Check out our picks for Georgia-made gifts and local retailers that offer the perfect package for loved ones near and far this holiday season.
What does Santa want for Christmas? He wants you to buy local! Check out these amazing Georgia-made products and locally grown stores that help build a better North Georgia for everyone.
The Girl in the Garden
In 2013, April Luecht from Acworth, Ga., began a mission to find out what her family was putting on their bodies from the local store. From cleansers to soap, the one that perplexed her most: lotion. She found that most lotions had a ton of ingredients that didn’t really do that much for the healthiness of the skin, so she began giving lotion-making a try, which ultimately led to her business, The Girl in the Garden. Now, more than ten years later, The Girl in the Garden offers dish soap, shampoo bars, hand soaps, and best-selling salves for amazing skin. Just three ingredients make their hand lotion perfect for winter-dry hands: beeswax, avocado oil, and coconut oil. With great scents like eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, sandalwood, sweet orange and holiday-ready peppermint, it smells as amazing as it feels on your skin. “We want our natural products to be good for you and the environment, to look great in your home, to smell wonderful in your shower, and to feel amazing on your body,” says Luecht. For more information or to shop online, visit thegirlinthegarden.com.
Pet Portraits by Reebok
Artist Reebok Brown from Gainesville has two great loves – art and animals. With Pet Portraits by Reebok, you can immortalize your prized pooch on ornaments and artwork with just a snap of a picture. Send her your picture-perfect pup, and she will create adorable hand-drawn artwork using charcoal and pastels, ensuring your fur baby is memorialized in pinnacle cuteness for all time. Special options include turning your pet into a superhero or even having a custom home portrait. “I want to give each of my clients a piece that will make them smile every time they see it in their home,” says Brown. Sign up for her newsletter and get $15 off your first pet portrait. Plus, her ornaments are the perfect holiday gift for pet lovers! For more information, visit petportraitsbyreebok.com
Keebs Pottery
Opening a new store in Alpharetta soon, Karen Kay Yeung is thrilled to share her love of pottery with the world. From the practicality of mugs and bowls to the whimsy of dragons, Christmas trees, snowmen, and other oddities, they all come to life in her artful hands. A particular favorite of ours are her beautiful Ramen Bowls for $50 (chopsticks included), which not only make a beautiful statement but make your rice or pasta-eating a true joy this season. Follow her pottery adventures on Instagram at @keebs_pottery and keep an eye out for her store opening soon in Alpharetta.
Maple Creek Woodworks
Looking for the perfect gift for the nature-loving traveler in your life? We just love these National Park Travel Maps from Lawrenceville-based Maple Creek Woodworks. You can customize the map with a family name and add the tree pieces to memorialize the National Parks you and your family have visited. Or consider the customized National Park signs for cute stocking stuffers. Learn more about this veteran and family-owned business at maplecreek-woodworks.com, which also offers puzzles, ornaments
Loud Italians
I first met Kim (Last Name TK) from Loud Italians at the Yellow Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain. Once I saw her “bold earrings for bold people,” I was smitten. Kim believes in the power of color, individuality, and comfort, and she designs each pair of earrings to be striking yet light and wearable. Since the earrings are made of resin and are 60 percent lighter than costume jewelry, they are fabulous for everyday or special occasions alike. Loud Italians is based in Gainesville, but frequently attends craft shows all over North Georgia and offers a wide selection online at louditalians.com, where shipping is free.
Waffles the Adventure Cat
Georgia-born and raised, self-published author and illustrator Nick Mask grew up in Gainesville. Even though he currently resides in Montana, his home state of Georgia is frequently on his mind as he regularly visits the Peach State to share his wonderful children’s stories with the community. Meet Waffles the Adventure Cat, who now has five books in the Waffles the Cat series: Waffles the Cat, Waffles in Space, Wafflesaurus Rex, Wild West Waffles, and Waffle Flies. Each book follows Waffles on different adventures as he makes many new friends along the way. Perfect for kids aged 3-8, you can shop online to purchase books, games, t-shirts, and activity books. etsy.com/shop/nickmask.
Support more local authors on your bookshelf with 100 Things to Do in North Georgia Before You Die and 100 Things to Do in Athens, GA Before You Die byNorth Georgia Livingcontributingwriter Judy Garrison.Both are available at amazon.com.
Manami Lingerfelt
Manami Yagashiro Lingerfelt was born in Japan and grew up in Tokyo, graduating from Tokyo Musashino Art Junior College in 1985. She began her art career there as a graphic designer and illustrator with major magazines and newspapers. However, she wanted to explore the world, dwelling briefly in places such as India, Nepal, Sweden and finally making a home for herself in Dallas, Ga. Her goal is to express positive energy through her acrylic paintings on canvas inspired by the mystical aspects of the places she’s visited, the human condition itself and the natural world. Her work, widely revered and collected, has even been celebrated by internationally recognized artist Alex Gray. Check out her creative works available for purchase on canvas, or even pillows, stationery, and apparel on her website, manami.pixels.com
Inspirit Design Art
Does someone you know love vintage jewelry? Or perhaps you have a sentimental jewelry piece that is not your style, but you couldn’t possibly part with it? Then check out Fayetteville-based, Brazilian-inspired jewelry artist, Inspirt. They create custom artworks from vintage jewelry, or you can simply purchase one of their crafted artworks. Their necklaces are especially stunning. To check out their upcoming show schedule or order a custom or finished piece, visit them on Instagram, Facebook, or Etsy at Inspirit Design Art.
Roxy’s Collectibles
You may have seen Georgia-based Roxy’s Collectibles at Ellijay’s Apple Festival or the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain. These adorable leather bag charms, key chains, and handbags are impossible to resist. From their adorable elephants, dogs and cats to whimsical fruits and flowers, these accessories will definitely bring a smile to your loved one’s face. roxyscollectables.com
Solid Moss Co.
This Georgia-based biophilic design studio started as a passion for connecting friends with maintenance-free nature in their homes; it has blossomed into creating beautiful artworks for the home and fun workshops for those who want to create their own unique piece of art. As beautiful as they are unique, you can shop the collections at their online store, where pieces begin at $49 and shipping local is free! solidmoss.co
