Quirky gifts fit for your King…

Out of every gift recipient in the World, I would say men are the hardest to buy for. They don’t want for much, what they do want, they buy themselves, so finding a gift that they don’t even know they want yet is the best way forward. With Father’s Day approaching here in the UK, I thought it was an apt topic of research for this next post. Rather than going for Dad this and Dad that, I have mostly opted for gifts that can be given to any man for any occasion, whether it be birthdays, Christmas, leaving gifts, these would be fabulously quirky gifts to give.

This has really inspired me to re-think my giftage for Father’s day. My poor Dad usually ends up with a packet of wagon wheels and some jammie dodgers so any of these gifts would be a massive step up!

This crab multi-tool is amazing, if there’s one thing I have learned from being married to Mr Quirky for so many years is that a multi-tool is always a welcome gift. It’s useful but this one is particularly fun with it’s crabby shape. We love it here at Quirky HQ! Doesn’t necessarily have to say Daddy, any name can be added to it. This is quirky at it’s best.

This next find is a bit random, but I had to add it in. I have never seen a shaped padlock before and this is why it would make a funky little gift. Unusual turns the non-gift into a great gift! Not only is the turtle super quirky, but the colouring and style is so classy, This would add a little va va voom to the garden shed or a ‘keep out’ box!

I would say alcohol is one of those safety gifts for men, especially for Father’s Day. But what if you could make that alcohol gift extra special and memorable at the same time. This gas / petrol pump drinks dispenser is so funky. It would be sure to put a big smile on ‘his’ face. It doesn’t necessarily have to be just for alcohol, there’s fun here for the whole family!

This next find is a funny one. Emulating a six-pack, this lunch bag is so cool. It would be fab if you did fill it with cans when giving it too. Jokey and practical has been a winning combination for men’s gifts for many years. This cooler lunch bag can be personalised with any name, and has a shoulder strap which is extremely handy.

Vinking tv shows such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom have created a surge in interest of novelty horn cups, and there is a huge amount of various materials horn cups out there that would make fabulous gifts, but this horn glass is very classy. I have seen many quirky-shaped beer glasses over the years, but this is the first time I’ve seen a horn. I love that it has it’s own stand too. This is very unique and I do think that any man would love to own one of these whether they’re into the tv shows or not.

I bought something similar to this for my husband a few Christmases ago and it is probably up there as one of the most successful gifts I’ve given him over the years. It is so useful, we both use it near enough on a daily basis. It has a keyring function too so easy to keep it close at hand. The tiny screwdrivers have been a God-send with the many children’s toys that need to be unscrewed from boxes or to insert batteries. A great practical quirky gift for a Dad for sure, but any person at any age would benefit from having one of these in their house. Great price too!

Ok, so I know socks is a pretty standard gift for men. I know that Mr Quirky relies on Christmas, birthday etc for socks, he hasn’t bought his own for so many years. But, I have never seen pizza socks before, and never displayed in a pizza box like this before. So funky, I think it’s fab, especially for a pizza-lover of a man. These are pretty quirky socks!

I know that men and women alike take their dogs for a walk, but something tells me that a light saber dog lead would be more of a man’s cup of tea…I even checked with Mr Quirky so I must be right! This would be an epic gift to give. If he’s a Star Wars fan (most men are or have been at some point) and he has a dog, this would be a fun, practical gift to give. Be prepared to see some lead envy from other dogs and dog walkers though!

Men do tend to get a lot of books as gifts too, so why not give them a gift that will help them out with this…the gift of light! This funky dog-shaped lamp would be extremely useful either in the study or as a bedside lamp. Stylishly designed, it certainly wouldn’t be an eye-sore, and although it is quirkilly-shaped, it is a sophisticated lamp, and would blend in well with any theme / colour.

Another favourite type of gift to give a man is anything gardening-related. I even have a couple of quirky gardening mugs on my website that would make fab gifts for men. I was very drawn to this tractor bird house. It’s quirky and has a purpose which makes it a top notch gift. It has a gorgeous vintage vibe. Children loves tractors too so it would be a fun bird house to have in any garden.

A little bit of fun with this quirky gardening gifts part of the post! I found many other animal watering cans, but this elephant is my favourite, and possibly the most unusual. A stylish gift to give, and has a use, and even when it isn’t in use, it would look great as a garden ornament. You could even use it as a quirky planter!

This is the first time I’ve seen anything like this so a lovely little addition to the post I think. These birds apparently act like watering devices. Great if you’re away for a few days and don’t have anyone to water your plants! This might be a good option for me because nothing survives in my garden / house, apart from weeds!

This is probably one of my favourite ‘for him’ finds. It is very attractive and dare I say, a little bit pretty! The colours are stunning, a beautiful work of art with the quirky colourful houses and the fishing boat. What I like most about it is that it is a memory box, a fabulous place for him to keep his keepsakes, memories and most treasured possessions. I adore this memory box, I love the artwork and I’m sure it would be very well received as a very special gift.

