HANDFUL OF SALT
All things artisanal for the holidays
I’m picking up good vibrations. -The Beach Boys
Aussie Sun.
Marine Stripe Scarf The right scarf is a fabulous gift: no need to be wary of giving something too big or too small, and the right one will do wonders for an outfit and a complexion. Trust the team at Elk to come up with a little bit of sunshine in their Marine Stripe Scarf. Perfect. AUD$ 85.
Who needs caffeine? Fresh Squeezed Drinker
Is your recipient someone who wants to drift slowly into the day? If so skip this gift option. If, however, they want to roar into the day, then glasses from GlassBaby are for you. A pop of color, and then some. Drink up. And feel good: 10% of proceeds go back to organizations that heal. $44.
Walking on Sunshine. Lola Yolk Sandals
There’s some great design coming out of Israel these days, marked by playfulness with an edge. Case in point, these Lola Yolk Sandals from Tel Aviv’s Tamar Shalem. Buy these now and look forward to spring – as if you needed an excuse. $111.
Ground yourself. Vetiver Candles
Stop. Unclench those jaws. Chill. Breathe deep. Still hearing the buzzing in your head? Try the vetiver candles from Lite + Cycle. For the stress fiend in your life, even if that fiend is you. A Bonafide Good from LA/ Brooklyn designer/maker Kristi Head. $68.
Got it covered. Napkins
Why is it that napkins don’t get no respect? Maybe because they don’t look like this. The perfect napkins for the perfect Sunday brunch from Erica Tanov and her collaboration with Creative Growth. (Another reason to feel good.) $74.
Here on this mountaintop, I got some wild, wild life -Talking Heads
Putting the great in the outdoors Cascade Glacier Cabin Spray
Know anyone pining for ancient forests but stuck in the concrete jungle? This Cascade Glacier Cabin Spray is the ticket. Fragrance distilled from the Timberline Train on Oregon’s Mt. Hood. Think conifers, bark, moss, mushrooms. Perfect. $65.
A cut above Seville Orange Marmalade
Not prim. Not proper. This is the marmalade for commoners with uncommon taste. Made by Laura and Sean O’Brien of Josephine’s Feast, this glorious Seville marmalade is strong, and made with thick cut rind. $18.
All you need
German Locking Knife
Now there are ergonomic chairs, keyboards, tables, phones, pillows‌ but where ergonomics really counts is when you’re playing with sharp objects, like this German Locking Knife with its C75 carbon blade and a super-smart locking system. $72.
You and me could write a bad romance
(Rah-rah, ro-ma-ma, gaga, ooh-la-la)
-Lady Gaga
Where’s your edge? Snake Harness
We’re crazy about Zana Bayne’s Snake Harness and other leather pieces. Buy one, and you’ll see how surprisingly wearable they are. Be playful. That’s the idea, after all. Handcrafted in Brooklyn. $210.
Smokin’
Smoke Rings Necklace Tough, edgy, but perfectly proper. In making her Smoke Rings Necklace, master jewelry maker Nancy Troske fuses ancient traditions with modern design, creating a handmade chain of oxidized sterling silver links with solid 22K gold rings. $1,300.
Tie one on. Cincher
You’re a Jill Sander/Uniqlo/Gapwearing minimalist? Well, only you (and a loved one) need to know with a hand-made corset courtesy of San Francisco’s Dark Garden. $395.
Not so Bitter
Cocktail Bitters Starter Kit This is one of those great gifts, as good for a connoisseur as for the intrepid DIYer. NY’s Dutch’s Spirits, former bootleggergone-legit created a Cocktail Bitters Starter Kit for Williams Sonoma, providing everything needed to create home-made bitters. $24.95.
Peace Industry I am Melina Raissnia, the lead designer at and co-owner of Peace Industry. We design and make wool felt rugs and sell them in our SF showroom. My style could be described as modern maximil or bohemian modern. I love the geometry of modernism and I also love forms that reference nature in color and surface textures. My rug designs are geometric and simple, rendered in a minimal palette of vegetable dyed colors. The theme of the grouping I have selected is about ‘touch’. All of these objects are about their surfaces and the idea of experiencing art and design through the sense of touch. The idea of touching a painting that is hanging on the wall is considered impolite but, that is exactly what happens when we feature one of Kelly Defayette’s disc paintings at Peace Industry. The instinct to touch can not be contained (based on our scientific research). It’s part of our DNA. All gifts are available at Peace Industry.
jewelry box by Alice Tacheny $120
Curator: Melina Raissnia Lead Designer and Co-owner of Peace Industry
round painting by Kelly Defayette $120.
meditation cushion by Peace Industry $400.
faceted vase by Andrew Dewitt $65.
