Holiday shopping doesn’t have to suck. All you’ve really got to do is seek out interesting and unique items that are tailored to the interests of those that you’re shopping for. Think about what they love, take into account their hobbies, what makes them smile, and search for gifts that will fit each particular person. Still stuck? That’s OK, we’re here for you. This year our Holiday Gift Guide is packed to the brim with awesome finds for men and women, most of them local items, some of them found on the interwebs. Take a look, get inspired and if you end up keeping some of this stuff for yourself, that’s cool, we won’t judge. Happy holidays from your friends at Submerge!
Spice Kits from The Allspicery. To take care of the home chef on your shopping list, you really need to check out Sacramento’s first and only one-stop spice shop, The Allspicery (1125 11th St.). They’ve got cute and affordable (starting at just $25) spice kits that are ready to go, including the Italia Spice Kit, Baking Essentials, African Safari, Asian Invasion and plenty of others. Hopefully whoever you gift these to will invite you over for some kick-ass meals!
Rogue Vest by Iron and Resin. Whether it’s worn layered under a jacket or on its own, this 100 percent polyester vest by the ultra-cool Southern California company Iron and Resin will help keep you warm and steezy this winter. Pick one up in the military colorway (shown here) or in black at Quality Boutique and Bru (2312 K St.) for $89.99. Check the boutique’s gear out online at Shopatquality.com (but we suggest stopping in, ‘cause their adorable shop dog Sancho will greet you at the door, and their store is chock full of killer finds for men and women).
Sacramento Cityscape Tote Bag at Crocker Art Museum’s Gift Shop. Show your local pride with this durable, reusable tote bag designed by Julia Gash, an artist based in Sheffield, England, known for her whimsical illustrations of cityscapes from all around the world. The State Capitol Building, Sutter’s Fort, the Tower Bridge, Old Town Sacramento, Crocker and many other local landmarks are featured in her Sacramento design. Snag one for just $28, only available at Crocker Art Museum’s Gift Shop (216 O St.).
Locally Handcrafted Cups, Bowls and Plates from Pickle Pottery. Nevada City-based artist Stephanie Adams handmakes all of her Pickle Pottery goods—including plates, bowls, mugs and more—using high fire clay and high quality glazes. We found an awesome small bowl (pictured) at the recent Makers Mart event in Midtown for just $26, perfect for holding jewelry, change, keys or any other trinkets. Find Pickle Pottery’s various goods at Kitkitdizzi (219 Broad St., Nevada City) and Bespoke (10130 Donner Pass Road, Truckee) or online at Picklepottery.com. Every piece is food safe, and no two are alike.
Stately California Beer Opener by local makers Newton Booth Builds. Handmade in the Newton Booth area of Midtown Sacramento, this beautiful wooden bottle opener in the shape of the best state in the country (ahem, California!) will not only solidly stick to your fridge via extra strong magnets, it also has smaller magnets hidden inside it so that it catches your bottle caps as they fall. Genius. Pick one up for $40 at Display (3433 Broadway). You can often find Newton Booth Builds at local events like Midtown Farmers Market, Stock Market in Stockton and many others, or online at Newtonbooth.com.
Assorted Necklaces from Folsom-based jewelry crafter My Trendy Trailer. Local artisan Karyss Bollen started her jewelry company My Trendy Trailer as a young mom with big dreams and empty pockets. Her incredibly rad designs are handcrafted and she’s got a ton of them available. Best yet, they’re super affordable, take for example this bronze “Birds Nest” necklace (on an 18-inch chain for just $15.99), or this copper and silver “Tree of Bounty” necklace (on a 30-inch chain for just $34.99). See Bollen’s entire collection online at Mytrendytrailer.com and assorted pieces at brick and mortar stores like Anna’s Boutique in Lincoln, Southern Kissed in Folsom, Moulin Rouge in Auburn and others. You can also check out Bollen’s work at Mytrendytrailer.com.
Organic Grow Kits by Urban Agriculture Co. Los Angeles-based Urban Agriculture Co. has come up with a genius way to grow all sorts of herbs, vegetables and flowers via these compact and practical Organic Grow Kits. Each one comes with a pack of organic seeds, a portioned bag of organic soil and a cool-looking container, which is made from 100 percent recycled teabags. Pick a couple up today at The Plant Foundry Nursery and Store (3500 Broadway) starting at just $14.99 on up. Last time we checked they had cilantro, sage, parsley and nasturtium in stock. For growing tips and more info, visit Urban-agriculture.net.
Hanging Concrete and Macrame Air Plant Holders from Its Knot Love and Tufarock. When two local makers come together for a collaboration, what do we call ‘em? Super-makers? That works for us. Its Knot Love (who specializes in macrame, fiber art and vintage decor) worked with Tufarock (natural accents for the home and garden) on these crazy awesome handmade hanging concrete and macrame air plant holders (just $40 with one small air plant included). Check the makers out online at Itsknotlove.com and Tufarockdesign.com.
*******CLICK HERE FOR MORE GIFT IDEAS! Submerge’s Ninth Annual Holiday Gift Guide • 2016 {Part 1}*******