even though our dogs can get on our nerves from time to time, it’s that loyal companionship that makes it all worth it. So, if your feeling the puppy love today, leave a comment and give  a shout out to your favorite fur friend.

Also, be sure to stop by our Facebook contest – we are giving away some of our favorite pet finds this weekend! This ones for the dogs!

 

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Contests & Giveaways

Disorganized drawers be gone

August 24, 2011 By Tori 1 Comment

Anytime we get a phone call, email, or post from a satisfied customer, we do the happy dance here at Daily Grommet. We especially love to hear how our Grommet discoveries make their way into your lives — a gift happily received or a problem solver that makes your day-to-day lives a bit more enjoyable. A couple weeks ago, we got one of those emails from Julia Wright, a professional organizer. She wanted to tell us how she’s been using Drawer Decor to help  clients who want to take back their drawers and clean out the clutter. Not only does Julia reaffirm how useful Drawer Decor is, but we’re thrilled to know she’s passing along this wonderful Grommet story.

Here’s the note Julia sent us:

Hi Daily Grommet:  I’m a Professional Organizer, and when I saw the Drawer Decor on your site, I was blown away. It solves so many organizing problems, and offers such a nice bright pop of color in a drawer that it really makes life better.

I suggested Drawer Decor to a client who purchased the item and I was able to install it with ease. The grid system made it very easy to cut to fit. My client was over the moon about the colors, especially for the bathroom. The fact that they’re silicone is the greatest feature, because it stops things from moving around in the drawer; everything stays in its place. The attachments that come with it are so well thought out, and I particularly liked the triangle shaped ones for holding round cups.

We’ll be purchasing this for our own homes as well as continuing to recommend it to all of our clients. Thanks for introducing it to Genius Organizing.

Here are some before and after pics:

Bathroom drawer [Before]:

how to organize drawersBathroom drawer [After]:

how to organize drawers - BathroomCosmetics drawer  [Before]:

Cosmetics drawer [After]:

Looks great – thanks for sharing your Grommet success pictures with us, Julia.

We love hearing about how our Grommet finds fit into your everyday lives… keep the stories coming!

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Featured Tagged With: ,

Daily Grommet sandwich throwdown?

August 11, 2011 By Tori 3 Comments

As the Community Manager here at Daily Grommet, I spend a good part of my day on Facebook chatting with our great fans and friends. I’m always delighted to see how eager our Facebook crowd is to jump into the conversation, whether we’re taking a poll, asking for opinions, or just bantering back-and-forth. Because I know our Facebook community especially loves talking about food, I decided to ask everyone to name their favorite sandwich (August is National Sandwich Month after all). In a matter of seconds, the responses were flying in. From traditional favorites to more adventurous recipes, it’s obvious our Facebook crowd is all about their sandwiches.

Take my conversation with one of our members, Al …

It’s not like Al was calling me out for a challenge (no, I’m not competitive at all really), but I just couldn’t let Al down. So, I decided to test this famous recipe out for myself.

peanut butter and bacon sandwich

The ingredients: Bacon, bread (no sourdough on hand, so I went with wheat), and creamy peanut butter — as per Al.

At this point I was a little lot skeptical. I am not a big bacon fan (I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority here) BUT I do love peanut butter, so who knows?

peanut butter and bacon sandwich

After cooking up the bacon, I assembled the sandwich. At this point I was thinking, “am I getting this right?”

peanut butter and bacon sandwich

And there she is. Bread, peanut butter and bacon. Do we call this a PB-B? Okay, and now for the moment of truth…

Not too bad Al, not too bad.

Now, who is up for making some of the other favorites sandwich recipes? Did you see Heather C.’s favorite? Tuna fish and banana — I’ll let you all test that one!

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Featured Tagged With: , ,

July 4th Traditions

July 1, 2011 By Tori Leave a Comment

As I sat around daydreaming about the upcoming long weekend, I decided to poll the team here at Daily Grommet to find out about their traditions, favorite 4th of July eats, and memories from past years. Enjoy their replies and feel free to share your own Independence Day traditions in a comment below.

