Randy Susan Meyers

Ten Unusual, Caring, & Artistic Presents For Family, Friends & You

T’is the season to do a million things (good, great, exhausting, hair-pulling-annoying) but one I find the most relaxing is finding (and recommending) small shops, artists, and craftspeople. Below are some of my favorites cause I’ve already shopped with them, or ones I plan to recommend that my loved ones visit *for me*.

BELMONT BOOKS (TEES)

 

I can’t stop buying these Belmont Books tees because a) they are SO comfortable, b) the purple is the best purple ever, and c) they support Belmont Books, a local bookstore that is a) filled with incredible choices, b) owned by the best people (truth in advertising: great friends own this shop, and c) filled with staff who truly know how to recommend books—here’s looking at you Tildy & Audrey.

SWEETEST THINGS SHOP

I’m not even a big lavender fan, and I’m in love with these candles from the SWEETEST THINGS SHOP. I met the owners at SOWA (home to great Boston crafters) and fell in love with them and the absolutely best-made candles. The wicks are unusual and work better than any I’ve used and candles burn forever! (And they have much more in their shop!)

 

GIRL NOVEMBER CRAFTS

Have you ever fallen in love with a washcloth? A cleaning cloth? First I fell in love with one a friend crocheted for me, and then I fell head over heels with these from GirlNovemberCrafts. I mean I fell hard. I look forward to washing my face the way I used to look forward to eating a chocolate chip cookie. Okay. A bit of an exaggeration. But man, these are a pleasure to use—I don’t know how else to say it without sounding as though I’ve gone bonkers.

PENZYS SPICES

Anything from Penzy’s makes a great stocking stuffer!! They are a company with a moral center and a heart of gold. I use this spice from the wonderful Penzeys to make the most wonderful chicken soup (bringing my Jewish chicken soup to a new neighborhood). Here’s their description:

Bangkok, Thailand is one of the world’s great, great food cities. Much of this greatness comes from the way cooks there bring flavors together to move past interesting and arrive at delicious perfection. Our Bangkok Blend is a great example. Looking at the label seeing Spices that might be new to you like Galangal or Lemon Grass you might be asking, is this a Blend for me? Rest assured it is.

Thai Cooks understand how to create bridges of flavor. Where Galangal or Lemon Grass by themselves might seem exotic, the way Ginger creates a reassuring pathway between Galangal’s deep richness and the lemony brightness of the Lemon Grass really is remarkably tasty even to the first-time user. Great for traditional Thai salads, quick stir-fries, Pad Thai and even Larb Bangkok Blend is equally at home on burgers. veggies, and Buffalo-style wings. Good stuff. Hand-mixed from: ancho chili pepper, garlic, ginger, Tellicherry black pepper, galangal, crushed red pepper, lemon grass, cayenne red pepper, paprika, basil, and cilantro.

Spirit Czech Glass Buttons and Beads

Vintage buttons? Yes–a great gift for sewers, crocheters, and knitters who add buttons, or…anything. I’ve bought from Spiritbuttons on Etsy and have never been disappointed. (The above is Czech glass.)

KINTSUGI GENERATIONS

I am a deep lover of Kintsugi (Kintsugi is a Japanese art form in which breaks and repairs are treated as part of the object’s history. Broken ceramics are carefully mended by artisans …read more here). The bowl above is from (what else?) Etsy: KintsugiGenerations. (One of many great Kintsugi artists on the site.)

CHRISTIAN K. BONNER

And if there’s someone in your house who breaks things (like me) perhaps they’d like to make restitution by creating some Kintsugi magic for you (if my husband is reading, you know you’d be better at this than me!) Here’s the perfect present for someone who has that precision and art gene.

FRUGAL BOOKSTORE

The only thing better than buying THE 1619 PROJECT for someone in your family (cause, history; cause, truth: A dramatic expansion of a groundbreaking work of journalism, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story offers a profoundly revealing vision of the American past and present.) is buying it from a local bookstore—and if possible, a Black-owned local bookstore. I bought my copy from Frugal Bookstore: Changing Minds One Book at a Time located close to my house. The owners below have a great philosophy…plus, support local!

“We are a community bookstore located in Roxbury with a passion of promoting literacy within our children, teens and adults. We’ve got all these great books (and getting more all the time) at incredible prices that we want you to see.

Real, hold-in-your-hand, feel-the-paper, turn-the-page-while-sitting-in-the-tub books. We want you to love books as much as we do and we’re committed to doing whatever we can to make that happen. Have a question? Call us (617-541-1722) and talk to a real, live person. Or shoot us an email and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. We want to make your decision of where to shop online for books an easy one. “

 

SILPAT

Silpat, I just love you. This baking sheet (I have one—wouldn’t mind another, fam) might seem expensive, but not when you realize how much you save in $ and environmental cost compared to aluminum foil. Plus, my baked goods fly off the pan (especially my weekly batch of faux-candied nuts; I use monk fruit (Lankato brand) and tons of cinnamon (from Penzys. )

 

Ayesha Mayadas Jewelry

I first fell for Ayesha Mayadas Jewelry (and the wonderful Ayesha) at Paradise Arts Festival in Northhampton and though I vowed to visit her studio shop in New Jersey . . . pandemic. But her website is terrific (easy to navigate) and she’s super easy to reach for help. Her eye for precision glowing jewelry goes from simple elegant pieces to bold and eye-stopping. An artist she is—and her prices run from $100 to very-special-occasion prices. My husband special-ordered a piece for our important anniversary and I haven’t taken it off yet.

The website description says it better:

Metalsmith & artisan Ayesha Mayadas brings a fresh perspective to fine jewelry with unique designs born from her personal exploration of contrasts. Born in Calcutta, India and lived in Upstate New York.  An artist at heart, yet trained as an engineer.  Roots steeped in tradition, yet her aesthetic is unmistakably contemporary.  Her pieces are fluid, yet clearly defined. Bohemian yet stylish.  

Each piece of jewelry features organic lines and fluid forms and is designed to perfectly complement the curves and silhouette of the female form, Ayesha Mayadas Jewelry is conceived and created with the wearer in mind. It is ageless jewelry that becomes a part of you – jewelry that endures through time. 

Happy Holidays to all…

...and, if you’d like to win an early copy of my new novel, THE FASHION ORPHANS, please subscribe to my newsletter: by clicking the link.

THE FASHION ORPHANS

 

 

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