Size matters: Perfect stocking stuffers

Great things come in small packages, including fun games, cool baubles and clever accessories. If you’re looking for unique stocking stuffers for kids and grownups, look no further.

 Corkcicle Wine Chilling Bottle Stopper

Corkcicle – Wine Chilling Bottle Stopper

Shaped like an icicle, the Corkcicle keeps white wine chilled and can cool a red wine to the optimal serving temperature. Buy the Corkcicle single bottle wine chiller here.
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 TAXI Wallet by Alicia Klein

TAXI Wallet – by Alicia Klein

The Taxi Wallet has smart universal design and beautiful leather plus all the pockets you need and none you don’t. Buy the thin Taxi Wallet by Alicia Klein here.
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 Sugru Hacking Putty

Sugru – Hacking Putty

Don’t junk your stuff. Fix it, improve it or remake it with Sugru. Buy Sugru moldable silicone putty here.
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 Krave Pure Eats, Inc Gourmet Jerky

Krave Pure Eats, Inc – Gourmet Jerky

The next time you need an energy boost, skip the chips. Krave’s meat jerky is high-protein, low-carb and totally delicious. Buy Krave Jerky gourmet jerky here.
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 Cufflinks Inc Men's Accessories

Cufflinks Inc – Men’s Accessories

Great cufflinks are a clever way for men to express their personal style. Choose classic, sporty or unexpectedly techie. Buy unique cufflinks here.
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 Zipboard Portable, Retractable Whiteboard

Zipboard – Portable, Retractable Whiteboard

A whiteboard that rolls up is the perfect accessory for coaches, teachers and anyone who thinks on their feet. Buy the Zipboard portable dry erase board here.
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 Drawstring Tool Drawstring Threader

Drawstring Tool – Drawstring Threader

Reach for the Drawstring Tool when you want to re-thread a lost drawstring or retrieve an object from a tight spot. Buy the Drawostring Tool drawstring threader here.
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 One Good Earbud Single Earbud

One Good Earbud – Single Earbud

A single, stereo-quality earphone lets you listen to music without tuning out your surroundings. It’s the safer way to play. Buy One Good Earbud single earbud in stereo here.
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 Snap Infusion Vitamins and Candy

Snap Infusion – Vitamins and Candy

Candies that multitask: they’re tasty, energizing, hydrating, and boost your immune system. Sweet! Buy Snap Infusion healthy candy here.
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 Travalo Travel Perfume Bottles

Travalo – Travel Perfume Bottles

A travel-sized perfume atomizer makes it safe to stash your favorite scent in a purse, suitcase or carry-on bag. Buy the Travalo refillable perfume atomizer here.
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Discover more stocking stuffers here.

On the clock: Best gifts for coworkers

Business and pleasure can mix. They do at Daily Grommet, where we have the pleasure of doing business with entrepreneurs and artisans who care about stellar design, quality materials, and impeccable customer service. These Grommet makers have all sorts of unique gifts to offer coworkers and bosses, plus other surprises that will keep the office buzzing.

 Is Not Broke Recession Proof Wallet

Is Not Broke – Recession Proof Wallet

Handcrafted wallets keep money in your wallet and tell great stories about strength and resilience Buy an “Is Not Broke” unique recession proof wallet here.
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 Wallet Pen Small Sterling Silver Pen

Wallet Pen – Small Sterling Silver Pen

Longtime Wallet Pen loyalists rave about this tiny silver beauty. Who knew a pen could be so cool? Buy the Wallet Pen here.
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Give to the givers: Special gifts for grandparents

It’s time to turn the tables on your grandparents. If they’ve done more than their share of spoiling you, you can return the favor with splendid gifts that will show just how much you care.

 ChappyWraps Cotton Fleece Blankets

ChappyWraps – Cotton Fleece Blankets

A ChappyWrap woven Jacquard blanket is luxuriously cozy yet durable enough for indoor and outdoor use. It will quickly become the family’s go-to favorite. Buy ChappyWraps woven cotton blankets here.
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 Crosby & Taylor Handcrafted Pewter Items

Crosby & Taylor – Handcrafted Pewter Items

Crosby & Taylor creates original, contemporary pewter pieces that are beautiful, quirky and usable. You’ll treasure these for generations. Buy Crosby and Taylor’s handcrafted pewter ware here.
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Knock one out of the park with awesome gifts for kids

There’s no disguising a kid’s first impression. When you give a gift to a kid, you’ll know right away if you’ve hit a home run. We can help improve your odds with a treasure trove of awesome gifts that are kid tested and Daily Grommet approved.