Do you travel? Stay local? Are fireworks a must in your book? It seems that here at Daily Grommet HQ, there are a mix of long standing traditions and new ones being made.

Jules’ family heads to Casco, Maine, on Pleasant Lake. Her favorite spot is sitting on the dock getting destroyed by mosquitoes while watching the local fireworks randomly going off around the lake (thinking someone should remind her to take a ThermaCell!).

You’ll find Julia watching fireworks with family on the beach (which sounds great to me!), while Danielle heads to Swanton, Vermont, with her entire family to their camp on Lake Champlain. All 17 of them make the four-hour haul up  north to stay in a  quaint, three-bedroom lake house with no tv or internet for several days packed with stuff to do and lots of good food.

Ann shares: “Every July 4th, my dad would drag me and my three brothers to the dock or the beach to take a picture. We’d hold up a sign with the year written on it. In a few of those photos I look like a surly teen who’s mortified at having to take such a hokey picture in public. Now I’m putting my own kids through the same ritual — but they’re still too young to be embarrassed by it!”

Joanne’s crew keeps busy by waterskiing (courtesy of Grampy’s 35-year-old vintage orange “Chrysler Funster”) and tournaments of horseshoes, badminton, and whiffle ball.

For others, like Jesse, traditions are just forming. His young family enjoys a combination of activities like a BBQ, bouncy houses, and pony rides.

Do you stick with old favorites or try new regional recipes? Seems the folks here at Daily Grommet are not going to go hungry this weekend:

Hang out with Jen and Katherine for your typical BBQ fare like hot dogs and potato salad — or visit Leonard out in LA while he’s grilling up steaks for the 4th. Sara, serves up salmon and peas with mashed potatoes which sound delish.

Des spends the fourth in his Maine cabin cooking up a storm from his favorite cookbook, Maine Ingredients (Kennebunk Kabobs or Strawberry and Lettuce Salad anyone?).

But if I had to pick someone to eat with on the 4th, it’s a close call between Jeanne (she brings the cupcakes) and Kate (who whips up a festive strawberry and blueberry tart).

Ah the memories: Fireworks, parades, family and friends.

Hearing about everyone’s July 4th memories was perhaps the most fun for me. I love that Donna’s husband won a lawn mower throwing contest two years ago and that Wendy met her husband at a 4th of July parade in Vermont.

I enjoyed hearing June talk about watching fireworks and catching fireflies with her nieces and nephews; and Jamie’s story about how he met his girlfriend four years ago on a 4th of July sail around Boston Harbor. Jamie also told me that his Mother’s birthday is on the 4th — so a big  ”Happy Birthday” to her!

 As for me (Tori), I also  have a young family whose traditions seem to be forming a bit more every year. I am not exactly sure where we’ll be or what we’ll be doing … but  I do know there will be bright fireworks (oh and definitely homemade strawberry ice cream!).

So now that the long weekend is kicking off, we’d love to know … What are YOUR 4th of July traditions, favorite eats and fond memories? Feel free to share them with us!

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet Tagged With: ,

Grommets in the Wild – Literally

June 28, 2011 By Jeanne Leave a Comment

Just a few weeks ago, I bumped into John Doherty at a street fair in my hometown  — John’s the artist behind one of my favorite Grommets, Fish Aye Trading, those gorgeous fish rubbing prints and placemats we discovered over a year ago. See, I’m an ocean person — not at all at home on a lake or a river, don’t even care much for pools. Give me a salty ocean, with all the creatures, rocks, sand, seaweed, boats, tides, and unpredictable winds, and I’m happy. Which is why I’m such a fan of John’s work.

