Locally Made Mother's Day Gift Guide: 18 Arkansas Made Gifts Mom Will Love

Handmade gifts are always a great idea, and these Arkansas-made products are perfect for Mother’s Day.

So you’ve outgrown making Mom macaroni necklaces, but you still want to give her something handmade (with a lot better craftsmanship) from the heart? Giving something handmade in Arkansas is like giving TWO gifts because you’re giving a super cool, creative item someone poured their heart into as well as the warm fuzzy feels that come with shopping small and local. I’ve rounded up some of my favorite locally made gifts in this Mother’s Day gift guide. Check out the decorative, useful, wearable and edible gifts here, all made in Arkansas.

Ceramicist Carla Churchwell makes these adorable ceramic houses that double as incense burners. Carla’s gorgeous pottery includes stacking heart-shaped trinket dishes, cute “worry warts,” Guinea hens and more. Find Churchwell Pottery here.

The Red Bird Designs is tie-dye reimagined with gorgeous color palettes. Laura Grimes dyes every piece by hand, so they’re all wonderfully unique. Check out her gorgeous apparel as well as tableware here.

Bang-Up Betty’s custom birthstone necklaces are the perfect gift for mothers, grandmothers or anyone with several special people close to their heart. Wear the birthstones of each little one in your brood! Check out the whole Birthstone Cluster Collection of handmade jewelry here.

These custom “Real Housewives” wine glasses are hilarious, and you can have Lux + Soul print them with your hometown. Lux + Soul offers a wide range of candles and lounge wear as well, so you can create a whole self-care package for Mother’s Day. Shop Lux + Soul here.

Artist Sherry J. Williamson’s colorful and delightful paintings light up any room, and her wide array of greeting cards, prints, stickers, magnets and more make cheerful gifts. And Sherry is always donating to worthy causes through her work! Check out Sherry’s shop here.

Dessert chef Matcha Norwood’s inventive and delicious cheesecakes are unforgettable. Follow her at Cheesecake On Point to keep up with what she’s cooking up and where she’ll be!

Bang-Up Betty’s Arkansas Rice Flower Necklace is a nod to the Natural State that gives back. This necklace pays homage to Arkansas’s staple crop while giving back to the Arkansas Foodbank, the largest hunger relief organization in the state. The Arkansas pendant was made with real Arkansas rice flowers (from Cornerstone Farm, near Altheimer, AR). Get the Arkansas Rice Flower Necklace here.

North Little Rock-based woodworker Paul Milholland’s mid-century modern handcrafted wooden birds are the perfect addition to any birdwatcher’s shelves. Paul’s Danish-inspired work includes incredibly beautiful furniture as well as gorgeous figurines like whales, herons and geese as well as the birds above. Check out Milwerk Modern here.

Moms who would love an uplifting book to add to their collection of bedtime stories will treasure Crystal C. Mercer’s From Cotton to Silk: the Magic of Black Hair. Publisher Et Alia Press describes this book perfectly: “Sprinkled with #BlackGirlMagic and an ode to cultural beauty, From Cotton to Silk encourages girls everywhere to appreciate their hair in its natural state and love themselves just the way they are. Its enchanting pages reveal 467 hours of hand-stitching poured into textile renderings that blend cloth, culture, and the superpowers of the kinky, curly coif.” I could spend hours staring at all the intricacies of Crystal’s illustrations! Get your copy here.

Encourage mom to do some journaling or make it easy for her to keep track of her busy schedule with a handmade fillion from Little Mountain Bindery. You can even build a custom one to make it extra personal. Shop Little Mountain Bindery here.

In my family, you can’t go wrong with the gift of tea from Abbi’s Teas & Things. Abbi Siler hand blends all of her teas and sources consciously, so you’re sure to get the very best tea that’s ethical and free of added sugars. Her Watermelon Rose blend is legendary! Some of my other favorites include Cherry Chamomile, Lavender Lemon and Lavender Pear. Shop Abbi’s teas here.

