The Uncommon Life

Fall Giveaway!

October 7, 2011

ETA October 10, 2011: Congratulations to our Fall Giveaway winner, Joanna Z!

Joanna said, “I love the smell of ripe apples on the trees, the crisp, cool mornings, and pumpkins showing up at every grocery store, every produce stand, and on just about every front porch.”

Thanks to all who entered for your fabulous fall stories!


Colorful leaves, warm beverages, new fashion, and Halloween. What’s not to love about fall? To celebrate our admiration for autumn, we’re giving away some of our favorite fall goods! Read on to find out how you can win.

Vawn and Mike Gray aren’t novices when it comes to creating kiln-formed glass art. In fact, they developed their own process to turn old glass bottles into fused-glass masterpieces using an energy efficient, computer-controlled oven.

We love Vawn and Mike’s recycled glass nightlights. Their Recycled Pelican Nightlight and Recycled Sandpiper Night Light are so popular, we added another bird to the lineup, just in time for fall!

“When Uncommon Goods asked if we could create an exclusive Night Owl nightlight design in Reborn Glass, without a second thought, we said, ‘of course’,” says Vawn. “Here in Cape Coral, Florida we are proud to host one of the strongest populations of the highly protected Burrowing Owl, a pint sized, 9-inch bird who makes their nest underground rather than in trees. Our neighborhood is home to several active burrows and the fun thing with these guys is that they are active during the day and provide loads of comical, creative inspiration.”

Although Burrowing Owls are active by day, the Grays creation is a ‘Night Owl,’ appropriate for a nightlight. “With that in mind further inspiration was drawn from one of my favorite characters, Owl, from Winnie The Pooh collection of films,” Vawn explains. “For us, it was all about the eyes—we literally build each owl around the eyes keeping them bright and focal. Broken beer, wine, vodka, and whiskey bottles provide the color pallet for this UncommonGoods exclusive autumn design.”

Owls are quite lovely, so while we’re on the subject of beautiful wildlife, we’re also going to give away one of our brand new Recycled Cotton Fox “Stole” scarves.

This clever, and cruelty-free, alternative to fur is cute, cuddly and fashionable. We’re giving away the autumn-toned fox, a fall fashion must, but these critter-themed scarves are also available for purchase in Raccoon, Skunk, and Mink.

These adorable animals will keep you warm and toasty on the go, but fall is also about getting cozy indoors. We’re making comfort a little easier by giving away Teas of Encouragement.

These calming teas, Live Forever Tea, an antioxidant packed organic green tea and jasmine blend, and Instant Karma Tea, containing organic roobios and warming coconut chai, are the perfect companion to a good book or a classic movie at home on a rainy fall afternoon.

You can win our fall giveaway by leaving a comment below. What do you love most about the autumn? Don’t forget to leave a comment on our Facebook wall and double your chances to win.

We’ll announce the winner on Monday, October 10.

72 Comments

  • Reply Emily October 7, 2011 at 8:02 am

    I love the refreshing weather and being able to look forward to Halloween (candy corn!) and Thanksgiving. It’s also fun to be able to pull cozy sweaters out of storage after a long hot summer in the south!

  • Reply Danielle October 7, 2011 at 8:31 am

    I love seeing the leaves change and being able to walk on them when they are satisfyingly crunchy. And the return of pumpkin, apple and other flavors everywhere.

  • Reply Nancy October 7, 2011 at 9:17 am

    The beautiful red, orange and yellow leaves against a dark sky and big puffy clouds! Takes my breath away.

  • Reply julia fedorova October 7, 2011 at 9:17 am

    fall = hot apple cider + hay rides + bundling up in warm SCARVES! p.s. i ♥ owls

  • Reply Shannon M. October 7, 2011 at 9:17 am

    I love fall, it’s my favorite time of year … the weather is perfect and I love all of the leaves changing. 🙂

  • Reply georgina October 7, 2011 at 9:17 am

    I enjoy Fall when my kids’ eyes open up in awed of pumpkins, color change of trees and a great pumpkin roll we only get during this season.