 

Last weekend, when my husband and son came back from a fishing trip with a pair of bluefish, I once again thought about John. It was kind of one of those art imitating life moments … or maybe more like deja vu? Either way, it was pretty cool. See, John got his idea for making fish rubbings one day while fishing when he saw an imprint left in the boat from a fish he’d caught. And he grew up fishing with his grandfather just off Cape Cod — so close to where we were.

 

Then I got to thinking about how great it is when we spot Grommets “in the wild” (like Jules did when she was in San Franscico) and how this was kind of an extreme case of just that.

 

Oh, and don’t worry about those bluefish … they weren’t quite ready for the dinner table (never mind a canvas). For now, these guys are safe and happy back in the wild.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Featured

Stepping in front of the camera

May 2, 2011 By Jesse 1 Comment

Last week was a first for me — I was invited to be a guest on Pixability’s webinar series featuring video & social media business professionals talking about their craft. The series is hosted by Bettina Hien, Pixability’s Founder & CEO. Pixability itself is a fascinating company — they help people create cost effective videos for distribution online. Most of the time they send Flip style cameras to their customers, along with a shot list & shooting recommendations.  They also have a network of producers who will show up at your doorstep prepared to make a video. There are obvious parallels to what we do here at Daily Grommet, so it felt like a spirited conversation. But I’m still not used to being in front of a camera!

I’m also awed by Bettina for working on (in her words) “two start ups at once.” The second start up is her infant child, quietly (while I was there)  absorbing all the energy and vitality that is in the DNA of a thriving enterprise.

I really enjoyed meeting the entire extended team at Pixability. We share an appreciation for authentic videos produced from the heart.  The Q & A and “video makeovers” were also uplifting — it made me remember just how daunting video can be when you’re starting out, and how much fun it can be to explore the medium once you get started. It was also the most trafic I’d ever gotten on Twitter, and Tori did a fabulous job of keeping up with it during the show. Which reminds me, I have some @’s in my future…

(Also, I sat down for a  few more questions after the webinar — you can catch them here)

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Daily Grommet News

Little things make a big difference when it comes to discovery

April 20, 2011 By Jeanne 3 Comments

You know that saying “it’s the little things that count”? Well, all day, every day, we’ve got new products flowing through the doors here at Daily Grommet — some we’ve asked for, others you’ve told us about. But what really impresses me is how every single item is accompanied by a little piece of someone’s heart.

And so we give each hopeful Grommet our full attention: we test, wear, eat, play with, sleep with, ride on, pass it around. If the product, the idea, and the story are exceptional, inspiring and ready for the big time, it may become a Grommet right away. Others might just need more time to percolate. Either way, it’s impossible not to appreciate the passion that goes into the creative process.

Here are a few Grommet submissions whose heart caught my attention recently as they made their way around our homes … and gardens:

New Products - for gardenThese charming garden markers from CampPineNeedle are hand drawn by Maura Condrick, a freelance illustrator living on Cape Cod here in Massachusetts. The story behind her creation: She’d just moved from NYC, joined a community garden, and feared she’d lose track of what was planted where. Her designs are inspired by botanical prints and old seed packets – but she says she’ll draw to order too. Creative and considerate.

cups - new prodcutsAnd how thoughtful is this? Shelly Zimmerman personalized a set of her MyColourCups for us and sent them to us all the way from Australia. Shelly’s grandmother was a Tupperware rockstar, so she says she grew up loving the stuff. She came up with the concept for MyColourCups — a rotatable band with six customizable names — after deciding to train her family to keep track of and reuse the cups they were already using.

And this last one, the Showno poncho style towel,  is another problem solver designed by a mom. When Shelly Ehler’s older child asked her to make him a “tent” so he could change out of his bathing suit in privacy, she had her “ah-ha” moment. Shelly says her towel is equal parts tent, poncho, and parent helper because it makes it easy for kids to carry it themselves, as well as wrap themselves up. But what touched me most was that Shelly personalized this particular towel with a Daily Grommet ribbon. And speaking of thoughtful, Shelly donates a portion of the proceeds from each towel sold to Hope University (a fine arts program for adults with developmental disabilities).

