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 Signature Bang-Up Betty Mug Made Locally In Arkansas

As if I needed another reason to sip coffee and tea literally all day long while I make jewelry, this handmade mug is my new obsession! It was made in Arkansas by local ceramicist Valerie Goetz, and it has the perfect handle. Arkansas pottery meets Arkansas jewelry.

I’m obsessed with a great handmade mug, so I had one of my favorite local Arkansas potters create a beautiful mug with my logo on it that I can sip tea from every day, and I had her make a handful more of them in case you appreciate a gorgeous handmade coffee mug as much as I do. I’ve long been a huge fan of Arkansas ceramicist Valerie Goetz (AKA “Native Works”), and when I saw her making logo mugs recently, I knew I had to have one of my own.

This handbuilt mug has the perfect handle, too! I’m an amateur ceramicist myself, and I appreciate a perfect handle on a mug more than anything; it’s big enough to fit my whole hand inside. Each mug is made completely by hand, meaning they’re all a little bit different and unique. They are hand-glazed as well. I love that each one is slightly different. It’s like you’re holding a moment of that ceramic artist’s life because you can see and feel the work put into making each one by hand.

Hello, new favorite mug! Time to clear out the cabinet because you’re the only one for me. Arkansas jewelry meets Arkansas pottery with this beautiful handmade coffee mug made especially for me by Arkansas potter Valerie Goetz.

I have just a handful of these gorgeous Bang-Up Betty handmade mugs, made in Arkansas, that would make awesome holiday gifts if you have a friend who loves pottery and likes to support local. They would pair nicely with some phenomenal local tea from Abbi’s Teas and Things (might I suggest the Banana Nut Too, Cherry Fig, or Turmeric Sunrise?)!

This unique handmade mug is dishwasher safe, but Valerie doesn’t recommend microwaving it.

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.