If your childhood was filled with empty threats, immortalize them on a Bang-Up Betty custom keychain to create the funniest Mother’s Day gift ever. Get the Don’t Make Me Turn This Car Around keychain here, or click here to customize your own keychain.

Up mom’s relaxation game with CBD gummies (plus salves, cookies and drops!) made from locally grown hemp. These new watermelon CBD gummies from Hawgs Hemp Refinery in Birdtown, Arkansas, are so tasty it’s hard to not eat the whole bag in one sitting. Get them here.

Bastet Glassworks got her stained glass start renovating antique church windows, and sometimes she even incorporates antique windows into her own quirky window hangings. These stained glass feather sun catchers would look beautiful in a birdwatcher’s window. Message Felicia directly on Instagram here to purchase a stained glass feather or have her create something custom for you.

Speaking of stained glass… This necklace from Bang-Up Betty’s Gallery Collection inspired by art history was fashioned after the rose windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift for moms who love to travel and need to stop and admire all the beautiful churches when they do. Find the Rose Window Necklace here. It’s part of my Gallery Collection of jewelry inspired by Art History.

Creative moms will love the handmade watercolor paint sets created by Wild Ozark. Madison Woods makes the paints by grinding up actual rocks, clay and earth from Arkansas, creating the most beautiful natural pigments. Check out her shop here.

Jewelry maker Elizabeth Rogers electroforms copper around gorgeous gemstones to create her signature stud earrings. These deep blue lapis lazuli studs are just one example of the dreamy stones available through her shop Web and Rock.

Give Mom the gift of a new hobby! Beading is such a fun, creative activity, and the folks at Argenta Bead Company make it fun to learn, shop and socialize with their workshops and extensive shop filled with all the supplies you need to get started making jewelry. Visit them in SoMa or call them to get a gift card. Visit the Argenta Bead Company website for more information.

The Handmade Shop Local and Online Arkansas Gift Guide 2020

Every holiday season, I like to round up some of my current favorites in a little gift guide that highlights Arkansas artisans, artists and makers to help you shop small and shop local. Normally I’d show off new finds from craft shows or new things at our shop, but since I’m shopping online as much as possible this year to keep myself at home, I thought I’d focus on Arkansas made gifts you can have delivered straight to your door. From pottery to lapel pins, tea to trinkets, this guide has stocking stuffers and heartfelt gifts that will make this holiday season magical despite how strange this year is. Handmade gifts make the best gifts!

Every time I see potter Mariah Hatta share one of her adorable ceramic pigs, it makes me squeal with delight. Mariah creates unique pottery under the name House of Terriers, and right now she’s part of the Arkansas Art Center’s virtual Museum School Sale, so these little piggies can cry “wee wee wee” all the way home to your tree without you having to leave the house. Check out Mariah’s work here. This gift is also great for hog callers. Woo pig!

This year, my good friend Ashlee Nobel of Lee Lee Arts + Design collaborated with East Sixth Brewing Company and me to create a beer inspired by Bang-Up Betty, and we used Ashlee’s incredible cat skull art in the design for the beer we named Betty’s Ninth Life. This clever cat skull art print lives in my studio now, and you can get Ashlee’s beautiful art on everything from pillows to blankets to hoodies. Check out her new yoga collection for the yogis on your list! See Ashlee’s work here.

A couple of months ago, I released my Siren Collection of handmade bronze jewelry inspired by Greek Mythology. This jewelry is handmade in Arkansas by me, and I chose to feature the Artemis Moon Necklace with crossed arrows in this gift guide. The Artemis necklace is elegant, meaningful an mystical, much like the rest of the Siren Collection. See the whole collection of handmade Greek mythology jewelry here.

I’m absolutely OBSESSED with Abbi’s Teas and Things in Hillcrest, and I’m so proud of how she’s gone the extra mile to keep her business safe during the pandemic. You can find Abbi Siler at her outdoor tea stand Wednesdays and Saturdays, or you can shop her blends online. Right now I’m all about the Cherry Fig, but I also highly recommend the Banana Nut Roo, Turmeric Sunrise and Cherry Chamomile. Shop Abbi’s Teas online here.

