Wonderful Objects by Wonder and Company is a quarterly subscription service that brings imaginary adventures to life. Engrossing and playful, this subscription box is unlike anything I've seen before.
Wonderful Objects offers mystery boxes for both Adults and Kids.
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Whimsical Adult, $72 a quarter, box.
The Subscription Box: Wonderful Objects
The Cost: $72 per quarter with discounts available for longer subscription commitments
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $10 off any subscription!
CODE: WONDERADDICT10
The Products: Hand-picked items and custom-designed ephemera that bring an imaginary scenario, place, or story to life.
Ships to: US for free, Internationally for $25 per quarter
Check out all of our Wonderful Objects reviews and the Women's Subscription Box Directory!
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Wonderful Objects is all about bringing a fantastical scenario to life. To set the scene, the box offers this prompt: What if you inherited a tourist trap? I love how colorful the story is—eccentric relatives, legends come to life... It feels like a pitch for a movie!
This flier is amazing—funny and freaky all at once. Why in the world are those passages crossed out? What kind of crew would you find at an event about the Evolutionary Kingdom Level Above Human? My imagination is already soaring.
On the back of the flier is my favorite subscription-box-item-list I've ever seen. Not necessarily because of the items, but look how it's presented! This handwritten note suggests that the contents of the box are gifts from the tourist trap staff—kind gestures to help you get acquainted with the place. The best part, in my opinion? The P.S. note about the unopened vault! (Especially since the key is supposedly in this box...)
Bermuda Triangle Plaid Throw Blanket - Value $29.99?
At first I thought this was a scarf, but it actually unfurls to be the size of a throw blanket. It's not very thick, but I was delighted to find it to be cozy warm and super duper soft. The Bermuda Triangle patch seems like an ironed-on, adhesive graphic, rather than something sewn on. I don't know how it'd hold up to washing, but as it is, it adds a funny bit of personality to this item. I based the value on similar blankets.
Dr. Squatch Deep Sea Goat's Milk Soap, 5 oz. - Value $9.95
This oatmeal-colored soap smells so nice! I tend to like more masculine scents, and this gently scented bar soap is right up my alley. The fragrance smells primarily of sea salt, but there's also an undertone of pine... or something forest-y. It's fresh, yet not overpowering or artificial smelling.
The Dr. Squatch brand is all about making great, natural soaps for "dudes". I'm no dude, but I can't wait to shower with this soap and have this pleasant smell blooming in my bathroom.
Recipe Cards - Value?
When I saw these recipe cards, I put on my best Stefon-from-SNL voice and said to myself, "This box has everything." These cards are from the imaginary "Nessie's Diner", located, of course, at my new hypothetical tourist trap. Reading the ingredients, these seem like they could taste pretty legit! And I love that the yeti recipe is vegetarian, ha! There's a blank card, too, to add your own recipe.
Wonderful Objects Memorabilia - Value?
Wonderful Objects makes such amazing branded "ephemera", including these three postcards. This monster looks straight out of a kids cartoon! "Breakfast Stews" definitely piqued my curiosity. Now in addition to monsters, I'm imagining crazy new breakfast recipes. These wonders never cease!
I wish I knew where they found the motel photographed for this postcard, because it's so incredibly retro! The kind of retro where you're a little bit sketched out and charmed at the same time. Delightful!
This postcard looks like an old-school travel poster. The design looks like a paint-by-number (hold that thought...).
I should mention that all of these feature the classic postcard set-up on the back. Why wait 'til you're on vacation to send a friend a postcard when you can send them something from a fantasy getaway like Wonder Caverns?
This flier is hilarious! It looks just like something you'd find at a truck stop along the highway.
The back has information about available tours, plus some history on Cordelia, the mysterious distant relative. She sounds like the coolest woman ever, right?
There's even a bumper sticker! I wonder if people would see it and try to look up this fictional location on a map... It really does look legit!
Retro Key Fob - Value $4.99? based on a similar item
Old-Fashioned Key Bottle Opener - Value $3.25? based on a similar item
This keychain looks like something out of Twin Peaks! According to some of the other materials, this key "opens" the motel vault. Whether it works or not depends on my imagination—but what I am sure about is that I'll be using this key to crack many a bottle of beer! I like that both of these pieces have some practicality to them. It's not just a fancy old key—I can get use out of it beyond the context of this box.
Nessie Ladle - Value $9.60
How adorable is this little monster?! I never thought I'd be so charmed by a ladle, but here I am! First of all, strictly from a practical perspective, this teal, plastic ladle is wonderfully designed with feet that let it stand up (rather than roll around on your cooktop). Aesthetically, it's just plain cute, and perfectly captures the theme of the box. (Of course monsters are real, there's one swimming in my stew pot!) Last but not least, I love that this item connects back to the recipe cards! It's going to be a blast cooking up Nessie's recipes using a Nessie ladle to stir and serve them!
There's one last item to open inside this box. Remember earlier when I mentioned paint-by-numbers?
Welles & Graham 6x6 Paint-by-Numbers Kit - Value $26.00
Paint-by-numbers is the original adult coloring book. This desert design comes on a wood backing so that the design has even more rustic appeal. All the colors (which are beautifully muted) that you need are included, as is a super-fine brush and some handy instructions.
I think paint-by-numbers are pretty straightforward, but these tips don't hurt (especially if you're not used to painting).
Verdict: Wow, this Wonderful Objects box was the coolest thing ever! Wonderful Objects uses their subscription box not just to deliver items of value, but to tell a story in a new engaging way. Don't get me wrong, I adore the gimmick of subscription boxes, but this is the first time I've really seen them as a medium for art and communication. The items that weren't exclusive to the box added up to about $84.00, which is well above the $72.00 price point. When you then add in the Wonderful Objects "ephemera" (the postcards, bumper sticker, letters, etc.) and the pricelessness of the overall experience, this box well surpasses its cost. If you're someone who enjoys stories, adventures, compelling art forms, and reasons to lose yourself in your imagination for an afternoon, I highly recommend looking into this box!
What do you think of this quarter's Wonderful Objects scenario? Was your imagination sparked?
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