At The Grommet, we truly believe that every purchase is an act of citizenship. That's why we launch undiscovered products and help them succeed. Our Grommets aren't just things. Grommets are products with a purpose invented by people with stories. Browse our Citizens Gallery to learn about these ideas or post your own. Buy differently.
Rosie the Boxer says Happy Holidays!
We're not sure about you, but the last few weeks have been a whirlwind! The office has been full of shipping, meetings and deadlines to get things done before the break. We expect this week to fly by even faster! Below are a few pics of the holiday cheer we've had around the office, including our colleague, Melinda's beautiful dog Rosie!
Happy Holidays! What Grommets are on your wish list this year?
Do you need a gift idea for mom? Is she tough to please? A stickler for style? Wow the most discerning women in your life with our handpicked gift ideas.
Here are some of our favorite gifts for Mom:
Joolz Hayworth Bracelets, thinksound earbuds, Gluggle Jug, Jade Harmony Yoga Mats, Kabloom Flowers, Lifestyle Crafts Letter Press.
See all 60 of our favorite presents for women here.
One of the hardest jobs on the planet is that of a teacher. Show your appreciation for the efforts poured into the lives of your loved ones by treating their teacher to something special. Here are our favorite giftsfor teachers:
My Cup of Cake
$12.95–$39.95
At home or at work, life tastes great when there’s cake in your cup. Sharon Tracy’s travel-ready chocolate soufflé cake is a delicious way to send warm wishes to faraway friends and family. The chocolate souffle cake, which bakes in its own ceramic serving mug, is the real deal -- light, airy souffle combined with the gooey, melt-in-your-mouth decadence of molten lava cakes. Buy My Cup of Cake here.
It's a busy week here at Grommet HQ -- we're working hard at launching the best products each day, making sure your holiday gifts get to you in time and growing our team (all exciting and meaningful events).
Before we all head off for the holiday, we want to take a moment to say thank you. We wouldn't be here doing this exciting work if it weren't for three groups: our partners, our customers, and our community.
With the risk of sounding like an acceptance speech, we'd like to write a few words.
Thank you to our amazing, innovative Grommet partners. For your brilliant ideas, your endless passion and your trust. Everyday we launch a new product and each day we feel as proud as if it were our own "baby." Thank you for your feedback, partnership, and dedication.
A handwritten note from Grommet Partner, Project Repat
Our new infographic says it all, really. Scroll below the image for more details on each sure-to-be-loved gift idea and links to help you start your shopping.
Here's a recap of the gifts we're sure will be "keepers." Click the links to learn more or buy now.
- For the Kid at Heart, we recommend hand-crafted Uncle Goose blocks OR oh-so-soft Squishable pillow animals. (More gifts for kids.)
- For the Happy Host, we'd buy Welcome Home Brands fancy paper bakeware OR The Oak Barrel Company's impressive wine cask lazy Susans. (More gifts for fabulous hosts.)
- For the Eco Friend, check out Woolzies natural dryer balls OR Bottlesup sleek recycled glass bottles. (More green and eco living gifts.)
- For the Fashionista, we suggest chic and shady Tula Hats OR Hem Gems, which make that favorite pair of jeans even more versatile. (More fashion problem solvers.)
- For those with Teen Spirit, we'd nab artistic Polarity lockets OR the Zumreed beach-proof speaker. (More gifts for teens.)
- For the Favorite Foodie, we like handy Cookina non-stick oven mats OR the cutting edge Molecule-R molecular gastronomy cooking kit. (More gifts for cooks.)
- For the Tech Geek, we'd get an iDapt universal charger OR the Zeo bedside sleep tracker. (More electronic gadgets and gifts.)
- For the Workaholic, we'd choose an office-freshening Dyson Air Multiplier OR a Highwave Brewfish personal coffee or tea press. (More gifts for the workplace.)
- For the Cocktail Companion, we suggest the Bar10der 10-in-1 supertool OR Lime Tree Cove's cocktail salts and sugars (and their gizmo to get the rims just right). (More food and drink gifts.)
- For the Person Who Has Everything, gift decadent and fun Chococoa Baking Company whoopie pies OR AHeirloom cutting boards in the iconic shape of their home state. (More big impact gifts.)
- For the World Traveler, we'd recommend a Zen Class seatback organizer OR the VinniBag inflatable packing system to protect wine, perfume, and other precious goods. (More gifts for travel-lovers.)
- For the Fitness Buff, we like a GoMotion vest or belt to light the way for wee-hour workouts OR the versatile Nuu-Muu exersize dress. (More sports and fitness gifts.)
- For the Caring Soul, we'd give Torrain bags upcycled from Cambodian rice totes OR Haiti Projects hand-embroidered nightgowns. (More gifts supporting good causes.)
Remember, friends don't let friends get regifted. Let others know where they can find truly unique gifts this holiday season. Pin, like, or tweet this infographic below to spread the word!
Today we're featuring a gingerbread house kit by Candy Cottage and we have a sugar rush just thinking about all of the endless gingerbread house ideas we can create. The cool think about this kit is that it doesn't include stale pre-baked gingerbread or require you to bake it from scratch. Nope -- the fun is in the decorating and that's what these kits let you focus on.
These are reusable houses that are easy to assemble and ready to decorate -- all year long. Left over Halloween candy? Check out these spooky gingerbread house ideas:
Now you can create gingerbread houses all year (isn't that fun?). Check out other holiday ideas:
And of course, you're kit will be put to good use around Christmas.
Are you inspired to come up with other gingerbread house ideas? Tell us, what type of candy house would you create?
**Contest is now closed. Thank you to all who entered. The random winner chosen was Jacqueline, congrats!
Leave a comment telling us and we will select one person to WIN their own Candy Cottage!
General contest rules: To enter, you must be a U.S. resident and at least 18 years of age. You must leave a comment on this post. No purchase necessary. Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email. Employees, contractors, and the families of employees and contractors of Daily Grommet, Inc. are not eligible to enter. Void where prohibited. Contest will end October 5, 2012 at 9 am PST.
Love is in the air, and this morning Jeanne headed to visit our friends over at Fox25 Boston, bringing along a few unique Valentine's Day gift ideas. If you're still searching for the perfect gift, these Grommets fit the bill.
It's only one week away, so make sure you get that special someone a gift they'll love!
Gift ideas for Valentines Day: MyFoxBOSTON.com
The Boston-based Grommet team happily kicked off the New Year at Joanne's house.
By the way, this is not the first time the front of this solid brick house has been broadcast online...alas, it was on the cover of a dozen online papers when the freak Halloween snowstorm felled a massive ancient tree in Joanne's front yard.
AP Photo by Michael Dwyer
The only accident at this party occurred when Joanne's favorite child (her dog Sydney) helped himself to our cake. His ghoulish blue mouth clued her in before the team arrived. (We just ate around the gashes. Making do--in true startup fashion)
Even at a party, we tend to be testing Grommets. In this case, we had set up a tequila toast because JULIA GOT ENGAGED the very night before our party, to her sweetheart Damian. The man has great timing. Gadzooks....our first Grommet wedding!
Julia and Damian had their celebratory tequila shots in a very cool upcoming Grommet: Himalayan Salt Cups made by Spice Labs. You freeze them ahead of time for the best tequila shot ever.
We have a new software engineer who, in his first three days, has experienced a tearful good bye party for our first employee Jen, a full-team birthday celebration, and a Tequila Shots/CakeWrecks party. Hmmm, what will we spring on him next week?
This is Patrick.
Patrick like to hang around during the holidays.
Patrick is an "Elf on the Shelf," and he belongs to Wendy (from our Discovery Team). Sometimes though, he stows away in her bag as she heads out the door to Daily Grommet HQ (he's mischievous adventurous like that). And he seems to be popping up all over the place.
Patrick hanging out with Kate and Jen. He's giving them some ideas about new Grommets he'd like to see.
He likes to hang out with the Discovery team and hear about what cool, new Grommets we have coming up.
He also like to try new things, like working the camera (backwards?).
Patrick decides to help out on filming day.
Don't get me wrong, no one's complaining. It is holiday season after all -- the more elves who want to hang around and help, the better!
Do you have an elf in your family? Where's the oddest place he's turned up?
Yesterday, we invited entertaining expert Chris Nease to share stylish tips for your Thanksgiving table. Today, we're delighted to have design blogger - Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo here to continue sharing great holiday decor inspiration and ideas.
by Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo
My name is Amy Beth Cupp, and nearly five years ago I married Mr. D. That makes me ABCD! I write a blog about making your house a home which is aptly named ABCDDesign. I am a trained chef, artist and floral designer. I have worked in event planning, floral, stationery and interior design. I am thrilled the Daily Grommet asked me here to talk about decorating for the holiday season.
Who is planning to entertain at home in the next few weeks? So much of the holidays are focused on sharing time at the table with close friends and family, so I am going to focus on tabletop decorations today. A huge percentage of pleasure at a meal is about the visual experience. Make it a feast for the eyes!
China, Stemware, and Flatware! My motto is simple: Life is short. Eat off the good china! Whether you are throwing an event for two or twenty, I think it is important to make life's little moments into memorable milestones. Unless your wedding china was handed down from your great, great grandmother chances are that a broken dish is either still in production or can purchased at replacements.com. So don't be afraid to USE the pretty stuff.
One of the biggest trends we see in tabletop is mix and match china. It's all about layering, layering, layering. Notice all of the linens are natural color. This makes it easy to repurpose them at other times of the year. Napkins are either folded alongside the plate, placed in the top dish, or slipped between the top and bottom dish - there are no rules.
The mood we have in these images is nostalgic, it's cozy, mis-matched. We have a combination of materials that help lend an antiqued feel to the space. Do different textures on your tabletop: wood, moss, bark, greenery, combining gold and silver finishes and pine cones add a fabulous foil to the cool, sparkling china and the glimmer of crystal. The use of linen, wood, twine, and mixed metallics compliment the combination of clear and mercury glass.
Speaking of which, mercury glass is everywhere this holiday season. It's wonderful because it looks as fantastic at the 4th of July as it does at Halloween and Christmas. It doesn't show fingerprints and it gives an instant feel of history to the table. Other trends we're seeing a ton of in Holiday ornaments and decorations: crowns, woodland animals and mushrooms.
When decorating your table for the holidays, think about starting with a neutral palette on all the basics (tablecloths, and napkins especially) and then dress it up at the with pops of color that don't necessarily have to be a predictable fall colors for Thanksgiving or the traditional Christmastime red and green color palette. By mixing in fresh greenery, Christmas bulbs and other wintery elements, we get a decidedly 'holiday' feel.
Lighting: Flicker LED candles are all the rage. They won't blow out during an event and save on clean-up after a party. But personally, I love the soft glow that orange and peach color candles give a room, so I always add them in regardless of whether I am using LED lights or not.
Centerpieces: Be certain not to use highly scented flowers such as lilies. Keep your flower budget low by using only one or two varieties of flowers in your arrangements. Get creative and reach for old family pieces. Soup tureens, galvanized buckets, crystal bowls, water pitchers, coffee pots and tea cups all make interesting containers for floral decorations.
Fill bowls, vessels and pitchers with seasonal fruits; persimmons, apples, oranges, cranberries and pears. I chose to do a mixture of clementines and tangerines. They're fantastic this time of year, and will be happily snacked upon long after the dinner party is over. I like to carry the mood throughout the house. I put Christmas bulbs in big bowls in nearly every room.
Prizes! Party favors are not just for kids parties any more. We've been seeing more and more hostesses giving token gifts out to their party guests. I have designed these letterpress matchboxes that play double duty and act as place card holders at the table. All my guests can go home with a handsome parting gift at the end of the night. They last far longer than any bottle of wine or tin of cookies, they also make a terrific Hostess gift for any Winter party.
Speaking of hostess gifts: one of my favorite finds this year were MyDrap linens on a roll. They're eco friendly, 100% cotton and linen. They are washable up to six times and come in a myriad of colors. They're an amazing way to add quick, reasonably priced color to your table for a themed event, or make for a fabulous hostess gift.
Ideas for easy entertaining at the holidays: Highlight what you are good at. Hire out what you do not do or can not do yourself. Throw a Winter Solstice Cookie Party: I bake every cookie and holiday treat I have the recipe for and invite my friends in for dessert. I serve homemade eggnog, champagne, coffee and tea. It is such an easy, fun way to throw a celebration. All the work is done ahead of time and I can truly appreciate my guests without worrying that I am burning something in oven -OR- Consider throwing a New Years Day open house: prepare a pot of soup, serve rolls, a cheese and olive plate on a buffet. Let people come and go and help themselves throughout the afternoon.
Jingle-Jingle! And most of all, ENJOY. xo ABCD
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Would you like more holiday help? ABCD, and several other expert bloggers will be joining us for a fun and festive Twitter party. We’ll be sharing more ideas and tips for holiday food, decor, gifts, plus much more! More info here. We hope you’ll join us!
