Not-Your-Average Small Shop Gift Guide

For those of you following along on Instagram, you may know that I have been storying and promoting a wide range of small shops. Well, the time has come for me to share some of my top picks with you! I’ve separated my favorites not by gender or age, but by personal quirks and inclinations. And though this is my first gift guide of the season, it will not be my last. Next week I will be highlighting some of my favorite vintage shops and artists.

FOR THE ACTIVIST

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM RIGHT:

(Neon Mellon) Great Thunberg Print 9 x 12 by Absurdly Well. $50

Vote Like A Mother VLAM Ornament. $12

HERWAVE PRESIDENTIAL Sheer Silk Wrap $125

GINSBURG’S JUDGEMINTS from The Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild $3

Absurdly Well, a politically motivated street artist, offers not only a kick-ass neon Greta Thunberg, but also boasts graffiti-inspired art of AOC, Representative Tlaib, and Nancy Pelosi, among others. My girl, Sara, started Vote Like A Mother to raise funds for women-run nonprofits such as MomsRising.org. Her ornaments are as cool as her tees, and I love that she puts her money where her mouth is. Resistance by Design is yet another women-run shop, producing stunning products that promote (and support) the Resistance. And last, but not least, in our activist category is the perfect punny stocking stuffer – Ruth Bader Ginsburg JUDGEMINTS – oh, and they are delicious, too.

FOR A HOME DECOR LOVER

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM RIGHT:

Hannah Candle $80

Coral Carved Cup by Cieri Fabrication $48

Sazerac Stitches Octavia Candle Holder $65

Sigrid & Co. ACK Embellished Throw Blanket $108

I’ve been drooling over the Hannah Candle for the past year, and I’m asking you to buy it because it needs to be bought. Send one my way too, please? This drop-dead-gorgeous coral cup by Cieri Fabrication was discovered by way of my Instagram small shop post and I immediately fell in love with the husband and wife duo’s stunningly crafted ceramics. Sazerac Stitches is yet another husband and wife team, and a long-time favorite small shop known for their lighting fixtures. But they have other home decor items, too, including these fabulous candle holders made from lighting parts. And my girl Sigrid of Sigrid & Co. is a champion of individual artisans across the globe. Her ACK embellished throw blanket has been on my wish list for a very long time, but I think I’m just waiting for someone to buy it for me as a gift. I would be a very happy recipient, as would pretty much any other person with a beating heart and air-filled lungs.

FOR THE FOOD SNOB

Southdown Coffee Monthly Subscription Service from $16/month

Halesite Habanero Hot Sauce $10

Ok, ok, some of you may know that Southdown Coffee was founded, run, and owned by my brother, Mark Boccard. But just because he’s my bro doesn’t take away from the fact that Food & Wine recently named Southdown Coffee one of the best coffee shops in the United States of AMERICA, or that he placed THIRD in the US Coffee Championships for roasting. And just in case you were wondering, I did indeed steal my brother’s photography for my lead image/title on this post. I think somewhere in IP law it states that the stealing of a sibling’s creative imagery is 100% FINE. Halesite Habanero is another local favorite. Their secret organic recipe is so flaming good that it was recently picked up by Stew Leonard’s, taking this husband and wife duo’s hot sauce from their own kitchen pots to your grocery store’s shelves.

FOR THE PLANT LOVER

Modern Sprout’s Waxed Planters Indoor Garden Kit $13

Hilton Carter’s new book, “Wild At Home” $11

Common House Studio Grid Pot Planter $94

Hey Horti Plant Subscription Service $25

For those of you who saw our recent One Room Challenge reveal, you may be familiar with ModSprout and their fabulous GrowFrames. What you may not know, is that ModSprout has quite the eclectic line of grow and plant products – each as unique and drool-worthy as the next. While I have [shamefully] linked Amazon on this next product, the proceeds go to a very worthy artist, none other than the King of Green himself, Hilton Carter, who has released a new and delicious book, “Wild At Home.” And this wonderful grid planter from Common House Studio was yet another One Room Challenge sponsor who boasts a wonderful collection of handmade planters for your favorite plant freak. But, if that doesn’t quite scream “plant freak” enough for your green-thumbed friend, Hey Horti’s plant subscription should do the trick. A small, Brooklyn-based company, Hey Horti will deliver a bevy of new plants to your door each month (so it should be a hit with both your green and black-thumbed friends).

FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE-TO-BUY-FOR

Sister Golden 2020 Balancing Mother Nature Calendar $38

Lord Jones High CBD Formula Body Lotion $60

Cotton + Clay Wonka Hoops Rose Gold $40

Freda Block Napkin by The Garage Collective $48

Sister Golden is yet another small shop discovered via my Instagram small shop solicitation. They have a wonderful assortment of home decor and gifts, but this Mother Nature calendar struck me as a particularly apt gift to give to that person. You know, the one who you are all like “WHAT THE F*&K DO I BUY [insert name here].” Now, as a self-professed skeptic of all things CBD (I’ve spent a small fortune on the stuff), I must admit that Lord Jones High CBD formula is exactly as it sounds: an overpriced, but worthy suitor for your arthritic hands and feet. My girl Phoebe over at Cotton & Clay sells out before you can click, “add to cart”, but she’s always dropping earrings like their hot because… well, they are really f*%#ing hot. And these Freda Block Napkins are just one option to buy from my girl Kristin over at The Garage Collective. In fact, if you have a list of fickle people who are impossible to shop for, play it safe and just buy Kristin’s whole damn shop.

TO WRAP IT ALL UP

The Jungalow Noah Gift Wrapping Paper $12

Justina Blakeney’s gift wrap is the perfect selection to round out the season’s first gift guide because The Jungalow represents everything we small shop owners hope to be: ethical and sustainable tastemakers with big hearts….who are not “quite” so small.

Happy shopping and Happy Holidays!

XO,