I hope everyone reading this is shopping independent and scoring thoughtful finds (meaning, no gift cards!) this holiday season. To follow up on last week’s Maximalist cavalcade, Part 2 of my second annual gift guide centers on Self-Care. This is yet another trendy buzzword, but with good reason: Sometimes (and maybe more than sometimes), we all need to mindfully pause and take a deep breath. Thus, some of the most compelling offerings I’m seeing encourage us to step back and go within.
So, instead of arguing with a stranger in some comments section somewhere, your blood pressure racing, put your device down. Rather, drink some tea from a special cup and immerse yourself in the welcoming flow of a new craft or activity. Think tactile textures and small daily ritual treats. Handmade origins and anything that builds community also hits the spot. Then, encourage all your loved ones to do so too with finds with these — or, simply splurge for yourself. Spoiler alert: That counts as self-care too!
I’ve been enchanted with this women-owned house of crafts for years — and was thrilled to host Emma and Bailey on TPF a while back. They offer coloring books in several themes — Wildflowers, Christmastime, Cosmic Cowgirl and The Great Outdoors — so you bring your own vibrancy to their hand-drawn illustrations. This lefty is always grateful for wire-o across the top! They also released two equally gorgeous watercolor workbooks, you can see everything here and find a store near you here.
Color has the power to shape our moods, if we only let it. Founded in 1931, this London brand is approaching its centennial. All designs have a “sustainable or eco provence.” They also apparently have a warehouse in Philadelphia so there’s no pesky tariffs to deal with. These chic light bone china mugs beautifully showcase this house of color’s archival tones for around $20/pop. And, it looks like they have an Etsy shop. Pro tip: Don’t miss their ethereal candles either.
The tactile is always touching, and here embroidery adds an inspiring touch to a posh, 5-star sketchbook designed to generate one’s own masterpieces. Lay-flat binding, a book cloth cover and acid-free unlined pages set a gorgeous stage, complete with grosgrain ribbon bookmark so you don’t lose your place. Find a stockist here.
“It’s just a sticker,” you may be thinking, but this sweet daisy has been illustrated with such love and care by Emily Isabella. That scalloped daisy chain border is everything! I found it here, at Flyby Provisions, and Red Cap Cards stickers and other swag here, at Domesticity, here, at Paper Luxe, and here, at Urban Outfitters.
This brand was the star of last week’s show — and there are few things more curative than a rollicking activity played out amongst good friends. You can buy this grandmillennial set directly from the maker, but if this is your game, Pursuit Paper & Gift has an impressive (yet quickly selling out) mix of mahj finds from several vendors. You can also preorder the above set here, at Modern Munchkin Co.
You know a maker is truly on the rise — like my good friend Lauren at Pineapple Sundays — when you see huge companies “borrowing” her presentations. Fortunately, this young talent takes it in stride, but her work is always sharp, smart and as fresh as, well, a baguette. How clever would this be to pair with say a cookbook? Lauren has THREE pages of bookmarks on her site — undoubtedly an industry record. I also found Pineapple Sundays selections here, at Midwest Nice, here, at Chirps & Cheers, and here, at Liberated Roots Co.
We always talk about the healing power of receiving cards; getting things off your chest can be medicinal as well. Cards give us the space and the medium to share more complicated thoughts — and isn’t this a most powerful depiction of this process? I found designs from this Canadian house of cards here, at St. Bernhard, here, at Tesoro Beverly Hills, and here, at Midoco Art & Office Supplies.
Chalk has been making its mark since Egyptian times, and this artful presentation elevates it accordingly. Eighteen angled pieces produce thin or thick lines, and everything fits beautifully in a decorative wooden chalk holder. Find a stockist here.
I had the pleasure of discovering this brand for myself last year at Chicago Stationery Fest, picking out just the perfect design (my daughter may have gotten a bit impatient), and then planning and placing it just so on the item of my choosing. The entire process was a master class in mindfulness. I found Hot Dang Press here, at A. Mano Brooklyn, here, at Gather Here, and here, at Press Shop ATL.
Thank you so much for reading this far! You can see my trade coverage in Stationery Trends starting here — again, I couldn’t find everything I featured in stores yet, so I took out a few items and instead included what I could track down. It’s my most sincere wish that we don’t just buy extraordinary gifts, but ones that promote small, family-owned business. Happy shopping, and happy holidays!
