Wendy Chandor

Why travel to Iowa to ride your bike from the West Coast to the East Coast of Iowa (between 50 – 80 miles a day)?  For the adventure! RAGBRAI was my adventure this year; a chance to experience something completely different, unplug (no access to work/email), and to challenge myself physically.

RAGBRAI stands for The Register’s (Des Moines’s newspaper) Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.  It started 38 years ago when a Register reporter bet another reporter to ride his bike across Iowa and report on the local people he would come across; to tell their stories.  They wrote about their bet in the paper and invited others to come along.  To their surprise, many joined along and now today RAGBRAI has grown to over 10,000 riders.  The route changes each year passing through small towns that jump at the opportunity to be a part of RAGBRAI.  

I realized that the people and the towns are what make RAGBRAI so special.  Everyone is so happy, friendly, and willing to connect.  We met a wonderful group of 8 (6 from CO and 2 from IA) who were fun to hang out with.  We all stayed at the same host house in Clear Lake, IA. This was our toughest biking day (extremely hot and turned out a longer distance than quoted on the map!) and so it was a treat to meet this gang of RAGBRAI alumni.  We shared stories, much laughter; this was like camp for adults.  Our host that night gave us a tour of the Surf Ball Room (this performance ball room is where Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens last performed before the fatal airplane crash) before we shared a wonderful dinner.  That night there were 15 people staying in this home and the host slept out on a couch in the garage!  Can you believe it?  Only in Iowa. . . .

The bike route is 2 lane highways that have been shut down to automobile traffic by state troopers.  One of the troopers had a microphone and would entertain us when we met up at certain road intersections.  The people who ride on RAGBRAI tend to be mostly in-shape cyclists — with personality.  There was a Team Cow (dressed up as cows), Team Pink (wore pink boas and one gal had pink hair, Team Good Beer, and the Air Force Team (as you can imagine, they flew by us often).  Some of the riders have unique bikes:  all different types, bikes with only one speed, a bike that looks like a banana, a guy rode one of those old fashioned bikes with a large front tire — and one guy was standing on an elliptical bike.  We met people from all over the world — the furthest away point that I encountered was New Zealand.

We biked past mostly corn fields that reminded me of oceans of corn, oh the beauty.  Soy beans, beautiful barns, horses cantering in fields, cows, pigs, homes with kids and families cheering us along.  Iowa is progressive with their wind energy turbines which are pretty humbling when you see one close up.  Occasionally, you will see a cluster of 20 of them and they are so peaceful — sort of out there keeping an eye over the crops.

You bike along on the highways and eventually we would start seeing signs for the upcoming towns (i.e., “smoothies and burritos 3 miles”).  We enjoyed reading the preview signs.  Once all the bikers hit the towns (and we are talking Mayberry here), all the cyclists would have to get off.  So we get off, walk around, take photos, eat, drink, dance, see the sights, talk to others.  This was the special part — and each town marked an accomplishment along the way.  These towns come to life with music, entertainment, food/drink vendors, portable potties, and more.  The churches made the best food.  They have done everything to make us comfortable and fuel us for getting back on the bike.  Cartersville, IA was one town my sister and I won’t forget.  Normally only 15 people live in Cartersville — but today there were thousands stopped to watch the local feature set up on a corner next to the largest grain elevators.  One of Cartersville’s farmers built a crane and attached a swing to it that you could grab onto and swing across, then jump into the lake.  We arrived at Cartersville at 10 am — and the line was 30 – 40 people deep to get a chance at the swing! Cartersville may only be home to 15 people, but now thousands hold a fond memory of a unique, fun swing with the backdrop of a local farm!

My sister and I are proud of what we accomplished and will never forget so many moments from RAGBRAI.  Everyone looking for adventure should put RAGBRAI on their Bucket List.

Some of the discovery happens during work hours, right here in our Grommet home.

More of it happens out in the real world, in our travels, like when Jules explored the Detroit Maker Faire.

But most of what we discover comes from others … the “citizens” of Citizen Commerce.

Just this summer, one of my most inspiring friends, Lisa B., took me on a tour of her favorite South End neighborhood spots. We started with a cheese plate and “beverages” at The Gaslight Brasserie (right where the South End Open Market is held … an excellent choice for spotting Grommets!).

While we sipped and munched, she told me about her beautiful Me&Ro necklaces (hidden under her scarf, above, so I snapped a close up below). On top, she wears the “Fearlessness” pendant; below is the Sanskrit symbol for “wisdom and knowledge” (both so fitting for Lisa, just back from hosting a “F- Cancer weekend!” in NYC). Of course, I had to pass these along to the Discovery team … a someday Grommet?

