WINNERS UPDATE: Congrats to Toni Micai who won the Vintage Home Studio prize, Beverley Gent who won the Cashmere Calligraphy Prize, Michelle Lowes who won the Diffuser Babies prize, and Lori IIngle who won the Zeep Bath prize!!
It’s time for my favourite blog post of the year…. my annual “Handmade Holiday Gift Guide!” Being a ‘maker’ myself, I come across so many artisans online who are working really really hard every day to give the gift of their creative expression to the world. Here is this year’s fabulous line up of 4 incredibly talented women who will inspire you! At this time of year, let’s remember to support small business and handmade xo
And don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post by leaving a comment!(Your comment might not show up until it’s approved).
Meet Danielle Raffield of “Cashmere Calligraphy” @cashmerecalligraphy
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cashmerecalligraphy
Danielle has always enjoyed working with her hands and is a self-taught, fourth generation woodcrafter and second generation calligrapher and hand lettering artist. She has been practicing the art of hand lettering and calligraphy, mostly as a hobby since her college years, but really took an interest in it becoming a business when she became a stay-at-home mom looking for a flexible schedule. Wood came naturally as her medium of choice, and she now fills her soul cup by creating carefully crafted wood sign home and front porch and whimsical door hangers. She believes in the art of free expression and says joyfully and wholeheartedly that she can “letter on anything!” She also brings her flirty and bouncy style to fabric, ornaments, office windows, school walls and wedding envelope calligraphy.
“There is a part of using wood as an artistic medium that fills all my senses. The feel of a freshly cut sign’s jigsawed edges, the smell of sawdust filling my garage and sweat pouring off my brow. That’s a piece of me in everything I make and I honor the generations before me in working with my hands and putting my heart and soul in every piece. I feel very connected to my family from the smell and feel of wood, as I come from a long line of skilled and artistic woodcrafters and artists. Integrity of work is part of my DNA. I don’t let anything leave me and go to anyone else unless I absolutely love it,” she says.
Not only does creating your own wood product from start to finish allow virtually a limitless possibility of shapes and sizes, Danielle has complete creative freedom to make something unique and special to be loved and treasured by its owner for years to come.
“I’m so thankful for my customers, many of them are repeat buyers, who trust me with their ideas and know I love what I do and that comes out in my finished products. I’m so inspired by them and their faith in me,” says Danielle.
Danielle currently lives in sunny Florida with her husband, daughter and two dogs, who are her daily worktable companions.
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Meet Michelle Gann of “Vintage Home Studio” @thevintagehomestudio http://www.thevintagehomestudio.com
My Journey – “A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch, but on its own wings.”
It took me a while and some tough times to figure that out. It also took a wonderful community with unconditional love and caring to show me that out of struggle comes strength. Many kind people gave me opportunities to be creative and chase my dreams. Today, my life as a business woman and mother of two wonderful adults is at times hectic and chaotic; I couldn’t be more grateful. The business continues to grow and many days I find myself working around the clock. But the joy that comes from creating beautiful items for you to enjoy is worth every late night!
My Work – “Look at usual things with unusual eyes.”
The Vintage Home Studio is my creative outlet. Through the business, I’m able to create custom, handmade and hand crocheted decorative towels that are vintage-inspired with a fresh and modern twist that can work with any style décor. And…unlike the expensive “look but don’t touch” designer towels, mine are affordable and meant to be used and washed again and again.
The very best part of the process is picking fabrics, colors and patterns that are on-trend and maybe even a little ahead of the curve. Mixing the fabrics with my signature crocheted finishing touches is what makes a towel from The Vintage Home Studio unique. I especially enjoy keeping the assortment fresh and distinctive so most are limited quantities. My collection currently includes kitchen and bath hand towels.
My Passion – “You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others.”
I will never forget where I came from and the people that helped and supported me along the way. The faith and resilience that come from those life experiences are wasted if not shared to help others. So as my business grows, so will my commitment to my community…to help bring people together, to provide employment opportunities and to honor my “Made in the USA” pledge. I also intend to give back by helping women who are struggling, find confidence in themselves and believe that it’s never too late to chase their dreams. In addition, I look forward to bringing women together to share and celebrate their ideas and successes. I’ll always be grateful to those who share their love for my designs and will look for opportunities to do the same for others.
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Meet Mai Garcia of “Diffuser Babies”
Instagram: @DiffuserBabies
Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/
Hi I’m Mai, the creator behind Diffuser Babies. I come from a long line of women who love to work with fibers… from knitting to sewing, embroidery, macrame, and crocheting. My mom learned to knit from a very young age and then taught me at the age of 10, but what I loved the most was to look at the crochet books at the craft stores. It was a dream of mine to be able to learn to crochet since that age, but it always seemed so hard and impossible.
