There are well over 100 artists, creators, and makers represented in Hartville area stores! We asked our shopkeepers to share some of their favorite handcrafted gift ideas and the stories behind them. Thanks for shopping our small businesses this holiday season!
1) Bird Feeders by Fred Dietz III Workshop at Hartville Elevator
Fred is a Lake Township resident with over 15 years of woodworking experience. His birdhouses and feeders are made with cedar and where needed glass not plastic. Pair a feeder with a bag of Hartville Elevator’s bird seed for a great gift for nature lovers, bird watchers, and families.
2) Key Chains by Star Shine Creations at Twice is Nice Consignments
Based in Wadsworth, Ohio, Cindy loves to experiment with different mediums. She started selling her pieces to fund her crafting hobby and a business was born. These coffee key chains make fun gifts for teachers and coffee lovers. As the newest vendor at Twice is Nice, Cindy joins nearly a dozen other crafters with locally made items in the shop.
3) Local Honey & Jan’s Peanut Brittle at A Niche in Time
A Niche in Time has been carrying seasonal, locally made peanut brittle by Jan Baswell for 5 years. Their customers come from all over N.E. Ohio and Pennsylvania starting November 1st just for her peanut brittle. They also feature local raw honey from an apiary located in Hartville, OH. Small gift sets with honey dippers are available for gift giving.
4) Earrings by Handmade Ohio Clay Jewelry at Best Bib and Tucker
Ashley took a love of clay and ceramics and turned it into a gorgeous jewelry line. Each piece is blended, shaped, and sanded by hand then named after a lovely woman. They certainly would make a great gift for the lovely sisters and best friends in your life. Handmade Ohio Clay Jewelry is part of Best Bib and Tucker’s Handmade Market. Along with their consignment and boutique clothing and accessories, the shop features the works of two dozen ridiculously talented makers creating jewelry, spice blends, perfume, aprons, baby gifts and more!
5) Air Plants by Open Soul Designs at Thirty-Two 8 Inspired & Co
Open Soul Designs creates beautifully unique home decor and jewelry. Kelly’s air plant creations are a perfect gift for friends, family, co-workers, and teachers. They are low maintenance and are a great way to spruce up a small space or say ‘thank you’. She uses a variety of material to create her pieces with; from miniature cast iron frying pans, to intricate bead hangers, she finds inspiration in everything around her and always has a new and imaginative air plant hangers to bring in. Kelly is based out of Kent, OH and she is one of over 50 handmade makers featured in the boutique.
6) Geode Crackle Pottery by Kerry Brooks at Maple Street Gallery
These fused pieces are a combination of crushed glass and pottery, fired at a specific temperature to get a melted glass geode effect without cracking the pottery. Potter Kerry Brooks of Minnesota is inspired by beautiful objects that people can use every day. “I think of every cup, plate, and coaster as a small piece of functional art; making this art accessible to everyday people makes my soul happy.” In addition to this line of coasters, bowls, and trivets, Maple Street Gallery also carries a wide variety of hand crafted ceramics, jewelry, hand blown glass, pewter, paintings, and prints.
7) Ellie’s Handmade Soaps at Modern Vintage
Locally handmade olive oil soaps and shea butter creams, scented with natural essential oils, are offered alongside a curated mix of European and farmhouse antiques at Modern Vintage. A foolproof but thoughtful gift for just about anyone on your list!
8) Soapstone Carvings at My Sister’s Place
My Sister’s Place is filled with ways to appreciate and connect to artists from around the world. These soapstone sculptures begin in the mountains of Western Kenya. Here the stone is mined, carved, painted, and etched by hand using techniques passed though generations. These sculptures are more than cute pieces to tuck into a stocking. Like many of the fair trade items found in this shop, proceeds allow the artists to break a cycle of generational poverty and use their skills to provide homes and education for their children. Purchase with Purpose!
9) Deluxe Apples at Hartville Chocolate Factory
We select fresh, crisp Granny Smith apples and cover them with our delicious homemade caramel. Then, we hand dip the apples in our fine milk chocolate and cover each one with fresh Georgia pecans. Finally, we drizzle each apple with milk, dark and white chocolate. We consider our “Deluxe Apples” to be a complete, balanced meal in and of itself. The apple is a fruit. The caramel is made with real butter and cream. The pecans are a great source of protein. And, well, chocolate comes from cacao beans and beans are a vegetable, so chocolate must also be a vegetable. It’s the perfect food! A great gift for hostesses. You can just see her cracking into this deliciousness before she tackles the post-party cleanup.
10) Crayon Rolls & Bloomers by Handmade by Ozella at Two E’s in a Pod
Ozella’s pieces are a customer favorite in the “Artisan Pod” of handcrafted baby and kid gifts at Two E’s in a Pod. Christmas bloomers are a sweet gift for baby’s first Christmas and are available through toddler sizes for fun family photos. Her crayon holders pair well with a coloring book and mom will be sure to thank you for keeping her bag organized and her kiddo occupied during car rides, restaurant waits, and craft time.
Remember to add the Hello Hartville Pass to your phone and use it to save this holiday season! All of the shops featured in this guide AND more have special offers for you. Plus, there is a fun check-in contest to enter you to win a $500 Experience Hartville Getaway. Get the details at www.visitcanton.com/hello-hartville. Pass offers valid Nov 1st – Dec 30th, 2021.