This hand ring would make a very special keepsake to put in that box. A great gift for a new Father maybe as a gift from his new baby. Extremely quirky, the design is exquisite. It has the potential to have a truly amazing sentiment. This is a stunning little gift to give the special man in your life.

This next find would make such a sweet gift. I found many quirky clocks like this one, works of art created out of what seems to be vinyl records, but this one stood out to me. This clock captures real magic between Father and Daughter. Any Father would be proud to hang this on the wall for all to see, it is stunning and I love it.

I have purely skimmed the top of special quirky gifts for men here, but I hope they have inspired some ideas for you. Don’t be predictable with your gift choices for the men in your life this year, give them a little bit of quirky and they will be so grateful, mix it up a bit! A little bit of the unexpected is good for everyone every now and again, even those men who ‘don’t want anything’! Men deserve to feel special too, they are our kings, our princes, our heroes, and we should celebrate them.

Music to my quirky ears just in time for Eurovision!

With the spectacular event of the Eurovision Song Contest happening this weekend, I thought that a music was an appropriate theme to explore. Music is one of my main passions in life. My childhood saw many instruments come and go. I was so taken by the harp in an Eisteddfod (Welsh Creative Arts Festival) that I begged my parents for one…I was given a recorder! I had violin lessons for years but I doubt I was any good. As an adult, I dabble in playing the keyboard but my voice is my instrument.

I love singing. I love song-writing. I once dreamt of being the voice of a Disney Princess one day, or to work in Disneyland as a singing Princess, but life happened. So now I am just a Disney Princess behind closed doors!! A passion for music never really leaves you so it is no wonder I was drawn to so many musical vibe quirky gifts as I researched various themes. Mr Quirky is also musical and plays the guitar hence why I have found so many guitar gifts I suppose. Hope you enjoy my finds, I think they are quite special.

My first stunningly quirky find is this amazing metal trumpet lamp. My sister used to play the trumpet, she had to go to the bottom of the garden to practice! You certainly wouldn’t want this trumpet anywhere other than centre stage, this not only serves as a fantastic statement piece, it is very practical too. Great for the music room, or if you want to add a bit of quirky to your living room or bedroom. Such a gorgeous gift to give. I’d be very happy to receive it. I definitely need to explore quirky lamps for another post, this is just fabulous.

This next find is so unbelievably cool. It deserves to be worn to a special occasion, it’s made out of wood, how quirky is that?! I can imagine a Wedding band wearing them, or a musical groom. Or how about those singing waiters?!

I added this next find into the mix because it is so unusual. Who’d have thought of making a plectrum out of a penny?! It probably creates a more unique sound to your average plectrum too, but undoubtedly a very special keepsake.

Now these guitar spoons here are in your face quirky, no doubt about it. The shape, the detailing, the colours, they are so fabulous. I would 100% buy these as a quirky stocking filler for Mr Quirky, he would love them. Imagine being sat there writing a song, you fancy a cup of tea, but you don’t want to lose your musical vibe, make your cuppa with one of these spoons and you will still be in that zone for sure!

I did have a little waaaa moment when I found this awesome guitar-shaped lunchbox. It is absolutely fab, I love it, great for older teens who are into their music. Amazing quirky gift for music students or for a music teacher even. In a band? need some snacks to take to your gig…ta daaaaa, this would just blend in with the rest of your kit!

Now this guitar-shaped chopping board would totally rock our kitchen. I would love to own this, it is so funky. Such a fun and practical gift to give…and can be personalised so everyone who visits you will know how cool you are. Amazing gift for a wannabe rockstar, or a hasbeen, I’m not here to judge!

Another set that would look amazing in our kitchen. I don’t actually own measuring spoons, I’m more of a chuck it in and hope for the best kind of cook, but these are so quirky, they would make me want to use them! If you know a musical chef, this is one quirky gift they would cherish for sure.

This next quirky find is something you don’t see every day! It’s advertised as a junior rolling pin but I, as an adult, would definitely use it. The price is reasonable and would add so much fun into baking. It would be great for baking cookies for the school fayre or something, it would turn something generic into something fancy, and people lap that up don’t they! They could help you make stunning Wedding favour biccies. I love it.

This treble clef clock is the bees knees. Extremely sophisticated, it would match any kind of decor and I would say any room too. Fab for a music classroom or a music shop too, not just for the home. It would make a stunning Wedding gift for a special couple, I would have been very happy to receive this as a gift, and I would be so proud to give it too.

Speaking of weddings, would you say I do with this ring?! I love, love, love it. This is absolutely up my street and takes me back to my karaoke days! Such an unusual piece of jewellery. I did find matching necklaces and earrings too, but the way the microphones are looped to create the ring here makes it stand out.