Fast-forward to 16 years later, my toddler was the one that give me the push I needed to learn to crochet and make amigurumi cuties. I am self-taught, and it was pretty hard to learn on my own. It took months of practice and failed projects but it was so worth it.
What is Amigurumi? Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. The word is a combination of “ami” meaning ‘crocheted,’ and “nuigurumi” meaning ‘stuffed doll.’
I started out making stuffed animals for my son with a specific area to add our essential oils onto. This then grew into me starting my Etsy shop and making stuffed animals for others, which was the birth of Diffuser Babies.
It’s incredible to see how yarn can be transformed into something so amazing and into so many different things. I love that I’m able to create these little stuffed animals and share them with so many others. The best feeling is receiving customer pictures of their little ones hugging the stuffed animals I made for them. ***********************************************************************
Meet Ashley Dewey of “Zeep Bath” @zeepbath http://www.zeepbath.com
I bet you’re wondering what is Zeep? (Literally, like, what the heck does that mean and how do you even say it??) Zeep means “soap” in Dutch and is pronounced Z-ay-p (like Say-p but with a Z), get it? =) The name came about when I met this Dutch guy (now known as the boyfriend) when I was interviewing for Physician Assistant school.
I am a PA-C (physician assistant) turned full-time maker. I’ve always enjoyed incorporating my scientific side into my creative side and began making soap during PA school as a relaxing hobby. I’ve always enjoyed the way that scent evokes memories and creates emotions and began to experiment with other mediums such as wax and candles as well. After PA school, while waiting to be credentialed to work in the hospital, I began to grow the business to the point where it became a full time job (and then some!) and made the decision to make the leap from practicing medicine to living my dream! Now I get to be creative and spread the happiness of scent to everyone!
All of our products are made from recipes we have developed, tested, and try on all of ourselves. If we don’t love it, we don’t make it! We love to blend fragrances to come up with unique scents that will spark old memories or can create new ones. We try to tie all of our scents to a moment in time, a thought, a feeling, or an emotion.
sharon brand
November 26, 2019 at 7:50 am (5 years ago)Congratulations to this amazing group of young women who have pursued their dreams!
I would love a diffuser because Mai actually, finally learned to crochet! I, too, can sew and
knit, originally taught by my grandmother, but at my age ???? I doubt I will learn to crochet now!
Kelli
November 26, 2019 at 8:25 am (5 years ago)I would be happy to win any of them! They are all lovely!!
Serita Russell
November 26, 2019 at 9:31 am (5 years ago)Could you tell us how to do it on this post rather than just a web page.
Kelly
November 26, 2019 at 5:42 pm (5 years ago)To enter the giveaway, leave a comment saying which gift you would like to win out of the 4 makers featured.
Toni Micai
November 26, 2019 at 11:35 am (5 years ago)I’d love a vintage towel! And i love seeing the creativity and entrepreneurship of these wonderful women!! Since retiring, I’m feeling a little “out of step! ” I hope I find my inspiration soon!!!
Amy Cooley
November 26, 2019 at 12:36 pm (5 years ago)All of the handmade items look wonderful! I actually have quite a collection of the hand towels from Vintage Home Studio. I would be most excited to try out the bath products.
Allison Boyne
November 26, 2019 at 1:10 pm (5 years ago)All of these makers are so talented! Its impossible to pick just one because I want them all, but I would love to win some bath products!
Leslie Peede
November 26, 2019 at 1:12 pm (5 years ago)Diffuser baby ?
Lynn w
November 26, 2019 at 1:17 pm (5 years ago)I would love to win the custom hand lettered sign. The flowers on them are beautiful. Thank you for the chance and for showcasing such beautiful products.
Dana Anderson
November 26, 2019 at 1:36 pm (5 years ago)Diffuser baby is soooo cute!
Brinda Coble
November 26, 2019 at 1:47 pm (5 years ago)Custom handlettered sign is my favorite because I love the lettering and I love wood signs. Of course, I live all things handmade and all of these are awesome.
Beverley Gent
November 26, 2019 at 1:57 pm (5 years ago)Always love reading about how people first started out in their business thanks Kelly for these fantastic show stoppers . If I was picked for the giveaway I would like the wood sign for my house number 6 as it would be the only one like this and I do like the unusual. Unfortunately I do like the small stuffed animals, but I do not have any grandchildren to pass these onto. The beautiful towels would never get used as too lovely to use. The products are beautiful in their own right, but I again would never use as I don’t like spoiling these by lighting them ??.
Rebecca
November 26, 2019 at 2:03 pm (5 years ago)Wow! So many cute cute cute things!!! I can’t wait to see more!…headed to their sites now! ?
Rebecca
November 26, 2019 at 2:04 pm (5 years ago)Diffuser baby has my interest! I am just now learning more about EOs!
Fran
November 26, 2019 at 2:11 pm (5 years ago)The diffuser baby! What a lovely creation. Have a thing for critters.
