We fell, hard, for the hedgehog pattern dinnerware. We ogled the deer antler lamp with deer antler pull string. We contemplated the birth of the brownie — could they really have been baked for the first time in Bangor?

Then we peed and went on our way.

Because, well, that’s how it works.

Bag Lady and Shopping Siren tackled a Bliss first this week: Rest-stop shopping. But not just any rest stop. We hit the Center for Maine Craft at the West Gardiner Service Plaza, accessible from both I-95 and I-295. Filled with Maine-made crafts, food, textiles and wood art, it’s no exaggeration to say this shop could fit into any pretty little downtown.

Tips of the hat to selection (if you can’t find something for everyone on your Christmas list, sorry, you’re not trying,) to the idea of showcasing Maine’s deep well of talent and to the prices, which mostly came without the, ahem, highway robbery.

The plaza is also home to Starbucks, Hershey’s ice cream, Burger King, Quiznos, and, during our visit, a swearing man, on his back, half under his disabled truck in the parking lot. It’s inevitable. Wherever we go, adventure follows.

* Fish River Crafts bull moose marionette, $35 (plus $8 for stand)

Solid wood, handmade, very attractive. Practice hand-eye coordination, but, you know, cutely.

* Wilbur’s of Maine Rocky Coast Pebbles, 8 oz., $7.25

Amazingly pebble-like chocolates. The perfect gift for that chocoholic friend who has a good sense of humor. Or who likes to eat rocks. Either way.

* Barkwheat’s dog biscuits, 0.7 oz., $1.60

For the healthy dog on the go, flavors like pumpkin and sage or seavegetable and chamomile.

Mmm, seavegetable.

* Seabags Christmas stockings, $44

Sewn from recycled sails, these white stockings with red accents aren’t as soft as the stockings you’ll find in every other store, but they are unique. And, really, don’t you want your stocking to be a standout when Santa comes down the chimney?

* Casco Bay Glass buoy ornament, $32

If you have a Maine-themed Christmas tree, this is the ornament for you. If you have an out-of-state friend or family member who loves visiting coastal Maine, this is the gift for them. If you have buoy phobia, you might want to try the pretty glass snowman ornaments one wall over.

* Figg Fiber wedding shawl, $315

A lot softer and prettier than the name “figg fiber” implies.

* The Right Dog Leash $9.95

Made from recycled fishing rope. Even with a plush grip strip, this leash looks a little is-this-going-to-rip-apart-my-hand? But it scores such high marks for ingenuity, that hardly matters.

* The Original Bangor Maine Brownie, 15 oz., $6

It says on the bag: “According to baking folklore, the very first brownie was baked in Bangor, Maine!” News to us, but we love the marriage of knowledge and chocolate.

* Deer antler items, various artists, various prices

Antler lamp with an antler pull string for $180. Antler-based candelabra for $70. Antler napkin rings for $28.60. Antler bottle opener for $15. Guaranteed to fill the quota of any home with an antler deficit. Hey, it’s Maine.

* Insect Lab beetle by Mike Libby, $792

Libby’s South Portland-based insect artwork first came to our attention last year when it was featured in the fantasy gift section of the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog. Think dead bugs whose body parts have been replaced with tiny watch parts. Then put under glass. And sold for hundreds of dollars. Perfect for the loved one who has everything, because we guarantee they don’t have this. (At least not the professional artwork version.)

* Walden Walker walking stick, $27

Looks like a stick you might pick up in the woods. Feels like a stick you might pick up in the woods. Doesn’t cause splinters like a stick you pick up in the woods. Really, it’s the best of both worlds.

* Rainmaker soap, $5/bar

Sweet-smelling, all-natural soaps with scents that include honey and oats, blueberries and cream, and winter rose. Give a selection of these to your grandmother and, well, come out smelling like a rose.

* Maine’s Natural Gifts gift set, $24 ($28 for wooden gift box)

Includes 16 ounces of maple syrup, 10 ounces of blueberry jam and eight ounces of wild Maine blueberry honey. A good deal, considering the grocery store price of maple syrup.

Best find: Maple Lane Pottery hedgehog pattern dinnerware, various prices

Adorable! We squealed and cooed and considered how we could be the very first people on the block to have little spiky hedgehogs on our cereal bowls ($28) or creamers ($55). We’re nothing if not trendsetters.

Think twice: Maine Sea Salt Co. bag of sea salt, 8 oz., $6.95

A plastic baggie of sea salt does not a keepsake make.*

* Unless it’s accompanied by margarita mix, hand-blown glasses and a pair of plane tickets to celebrate New Year’s in Aruba. Then, OK.

Bag Lady and Shopping Siren’s true identities are protected by a pair of stylish, sweater-wearing Doberman pinschers (who love to eat rocks but aren’t so sure about seavegetables) and the Customer Service counter at the Sun Journal. You can reach them at baglady@sunjournal.com and shoppingsiren@sunjournal.com.

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