As I explore themes, I get inspired to create future posts too. This funky, retro, amazingly quirky wine rack has definitely given me a taste for quirky wine racks, so watch this space! A unique wine rack like this one can make a very special gift for any occasion, but I can definitely see this being given as a quirky Wedding gift to a quirky, musical bride and groom. This is quite a genius design, such an amazing idea to create bottle holders out of old vinyl records, yay for upcycling with stunning results!

This next find is totally different, but I would be seriously tempted to give this puzzle as a gift to Mr Quirky, well I would have years ago before we had a child who likes to get involved in everything! There is a big price tag on this for a puzzle, but you can see it’s pure quality, and after spending your time building it, you do end up with a stunning piece of art, a wooden sculpture forever to be cherished.

This upcycled ukelele is quirky in a completely different way. It’s beauty is striking, it stood out and screamed at me to include it in this musical post. It is so unique, and has been decorated so beautifully with so much care. A true work or art. If I did play an instrument these days, it would have to be pretty like this one!

My last find is something I have never seen before. It’s adorably quirky and looks very well-made too. A very special keepsake gift. Definitely up there as the type of gift I would like to give someone who was into music, especially the guitar.

And there ends my quirky musical post. Although, I’m sure it’s not the complete end of my quirky musical research. So much more to find, new quirky gifts being made and sold on a daily basis, I’d be silly to close the door on it for good. I’m sure quirky music will feature in the quirky blog again over the years, it is a theme that is just too close to my heart to ignore.

I’m not pulling your chain, these are genuine quirky bathroom products!

One room that gets very little attention in our house is the bathroom. Well, our bathroom is a bit odd anyway because the toilet is in one room and the bath and sink are in the room next door, it took some getting used to! Apart from a few lanterns though, it is quite a neglected area of our home. I definitely feel like I need to add colour, character and a whole lot of quirky so let’s go shopping!

My sister inspired this search, when she found out that I was setting up Quirky Shopper she sent me a picture of her new tap toilet roll holder straight away. It definitely made me think about my own bathroom and how it is an area of the quirky World I needed to explore. And boy oh boy am I glad that I have. I have found so many amazing products, where do I start?! I showed Mr Quirky all my quirky bathroom finds and he thought this toilet roll sheep shelf was the best, so let’s start with this one! The good thing about this particular shelf is that you will always make sure you have toilet roll in the house! This would lend itself well as a feature in a quirky hotel or in a house with a rather large bathroom. I think it is fab, and a worthy start to this blog.

If you love a nautical theme bathroom, there are so many quirky products available. This boathouse toilet roll holder is fabulous. It would make such an attractive addition to a bathroom, especially if you haven’t got a holder and you usually plonk the toilet roll on a shelf or storage unit next to the toilet! I do love a practical quirky item!

Or how about a Knight in Shining Armour sat there next to you just waiting to be the hero and hand you your precious toilet roll? This is a very classy, quirky piece indeed, and I think it would look amazing in an old castle / hotel en-suite!

And how about something completely different? This toilet roll holder is so quirky, extremely retro and super nostalgic. This belongs in a cool bathroom, a geek chic kind of vibe maybe. This is exactly what I would expect to see in a quirky, funky little hotel, in the bathroom of a camera shop or in a photographer’s house!

Like I said, my sister has the tap toilet roll holder and it looks fab in her farmhouse bathroom. I do love the tap idea for a bathroom. I think this towel holder is gorgeous, taps and bathrooms go hand in hand so it really is a quirky partnership that works beautifully.

I love this fruity little piece of quirky, the vibrant colour, the funky cherry design, it is fabulous. The use of the stem as the brush handle is genius. Funnily enough, I actually don’t think it looks like it would be out of place. Can you imagine a bright white bathroom, this luscious red toilet brush would certainly make it pop!

A little plug for one of my own quirky gifts selection. This flamingo toilet brush here was a game changer for our little quirky shop. It used to be a baby and children gift shop, but when I saw these quirky toilet brushes, I branched out to grown-up gifts too. This flamingo has many fans, but it is fabulous.

This would be a funky gift for those who have toilet humour! I can’t decide if I like it or not, it could either look ridiculous or it could blend in perfectly with it being black or white. What do you think? Either way, it would make a very funny joke gift, is it too early to mention Secret Santa?!!

From something I’m not sure of to something I absolutely love! This swan tap is so quirky, so classy, a stunning work of art for a tap! If I ever get the chance to design my own bathroom, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose taps like this for my bathroom. It’s a swan, and swans ooze elegance. This gorgeous tap is definitely my kind of quirky.