  • Reply kim October 7, 2011 at 9:19 am

    I love fall for the cooler temps and the bright foliage. I am a runner, so I am always chomping at the bit for the heat of summer to end so I can have those nice long, crisp runs of fall. I prefer sweaters, skirts, and leggings to shorts and bathing suits any day!

  • Reply Erin Cap October 7, 2011 at 9:20 am

    The best things of fall have to be Pumpkin spice smell, first fires in the wood Stove, Getting my Girls new tights for their favorite dresses, getting the Fall decorations out, the first random and SUDDEN snow followed by a 75 degree day and the trees changing color!

  • Reply Lorie October 7, 2011 at 9:21 am

    Fall is a time to get cozy and basque in the beauty of the colorful trees surrounding you in God’s beautiful creation. I LOVE FALL. P.S. I also love the owl nightlight – SUPER cute!

  • Reply Lisa Zarzycki October 7, 2011 at 9:21 am

    Fall is the time I love to go for long walks in the middle of no where. Sit and listen to wind and the trees telling their story. Then coming home to sit by the fire with a nice warm cup of apple cider and watch FOOTBALL!!!

  • Reply Marlowe October 7, 2011 at 9:22 am

    Here in the high plains of Kansas autumn only last for about 2 weeks, and the leaves drop so quickly that when you stop to watch them it is magical!
    I also love pumpkin beer!

  • Reply Marjean October 7, 2011 at 9:23 am

    Autumn is the most beautiful time of year in the part of the country I live in. The days are sunny and warm and the evenings are cool so you can have a little fire going in the backyard. I’m a big fan of autumn because it means Pumpkin Spice Lattes return at coffee shops!

  • Reply April October 7, 2011 at 9:23 am

    Pumpkin pie, bonfires, cool weather, & the anticipation of all the best holidays coming up!

  • Reply Palma October 7, 2011 at 9:25 am

    I love the crispness in the air. The colors & beautiful sunsets reflecting on those colors.
    I love Halloween & the wonders it produces for those of us in western NY it’s very special and many of us go out of our way to decorate trying to scare those little ones into the fun of it all. Pumpkins, haystacks, corn stalks, apples, cider, mazes & haunted houses abound!

  • Reply Kelli October 7, 2011 at 9:27 am

    Fall is simply wonderful. It is my favorite time of the year. I love when I step out the door in the morning and the crisp air hits my face. The fact that I can see my breath gives me chills and makes me smile. I love all the flavors I get to bring back into my baking, such as pumpkin, apple, and cinnamon and all the ripe, fresh fruits and veggies that crowd the supermarkets. I love that I can stop at my local coffee shop and wrap my fingers around a warm cup of something delicious. I love being able to wear my scarves again without people looking at me strange. I love that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I love the color of the maples and oaks. And the crunch the leaves make beneath my boots. I love that my birthday is the same days as my grandmother’s birthday. We are both October babies. My other grandmother was also born in October, a few weeks later. I love waking up in the morning and feeling the cold hardwood floor under my feet.

  • Reply Rosa October 7, 2011 at 9:31 am

    Autum is the season of change, of transition, newness. I love the colors and the weather the opportunities to cuddle with a mug of something warm like soup or hot cocoa. What else can you ask for? 🙂 Its a great time to light scented candles & rock fedora hats!

  • Reply Leigh Ann October 7, 2011 at 9:32 am

    Fall beer!

  • Reply Jeana October 7, 2011 at 9:35 am

    The cool nights – getting to sleep with the windows open. Carmel apples – yum and kids in halloween costumes

  • Reply Kelly October 7, 2011 at 9:35 am

    I love the cooler weather, the bright colors of the changing leaves, Halloween, tailgaiting at football games, and everything ‘pumpkin’ that come out this time of year.

  • Reply Melissa Russell October 7, 2011 at 9:37 am

    I love the cool temps and warm scents.

  • Reply Marion October 7, 2011 at 9:37 am

    Fall is a spectacular display of colors, new smells, and the crunch of fresh apples. Michigan apples are the best part of the season.