 Switch2Health Physical Activity Monitor

Switch2Health – Physical Activity Monitor

The S2H Replay wristband monitors physical activity while the wearer earns rewards that range from a free ringtone to an Xbox 360. Buy the S2H Replay activity wristband monitor here.
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The best gifts for picky teens

What’s the best way to figure out what teens like? Just ask them. We make sure our trusty teenage testers give their stamp of approval to all the teen products we feature. It’s much easier than trying to guess what gifts might get the younger generation buzzing.

 O'clock Novel Watch

O’clock – Novel Watch

Wristwatches with minimalist form, maximum impact and surprising affordability. You’ll need more than one. Buy the O’Clock silicon watch here.
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Great gifts to wow your favorite gal

Sometimes it feels like a test – choose the wrong present for her and you fail. But we’ll set you up to succeed. Every Grommet we feature is hand-chosen (and we’re awfully picky). We’ve got scores of gorgeous jewelry, chic accessories and sumptuous treats that will earn you an A+ in holiday gift giving.

 Violet Love Scarves & Headbands

Violet Love – Scarves & Headbands

Stay-put headbands and wrap-around scarves from Violet Love solve a problem, make a statement and look really fine. Buy Violet Love’s fashion scarves and headbands for women here.
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For the love of vintage

Tori Tait

One of the great aspects of Twitter is that you can make the most amazing connections with others. One of our Twitter friends, Amy (remember the cocktail recipe she shared with us?), recently introduced me to an artist she admires when she tweeted about one of her blog posts   – and boy am I glad she did.

Susan Schneider has been a collector of all things vintage for over 20 years and has been making unique lampshades for the past 15 years. Actually, Susan says that she stumbled into making lampshades. She had an antique and decorative-arts store that focused on vintage textiles, but found herself on a constant search for decent lampshades to go with the fabulous vintage lighting finds she had been collecting. So, when she couldn’t find what she needed, she decided to just make them herself. Susan’s lampshades are now her signature product.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Susan about what inspires her, her love for vintage, plus more.

Why do you choose to use vintage materials in your designs?

I love vintage anything, for as long as I can remember I had been drawn to the design of old. The vintage imagery and items I use tell a story. A different time period that I feel needs to be brought into the future.

Is there something ornately appealing about them, is it the act of up-cycling, or is it something else entirely?

I have been up-cycling for a very long time, long before the term was invented. The ornamentation is probably what appeals to me the most. The attention to detail, is what I am drawn to. I have always used vintage goods in my work, taking something from the past and recycling it into some thing new. Who made what I reuse is also intriguing, the process, the skill it took to create what I use is still to this day amazing. The artists from the 1800 – 1950′s show in there work what was going on in the world. It is seeing history through another artist’s eye from another time.

Wouldn't these vintage-designed matchboxes make great stocking stuffers?

Wouldn't these vintage-designed matchboxes make great stocking stuffers?

Where do you find your inspiration for such unique designs?

 Everywhere, I have been a mad collector of vintage goods for many years. So much of my inspiration comes from my own collections. Vintage wallpaper is one of my collections, the detail in the printing process is so inspiring. Architectural elements, nature, old iron, salvage of all types. Vintage dictionaries, atlases, books, handmade paper, old scrap books, vintage magazines (1900-1950) fabulous time period of advertising art. They tell such a story. The story is very important, the people behind all of what I use, I feel that I am sharing there art.

Art indeed! Thank you Susan for letting us peek inside your world of vintage treasures!

To see more of Susan’s work, or to get the location of her store  click here. Susan has also recently opened up a shop online so be sure to browse all of her vintage inspired work like the vintage matchboxes pictured above.

And be sure to follow both Amy and Susan on Twitter for their inspiring design tweets!