Winnie
November 26, 2019 at 2:16 pm (5 years ago)It’s so hard to decide! I’m between the bath products and the custom hand lettered sign.
Shelagh Perst
November 26, 2019 at 2:32 pm (5 years ago)Awesome giveaway! All the products are beautiful. I’d love to win the bath products.
Angel
November 26, 2019 at 2:40 pm (5 years ago)The diffuser babies are sooo cute!
Cathy Fahie
November 26, 2019 at 2:55 pm (5 years ago)I would love to win the custom hand lettered sign. Thanks for the opportunity.
Gail borczyk
November 26, 2019 at 3:25 pm (5 years ago)Where do i sign up for giveaway mentioned above?
Debbie Berger
November 26, 2019 at 3:34 pm (5 years ago)I would love to win something from Zeep Bath.
Christine Henley
November 26, 2019 at 3:54 pm (5 years ago)Love all these amazing gift ideas!
Lynn Schleitwiler
November 26, 2019 at 5:57 pm (5 years ago)Custom Hand Lettered Signs, from Danielle
I love the “Bee” plaque!
Danielle Raffield
December 10, 2019 at 8:25 am (5 years ago)Thank you Lynn! It is a customer favorite!
Lori IIngle
November 26, 2019 at 6:06 pm (5 years ago)Live all the amazing artists work! I’d love to win the body products!
Erin A
November 26, 2019 at 7:28 pm (5 years ago)Beautiful! All four of these ladies have lovely and inspiring stories!
Amy McCue
November 26, 2019 at 7:43 pm (5 years ago)How do you choose? I love the hand lettered signs and the bath products! Thanks for the chance!
Sue D
November 26, 2019 at 8:46 pm (5 years ago)So many great items. I would like to win a vintage towel/cloth.
Gilda
November 26, 2019 at 9:00 pm (5 years ago)Thanks for introducing us to these fabulous artists. I would love a hand lettered item.
Kim Veevers
November 26, 2019 at 9:02 pm (5 years ago)So nice to see such talented women getting somewhere and to have your support to spread the word is the icing on the cake. As you are a another successful woman whom has done very well this past couple years.
Everyone keep up the great work and “shine”.
I like the idea of the Zeep Bath is I were to select just one.
Rhona
November 26, 2019 at 9:19 pm (5 years ago)Amazing women and beautiful handmade items. My favorite is the wooden signs, although they are all wonderful in their own right. Thank you for such a wonderful giveaway.
Sandra
November 26, 2019 at 9:21 pm (5 years ago)Thanks for introducing us to your talented friends! I would love to win the soap!
Pearl Supernault
November 26, 2019 at 9:34 pm (5 years ago)Thanks for sharing the stories of these makers. I will definitely check them out. I would like to win the bath products.
Barbara Pfahlert
November 26, 2019 at 11:59 pm (5 years ago)What wonderful, thoughtful products! It would be a blessing to receive a vintage towel.
Laura C
November 27, 2019 at 12:48 am (5 years ago)Love the Cashmere Calligraphy signs – all are amazingly talented. Thanks – Laura
Beatriz casas
November 27, 2019 at 3:08 am (5 years ago)I wish to sin agurimi ir dosos
Brenda West
November 27, 2019 at 4:37 am (5 years ago)I love handmade – very creative ladies. Love the work.
Mary
November 27, 2019 at 5:07 am (5 years ago)I would love the Zeep bath products.
Kristine
November 27, 2019 at 5:17 am (5 years ago)So inspiring stories. I would like to win the wooden sign.
Gail borczyk
November 27, 2019 at 6:06 am (5 years ago)Love Ashley’s soap collection. All the gals are so talented. They inspire me to become betyer in brush lettering
Denise de Blaca
November 27, 2019 at 7:03 am (5 years ago)Wonderful, inspiring stories, I would love Danielle’s lettering in my home, She has a unique style, her work is inspirational and so creative.
MargieH
November 27, 2019 at 9:42 am (5 years ago)Oh my! How do you choose from these four lovely and talented artist? Each offering has its own special touch <3 I would love any of them. Appreciate this generous giveaway and holiday gift guide! Off to visit each website! Thank you!
MelodyJ
November 27, 2019 at 10:05 am (5 years ago)I would love the bath products.
GabriellaB
November 27, 2019 at 12:57 pm (5 years ago)Wow, four amazing products. Each so different and yet interesting and beautiful. I would love to win a diffuser baby. It looks so fun
Katherine
November 27, 2019 at 1:48 pm (5 years ago)I would love the handmade soap! Having a scent that reminds me of a special time or memory is something I truly enjoy.
Debbie Terluin
November 27, 2019 at 3:28 pm (5 years ago)Such beautiful work and so inspirational. Thank you for sharing these stories. I would be honored to have any of these items in my home.
