Can you believe it’s already May? That means Mother’s Day is just around the corner and The Local Artisan Guide once again saves the day by highlighting gifts for mom that are affordable, unique, thoughtful and artisanal. These gifts are made by small, local businesses and your mother will appreciate that you took the time to show her with these gifts how special she is to you. Click on the captions for the links for the items.

Kaeleigh Round Toe Block Heels Slingback Shoes, Chiko Shoes $106

Just because mom wants to wear sensible shoes doesn’t mean they can’t be stylish AND comfortable. We love the CHIKO Kaeleigh Round Toe Block Heels Slingback Shoes. The Kaeleigh has a sensible heal and features a leather, suede upper, leather lining, rubber sole. Heel height is approx. 0.5″. We love the green suede and tan trim and know your mom would be delightly surprised by this gift.

Dana Blair is a jewelry designer who after 20 years and a bicoastal life has settled into New York City with her first brick and mortal jewelry boutique in Chelsea, New York (also available online). Dana specializes in beautiful, delicate jewelry that is affordable which lets you layer up with an array of semi-precious stones. Dana’s necklaces, rings, bracelets are great gifts for mom, we especially love her dream catcher’s necklaces which she is most known for and is now on her bracelets. Most of the pieces are under one hundred dollars.

A beautiful journal from your local book or gift store is a thoughtful gift for your mother that she will enjoy as chances are she is more a paper than tech kind of mom. Here at Good for the Study in Nolita, NYC we find a large selection of beautiful journals for mom’s thoughts and ideas.

Bitterman Salt Co. with Salt Block, The Meadow, $58

If your mother loves to cook here is an original gift that she will love for her kitchen and its the Bitterman Salt Co. Pink Himalayan Salt Block & Cookbook (comes with its own saltblock). It’s the ultimate guide to cooking on salt and the awesome power of salt. This cookbook will teach mom to grill, bake and serve on the saltblock. She’ll be appreciative (and so will you) to learn the new skill of saltblock cooking.

Green Velvet Personalized Laptop Case, Chain & Charger Pocket, BAG ALL, $60

One way to make mom feel special on Mother’s Day is to get her a customized gift and we love the Green Velvet Laptop Case with chain and charger pocket. It’s 15” across and comes with her name on it (order on the website to customize). It’s very affordable at just $60 and BAG ALL is a women own business that has focused on sustainability since its concept. Mom will appreciate that you are helping planet earth and giving her a customize gift for Mother’s Day.

Mum Candle, The Commonfolk Collective, $60

One can’t go wrong with a artisanal scented candle for mom. We recently discovered the candles from The Commonfolk Collective that have special “Mum” candles (pictured are the Astrology Candles). This candle is a LIMITED EDITION with only 100 units available. They have tweaked their original Mum label with a NEW peachy coloured background featuring gold foil text to tie in together with our 'Love Ya Mum' Soul Candle + our second LIMITED EDITION candle, Dictionary Meaning Family.

And for our grand finale we have one of our most favored finds, “Marrakech” from The Bubble Collection. Artisanal perfumers Michael Perris and Gregory Cole have worked with world renowned brands before deciding to create their own memorable perfume collection and decided to name it The Bubble. We were immediately captivated by “Marrakesh”. A floral and spicy scent that is described as “Take a stroll through the souk, filled with dazzling aromas of sunny citrus, scintillating spices, sumptuous florals and supple woods. In the shade of a flying carpet, you find yourself entranced by the complex rhythmic patterns of hand-dyed wool, the elegant arabesques on silver platters, and gilded tea glasses in rainbow hues. Tendrils of steam from your tea mingle with swirls of sweet tobacco.” We guarantee any mom would fall in love with the fragrance, its the next best thing to going to Marrakesh.

These are our picks for Mother’s Day. They are affordable, thoughtful, artisanal and will show your mother that even though they are very affordable they are unique and special, just like she is.

By Natalie Rivera

The Local Artisan Guide has seen so many amazing artisans this pass year that one gift guide for the holidays is not enough so we will have “The Twelves Days of Christmas Holiday Gift Guide” with each day highlighting a different gift category. For the first day of our gift guide we will feature our picks for fragrances for both men and women. The following five choices can all be considered unisex fragrances as they inspire to capture a feeling and an experience instead of just floral and woody notes.

ANTOINETTE POISSON “TISON”

The third part of this trilogy of perfumes dedicated to Madame Antoinette Poisson, mistress of King Louis XV, focuses on the latter part of their relationship when she was more his confidant than an active mistress. "Tison", with its notes of smoky and woody notes, reminds the quietness and warmth of the fireplace, the incandescence of the embers in the crackling wood fire in the petit salon. The flame that has long animated the Marquise de Pompadour still burns.

D.S. & DURGA, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT”

D.S. & Durga have created a fragrance enhancer with transparent radiance that gives any perfume a certain, as the French say, “I don’t know what.” With top notes of bergamot essence, heart notes of iso e super, vetiver acetate and base notes of civettone, firsantal and ambrox super, this fragrance is definitely a ‘Je ne sais quoi’

BYREDO “MIXED EMOTIONS”

“Mixed Emotions”, an epicene scent designed to reflect the tumultuous nature of our times. Drawing on the Byredo philosophy of translating fragmented memories and abstract ideas into scent, “Mixed Emotions” presents an olfactive sketch of our current, collective state of mind. Comforting notes of maté and the sharp sweetness of cassis sit within a wooden framework; the reassuring scent of black tea disturbed by violet leaf synthetics.

ROOT AND RESIN “ASTROMA BY DESIGN”

Combining astrology with aromatherapy, this unique process will dive deep into your chart to craft your unique signature star scent. An Astroman by Design reading is your personalized aromatic blend to support your intention, goals and life purpose through your soul’s map and blueprint that is your natal birth chart and desired aromatic profile.

Drawing from the science of aromatherapy and the art of astrology, together we custom craft a synergy scent particular to your desire and actions. Using your soul’s astrological blueprint through your horoscope we are able to source valuable information to align particular plant aromas to support your core essence. Upon purchasing they will need your astrological information to get started. Visit their sister website and share your birth chart information so that they may begin the Astroma process.

HOUSE OF POTENTIA, “BLACK SMOKE EAU DE PARFUM” AVAILABLE AT ATELIER D EMOTION

House of Potentia created a perfume that brings to mind desire journeys through hope and doubt. The great “I am” emerges and takes its eternal stand. Rich Incense, Sandalwood offer solace through the haze.

All these incredible fragrances come from perfumers who are changing the face of the fragrance world by offering more of an experience that a certain scent that crosses over the line of gender for a unisex memory embodied by the art of olfactory. All these brands offer multiple scents that are worth exploring and expanding your aroma library.

By Natalie Rivera