Thanks to a little sleuthing we did at last month’s Boerne Handmade Market and San Antonio’s Holiday Olé, we’ve got some great small businesses to recommend for the 2017 holiday shopping season. Each one has an online presence, which hopefully will free up a little time on your schedule to relax or pop into a coffee shop for a chat with a friend.
If purchasing handmade goods are especially important to you, then you and your coffee shop pal might want to get your lattes to go and head out to the first-ever Hill Country Handmade Market in Comfort (Dec. 1 & 2), Fredericksburg Trade Days (Nov. 17-19, Nov. 24-26 (bonus week), and Dec. 15 – 17), Chula League’s Cherrywood Art Fair in Austin (Dec. 9 & 10), or the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center of San Antonio’s 28th annual Peace Market/Mercado de Paz (November 24 & 25).
As you read through our curated list below, remember that handcrafted items tend to be produced in limited quantities and may run out of stock suddenly–or well before December 1 arrives.
Read on, Wildflowers!
Named for the owners’ children’s nicknames, this San Antonio company began as a hobby and mushroomed into a family business. Today they sell 100%, all-natural soy wax candles and wax melts in scents like cinnamon vanilla and honeysuckle vine.
We think Canny Drinkware is kinda genius, pairing as they do old-fashioned hardware with glassware to make memorable tea tumblers, martini and wine glasses, and coasters.
Goats. Goats. Goats. We love to learn about them, think they’re adorable on all of those wacky YouTube videos, and dig the idea of natural goat milk-based items like soaps and hand creams. On that last front NuLuv delivers, stocking personal items with a range of scents on the NuLuv website.
From candles to home decor to vintage-inspired women and children’s clothing and accessories, this Hill Country company (owned by a pair of sisters!) celebrates old school style.
Andy Rawls Fine Texas Woodcraft
Whether it’s a wooden spoon or carefully crafted cutting board to be treasured for years to come, the cook in your life will appreciate the artisanal beauty of Rawls’ handmade kitchen goods. Looking for something a little larger? Rawls makes heirloom furniture pieces, too, in his Boerne shop.
Leather totes and overnight bags are hot right now, and they make elegant gifts, too. Sturdy and reliable, they’re the kind of present that will last and last, reminding the lucky recipient of your generosity for years to come.
Doug Young tells us that his wooden crossbow (it shoots ping pong balls!) is an original design, and it’s impressive to behold. We’re also fond of his clever upright wooden race car set.
Rustic, colorful signs are popular home decor items this year, thanks in no small part to the popularity of Pinterest. Whether you’re looking for something seasonal (like an adorable gingerbread man) or a superhero-themed sign for a child’s room, this San Antonio artist’s work is worth a look.
In Boerne we loved seeing how Whitney, an Austin artist, transforms old books into works of art through her deft paper cutting. She also puts a fresh spin on old globes with paint and adventure-themed sayings, just perfect for the brainy globetrotter. Currently she’s featuring a handful of paper succulents on her Etsy site, but you can see more of her work on Instagram.
Now a full-fledged shop in San Antonio’s La Villita Historic Arts Village, this company is known for its handmade embroidered Mexican dress can cosies. The pennants are pretty cute, though, too!
This Round Rock artist makes beautiful, vibrant clipboards—perfect for coworkers or your list-making bestie. Check out her eye-catching bookmarks, too. [Update: Tisa is taking a break from her Etsy shop, but you can sign up to receive an alert when she’s back online–or follow her blog for fabulous DIY ideas.]
Have another Hill Country artist or artisan you’d like us to know about? Let us know on Facebook.
Story and photographs by Pamela Price