  • Reply Jennifer October 7, 2011 at 9:39 am

    what i love most about the fall? not turning on the air conditioner OR heater; leaving my windows open at night. AND – no, or at least fewer bugs!

  • Reply Timbrely October 7, 2011 at 9:39 am

    The wind and carving jack-o-lanterns are in heated competition for my top ranking autumn feature. Even my cat loves running around in a gusty wind. There is nothing like a brisk, blustery day to make life feel a bit surreal. Add my iPod and suddenly my life feels like a movie with the perfect soundtrack.

  • Reply Alisha Atkins October 7, 2011 at 9:39 am

    I love watching the leaves change on the trees in the mountains of West Virginia. It is breathtaking how beautiful it is! 🙂

  • Reply Jessica G October 7, 2011 at 9:39 am

    I love the changing leaves in the West Virginia mountains.

  • Reply Toni K October 7, 2011 at 9:45 am

    I love how the forest turns all different shades of yellow, orange, and red.

  • Reply Martha heneghan October 7, 2011 at 9:46 am

    My favorite thing about fall is the start of the holiday season. Halloween, Thanksgiving, leading into Christmas!! Decorating for these Occasions is always so fun.

  • Reply Jen October 7, 2011 at 9:47 am

    I love what I call fall sweatshirt weather! Here in New England, it’s just cold enough to wear long sleeves, but there’s no need to grab a coat when you go out the door. Also, pumpkin everything, apple picking, & country fairs!

  • Reply Jen October 7, 2011 at 9:50 am

    Bundling up in my favourite coat, and walking through the park with my fella hearing the crunch of leaves under our feet.

  • Reply Phoebe Lau October 7, 2011 at 9:54 am

    I love the SMELL of fall! It’s this beautiful and comforting mixture of dirt, of sun warming the pavement, and leaves giving their last breath.

  • Reply Vawn October 7, 2011 at 9:56 am

    I spent the first half of my life in Michigan…moving to SW Florida in 1989. So I have to answer what I MISS most about Autumn! EVERYTHING!!! Changing colors, Cider Mills, The Pumpkin Patch, that crisp chill in the air…of all the seasons i miss Fall the most!!!

  • Reply Megan October 7, 2011 at 9:57 am

    I LOVE the smell of burning leaves, the crisp fall air, and the beautiful colors! By far, it’s my favorite season for waking up all of my 5 senses 🙂

  • Reply Hannah October 7, 2011 at 10:00 am

    Carving pumpkins, food in the crockpot, pumpkin beer! Walks around the lake in the evening. Seeing our breath in the morning. Halloween costumes (and candy)! The crisp smell of the air and the leaves. Leaving the windows open (here in NC, it’s perfect window-weather).

  • Reply Emily October 7, 2011 at 10:02 am

    Pumpkin pie! The warmth it gives you while eating; it embodies all that is good about fall! Spicy, creamy, dreamy, Home.

  • Reply Trudi October 7, 2011 at 10:03 am

    I love the smell of wood burning in fireplaces, woodstoves, and bonfires.

  • Reply Rae October 7, 2011 at 10:03 am

    We’re lucky we can ride year round here. Long rides or short to the farm market. Crisp cool weather.

  • Reply Rachel Zapata October 7, 2011 at 10:04 am

    I love Fall because it is the beginning of the holiday season 🙂 The temperature is perfect, the colors are beautiful, and the flavors are GREAT! YAY PUMPKIN BREAD AND APPLE CIDER and all that good stuff! 🙂

  • Reply Susi October 7, 2011 at 10:12 am

    Sweater weather and pumpkin patches.

  • Reply Cindi October 7, 2011 at 10:14 am

    Cider Mill and pumpkin patch visits, watching my kids play in the leaf piles and the look of wonder on their faces as they examine the changing colors of the leaves

  • Reply Amy Yeh October 7, 2011 at 10:16 am

    Being the season before winter, fall makes us start to expect all the snow fun we’ve been waiting for since the end of last snow season.

  • Reply Emily October 7, 2011 at 10:28 am

    I love trips to the apple orchard and pumpkin carving!