Next we strolled through a hidden walkway …

admiring the architecture of Boston…

and city gardens.

And finally, as night fell, we made our way to the shops …

… where, of course, we stumbled on a few Grommets (the Living Proof sample set, it turns out, didn’t do just what she wanted for her curls, but the Imju mascara was the perfect complement for her brand-new lashes).

Thanks for the inspiration and sharing your Boston with us Lisa!

Hang Onto Your Purse This table top purse holder is small and stylish, made from recycled zinc alloy and paired with colorful emblem designs including Asian-inspired florals and artful prints. You can either attach one to your purse strap or tuck it into its own little suede pouch when not in use. When you get to your destination, simply rest the decorative round top on the table, then hook your purse strap on the chain link that hangs off to the side. It will hold a bag up to five pounds, and your bag’s weight helps hold it in place. ($35) Buy Luxe Link purse holders here.

3, 2, 1… cupcakes! If you like experimenting with cupcakery at home, we’ve found an appliance that makes it fast and easy. The Babycakes cupcake maker can bake eight mini cupcakes in eight minutes or less. It’s powered by 1400 watts that heat the nonstick baking plates, similar to a waffle maker. ($29.95) Buy the Babycakes mini cupcake maker here.

Quick-Change Picture Frames. Have you ever wished you could change up the artwork on your walls fast and easily? Wexel Art helps you do just that. Their acrylic wall frames use pairs of strong magnets to hold your artwork in place, so it’s easy to swap out photos, sketches, and memorabilia without raiding the toolbox. (Starting at $19.95) Buy Wexel Art’s acrylic wall frames here.

Create a Scent-sation. When guests walk into your home, you want them to be greeted with a welcoming, pleasing scent. Let Sweet Grass Farm’s fragrance sticks be your genie in a bottle. ($29.95) Buy Sweet Grass Farm’s fragrance sticks here.

Before and Again These “burnout” long sleeve tee shirts are named for the extensive weathering process, which results in super-soft fabric and a slight transparency that gives depth to the material. They’re comfortably chic, perfect for pairing with jeans or dressing up for a night on the town. Whether you’re going for casual or dressy, the semi-sheer printed effect is anything but ordinary.($84.00) buy Buy Before and Again’s burnout shirts here..

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.

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

Well we’re finally in the end of the design phase! Design*Sponge At Home will be on shelves next spring! It’s 400+ pages of home tours (75 at last count), DIY projects and DIY basics (50 projects and a huge list of basics like wallpapering, electrical wiring, and upholstery), Before & Afters (50 makeovers and tips to recreate the look in your own home) and a fun section on Floral Arranging. I can’t wait for everyone to see what I’ve been poring over for the last year

Your work is a life force in celebrating and preserving craft. How do you approach merchants like IKEA who have high design sensibilities but compromise on construction and materials to meet a low cost?

I think some people feel handmade and machine made can’t exist in the same world- but they could and should. There’s room for all design if you know how to use it. Personally I don’t feel IKEA compromises on construction- they’re pretty up front about offering basic furniture at basic prices. I’m disappointed when I see larger brands offering shoddy merchandise at higher prices. I would never walk into IKEA and expect hand-crafted dovetail joints for $99 so I’m never disappointed

     However, I think it’s all about a balance. If you only bought handmade all the time, you’d really be spending a lot of money and if you only bought mass-produced you’d start to have a cookie-cutter home and would miss out on supporting great local artists.

     So I think my responsibility is to point out what you can do with great affordable things from shops like Ikea (ie: diy projects and customization) and to point out great indie artists doing things by hand. It’s up to readers to decide how best to integrate that into their own homes to suit their needs.

…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.

Is there a reason your team is nearly all women, like ours, or is it serendipity?

 

I think our aesthetic is inherently a bit girly, so we’re going to attract a primarily female audience and editorial team. But we do have a few guys on the team- Derek Fagerstrom (DIY), Nick Olsen (trend watching), and Ryan Walker (Behind the Bar column) contribute and I’m always looking to have more male voices on there. But I think the site in nature is highly feminine so it will probably always be skewed that way until, and if, we expand to embrace a more masculine look.

 

Grace, thank you for sharing with us. We look forward to reading your book when it comes out and always, look forward to the day’s inspiration over on D*S.

 

While browsing Design*Sponge, we stumbled upon some “grommet” inspiration.

from: what’s in your toolbox

 

from: DIY portable sun shade

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.

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.

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).