Here’s another piece of art disguised as a door hook! The nautical / ocean theme once again making an appearance, a few more to come too, I can’t help it though, these products are just so quirky! This whale tail works so well for this purpose, I think it’s fab.

And how about this ship’s steering wheel for a mirror? Isn’t it gorgeous? Classy and fabulous, this would add so much character to a bathroom even if it wasn’t pursuing a nautical theme. A great find for a seaside b&b don’t you think?

It’s the colouring that mostly attracts me to this folding table. It’s fish shape is the main quirky quality of course, but it’s the colour that makes it stand out. It has seaside home / hotel written all over it. I don’t live by the sea (I’d like to!) but I wish I had a bathroom big enough to have this table, I love it.

If you’re really going for the nautical vibe in a big big way, this next set is for you! There is so much quirk going on here, I’m almost lost for words! So much imagination has gone into the designing of this amazing little set, I am in awe. The lighthouse as a soap dispenser is my favourite bit, it looks awesome!

The same company also sell this stunning shell bathroom set. This is truly up my street. I love the quirky shell shapes and the pearly colour. It is a very glamorous kind of quirky. I could definitely see them being used in high-end boutique type hotels near the sea.

On a completely different path (you couldn’t get more opposite!) these wellies toothbrush holders are also up my street. Vibrant, quirky and funky, they’d make a cool gift for a couple…not so good if there’s more than two people using the bathroom! Saying that, you could always buy a few in order to cater all the toothbrushes in the home, no rules against that! I love the bright yellow colour.

Staying with the outdoorsy vibe given by the wellies, this very pretty birds on a tree frosted glass film would be an unusual but beautiful way to ensure bathroom privacy, whether it be for the shower or window. It stood out to me, it might not be super quirky, but it is different, and not something you see in your average bathroom. If I had this kind of window screen on my shower, I would order this in a heartbeat.

This is definitely the type of window privacy screen I would class as quirky. The artwork is very much to my taste. This window film looks very impressive, and a relatively reasonably priced way to make a bathroom look more elegant and much more expensive. I highly recommend clicking through to this particular seller’s shop, it has over 300 different designs.

What I’m looking for though is a splash of colour, touches of vibrance that will transform our mundane, cold, bathroom into a warm, friendly and funky room that is pleasant to be in. This bath mat is exactly the type of thing I had in mind. I think it’s gorgeous, it matches my stripey blog cover photo too which is a bonus! I love that it has a coloured wood-effect. We have a very small bathroom so this would definitely work well. I’d be tempted to get one for the toilet room as well as the bath room, it would help blend them together.

I would say the bath mat above is very colourful, but the bathroom set below takes it up another notch for sure! The colours are insane, I love this design, looks like colourful bricks, so funky, so unusual. It might be a step too far for what I’m looking for, but if you had a pure white bathroom, this would make a stunning statement piece of your toilet!

If you’re looking for something really flashy, this peacock bathroom set is pretty out there! The colours are gorgeous, and it would certainly make a talking point of your bathroom. One of my sisters loves peacock designs so I’m always drawn to them simply because of her liking for them! My thing is butterflies, but I haven’t found any with a butterfly on…a more extensive research adventure for a quirky butterfly post for another day perhaps!

This shower curtain below, yes, you did read correctly, this is a shower curtain, and this is the kind of art I like to have on canvases. I love this type of romantic art, but to find it on a shower curtain stopped me in my tracks. Why am I buying plain white shower curtains when I could be buying art??! I must have been living under a rock, I never knew you could get shower curtains as stunning as this.

And this one looks like a very hard, very sturdy door…but it’s not, it’s a shower curtain. Isn’t it amazing? I wonder if they used these on the sets of Game of Thrones!! It does have a classy and somewhat medieval vibe about it. There was a lighter-coloured farmhouse type of door too, but this one attracted me more.

But this next shower curtain is my favourite. Mystical, fantasy, colourful and it looks like a book shelf. If you have read my previous posts, you will know that I have a very special and quirky handbag with a Book Shop on it. I love books. I would be Belle from Beauty and the Beast, give me the library and I will love you Beast! This is the most beautiful shower curtain I have ever seen in my entire life…I’ve never seen pretty shower curtains before researching this post so that figures!

This stunning shower curtain is 100% on my wishlist for when we eventually become millionaires and live in our forever home with, and I quote my 4-year old son, ‘lots of toilets, stairs that go around and around and a tree-house’… an achievable dream I reckon! I have only just scratched the surface of quirky bathrooms in all honesty, there is a magical world out there worth exploring. I would definitely like to re-visit shower curtains in particular for another post just about quirky shower curtains, there were too many to add here, so another post is in the pipe-line in the near future. I have learnt a lot from researching quirky bathrooms. I never knew half of these things existed so I hope it is useful to you too, but I’d like to know, what is the most quirky thing in your bathroom?