Bag Lady loves shopping.
I mean, that much we know.
But what I adore even more is shopping discovery: Supporting local talent and craftsmen. Stumbling onto some heretofore undiscovered retailer.
Or finding out, for instance, a Maine-made $7,000 covered-in-Swarovski-crystals-quilt actually exists.
Because it does.
Give a little Maine this month with holiday ideas for you, your pet, your partner, your kid and the outlandish bedding diva in your life.
Let’s e-shop!
* Hedgehog coin purse, Trosko Design (Yarmouth), $7.80
It’s a cotton twill coin purse printed with a cute little purple hedgehog, and it’s also a gateway bag: Trosko has larger zippered sacks with cartoon squirrels, moose, fish, whales, lobster, and, in one print, a hippo and snail who look like they’re friends. As they should be.
* Bow ties, SunFlowerFreckles (Auburn), $9 and up
So you’re on the fence. Maybe you don’t need a bow tie. But maybe your cat does.
And bam! That’s the genius of SunFlowerFreckles.
According to its website, the two-year-old company’s bow ties were featured in 7,100 KitNipBoxes in September, a monthly subscription service of cat goodies. Because, of course, a monthly subscription service for cats exists. And of course, cats need bow ties. If they’re made right here, all the better. (The site also features shots of kids, men, women and other pets all sporting their wears/wares in designs like chevrons, holiday-theme and monkeys.)
* 15-inch Maine driftwood wreath, SaltyGirlandLongDog (York Beach), $42
Pretty and rustic, the wood and sea glass are collected on one of 12 Southern Maine beaches. She also sells assemble-your-own kits starting at $8. Feeling crafty? Go for it! It’s hard to mess up sticks.
* Wing and mask costume sets, Tree + Vine (Gray), $50
Choose from an owl, woodpecker, bald eagle, hawk, crow, cardinal or chicken, which seems like an interesting what-color-is-your-parachute test for someone under age 10. The wings and masks are handmade out of felt that’s been made out of recycled plastic bottles. No question it kicks playtime dress-up up a notch.
* The Jack sunglasses, Traps Eyewear (Portland), $345
High-end shades made from retired Maine oak lobster traps. For the chic artisanal niece or nephew in your life. The story behind the glasses, for instance details like making each temple is a 75-step process, explains the craftsmanship that goes into each pair.
* Box of Maine, Box of Maine (Lincoln), $40/five items, $65/10 items
It’s a care package designed for Mainers living away who want to enjoy a taste of home or for visitors who got hooked on Marshmallow Fluff on vacation and can’t get it out of their mind. Among the choices in your Box from Maine: Uncle Henry’s, B&M Brown Bread and Humpty Dumpty potato chips.
Mmm. Brown bread.
* Brook Trout hand-dyed silk scarf, Fox Run Studios (Rangeley), $90
The definition of whimsy: You can definitely see the brook trout inspiration in this long scarf’s dappled orange, yellow and green stripes, but it doesn’t look like you’ve slung a fish around your neck. There are songbirds, buoys and Maine features in other designs. It’s the sort of thing you happen on and think, man! Maine people are so creative.
* Concrete sleepy baby dragon, FireKDesigns (Biddeford), $26.95
Six inches long and adorable, for your garden or your castle or your castle garden. FireKDesigns also makes concrete gargoyles, skulls, dogs, Buddhas and teddy bears. A nice forward-thinking gift: Summer — and happy gardens — will be here again.
* King-sized Swarovski crystal quilt, Unseign, $7,000
The design’s called Amazon Star and the 500-plus embedded crystals are actually quite subtle. The Pennsylvania seller on Etsy credits award-winning quilters Sharleen A. Fields from Buxton and Margaret Solomon Gunn from Gorham for its creation. Click, marvel, repeat.
Bag Lady’s true identity is protected by a pair of stylish, sweater-wearing Doberman pinschers (whose needs are modest; they’d like peanut butter on a Milk Bone under the tree) and the Customer Service counter at the Sun Journal. You can reach her at baglady@sunjournal.com.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