Brass In Pocket
Open Sesame
Crest Bottle Openers These solid brass bottle openers are for those who take the onset of the liquid time of day as a sacred moment. If you’re not a beer drinker, you can always put these on a black cord and wear one of these as a cool pendent. Either way, when they ask what it symbolizes, you can make it up, of course. We can’t wait to hear the answer. $60 each.
-Pretenders
Stay on Task Leo Task Lamp
Who says that keeping your nose to the grindstone has to be a grind? Just because they’re working hard doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice their sense of luxury and style. This Leo Task Lamp, for example, from Allied Maker (proudly made by hand in Sea Cliff, NJ) says they can have it all. Just what the budding entrepreneur/master of the universe needs. $600.
Beauty and brains.
Hang in there
Resin is just so delectable, with those luminous, translucent colors. Work with resin artist Marcia Stuermer to create a custom Barcode strip that tells your story. Get one for each member of your family, and get rid of those slightly embarrassing portraits in the hallway. Get small (2” x 5.5” x 1.5”) or large (4” x 5.5” x 1.5”) for $125 and $300.
Have a friend who’s taken that taxidermy trend a little too much to heart? Ease them out of it with this Bibi Deer Mounted Head Hook. Bibi is also functional (unlike the real thing), serving as a hook for clothes, jewelry, or to dress up as they see fit. 5” x 6” x 5”. $38.
DNA Barcodes
Sunshine Starlight -Mr. Elevator & The Brain Hotel
Bibi Deer Mounted Head Hook.
The Real Thing. Liddabit Sweets
NY-based Liddabit Sweets makes candy for grown-ups (Beer and Pretzel Caramels, anyone?) The best way to introduce your lucky recipient (you?) is The Kitchen Sink, with goodies such as the PB&J Bar, Apple Maple and Barley Tea Honey lollipops, and the Lime in the Coconut bar. And yes, the aforementioned caramels. $75.
Oh me-ow Soap
The evocatively named Meow Meow Tweet has the perfect gift for your office party (squeals of “how cute”), niece (more squealing), or veganista (no squealing but a nod of appreciation for MMT’s vegan, cruelty-free, 100% natural ingredients and sustainable packaging.) But you may not want to let go of the delectable combination of grapefruit, peppermint and dried mint for exfoliation. $9.
Who says?
Holiday Cards Why send the same card that everyone else will? Cards from When it Rains allow you to put your own stamp on the holiday festivities. Want to color coordinate your whole gifting process, so you can bring out your inner Martha? When it Rains will help you make that happen. 10 cards for $12.
I know what’s right. I got just one life... And, I won’t back down. -Tom Petty Use it or lose it Travel Wallet
We know it’s called a travel wallet but we think it’s too good to waste it just on travel. Basil Racuk’s hand-tooled leather version (in your choice of oil tan or saddle/hand-dyed leather) is perfectly designed with multiple card and document storage slots. Could this be the accessory that finally organizes all those bits of paper and plastic they’re forever carrying around? Help them find out. $498-$558.
Shaken or Stirred? Mr. Drink
Woodsport’s aptly named “Mr. Drink” doesn’t care. All he cares about is serving you. No fuss. No attitude. No needs. No tip. Not in the mood for a cocktail? It even comes with its own bottle opener. Oh if only the rest of life were this uncomplicated.
Get real.
Foot Soldier Blanket This ain’t no wussy fluffy blanket. From Faribault Woolen Mill (which has a long history of making blankets for the U.S. military, this Foot Soldier Blanket is heavy and durable, yet breathable, meeting rugged specifications of military equipment with exquisite simplicity and finesse. $190.
March forward. Natural Trench Boot
The trench boot, gone urban. Comfortable, long wearing, with just the right amount of style. Sound like someone you know? These handcrafted Natural Trench Boot from Oak Street Bootmaker, “developed to embody the character of Chicago.� We knew we loved the City of Broad Shoulders for a reason. $426.
Artful Home At Artful Home, we are passionate about connecting artists with art lovers. We represent and sell the work of more than 1,000 extraordinary North American artists, from glassblowers and painters to jewelry makers and apparel designers. The diverse selection of fine art, fine craft, and designer work found on our website is juried by a team of art world experts, and every piece is shipped directly from the artist’s studio to your home.
