10 shops with gift-worthy, handcrafted creations

Handmade holiday gifts carry a sense of individuality and thoughtfulness. However, not all of us have the time or talent to make the ideal gifts for those we love.

Fortunately, we share the region with some really creative and entrepreneurial spirits at a time when makers are flourishing. Check out their beautiful creations and perhaps purchase a one-of-a-kind piece for a loved one—or yourself.

Those who love to travel will appreciate the global inspiration of soaps created by Carolyn Holden at Provenance Soapworks. Holden’s sugar scrubs, bombs, and soaps showcase the flavors, scents, and colors of her journeys, including a backpacking trip through Europe and her honeymoon in Greece. Check out the Passport Collection, inspired by Paris, Sicily, and the sunsets of Santorini.

No passport is needed to visit her shop in historic St. Charles, where candles, soap dishes, and washcloths complete the journey. While there, note the shop’s handcrafted cabinets, shelves, and tables. Carolyn’s husband, Mike, a talented woodworker, created those, as well as the sign out front.

Celebrating 20 years in Kansas City’s lively Brookside neighborhood, The Corner Candleshop thrives thanks to Lori Block’s deep knowledge of candle making and her personal relationship with customers. Votives and tea candles are the top sellers, but Block says that sales of tapered candles are on the rise.

Looking for a one-of-a-kind gift or home decor item? Bring your favorite heirloom cup or vessel to the shop, then choose from a dozen scents that rotate each month to create a custom candle with a personal touch. It’s a sweet-smelling way to reuse and recycle.

Take a self-guided tour to the alpaca pens and feed the animals over the gates. Learn about the alpacas and their care on guided tours that include time inside the pens. Self-guided tours, $10. Guided tours, $50 for up to 5 guests; rates increase for larger groups. Guided tours must be prebooked.

At the shop, you’ll often see Chad Nelson at the pottery wheel and Felicia Breen glazing the finished pieces. The nearby Mississippi River and Mother Nature in general inspire many of the co-owners’ designs. Mississippi Mud is celebrating its 40th anniversary throughout 2023, so all new creations carry a commemorative stamp. Closed Tuesdays.

There’s really nothing new at Schimpff’s Confectionery in Jeffersonville. That’s much of the appeal of this candy business, owned by the Schimpff family for 4 generations. Open since 1891, it’s one of the country’s oldest family-owned candy companies. When you see the selection of jars and cases brimming with sweets, you’ll feel like a kid in a, well, candy shop.

Watch artisans create cinnamon red hots, peanut brittle, and other sweets with love and attention to detail while using skills passed down through the generations. Making hard candies, including seasonal candy canes, is challenging, but it’s a Schimpff specialty. Take time to explore the candy museum and order a drink from the soda fountain. Closed Sundays.

While buying gifts for the people in our lives can be difficult, it’s usually easy to shop for a pet. If our furry friends could write, they would surely put treats and toys at the top of their wish lists. At Lucky Dog Pet Grocery & Bakery, you’ll find all manner of both along with other items like leashes, collars, beds, and apparel (for both pets and people).

The shop specializes in custom-made treats for dogs and cats, including whimsically decorated cookies and cakes. A team of 3 full-time bakers incorporate ingredients like applesauce, peanut butter, and oats into the items they produce daily. You can even bring your pet along, and you might get lucky and meet store ambassadors Sirius, a pit bull, or Pretzel, a tabby cat, who greet customers on most days.

You can find James Hayes’ creative glassworks in galleries and gift shops across Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as at numerous regional festivals. But to meet Hayes and get an idea of the complexity of his work as a glass artist, visit his Pine Bluff studio. Inspired in part by nature, his vibrant creations are playful and adventurous.

It’s a family business, with Hayes’ daughter, Sydney, also blowing glass. Watch for a while and ask questions if you like. Their specialties are large installation pieces and glass birds. Check out the Christmas ornaments, jewelry, bowls, and home decor items like elaborate chandeliers and centerpieces. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.

The bright colorful glazes and unusual shapes at Miller’s Mud Mill pottery are the legacy of Gail Miller, who started throwing pottery in her garage nearly 40 years ago. Her family honors her passion for nonconforming shapes, colors, and styles in mugs, platters, wind chimes, vases, and more.

“There’s nothing cookie-cutter about what we do here,” says Shelley Miller, Gail’s daughter-in-law, who manages the shop in the Brookhaven Shopping Center. Closed Sundays.

Music is the soul of Louisiana, and the accordion is one of the instruments that makes it soar. Its unmistakable sound is integral to Cajun, Creole, and zydeco music, providing both rhythm and melody. For a complete baptism, visit Martin Accordions in Scott. Founder Clarence “Junior” Martin Jr. has played accordions for nearly all of his 82 years and crafted them for the past 40. Now, his kids are involved in the process too.

Call to schedule a 90-minute tour. Start with a deep dive into the differences between Cajun, Creole, and zydeco music. Then learn how a 10-button diatonic accordion is made from various materials and types of wood. Live music accompanies the presentation, and you can even try playing an accordion yourself.

You’ll also find Shearwater Pottery products, along with a host of other creations, at the Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival. Held this year on November 4 and 5 in downtown Ocean Springs, it’s one of Mississippi’s largest arts festivals, with about 400 booths.

Diana Lambdin Meyer is a freelance writer from Parkville, Missouri.