We took a look at some inspiring products this Spring — what emerged were a few beautifully curated gift ideas for the Spring across three categories: technology, home design and pottery.
Jabra’s SmartSound
Jabra offers a number of fabulous products that really bring the power of sound to a whole new level. First, there‘s their ELITE 85h which is engineered for wireless phone calls and music using SmartSound. What exactly is SmartSound? Think of it as audio technology that automatically adapts to your surroundings. Why this is profound is that adjusts the sound depending on your environment.
Included features that enhance this even more include their Smart Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), 8 microphones for enhanced call quality and custom music settings that automatically adjust. Not only does it enhance call quality, blocking out more wind noise and background distractions, but you get crystal clear sound which makes it an incredible option for conference calls or calls where you want to be undisturbed in a distracting or otherwise noisy environment.
Also included in the ELITE 85h is enabled voice assistance. And this cool feature dear friends, means that a one-touch connection to Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant allows you to use voice commands to set appointments, find nearby events, or have your messages read to you. What an amazing intuitive feature — bravo!
The Smart Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) switches itself on if it detects unwanted background noise, according to the preferences you set within the Jabra Sound+ app. Of the 8 included microphones, 4 are used by the powerful digital ANC to filter out the noise around you.
The headset is rain-resistant and has an impressive battery life at up to 36 hours with the Smart Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature turned on. They also offer four elegant stylish color combos as well (below).
For the active enthusiasts, check out the Jabra Elite Active 75t. Why choose this one over others? The Jabra Elite Active 75t is really great for people on the go. We tested it out in a gym setting however as we did some digging around, we learned that many use these great earbuds when they run.
These earbuds have a great fit by the way — they apparently did research on thousands of ears and ran them through an advanced algorithmic simulator to develop such an amazing fit. Combine the great fit with high-performance and a beautiful design and it’s hard to beat these ear buds for music or audio on-the-go. The other thing we love are all the color combinations (see above).
Their IP57-rating makes them fully waterproof and sweatproof, making them a perfect option for sports. The rating essentially means that they are IP57 verified to withstand fresh water up to one meter for 30 minutes. Cool, right? They even offer a 2 year warranty against dust and sweat.
For more about Jabra and their products, visit their website for the latest options and to place an order.
Artisan Magic by My Copper Craft
Poland-based Peter is the artisan behind Copper Craft who has been working with copper for around seven years. Inspired by a small village called Ostrowite where he spent his summers by the lake and among forests, he always had an interest in arts and crafts, especially working with metals. He says: “I always wanted to weld a huge bull and fry an egg on its body when its scorching summer.” When he began working with copper, he started making wall art sculptures out of people fingerprints, like a heart created out of two lovers fingerprints. What has creatively morphed since then is nothing short of pure beauty and skill.
For example, take one of our favorites of his current collection: the Tree of Life in copper combined with Celtic Tiles.
If you want something a little simpler with less “energy” then you can also order The Tree of Life with a more elegant set of tiles surrounding the tree (see below).
What’s great about his online offerings is that you can tell him what you like and don’t like and also the Patina finish (a lighter or darker brown as an example). Or simply opt for creative wall art like the gorgeous heart below. He will customize a piece depending on what you want. And, if copper isn’t your thing, you can also go with steel or a different color tone finish.
For astrology and Pagan lovers out there, check out a Zodiac sign creation – beautiful right?
Although he can create alternative designs and all is custom, the backsplash tiles seem to be the creations that most jumped out for us — why? The quality and craftmanship seems to stand out against the other Copper vendors who offer “similar” options. Pete’s work is authentic and high quality and we are thrilled with his work. He can even create a mirror design for you — two thumbs up!
Be sure to visit Peter’s websites: MyMetalCraft.com and MyCopperCraft.com as well as his his Etsy store for more about them, their offerings and to order.
Pottery by Allen Stoneware
I discovered a beautiful pottery store on Etsy that exudes an individual artisan flavor we really love. Based out of Pennsylvania, Vickie Shea is the artisan behind Allen Stoneware. She makes a variety of products, including spoon rests, ceramic mugs, soup mugs, salt holders and bowls, jars, soap dishes with drainage holes, soap dispensers, colanders, trays, beer steins, dishes and more.
We fell in love with her fun kitchen kit that include a kitchen caddy and sponge holder; it was this combo that drew us into her site.
You can mix and match using the same finish or different ones. Left is a cup without a handle that could be used to drink tea or wine. On the right is the kitchen caddy and sponge holder. Gorgeous, right?
Note above that there are several different color combinations and finishes you can choose from, via a drop down menu when you make your selection. There are more whimsical options as well such as chip and dip platters, and creative plates and trays shaped like turtles, mermaids, fish and beyond.
She actually took a ceramics graduate program in college; I didn’t realize such a thing existed so find her journey fascinating. She started with a storefront and participated in various craft shows but has also taught private pottery classes as well.
Vickie says: “I felt myself wanting more and began to study spiritual mindfulness. As an artist I realized I could co-create with the universe. I began to practice gratitude and mindfulness in my everyday life and began to sculpt my life the way I do my clay. I wake up everyday grateful for the ongoing adventure that ceramics has brought to my life.”
Be sure to visit her website for more information about them as well as the variety of products she creates. You can also check out their Etsy store for more about their offerings and of course to order.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