Dana M
November 27, 2019 at 6:22 pm (5 years ago)Wow, what a talented group of ladies with lovely stories of their journeys in their trade. Any of these lovely projects would be deeply appreciated. To select one, I would choose the hand lettered sign.
Zerah
November 27, 2019 at 7:39 pm (5 years ago)What an amazing group of women entrepreneurs! Bravo to each ?, but oh those bath products! ? ? ?
With a toddler at home anything that can give me a few moments of self-care without taking up the whole day or breaking the bank is amazing. Plus, as a former competitive skier I’m super intrigued by the ski trip scent.
Deanne Booth
November 28, 2019 at 6:35 am (5 years ago)I love the soap products!
Michelle Lowes
November 28, 2019 at 10:29 am (5 years ago)WOW! so many talented and creative ladies! I was drawn to the diffuser babies by Mai Garcia. They are absolutely adorable and would be amazing to win one.
Vicky C
November 28, 2019 at 1:00 pm (5 years ago)Amazingly beautiful projects, and inspiring stories. Love handmade and handcrafted items. Would love to win a Diffuser Baby – the deer looks super adorable!!!!
Derin Thompson
November 28, 2019 at 1:05 pm (5 years ago)What a tough choice! All 4 of these lady’s products are fantastic. I think I’m going to be looking closely at the knitted Cuties though. My grandchildren will adore them.
Theresa Kelly
November 28, 2019 at 2:44 pm (5 years ago)All of these products are amazing in each its own way but I would Love the Diffuser Babies! That is one thing I never learned to do is crochet animals or dolls, blankets yes, dolls no. These are all so adorable, thank you for the chance.
Each of the stories are a wonderful read by the way, thanks again!!
Lourdes Salvador
November 29, 2019 at 1:39 pm (5 years ago)Choosing only one is not easy. But, alas, I must make a choice. I choose custom hand lettered sign.
Wehaf
November 29, 2019 at 10:35 pm (5 years ago)I have so much admiration for all these women! It is a difficult choice, but if I won I think I would most like a vintage-esque towel.
Wayna Harbottle
November 30, 2019 at 4:07 am (5 years ago)So nice to read the stories of these talented women! I love giveaways! Would love to win a hand lettered custom sign. Thanks Kelly for the chance!
Linda
November 30, 2019 at 5:58 am (5 years ago)I would love an amigurumi from Diffuser Baby.
Nicole Neufeld
November 30, 2019 at 5:55 pm (5 years ago)Danielles work is beautiful! Would love a Custom hand lettered sign.
Heather D
November 30, 2019 at 7:15 pm (5 years ago)Love them all! The bath products would’ve wonderful To try!
Carolyn
November 30, 2019 at 8:25 pm (5 years ago)All of the products look wonderful but I would love the hand towels. The fabric patterns and colors are so beautiful!
Katie Hartline
November 30, 2019 at 9:26 pm (5 years ago)I am always in awe of people sharing talents they we’re blessed with. I would be honored to receive any work by these amazing artists. Each piece makes me smile.
Kristine Macasaet
November 30, 2019 at 10:45 pm (5 years ago)Wow! All of these handmade crafts are so lovely! I really appreciate all their works! It seems like it isn’t just a handmade because it was so beautiful! They’re so talented! I just love everything that it’s so hard to choose, I hope that I could win any of these for my birthday next week (December 8) ❤️ Merry Christmas! ?
Jan
December 1, 2019 at 1:32 am (5 years ago)Such amazing things to choose from! My favorite would be the amiguri diffuser stuffed animals. I crochet and knit, and enjoy both these crafts along with hand lettering!
Kim Adams
December 2, 2019 at 1:16 pm (5 years ago)I would love any of these great ideas! I am a huge fan of scents and an even bigger fan of clean products! Zeep bath is such a great looking company-just followed all of these lovely companies. ❤️
Michelle Caporusso
December 2, 2019 at 4:34 pm (5 years ago)Everything is so lovely! I would love one of the diffuser babies. They are so cute!
Jordan W
December 2, 2019 at 8:06 pm (5 years ago)Wow! So many amazing, talented women!!
Shelley Scarbro
December 4, 2019 at 7:55 am (5 years ago)I would love to win the bath products!!
Anita Meeks
December 4, 2019 at 11:31 am (5 years ago)Love the creations from Cashmere Calligraphy!!
Kim
December 4, 2019 at 12:17 pm (5 years ago)Love them all! Especially the hand lettered signs! Danielle does such beautiful work!
Dena Brumbaugh
December 4, 2019 at 4:00 pm (5 years ago)So much incredible talent. I’m feeling inspired!
Cathy H.
December 9, 2019 at 7:51 pm (5 years ago)I would love any of the lovely creations but if I must choose one, the Zeep products sound nice!