Make your holiday season a bit more “green”

The colors of the season are traditionally red and green. In keeping with the green side if things, let’s highlight some Green Grommets.

verterra_medium

Worm-Hearted TerraCycle not only sells organic fertilizer in recycled plastic bottles, they boast an entire line of 100% recycled products. Whether you go for fertilizers, cleaners, or any of their “zero carbon footprint” products fashioned from recycled drink pouches (the pencil cases are fun), you’re gifting something cool and helping the earth. ($10.60 and up) Learn more about how Terracycle creates products from waste here.

 

WoollyPockets2_medium

Not Your Mother’s Pocket Garden. Woolly Pockets are flexible, breathable, and modular gardening containers. Not quite a pot, more interesting than a window box, these planting “pockets” allow you to place one plant in just the right spot. Woolly Pockets are earth-friendly because they are made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. Perfect gifts, they’re lightweight and fold flat, which makes them very easy to use, move, and store just about anywhere. ($39.00 – $247.00) Buy Woolly Pocket gardening pockets for vertical wall gardens here. 

PossibilitreeTree For Life. Imagine Christmas without having to find, haul, water, and dispose of an evergreen tree, but still being able to bring a piece of nature into your home for the holidays. That was the inspiration for architect Richard Babcock, who designed this stunning handmade wooden tree, the possibiliTree. ($160.00 and up) Buy the possibiliTree wooden holiday tree here.

 

 

earthfriendsDon’t Slip In Downward Dog. JadeYoga makes mats using natural rubber, which is a renewable resource tapped from rubber trees. The company’s Jade mats contain no PVC, synthetic rubbers or other ozone-depleting substances. They’re made in the U.S. in compliance with all environmental and labor laws. ($59.95) Buy Jade Harmony’s eco-friendly non-slip yoga mats here

 

 

Recycled float roap mats

Doormats From The Sea. These cheerful, handmade mats from Maine Float-Rope Company triple the feel-good factor. Designed by environmentalist Penny Johnston, they help save whales, provide financial assistance to Maine lobstermen, and protect the environment. ($49.95 and up) Buy the Maine Float Rope company doormats here.

 

 

MokugiftPlant A Tree. Good news: Yes, you can do something about global warming! And it’s surprisingly simple. Just plant a tree. Besides providing beautiful foliage and cooling shade, trees help trap ozone layer-depleting CO2 emissions, minimizing the effects of climate change. Planting is a cinch with Mokugift. You don’t have to dig deep into your pockets or even lift a shovel. And it’s as easy as sending an e-card. ($1 per tree) Learn about mokugift.com and how to plant a tree for charity.

 

PacificShaving_medium

Smoothing the Way. Pacific Shaving Oil adds that oh-so-desirable layer of lubrication and moisturizer so the razor doesn’t rip over the surface like sandpaper. Made from plant extract essential oils and packaged in small, travel-friendly containers, this shaving oil can be used with or without additional shaving cream. You’ll get at least 100 shaves from each little bottle and for every bottle sold, a tree will be planted. It’s good for your skin, for your wallet, and for the earth. ($17.85) Buy Pacific Shaving natural shaving oil here.

 

AnnMadeRecycled, Wearable Art. Ann Skydell Harmon believes that “recycling can be beautiful.” There are so many levels of meaning to Ann’s “wearable art.” With Ann-Made Jewelry ou can show how much you care about the planet and be stylish while doing so. Being green is the new black, after all. ($18.50-$22.50) Buy Ann-Made Art’s soda can tab recycled jewelry here.

 

TwistA New Twist. Twist Clean eco-friendly cleaning sponges and cloths—smart buys that virtually eliminate the need to buy expensive and bulky boxes of paper towels, nasty steel wool scrubbers, and bacteria ridden sponges. Once you try these supple, malleable, flexible, bendable European cloths you’ll be hooked…and want to share them with the people in your life. ($15.00) Buy Twist natural sponge, biodegradable cleaning cloths here.

Holiday cloth gift bags

 Green wrapping. Wrap your gifts the eco-friendly way. These cloth gift bags from Living Ethos really show off founder Josie Gaillard’s keen eye for fabric, with sophisticated options like Regal Damask Blue and the modern Deco Maze. There are also kid-friendly patterns that are lively and fun without being too juvenile. ($28.00 for a package of four bags) Buy LivingEthos holiday cloth gift bags here.

See more green eco-living gifts here.

See what unique gift idea Daily Grommet has discovered today!