Well, our best laid plans to check out the Bust Craftacular on Sunday were foiled, but I still have a great batch of handmade recommendations to share with you. (Waiting in line with a two month old in 34 degree weather just wasn’t going to happen!)
These are a few of my favorites – there are plenty more, but I figured some degree of editing was key to keeping this from turning in to a multi-page post!
Rosie’s Best / Iowa City, IA
This first recommendation is near and dear. Alicia (Alicia Rose, hence Rosie’s Best) is a close friend, a generous person, and a fantastic cook. She’s just launched her own line of fabulous handmade goods, including hot chocolate sets with fluffy homemade marshmallows, granola, and much more. Having used many of Alicia’s recipes (from her fantastic blog), I can attest to her culinary instincts and intelligence. She not only makes food with care, but with an eye toward local products, amazing taste, and sustainability. Alicia’s passion for food is obvious and I am so excited to see her venture take off! (image from Rosie’s Best)
moop / Pittsburgh, PA
I’m late to the game, as their holiday order deadlines have passed, but Moop’s amazing handmade bags are sewn to order and are both stylish and sturdy. Matt got me the Market Bag for my birthday this year and it’s the perfect large size without being unwieldy, plus has plenty of pockets to keep things organized. And, it’s now doing extra duty as a diaper/blanket/extra outfit bag, as well, and couldn’t be better! (image from moop)
Campbell Steele Gallery / Marion, Iowa
I could (and have) made long lists of favorites at the gallery and, believe me, I have done my fair share of gift shopping there for the last several years! Whether you gift one of Brent Cox’s ubiquitous glass balls that have enjoyed a regular rotation in the front windows over the last 18 years or so, handmade (and oh-so-stylish) jewelry, functional pottery by Nate & Hallie Evans, a cast bronze key fob or Bathtub Toes by Max Cast Foundry, I’m confident the gallery will provide you with a huge choice of beautiful (and fun!) gift options. Personal favorites also include any of my mom’s pieces, delicate blown glass by Angelo Fico, and Toby McGee’s breathtaking landscape bowls. (image from Campbell Steele Gallery)
Little Sapling Toys / Boise, Idaho
I’m a big fan of simple things made from natural materials for little ones. Give me something carefully made that will last for several different ages and I’m set. As we’ve jumped into the pool of parenthood, I’ve been thinking about all the toys and things that I had and loved as a kid and have come to learn that many of them were very, very Montessori; brown stairs, shape sorters (I still remember learning what a quatrefoil was and it’s still one of my favorites!), stacking rings, and colored cups. Little Sapling makes beautifully simple toys and teething rings and I found myself drooling over their work this week, and figured I had to share! (image from Little Sapling Toys)
There are so many more folks I could rave about, but this is a start, anyway! Enjoy poking around their sites and feel free to add more suggestions in the comments!
More about the mountain of work going on around here soon!
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