  • Reply Sara October 7, 2011 at 10:33 am

    Living in Florida fall is a very unusual season. The leaves don’t really change but you can feel the weather getting cooler and cooler and that’s always exciting after an incredibly hot summer. The weather gets nicer, the holidays of fall are the most fun, and you get the wear the cutest clothes like boots and scarves and coats. As a kid I never carved pumpkins or had any kind of holiday tradition but this year I’m finally going to carve my first pumpkin.

  • Reply Cherish October 7, 2011 at 10:48 am

    Apple orchards and pumpkin anything! Also, Halloween is my favorite holiday 🙂

  • Reply Jere October 7, 2011 at 10:49 am

    I live in Kodiak, AK and do not get a fall 🙁 It goes right into winter around here but what I do to make it feel like fall is the smells 🙂 The smells of wood burning, pumpkin pie cooking and drinking our Octoberfest micro beer 🙂

  • Reply Joy October 7, 2011 at 10:52 am

    I love when the air starts getting crisp and the leaves start to change; the first notes of burning firewood in the air; hot chocolate at Friday night football games; getting the sweaters out and putting most of the shorts away.

  • Reply Pam October 7, 2011 at 10:52 am

    Halloween!!!!!

  • Reply Stacey October 7, 2011 at 10:57 am

    I love the smell, the crispness of the air, and the thought of the holidays being right around the corner. I cannot wait to start shopping for gifts for everyone on Uncommon Goods website!

  • Reply Lindsey October 7, 2011 at 10:58 am

    Cinnamon in my coffee, pumpkin bread, hikes in the woods, leaf piles, apple picking, and Halloween!!! Every single thing about fall!

  • Reply diane October 7, 2011 at 11:00 am

    pumpkins!!!!!

  • Reply Jess Morine October 7, 2011 at 11:03 am

    The crisp air and being able to wear sweaters without a jacket

  • Reply Nichole Leighton October 7, 2011 at 11:06 am

    I love that hint of coolness in the air, the slight smell of damp in the morning while I drink my coffee on the back porch, taking evening bike rides, decorating with mums and hay and that our wedding anniversary and my sons birthday are both in Oct!

  • Reply Addy October 7, 2011 at 11:10 am

    I love the spectacular colors that come from trees, mums, pumpkins and other fall veggies!

  • Reply Sabrina October 7, 2011 at 11:12 am

    I love so many things about fall. I love the deep, vibrant blue of the sky and how everything seems to stand out so crisply against it. The nip in the air and being able to wear cute sweaters and boots and knitted accessories. Being a knitter, it’s the most exciting time for me to plan what I am going to knit and wear all fall and winter. And finally, though I am sure there are a ton of reasons I am forgetting, I love that burning leaves smell in the air! It’s definitely the best time of year. 🙂

  • Reply Deanne Ross October 7, 2011 at 11:30 am

    I love the flavors and smells of the season!

  • Reply Joanna Z October 7, 2011 at 11:47 am

    I love the smell of ripe apples on the trees, the crisp, cool mornings, and pumpkins showing up at every grocery store, every produce stand, and on just about every front porch.

  • Reply Susie October 7, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    I love the leaves changing color…gold, orange, red, burgundy. I love the salmon coming home to the hatchery. I love the smell of pumpking cake and Chex Party Mix baking in the oven.

  • Reply Chantal October 7, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    I love the windy nights and the coldness for cuddling, the bonfires with friends, and the inevitable smell sweet potato and pumpkin pie being made in the kitchen. But most of all… I love that its my birthday and my busy family stops, relaxs, and enjoys each others amazing company the most during the fall. 🙂

  • Reply Kimberly October 7, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    Pumpkin spice EVERYTHING! I absolutely love pumpkin flavored everything that comes out on the shelves this time of year. Coffee, donuts, muffins, bread, cream cheese, yogurt…

  • Reply Heather Devaney October 7, 2011 at 1:05 pm

    My favorite part of fall is seeing all of the animals busying themselves for the winter. This is the time of year they all come out- we always get a family of black bears that move into our backyard for the season. Chipmunks scurrying around our decks, raccoons climbing our porch posts, and the squirrels cutting the acorns off of the oak trees. I swear they think it’s funny to throw them at our heads! =) The beautiful changing of the leaves, the cooler, crisper air, opening all the windows to let nature cool the house…ahh yes, fall in the Great Smoky Mountains is DEFINITELY my favorite time of the year!