I’d say it’s a happy coincidence that my favorite little gift shop in Little Rock also stocks lots of Arkansas made products, but Cindi Booth is too wonderful a curator of handmade goods to chalk it up to serendipity. Candles are like booze; they almost always make a great gift. And these locally made candles come in adorable vintage-style jars, so they look great in your home. You can shop TONS of incredible things on the Stifft Station Gifts website. Here is a link to the candles in many scents.

Funny and feminist enamel lapel pins and stickers make perfect stocking stuffers, coworker gifts, teacher gifts and angsty teenager (or angsty grown-up) gifts. My line of enamel pins is huge, so you’ll likely find something perfect for a funny, sassy person in your life. Shop Bang-Up Betty enamel pins and stickers here.

Speaking of great enamel lapel pins, Little Rock textile artist, poet and author Crystal Mercer released a collection of enamel pins this year that are phenomenal. Choose from “Black Glow Matters,” “An Arrest Is Not Enough,” her Duafe Pin or Normalizing Nipples pin, and be sure to check out the Kickstarter she just announced for her forthcoming book “From Cotton to Silk: The Magic of Black Hair,” to be released by Et Alia Press. Check out Crystal’s work here.

And speaking of Et Alia Press, the bookworms on your list are bound to love something from this local “small press for big voices.” Be sure to check out “The Hospice Doctor’s Widow” by Jennifer O’Brien or “But First, Save 10” by Sarah-Catherine Gutierrez. I read Sarah-Catherine’s book a couple of months ago and I couldn’t recommend it enough for pointers on how to get your savings on track. Check out Et Alia press here.

I’ve been a fan of Tub Tonics for a long time. Andrea knows how to make a damn fine bath bomb. Like the skull bath bomb in the intro photo to this gift guide? Amazing! Andrea makes perfect little gift sets on her site too, so you can cross someone completely off your list in one place. Check out her soaps, bath bombs, gift sets and more here.

I’m in love with macrame by Creative Cords. Amy Darragh’s wall hangings, like the pink one in my intro photo to this gift guide, make my heart sing, but I’m extra in love with her adorable macrame Christmas ornaments she’s been sharing lately. Check out Creative Cords macrame here.

I’m always in awe of the way Erin Pierce of Organized Chaos Collection harvests beauty all around us in the form of Arkansas plants, insects, spider webs and other natural things and turns them into breathtaking art and jewelry. Erin takes pride in finding and pressing her own flowers to make these gorgeous sun catchers. See more of Erin’s work here.

Whether you want perfectly cute cookies for the holidays, need a great cookie mix to make your own, or are looking for recipes to make holiday desserts from scratch, Sarah DeClerk of Ann Potter Baking has you covered! She even has DIY cookie kits you can order online to decorate yourself, and she JUST released a cookbook! Check out Ann Potter Baking here.

This year, it’s more important than ever to shop small, and I hope this Arkansas gift guide helps you cross a few names off your list while getting those warm and fuzzies you get when you support an awesome small business you believe in. Happy (and safe!) holiday shopping!

Shop Local Gift Guide: Arkansas Made Gifts

Looking to shop small and local this holiday season? This gift guide of Arkansas made goodies will make things easy for you.

‘Tis the season for finding great gifts for the people you love. There’s something extra special about unwrapping a gift with handmade, local character and a story to go along with it, not to mention that for every $1 spent with small businesses, 67 cents stays within the local community*.

To help make community-boosting local shopping super easy for you this season, I rounded up a collection of my favorite Arkansas-made and -designed products by local artists and artisans. From handmade jewelry to delicious jams to card games that’ll keep your family get-togethers interesting, there are things for every person on your list at every price range. And to make it extra extra easy, you can find all of these Arkansas-made creations at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock.

Bear Kingdom Vineyard, based in Little Rock, Arkansas, makes delectable jams and jellies in dozens of flavors. Find blackberry, muscadine, mango, pomegranate, strawberry, cherry and more at Stifft Station Gifts for $5.99.