Wide Leather Cuff Created by Ann Chikahisa in Chicago, IL $114
Blokkey Eyewear and Key Holder in Walnut Created by Brad Reed Nelson in Carbondale, CO $70
Curator: Lisa Bayne Artful Home CEO The pieces I have selected combine a bold, modern aesthetic with visible evidence of the artist’s hand, whether the texture of forged metal or the brush strokes of hand-glazed pottery. I revel in these beautiful, subtle details—handcrafted touches that tell a story about the artist who created the piece. When given as gifts, these works of art become a meaningful part of the recipient’s life, and the story continues.
Scottie with Heart Balloon Created by Hilary Pfeifer in Portland, OR $45
Gold Leaf Beer Bottle Tumbler Set Created by Nanda Soderberg in Concord, NH $110 Patterned Stoneware Diamond Appetizer Plates Created by Michael Jones in Yellow Springs, OH $45 each; $128 for a set of 3 Branches Candleholder Set Created by Luke Proctor in Mount Horeb, WI $390
Honeybee Ornament Created by Jennifer Umphress Studios in Kingston, WA $98
Kenny Scarf Created by Margo Petitti in Providence, RI $150
Loop Hoop II Earrings in Black Created by Maria Eife in Philadelphia, PA $85
Flowers in your hair
-The Lumineers
Around and around it goes Circle Bag
Thoroughly modern, utterly classic. Sara Barner’s fabulous Circle Bag made out of English Bridle leather is handmade in Sara’s Portland studio. $375.
Eggpress yourself Letterpress Cards
Getting letterpress from a Portland studio just kind of makes sense, doesn’t it? These charming cards by letterpress pioneers Egg Press epitomize that offhand sophisticated-naive vibe that’s perfect for alt-lovers and design aficionados alike. 6 cards for $16.
Keep ‘em busy
Sweet things
What was that line about idle hands? San Francisco’s beloved Yellow Owl Workshop’s Carve a Stamp Kit definitely keeps their hands busy so they can create their own designs (or use templates), and then stamp everything in sight. $30.
Statement jewelry is fine, but can be incredibly hard to work into day-to-day life and style. Made by New York’s Caitlin McNamara, the Blue Dot Jewelry’s Silver Bee and Honeycomb Necklace is that effortless cool piece that will become a favorite. $59.
Carve a Stamp Kit
Sil ver Bee and Honeycomb Necklace
The ties that (un)bind City Matrix ties
Ties are so out (at least in the creative/tech world) that maybe it’s time they’re in again. But not the same old tie - it should be the tie reinvented. How about the limited edition City Matrix ties by San Francisco-based Piece by Piece, made out of the best of reclaimed luxury fabric swatches? WIth edges that deconstruct over time (you can trim them if you want) this is the perfect statement accessory. $85.
Felt Need Purse
Felt has that lovely combination of comfy (all those felt squares in grade school) and structural, and who doesn’t need a bit of a security blanket at work? AudreyModern’s line of bags made in San Francisco out of top-grade German felt makes sense of your day and life. What more can you ask for?
Welcome to the working week. -Elvis Costello
Forage Modern Workshop
Just a hunch. If 100 people were reading this holiday guide at the same time, 87 of them would have the following on their list: mom, dad, sister, friend, baby. It’d be easy to get your dad that pinstriped dress shirt again, but this year, with our help, he’ll be impressed for sure!
Forage Modern Workshop offers a curated collection of both new and vintage modern furniture and home goods with the intention of getting people to think twice about their stuff — where it came from, who made it, how it reflects their values, and how it might help tell their story. Best described as Midwest Modern — practical, meaningful, but cool enough to impress all your friends. Forage Modern Workshop works really hard to find some of the best stuff out there, so you don’t have to.
For Mom - Spout Bottle by Stak Ceramics - $30 – Pittsburg, Pennsylvania For Friend - Bison Jacqured Throw by Faribault Woolen Mill Co. - $190 – Faribault, Minnesota For Dad - Make Your Own Bitters Kit by Easy & Oskey - $40 – Saint Paul, Minnesota For Sister - Everyday Drop Earrings by Annika Kaplan Jewelry - $48 – Minneapolis, Minnesota For Baby - Puzzled Blocks™ by Tree Hopper Toys - $24.99 – Chicago, Illinois
The New Unicorn. Narwhal Necklace
“I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes” Ace of Base
Cure everything from the effect of poisons to a wicked case of the blues with the Narwhal, the unicorn of the sea, courtesy of Sharon Zimmerman. 5% of online sales go to the Ocean Conservancy. Made from recycled silver and gold. $275.