  • Reply Victoria Shuler October 7, 2011 at 1:29 pm

    My favorite thing about fall is watching the season change, especially the change of the leaves from green to golds and oranges. The cooler air is lovely too…perfect for sweaters and scarves!

  • Reply Kelli Rogers October 7, 2011 at 1:34 pm

    I love seeing the changing colors of the leaves. The coolness in the air. Picking fresh apples from the tree in the mountains. Halloween is a big Love in my family. I love decorating for Halloween and look forward to it every year.

  • Reply Susanne October 7, 2011 at 1:52 pm

    Uncommongoods is the go to site for that special, unique gift….love it! Such an exciting time of year as I go to visit all the grandchildren for fall as there are several birthdays and Halloween which is such fun for seniors and babies to act the same! While I live in the Smoky Mountains being in Montana has that special twist of major love!!!

  • Reply Karen October 7, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    This is going to sound crazy, but my favorite part of the fall is the extra darkness! I love summer’s long days, but after months of overbooked schedules of summer, of less sleep because there’s so much to do and so much light, there’s a sense of quiet, calm to these shorter days. In the evening, instead of a walk or a squirt gun battle with our son, we cozy up in the house. There are board games to play, homework to help with and tea to drink. And earlier to bed means a more rested me. : )

  • Reply marie October 7, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    What do you love most about the autumn? <- i luv the pretty colors of the leaves and the season of halloween and the smell of pumkin pie and the colors of red yellow and green =]

  • Reply Amanda Moore October 7, 2011 at 6:23 pm

    I love the beautiful colors of the changing leaves and the scents of fall baked goods (pumpkin, apples, and spices). I also love the cooler temperatures; summers down South can be brutal, so the change is such a relief!

  • Reply Britt T. October 7, 2011 at 9:01 pm

    I like the leaves!

    streamgrass77(at)aol(dot)com

  • Reply domestic diva October 8, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    I love crisp mornings, and baking with pumpkin.

  • Reply Sally K October 8, 2011 at 6:52 pm

    Not mowing the lawn for the next 7 months!

  • Reply Tiffany H October 9, 2011 at 4:46 am

    The reason I love Autumn so much is because I love to cook! All the good, warm food starts sounding amazingly delicious again, I can turn on my tiny oven again, in my tiny apartment because now that heat feels good and not like it’s going to burn me alive! I can also start layering my clothing with the cool weather starting to roll in. I would love the changing color of the leaves outside, but since I live in SoCal. All in all, I love Autumn.

  • Reply Amanda Francis October 9, 2011 at 10:54 am

    I love the cool, crisp air. I love the crunching of leaves under my feet and I love having a warm drink with pumpkin spice in my hands.

  • Reply Becka Mayfield October 9, 2011 at 12:28 pm

    My two favorite holidays take place during fall. I love giving out candy to the adorable trick-or-treaters who come to my door on Halloween, and I love spending that 4-day weekend back home with the whole family on Thanksgiving. Some people see fall as just a sign of the impending winter, but I see it as a chance to reconnect with my childhood.

  • Reply NANCY m October 9, 2011 at 9:40 pm

    Ahhh, FALL! Here in Florida it means just another day in Florida! So to keep the fall spirit I surround myself with things that remind me of fall…
    -back to school items – fresh sharpened pencils, a new box of crayons.
    -pumpkins -from drawing them in my art classes to picking up a pumpkin muffin on the way to school!
    -fall colors- (it helps that my fave color is ORANGE!) buying & eating yellow & orange iced cookies and getting my toenails done in glittery fall hues.
    Whatever I can do to trick everyone around me into feeling the fall spirit! I just had my students draw “fallen leaves” in their sketchbook, most of them had NO clue what fall leaves REALLY look like!
    🙂

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