So you can see how many innovative ideas and stories are out there, ready to be discovered — and how much we appreciate learning about each and every one.

If there’s a product you think we should know about, come tell us about it in our Citizens’ Gallery.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Discoveries Tagged With: , ,

Twig Terrarium: Take 2

April 6, 2011 By Jeanne 4 Comments

It’s kind of funny that today’s Grommet is all about making a special little world, enclosed in glass … in a way, Twig Terrarium founders, Michelle and Katie seem to be living in their own little enchanted world. And we got a peek into that world when they sent us their home-made video to help us tell their story.

Normally, we pick out just a few key bits and pieces from the video our founders send to us … the parts that make the story come alive  (and trust me, our video producer, Jesse, is a master at picking out those gems). But sometimes, we just can’t bear to leave some of those clips on the cutting room floor — and today is one of those times.

So, enjoy this quick outtake of “two BFF’s hanging out, making terrariums all day” (my favorite part: watch Katie’s facial expressions in the background as Michelle tells her boggy-moss-gathering-shoe-stuck-in-the-mud story — classic!)

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Inventor Spotlight Tagged With: , ,

Kick off your shoes for a good cause

March 29, 2011 By Danielle Leave a Comment

This Tuesday I’m pretty excited, because it’s my birthday. I’m quite possibly even more excited for next Tuesday, April 5th, because it’s One Day Without Shoes. ODWS is a TOMS Shoe’s event to create awareness about the millions of people who don’t have a choice whether to wear shoes or not. Lucky for me, they have some excellent tools for spreading the word about this event, including this video!


I am most certainly going barefoot next Tuesday because I know from experience that it has a bigger personal impact for me, beyond being aware of the lack of shoes millions of people face everyday. Last year I plastered my studio (and social media) walls with ODWS posters and sign up sheets and information. About 30 people ended up going shoeless with me, and it made for a great day. Here are some possibly unexpected things to expect if you decide to participate.

Conversation
Being barefoot in places you normally wouldn’t be is guaranteed to make people ask questions. No surprises there. (Be prepared to explain why you’re going without shoes for the day, and why it’s important to you!) You might, however, be surprised at what these chats will lead to. I loved that a simple lack of shoes inspired such complex conversations and ideas.

Sensation
I was completely wowed at what I was missing under my feet every day. Walking without shoes is like riding a bike down a road you usually drive on; you experience so much that you are usually protected from! It’s a year later and I still have very clear memories of a particularly unpleasant parking lot I never knew was so spiky, and realizing how warm the floor next to computer towers is. Getting to experience little things I completely missed on before was pretty eye opening.

Involvement
People will want to join you! It’s fun to see the positive influence you can have, and how fast a good idea can spread. Last year at least three or four people I met during the day took their shoes off after I’d explained why I wasn’t wearing any, in addition to the bunches of people I knew who had planned to participate. I’m sure they spread the foot freedom during their days as well. My family wasn’t really interested in going barefoot, so instead they donated a whole lot of shoes to a local shelter. One good thing seems to inspire another, which is always nice.

If you can’t go without shoes for the whole day, think about doing it for few minutes, maybe for your walk to lunch or the trip from your door to your car. Maybe bare feet are just not your thing. Consider donating some of those shoes you never seem to wear. Local shelters are a great place to donate. If you’re worried about people being offended by your shoeless feet or getting the stink eye in public places, carry around some Aftersoles in your back pocket! Most of all, spread the word! TOM’s One Day Without Shoes website has a whole lot of information and promotional material for you, from banners and posters to installation ideas. Put them up in your school/work/dentist office/nearest telephone pole! You can also register as a barefoot-er with a local event. If there aren’t any events close to you, make one! Or join us!

Let us know if you’re going without shoes, and how the day goes for you!

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet, Featured
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »