Today we would like to share a unique philanthropic organization with you. Small Army for a Cause has founded an event called Be Bold, Be Bald! — a fundraiser to honor cancer patients and raise money to fight the disease itself. Participants are sponsored to wear a bald cap showing support and solidarity with those battling cancer. Here is a photo from this year:
2010
Be Bold, Be Bald! (founded in Boston, Massachusetts) was launched in honor of Mike Connell, co-founder and former Creative Principal of Small Army for a Cause, who lost his battle with cancer in 2007.
Witnessing Mike’s heroic, two year fight, the team saw first hand the courage and strength cancer patients have. He inspired them to continue that fight – and to do so in a way that would truly represent the boldness of Mike and his ideas.
It really is easy to help. No shaving heads. No training. No time off from work. No interfering with weekend plans. Just wear a bald cap, and go about your day. Do it on your own – or, better yet, do it as a team with your work, school, organization or family members.
Last year, they brought the boldness alive with the 1st Annual Be Bold, Be Bald! event. Participants ranged from sororities, fraternities and offices in the U.S. to individual supporters in Alaska and Puerto Rico. With their help and incredible enthusiasm, they raised nearly $100,000! I am thinking that with our help, they can surpass that number this year, what do you think?
The registration fee to participate in the Be Bold, Be Bald! event on October 22 is just $15. Check here for the simple steps to help this deserving cause.
Today I would like to share a recent exchange with Grace Bonney of the ever-popular design blog Design*Sponge. Although Grace needs little introduction, I’ll point out that she has forged the way for many design bloggers looking to tap their talent and share their design. Grace started D*S in 2004 and it’s readership wildly surpasses 60,000 a day. Grace’s talent, eye for design, and humble approach are all inspiring.
Interview with Grace Bonney
We love to share stories… Can you tell us the story behind the name Design Sponge?
I chose the name Design*Sponge because I thought it represented who I was and the way I soak up design- like a sponge. Looking back, part of me always wishes I’d chosen a cooler name (it can feel a little silly to say the word “sponge” 20 times a day), but Design*Sponge is perfect because I’m not a super cool or slick person- so something slightly dorky and upbeat is pretty accurate 
What makes you stop to look at a particular design or piece of art twice?
Like a lot of people, I respond to things on a completely gut level. If it makes me smile, laugh, feel sad or reminds me of something that’s meaningful to me, it’s almost always a good sign that I’ll consider posting it. I only post 6 times a day (which isn’t a lot if you consider only 2 out of every 6 posts is product-based) so I’m really careful with what i choose to post, product or art-wise. I try to never post something that’s appeared online before and always focus on something that I think will make our readers smile, or will in some way inspire them to do something in their own home.
DIY salvaged wood inspiration board from D*S
…at the end of the day, great artists will find a way to get their work out there.
I have two sons studying design in college, so thanks for your work to support students. Which schools do you see doing world-changing work these days?
Oh man, I LOVE student design. I really wish I could teach a summer course on properly using the internet to advance a young career- it would be a blast. I think just about every furniture and product design student I see coming out of Pratt is amazing. And I love the creativity of the fibers students at the Savannah College of Art and Design. FIT’s pattern design students are fantastic, and the open-minded students coming from the California College of the Arts (formerly “of the Arts and Crafts”- so sad they changed their name) are amazing. RISD is consistently churning out great artists, as is Cranbrook. But at the end of the day, great artists will find a way to get their work out there. Some of my favorite designers are people who discovered art without a formal education.
Two weeks ago we had fully vetted a potential cooking tool Grommet and had it scheduled to run imminently. We used the product multiple times. We made the final video, wrote the story, negotiated the commercial terms. I think we had done everything but shoot photography. It was a “go”. But then Katherine tripped on a negative review in a Dutch publication (the product is a European import). She doesn’t read Dutch but she could read “trouble”. She dug deeper, found enough to worry about, and Joanne cancelled the Grommet.
It caused all kinds of headaches for Joanne to make this decision. Someone on her team had to face an upset product supplier. Hours of lost work. A messed up Grommet calendar. A need to accelerate another Grommet. Yet everyone knew it was the right thing to do.
But here’s the rub. This will happen again, and we might miss the bad news and release the Grommet story. The internet is our friend, we can find negative reviews in a nanosecond. But if a product is new, or if the bad news is slow to surface on the Web, we could get “caught” by a disreputable new player or product.
I’m very pleased we are developing a new submission process which will openly publicize the ideas we are seeing. What is now visible only to our team will live in a public “Citizens’ Gallery” on our site. This change is going to be huge: people will be able to get more welcome exposure for their submissions on the Grommet site, and that will also continue to raise the quality of them.
Here’s a first mockup…it’s undergoing revisions, but we want to share it anyway:
Bigger than that, to us, is that we will have a broader chance to hear multiple points of view on a product. We will open up ways to comment on a Grommet idea. By exposing our incoming submissions we will have a much better chance to learn about the possible Grommets from people who are committed to helping us maintain the quality and trust we have built, together, at Grommet.
But….for brand new products even this new Citizens’ Gallery is not enough. Sometimes products fail after months of use. Sometimes social entrepreneurs do not really give the share of revenue that they commit to at the beginning of their endeavor. Sometimes they green-wash a product. Sometimes the front-facing part of the company is professional but the service and operational ends are not. We have so much experience in figuring this stuff out that we haven’t yet had a massive disappointment. We don’t cut corners. We have a nose for the truth, at every level.
But we will miss something important someday. It’s just inevitable. We are a small team. We don’t pretend to be Consumer Reports or Underwriters Laboratory. Our evaluation of a product, and the people and company behind it, is very holistic (more on this in a later blog post). We will get duped or just make some errors.
For this, I will ask for all the input our community can give, once we start exposing our idea submissions. But I am mainly, here and now, apologizing in advance. When we get caught short we will move swiftly and powerfully to correct any errors. It will be deeply upsetting to me and to the Grommet team, and our community. So I am apologizing now.
Jesse Buckley
It feels busier than usual around here these days, but maybe that’s because I’ve been getting out more. This past Tuesday I accompanied Jules to MIT where she presented Daily Grommet to a room full of undergraduates participating in an orientation week for the MIT Ideation Lab and their program, Discover Product Design. These are students entering college for the first time, and their enthusiasm was infectious. It made me want to go back to school myself.
We met at 8 in the morning, and Jules kicked it off by having the students bring an object with them that was important to them. I tried to keep track of the objects, which fell into four categories: items of curiosity (1), items with sentimental value (5), personal fabrications (2), and what you might expect from MIT, items which were particularly functional (10). These are students interested in designing better objects, so to see what they valued and why was fascinating. When I looked up, Jules had drawn pictures of them on the blackboard:
Jules then ran through her PowerPoint deck, telling the story behind Daily Grommet — the ideas which have crystallized around Citizen Commerce, and the stories of the Finders & Founders which surround us. Seeing Jules present was fascinating — she’s a natural! But what was even more inspiring was the reaction from the students. They said things like:
“Hearing about thoughtful creation and consumption was a good way to remind us as designers to think about both sides of the equation.”
“Daily Grommet is different, because although you’re buying really interesting things, you actually feel good about doing so.”
and
“You’re the kind of company we want to like.”
For some reason I was surprised that purchasing is such a conscious process even for people at that point in their lives. Of course it’s not a fair sample — this was the MIT Ideation Lab after all, and Jules certainly set the stage. But it made me realize that there are simple pleasures, an intuitive appeal to the “boutique on a mission” that is Daily Grommet. There were two points that I’ve continued to think about through the week. One was “don’t get too big.” There’s an inherent mistrust in larger companies and the buy it and leave facility they promote. Of course we want to grow, but I wonder if there is a glass ceiling to the personal relevance we strive for. The other was Tweeted out by @MITIdeationLab :
” It’s been hard to keep up with our thoughts… but we’re at least taking notes. Hopefully we can start to reflect and synthesize.”
I feel the same way, taking notes (ecosystem ‘artist’ book) and trying to make the time to reflect and synthesize. Is there an App for that?
I encourage you to visit this article from Boston.com to learn more about MIT’s Discover Product Design program, they are doing really inspiring things.
Want to upgrade your lunchbox? How about a solution for your achy feet after a night on the town? Check out this week’s Grommets, we think you’ll like them!
Ecosystem Life Journals These modern, colorful notebooks from ecosystem are made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper. They come lined or blank, perfect for jotting down thoughts or sketching a quick picture. Pen or pencil, crayon or charcoal — the acid- and chlorine-free paper loves them all. Tiny perforations make it easy to remove a page when you want to, and the flexible covers can be wiped clean with a damp cloth so they keep looking new even after months of use. ($14.95) Buy Ecosystem’s recycled blank writing journals here.
Love In A Lunchbox. The Lunch Jar is a stainless steel container into which three covered bowls fit, stacked on top of each other. The sturdy, insulated thermos keeps hot things hot (like soup, chili or pasta) and cold things cold (salad greens, carrots or cucumber slices). The set also comes with a forked spoon and a cool carrying tote. ($46.95) Buy the Zojirushi lunch jar here.
Earthling Crazy Crayons. Our recycled crayon bundle includes a box of Eco Stars. With 20 stars in each box, you’ll have 100 nice sharp points of color for your artistic masterpieces. Or use two points at once to create parallel lines. You also get a Can of Worms, which is (fittingly) nine earthworm-shaped crayons that are perfectly sized for little hands. As a special bonus, our bundle also includes one star-shaped crazy crayon with two colors swirled together. ($17.95) Buy Earthling recycled crayons here.
Falksalt Gourmet Salt. This pure sea salt is naturally unrefined and harvested by hand from the Mediterranean Sea. The evaporation process can take up to two years to achieve the proper texture and flavor – but this extraordinary seasoning is worth the wait. It’s salty, not bitter, and the purity of the sea salt flakes translates into a light sweetness that enhances the flavor of your favorite dishes. (Boxed set of four – $24.95) Buy Falksalt gourmet flake sea salt here.
AfterSoles Ballet Flats. We’ve all been there, wincing in pain after a night of standing, walking and partying in strappy stilettos. Sure, you could take off your heels and dance barefooted for the last few songs. But if shoeless isn’t your style, we’ve found a chic solution for aching arches. AfterSoles are slim ballet flats that roll up to the size of a cell phone. ($14.95) buy rollable women’s ballet flats here.
Perhaps you have read the articles or heard the news segments about the recent bed bug epidemic. Did your skin crawl? Ours did! Don’t let pesky bugs of any kind get the best of you. Here is a round-up of three Grommets that are proven to help keep bugs at bay.
Don’t let the bed bugs bite.
Are heading to a hotel for a weekend trip? Afraid of what will be hiding in that hotel room bed? What about at home, are there bugs hiding in your own bedding? CleanRest MicronOne fabric technology protects you from dust mites, mold spore, dust and other allergens. Dust mites can colonize mattresses and pillows by the billions. Forget the monster under your bed. It’s the monsters inside your bedding that are really scary. Check out CleanRest Ultra Pillows, Pillow Encasements (perfect to take when traveling), and even the CleanRest Matress Encasement (starting at $19.95).
Mosquitoes, bug off!
Are you one of the “lucky” people who always seem to be covered head-to-toe with itchy mosquito bites? Well, with ThermaCELL you will never have to work about pesky mosquitoes again. ThermaCELL isn’t like most mosquito repellent devices. There’s no open flame, and ThermaCELL doesn’t contain DEET or any other harsh chemicals. Instead, it uses butane cartridges and a repellent called allethrin, which is a synthetic form of a natural insecticide found in chrysanthemums. The combination repels up to 98% of mosquitoes, black flies, no-see-ums and sand flies. The technology has been tested and approved by the EPA and the U.S. Army. Check out ThermaCELL Patio Lantern and Portable Unit (starting at $24.95).
Keep lice out.
There’s a four-letter word that strikes fear and panic in parents, school nurses, teachers and everybody else who has ever had to deal with its aftermath: L-I-C-E. No one is immune from these creepy crawlers that all too often infiltrate classrooms and other kid havens. Fear no more, the Bug Bag can help. This brightly colored, patented nylon tents with a hermetically sealed top will prevent lice from spreading to your child’s coat or other belongings. Check out Bug Bag and protect from Lice ($21.99).
Aside from contributing to the Daily Grommet blog, I’ve been writing on my personal blog for five (!) years now. What started out as a means to share personal stories and photos of my kids has turned into so much more. I’m involved in a great community of people who also like to share their stories. We’ve formed friendships online that are just as solid as ones formed in my home town, the only difference being that we don’t have the opportunity to go for coffee whenever we want. The past three summers I have ventured across the border (I’m Canadian) and made trips to San Francisco, Chicago and New York to attend the BlogHer conference and spend face to face time with my friends.
The BlogHer conference gets larger every year, with 2,400 attendees this year in New York City. To help alleviate the cost for attendees, the conference has sponsors. There’s even a large expo hall where you can peruse the booths, enter contests and even score free “swag”. Even more swag can be acquired at one of the many different parties hosted by even more sponsors. While some of the businesses shilling their wares are large corporations (I love the Skullcandy earphones and Assets shapewear I scored), many entrepreneurs are also represented. Lisa Leonard included a discount coupon for her designs and many other people handed out business cards for everything from photography to website design.
The purpose of my trip was to see friends, and while I took home some great things, it was not the reason I was there. However. There are many men and women who spent each and every day scouring the Expo halls for products that they could bring home. If you like to see unique and interesting products, or to share your own, even getting your business cards out there at BlogHer is a good start.
I did the requisite expo hall walk through and then spent the rest of my time laughing with friends and exploring the city. I was in NEW YORK, after all.
I was so delighted to see this final (for now) video from our recently departed intern Claire Lorman. She’s headed back to Savannah College of Art and Design for her Junior Year. Claire wrote a heartwarming departing blog post and this video was like another form of greeting card for me.
I just loved seeing her learn and blossom and really contribute in her summer stay at the Grommet. I think of my own son who also just finished his summer internship and hope he endeared himself as much to his employer as Claire did with us.
Jen Lockwood
Have you ever been asked to be a judge? To me, being selected as a judge means that you know an awful lot about whatever you are judging. This past week I was asked to be a judge at the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) and help select a Bloggers’ Choice Award winner. OK, I have to admit this was pretty cool. With my trusty partner Kate McLeod, we walked the NYIGF floors on Monday in search of the next big thing.
Here’s an excerpt that explains what I had to do and who I picked:
“BLOGGERS’ CHOICE” AWARDS PRESENTED
TO ACCENT ON DESIGN® EXHIBITORSNEW YORK, NY, August 18, 2010… Bloggers from eight leading design and trend-watching sites have selected their top picks for “urgent, odd and delightfully designed” products from the summer 2010 edition of Accent on Design®. The Bloggers’ Choice Awards are presented semi-annually to exhibitors in Accent on Design, one of 10 divisions of the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF).
Each blogger selected one product from among the thousands featured by 200 Accent on Design exhibitors. So, who did I select?
Cast Iron Skillets by Borough Furnace (Murfreesboro, TN)!
In short, I selected Borough Furnace because I like the story behind the product. From humble beginnings as scraped, upcycled iron to a cool, hip, useful cast-iron skillet that will last forever. Old made new — that is what grabbed my attention.
In action - pouring iron at night
Beyond Jason Connelly and John Truex of Borough Furnace being super nice guys and having a great story, their company is going places. I have a gut feeling that someone big is going to help Jason and John get the resources they need to produce their cast iron skillets. I told them not to forget their friends at Daily Grommet when they hit it big. Check out their website to see how the Cast Iron Skillets are made. What a story to tell!
On top of being honored as a judge I was also asked if I would help with a video. Cate Salvatore, from the NYIGF, used her trusty Kodak to film me on the floor interviewing Jason. I definitely was a bit nervous and well even more enthusiastic then I normally am. Luckily, Jason jumped in with a minutes warning. If you want to check it, click here.
As I reflect back on the whole being a judge experience, I realized that I am a judge everyday. I look at hundreds of products a week and only a few make it on the calendar. I am by no means a Simon Cowell but I am learning to spot a winner when I see one.
Here’s a round-up of what we featured this week:
Lunch Totes You’ve got the makings of a great lunch — yogurt, banana, pastrami on rye — but can your lunch sack handle it? These can. Adorned with vibrant, colorful patterns, Built’s insulating lunch totes put brown bags to shame. They’re made from neoprene, which keeps the cool and also stretches a bit to fit all your favorite lunch foods. (Starting at $22) Buy the Built lunch tote and lunch bag here.
Toss & Chop.The weather’s been hot and steamy, perfect for a no-mess supper like a Cobb, Nicoise or chef’s salad. But, oh, all that chopping. Luckily, there’s a shortcut thanks to Wendy Silver, salad lover extraordinaire. A decade ago, Wendy envisioned a way to make short work of salad prep, chopping a bunch of ingredients at the same time, right in the serving bowl. The Toss & Chop became her cutting edge reality. ($22) Buy the Toss & Chop here.
Zagg – InvisibleSHIELD. After finally buying a smartphone, it’s easy to obsess about scratching the screen of your favorite new (and expensive) toy, or finding it smeared with your 3-year-old’s fingerprints. If only there were some sort of protection without sacrificing clarity….presto, the invisibleSHIELD from ZAGG. ($19.95) Buy ZAGG’s screen protectors and skins here.
BusyBodyBooks. BusyBodyBook offers planners for the 2010-2011 academic year and the 2011 calendar year (there’s also a magnetic wall planner). Both spiral-bound organizers feature casual, colorful cover designs. Their slim, lightweight size might even make you forgot for a moment just how busy life is. ($29.95) Buy the BusyBodyBooks family organizer here.
ReBinder. Pick up this ReBinder Green School Supply Kit with everything a child needs for the entire year. Absolutely all of it comes from recycled fibers (85% of them post-consumer). The 30-piece pack includes recycled CD cases and sleeves plus plenty of notebooks (with blank, lined and graph paper) and folders. But the piece de resistance is truly the signature ReBinder. Its 3-ring core can be removed and placed in one of the two included replacement covers when the original wears out, so you don’t need to buy a whole new binder. (Starting at $19.95) Buy ReBinder Recycled School Supplies here.