Cindi Booth creates these beautiful woven wall-hangings by hand, and they come in a variety of colors. $24.99 at Stifft Station Gifts.

Get whatever you like stamped onto a brass key tag by North Little Rock jewelry maker Bang-Up Betty, or choose from a lineup of hilarious sayings that are sure to make the recipient laugh out loud. Bang-Up Betty custom stamps jewelry and key tags at Stifft Station Gifts Tuesday and Thursday from 11-6 p.m. $22 at Stifft Station Gifts and here.

Pure Soy candles are hand poured in Saline County, Arkansas, and available in dozens of delightful scents at Stifft Station Gifts. My personal favorite is “Passionate Kisses” because it gets that song stuck in my head. $8-$15.

Wear your Arkansas pride for all to see with a locally-printed t-shirt. Find Arkansas-themed and humorous shirts, like this Arkansas shirt by North Little Rock artist Erin Lang (ArkieStyle) in all sizes at Stifft Station Gifts. $25.

Give something with an extra personal touch. North Little Rock jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty’s line of birthstone jewelry is dainty and colorful and can be custom created with multiple birthstones. Bang-Up Betty hand-wraps birthstone necklaces Tuesday and Thursday at Stifft Station Gifts in Little Rock, or you can order a necklace here. $46.

Just about everybody loves honey —not vegans— and Stifft Station Gifts is honey haven. Find local creamed honey and raw honey —people say it helps with allergies!— as well as an entire display of honey accessories and honeybee tea towels, jewelry, and more starting at $4.

Handmade pottery is always a magical gift. Valerie Hanks-Goetz‘s (AKA Native Works) handmade ceramic creations are made in Bigelow, Arkansas. This beautiful trinket dish is only $5, and you can find spoon rests, horse hair pottery, and adorable “mug-ly” mugs —spoiler alert: they’re not ugly— for incredible prices at Stifft Station Gifts.

Local jewelry designer Cindi Booth (AKA Bijou Booth) makes these cute, clever enameled “lucky penny” earrings out of real pennies. They come in a variety of poppy and neutral colors and have matching necklaces. $30 at Stifft Station Gifts.

Local potter Lois Davis creates these cute ceramic Arkansas-shaped magnets in two sizes with glazed and raku finishes in many colors. $3-$5 at Stifft Station Gifts.

Little Rock comedian, musician and all-around creative Adam Hogg created People-Person card game with illustrations by Arkansas artists, so the game is not only fun, it’s fun to look at. $15 at Stifft Station Gifts.

There’s no better way to warm up in cold weather than with a hand-woven scarf or cowl, and with an entire yarn store within Stifft Station Gifts, you better believe we’re scarf central. Hand-woven creations start at $25 and come in all the colors of the rainbow. They are made locally by Cindi Booth and Pam Gibson.

From face oil to healing salve for feet, muscle rub to natural deodorant, bath soak to moisturizing body butter, Little Rock’s own Kind Folke bath and body products have got you covered from head to toe. Starting at $8 at Stifft Station Gifts.

To me, there’s nothing more meaningful than the gift of learning, and there’s an incredible chance to learn copperplate calligraphy with renowned and published calligrapher Sarah Richardson, an Arkansas native, at Stifft Station Gifts Dec. 22. That’s just in time to write the most beautiful post-holiday thank you notes ever. $125 includes supplies; Sign up here.

Looking for great stocking stuffers? North Little Rock jewelry designer Bang-Up Betty’s array of funny and feminist lapel pins should do the trick—and maybe ruffle some feathers. $13 at Stifft Station Gifts or here.

Stifft Station Gifts is located at 3009 W. Markham Street in Little Rock, Arkansas, right next to the Oyster Bar. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Stop by Stifft Station Gifts Nov. 30 for Small Business Saturday with freebies, discounts, drinks and chocolates while supplies last and a chance to win a custom stamped cuff by Bang-Up Betty. Get more info here.

*stat from American Express’s Small Business Saturday campaign.