Got your back. Foo Dog Cufflinks
Be fierce, be invincible, with sterling silver guardian Foo “Dog” Cufflinks from Brooklyn’s Bixie Studios. Foo Dogs are actually guardian lions, and these babies roar with attitude. $185.
Words to live by. Eyes and Stars Signet Ring
Keep your eyes on the stars, and keep your feet on the ground. Some days one’s easier than the others. An Eyes and Stars Signet Ring to remind you, always. In sterling silver from Digby and Iona. $280.
Hey baby, what’s your sign? Astrology Bangles
Those astrology symbols are just so over. The modern, sophisticated way to broadcast your sign (and that of your sister, your kid, your cat) is via these morse code gold-filled bangles by Rebecca Coagan Scharlatt of Coatt. Genius. $60.
Under Pressure.
-David Bowie and Queen
Rugged meetings
Survive in style
Blaze a trail
Life is Precious Kit
Notebook Cover
Made for the urban nomad, the Redux Slingpack by San Francisco’s Modern Industry who’ve sweated design details so you not only look good, but can function and move well, not always easy with a pack. In weather-resistant “crucial” black. $195.
Fort Standard’s Life is Precious kit, made for Wallpaper Magazine’s Handmade Exhibition is a gloriously wrought piece of lifesaving gear. (None of that bad plastic stuff.) And it really does have things to save your life: compass, Swiss Army Knife, pencils, whistles, instructions and so much more.
Moleskine is, nice but a little expected, don’t you think? We prefer these little wonders from Vancouver’s Hand and Sew that come complete with a vegetable tanned leather cover that softens with age. Perfect for those urban expeditions. CAD $30.
Redux Slingpack
Hand to phone (Cordless Mix) -Adult.
Ring tone
Plateau Rings Jewelry maker Sarah Loertscher’s glorious plateau rings (in either matte or oxidized silver) are so subtle, but they’ll always draw the eye, courtesy of the plateau that adds edge and sparkle. Wear singly or stacked. You know what we think. Set of 3 for $210.
Constructed pleasures Black Shoulder Bag
Some people love that slouchy unconstructed look. That’s not what you’re after. You want something structured but not uptight. New York-based designer Chiyome’s black shoulder bag is it. $295.
Pay it forward Silo Candleholders
Has someone been very very very very good this year? These handcrafted nickel plated steel Silo candleholders are the way to say, “thank you, and the same again next year, please”. Commission these beauties from the ultra-talented John Liston. Set of 3 is $1200, set of 5, $1800.
Dreamweaver. Aurora Pot
One of our favorite designer-makers, Phil Cuttance, has done it again. Each Aurora Pot, hand cast in water-based resin, has a iridescent “polish slick� on its surface. Every pot is unique, every pot is gorgeous.
Happy holidays
from Yummy Supper
Every year as holiday madness takes hold, I appreciate homey pleasures more than ever. I couldn’t be happier when someone brings me a little jar of something they’ve made, or a treat from one of the many wonderful local small-batch producers in our area. My gift suggestions - for shoppers and crafters alike - reflect my own craving for things homemade, and a desire to share such delights with those I love.
GET YOUR KRAUT ON. Sarah Kersten of Berkeley’s Counter Culture Pottery makes stunning ceramic kraut crocks. We bought our crock last spring and have been whipping up delicious, super-healthy krauts ever since. Sandor Katz’s Art of Fermentation is a great resource for all things fermented.
BACON CANDY. This recipe for bacon candy could be a lifesaver for your holiday parties (see suggestion #1). The recipe isn’t a gift suggestion per se, but everyone will thank you for it.
Erin Scott is a food and lifestyle photographer, and the voice behind, Yummy Supper. She lives with her husband and two kids in Berkeley, where she likes to cook and cozy up with her family during the holiday season. Erin’s cookbook, Yummy Supper: 100 fresh, luscious, & honest recipes from a {gluten-free} omnivore will be published by Rodale, early fall 2014.
RANCHO GORDO. I’m hooked on Rancho Gordo, a Napa farm specializing in unusual varietals of heirloom beans. Get a pot of beans brewing to feed your hungry holiday hoards, or few bags of Rancho Gordo goodies make a delicious hostess gift. SMALL BATCH BOOZE. Every time a new artisanal spirit hits the shelves, we have to try it! Botanica + St. George are two of our current favorites. Such spirits come in handy for impromptu holiday cocktail parties (making even a simple gin and tonic a special sip) or as a fabulous hostess gift.
