Holiday Shopping: The Local Gifter
Holiday shopping comes with its share of challenges. It can be tough trying to find the perfect gift for those special people in our lives. For us we put effort into shopping amongst creators close to home. As a local business ourselves, Yogalifers are enthusiastic supporters of our own Edmonton talent, and truly believe that artisans within our city are the way to go when looking for that perfect gift for that special someone! We took a trip to one of Edmonton’s fastest growing craft fairs, the Royal Bison to peruse some of the coolest, cutest, and most creative gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list.
For the ones expecting little ones
AC.Woods is a local wood worker that makes beautiful, classic wooden toys for toddlers and babies. Nothing like locally crafted, hand-made wood goods to inspire creativity in your little ones. We absolutely loved this toddler camera, being photo fanatics ourselves. The best part of AC.Woods is that proceeds from their products go towards the Canadian Association of Medical Teams Abroad (CAMTA) who send medical professionals to Ecuador to work with individuals with orthopedic ailments. To learn more about CAMTA visit there website here. To visit AC.Woods etsy page click the link here.
From the creative mind of Joel Kadziolka is where Papercut Monsters are born. Joel first begins by designing the fabric through putting together paper collages. Once that fabric is printed, cut and pieced together, a monster is born. Something about these little guys reminded us of the children's book "Where the Wild Things Are" and we couldn't help but pick one up for those friends who have a baby on the way. The little monsters are adorable, and have no small attachments so they're safe for even the smallest little ones. Check out his website here.
For the man who takes shaving seriously
We all know a guy who is serious about his beard care, and post-shave skin routine. Rosa & Lilium, though not restricted to only men's products, is a local apothecary who is based out of Edmonton and Marsden, Saskatchewan who makes beautiful, ethically crafted skin products. This Wild Man, post-shave, skin balm caught our eye as a great stocking stuffer for the special dude in your life. To browse the full line of Rosa & Lilium products, visit their website here.
For the person who values a good bath
Nothing is better than locally made soap crafted from natural ingredients. Lather Bee Rich is a family owned business here in Edmonton that makes decadent soaps in beautiful tins each with different scents and purposes. The beautiful bar photographed here is called Amazing Grace, which is crafted specifically for those who experiences our dry winters more severely than others. Their website is still under construction, but you can keep track of its progress here. If you'd like to purchase directly from the distributor, they take orders by phone: (780) 479-4572.
For the jewellery fanatic
Béton Brut, French for "raw concrete" is a local jewellery craftsman that makes unique pieces using brass, concrete, semiprecious stones and various pigments. We loved the simplicity of their chroma pendants, particularly how they resemble miniature planets. These unisex pieces are great for any one on your list who values quality jewellery and wants something completely unique. You can browse their complete line here. They also carry rings, earrings and have started producing concrete holding vessels and candles (in partnership with Libertine fragrances).
For the fashion forward friend
Flannel Foxes apparel is about as Canadian as you can get when it comes to local fashion. Drawing inspiration from our landscapes, classic logos and pairing it with phrases encouraging buyers to explore their home and native land, you can't go wrong with a piece from their line for that person in your life who loves representing our beautiful country. We loved this vibrant red toque. Visit their website here for their whole line. If you're looking for a beautiful leather piece to add to your fashionista's collection, look no further than Sylvia Soo. A local leather entrepreneur, featured in Avenue magazine, who handcrafts leather goods from quality materials sourced from locations as far as Italy, Sylivia puts an immense amount of care to the details on her products. We adore this buttery soft, change purse. View her entire collection here.
When in doubt, write it down
Finally, if you're like me, one of the best things you can get as a gift is a thoughtful card. Cards are getting edgier, with cheeky phrases, and sarcastic inserts, and are pretty much now celebrating every possible occasion you can think of. You may have seen Justine Ma's printed work at one of the many locations that carry her stationery. A talented calligraphy artist, her script combined with cheeky sayings makes its way on to cards, mugs, wall hangings, ornaments and even cake toppers. For that friend who loves a good laugh, check out her full line here. When it comes to classic letter press methods, Ochre Lea was one of our favourites, crafting some of the funniest cards we've seen in awhile. Often referencing science (we loved "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate") or just throwing in funny sarcasm such as the card featured in this post, there is literally a card for any occasion. Check out their full line of cards here.