JAMS, JELLIES, PRESERVES. There are so many wonderful small-batch preservers out there to choose from. June Taylor, INNA, Happy Girl Kitchen, and Blue Chair are some of the best from the Bay Area. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook and Mes Confiture are inspiring books for the d.i.y. jammers in your life.
When she’s dancing ‘neath the starry skies. -The Cars
Form and Function FORME Necklace
There are lots ways to get noticed, many of them not so good. This, however, is one of those good —make that great — ways. Vanessa Gade’s FORME Necklace in sterling silver is a masterful balance of fluidity and form. Delicious. $186.
Necessary Pleasures
Heavy Rocks.
Silver Disco Pouch
Rockwell II Ring Sil ver
We never thought that a silver calf pouch could be indispensable but trust us on this. Basil Racuk’s Silver Disco Pouch works as a purse, in a purse, or even a briefcase (to remind you of who you really are, when you’re not being such a buttoned-up powerhouse.) $95.
Let’s get real. Is your beloved making it hard to get engaged this holiday season with her views on the quite real evils of many diamonds? Does she balk at looking traditional? This ring by Macha, handmade in Brooklyn, uses an unexpected chunk of recycled metal to squash those worries. And, it could hardly be cooler or more badass. $265.
Our house in the middle of our street. -Madness
Perfection Wine Rack
We can’t imagine any better gift for the oenophile than 6 perfect bottles in this eco-perfect wine rack made from reclaimed wood by Cliff Spencer Furniture Maker. Not just any reclaimed wood, mind you: it’s reclaimed wood from the wine making process, not barrels, from a Napa Valley winery. And the wood stain? From the grapes, of course. $350 (wine not included).
High stakes.
Matt Singer: Roll up Backgammon Now that he’s over his poker obsession the has created a sleek wonder and included witty wagering a traveling backgammon
Spoiled for choice Magazine Rack
For anyone with a magazine habit (who, us?), more is usually better, Unfortunately, things can easily spiral out of control. Key & Kite’s simple, elegant magazine caddy made of reclaimed redwood forces choices. So choose carefully (and make sure your Handful of Salt Magazine makes the cut.)
Are you experienced? -Jimi Hendrix Make Space
Makeshift Society Membership You probably have someone in your life who could benefit from getting out of those jammies, backing away from the dining room table, and getting into a co-working space with some like-minded people. If your loved one is in San Francisco or Brooklyn (in 2014), Makeshift Society is an ultra-cool co-working space and clubhouse for creatives, offering classes, community and more.
Tour Guide
The Great Northeast Brewery Tour Sometimes, before you jump in, you need to prep. And believe us, you need one of these before you delve into the wild wild world of craft beers. Let Ben Keene, a seasoned beer and travel writer, be your guide, in the form of The Great Northeast Brewery Tour (Tap into the Best Craft Breweries in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. $18.50
Creative Karma Ziibra Subscription
Instead of giving something by an artist this year, what about subscribing to one? What? Yup. That’s the brainchild of Seattlebased Ziibra, which connects you with artists (in fields from food to video) so you can directly support them on a continuing basis. What’s in it for you: unique rewards and experiences, and of course, the satisfaction that you’re making the world safer for artists. Various Subscription levels.
I sway in your waves; I sing in your sleep. -Blonde Redhead
Treasure Notebook
Mood music
Notebooks: there’s something so delicious about them. Every page spells a new opportunity for dreaming, for discovery. So wouldn’t you want to entrust them to a beautifully wrought work of art? Nothing better than this hand-bound notebook from Lotta Helleberg with an indigo dyed cover (using natural indigo powder) and paper reclaimed from a local print shop. Sublime. $42.
Elegant and relaxed. Los Angeles-based Clare Vivier’s Sac Bretelle is simplicity perfected. And in this glorious azul in delectable nubuck, and with two separate clutch components (which really makes it two bags in one) it’s what every wardrobe needs. $280.
Sac Bretelle
Happy Holidays from Handful of Salt! HANDFUL OF SALT
the craft of modern design
HANDFUL OF SALT No 2
Utterly Perfect.
Handful of Salt, No 2
No 2
Issue No 2 US 22 EUR 18 UK 16
For mom, dad, sister, spouse, spousal equivalent, motherin-law, bartender, colleague, boss, bestie, hairdresser, kid’s homeroom teacher, long lost friend you just found on Facebook: Issue 2 of Handful of Salt is the perfect gift. You knew that, of course. $22.