February is one of those months that come and go in a New York minute. Before you know it, you blink and its over. Valentines Day is in the middle of February and it’s easy to remember last minute to make that dinner reservation and find a thoughtful gift that will let your loved one know you know what makes them feel like they are important in your life. We even have a gift for that person in your life that you are over with and needed a subtle and stylish way to say “Please Don’t Be My Valentine”.

Here at The Local Artisan Guide we have a Valentines Day Gift Guide that ranges from the very affordable to a little outlandish. However all the gifts are quite unique and truly artisanal. Just click on the link for more info.

Teddy Bear Duo. 2 of the cutest teddy bear madeleines covered with 2 chocolates, 2 different flavors

Components : Milk chocolate madeleine with chocolate-hazelnut spread, Dulcey chocolate madeleine with maple

Allergy : Dairy, Gluten, Nut (Hazelnut), Egg

VIVAS: A REFLECTION ON THE FEMALE BODY:
The project started as a way to desexualise the view on the female body and understand we are beautiful in all our different shapes, sizes and colors. My way of doing this is through my ceramic pieces! It all started about 2 years ago when I made a pot and then added boobs, and I loved it so much that I never stopped! At first, I tried to replicate exactly what I had made, but I couldn’t. I quickly realised that no piece would ever look like the other and hence the essence of the project, each piece is unique and unrepeatable. My name is Carla, I am a ceramist and an architect. I hand-make each of the pieces with my team at Vivas Ceramica in my studio in Buenos Aires. Each collection seeks to empower women through a carefully thought out theme.

Artist Michael Mendoza will personally make for you a witty, funny and beautiful Valentines Day Card for your loved one. You can reach him at point_pen_cards on Instagram or at El Mercado in Jackson Heights, Queens, NY. A very affordable way to show someone you care.

Leura Minimalist Unisex Vegan Leather Coin Pocket Wallet at Wolf Badger $53

LA ENVIRO is a vegan wallet, watch and accessories label, based in Perth Australia. They envision a world that is animal cruelty-free, whilst creating stunning and lasting designs using sustainable materials, such as recycled plastic bottles and premium vegan leathers. They endeavor to maintain the balance in nature as they create fashion with minimal damage and depletion to nature in the process.

Val Stern Jewelry at Atelier D’Emotion, Price Upon Request

Award winning jewelry maker Val Stern is showing his new collection at Atelier D’Emotion starting February 11th, 2023. Val has trained with third generation Faberge artisans and his jewelry is not only elaborate but very technical just like Faberge eggs are technical with hidden compartments and the ability to move and transform. Come to this amazing boutique or go to their website to check out Val’s amazing collection of one of a kind pieces. If you want to stun someone for Valentines Day, this is the gift for them.

Scent notes of Cardamom, Mimosa, Vanilla Milk and Sandalwood, this unisex fragrance is featured by Phlur’s whose philosophy is to use both natural and synthetic ingredients.

Phlur loves botanical ingredients for the character they lend to our fragrances, however natural doesn’t always equal safer. In some cases, synthetic ingredients can be less allergenic than certain natural ingredients.

Harvesting natural ingredients for fine fragrance can require tons of botanicals for a very small amount of material. Many natural ingredients are at risk of becoming over harvested and endangered. Phlur partner with the world’s leading fragrance suppliers to ensure we are utilizing sustainable natural materials and we are being respectful of the environment.

A gift from Miss Havisham’s Curiosities is a spectacular way to show someone you care…or you don’t. There is a collection of biting phases on beautiful china with a daring message once you are done with your tea or coffee.

See, getting thoughtful Valentines Day gifts doesn’t have to be a chore. Dinner, flowers and a box of chocolate can be quite pedestrian. Shop local artisan and its a win/win situation. And if you don’t have a Valentines then give a gift to the love of your life…YOURSELF!!

Happy Valentines Day!

The Local Artisan Guide usually posts one blog for Valentines Day however this year we will post four: one for her, one for him, one for Galentines Day and one solely for chocolates.

This year we picked five Valentines Day gifts for the woman in your life. We choose a range of ideas, categories and price points. All are unique, thoughtful, come from small artisanal businesses and will be greatly appreciated as well as romantic and that is in the end what you are going for.

Ilenia Corti Vernissage “My Heart is Yours” Red Necklace

Ilenia Corti Vernissage is an Italian jewelry designer whose aesthetic is definitely maximalist with intricate scenarios of nature, the insect world and for this piece, the human heart in all its anatomical glory. So when you say to your loved one, “You have my heart”, her “My Heart is Yours” red necklace literally takes the cake. Sold on the Artemest online store, the description for the piece reads:

A tribute to the heart, the mysterious source of deep feelings such as love and sadness, this fascinating necklace includes a thin, beaded chain and a marvelous silver pendant in the anatomical shape of a heart. Bright red enamel is used to emphasize the already vivid details, making this piece of jewelry a true work of art.

Handmade in Italy the dimensions are (in): W 1.18 x D 0.79 x H 0.39 and $805.

The Edinburgh Natural Skincare Co., 3 Luxury Hand Cream Bars Mixed Fragrance Pack

Not a soap, not a lotion, The Edinburgh Natural Skincare Co. based in Edinburgh, Scotland offers a solid hand creme bar in three fragrances (The Queen Bee, Golden Rosewood, and Luxury No.1). All bars are made using the purest, most natural ingredients nature has to offer. Handmade in the garden of Scotland and never tested on animals, they’re all free from chemicals and impurities. The descriptions of each bar are:

The Queen Bee
The Queen Bee Solid Natural Hand Cream Bar is an indulgent formula that helps moisturise, protect, and soothe your hands. Forming a barrier against the wear and tear of the day, it gives you deeper hydration, longer-lasting softness and visibly clearer skin.
Golden Rosewood
Introducing the Golden Rosewood Solid Hand Cream Bar – rich in moisturising and hydrating essential oils, it’s infused with Coconut Oil for quick absorption and hydration. We’ve enriched the formula with a blend of the purest natural extracts to re-vitalise and nourish your skin.
Luxury No.1
Our Luxury No. 1 Solid Hand Cream Bar is like walking into a luxurious spa. Prolonging the voluptuous aura of Luxury No. 1, this perfumed Solid Hand Cream Bar intensifies the scents of essential oils with light citrus and spicy top notes of Lime and Clove, with warm subtle mid notes of Sweet Orange, Frankincense, and Myrrh and sensual base notes of French Provencal Lavender and Rose Geranium.

The cream bars have a non-sticky texture that melts into your skin, they are also sustainably sourced and packaged and are great for traveling as they are acceptable as on-flight luggage for on-the-go hand care. The Hand Cream Bar is 6.5cm in length, 4cm in width, 2cm in depth and 9.5cm in length, 6.0cm in width, 2.5cm in depth in the tin. Its an affordable and beautiful skincare product to gift for Valentines Day (for all sexes).

Tasty Slice, Handcrafted Chocolate Flowers Box, St. Valentines Day Collection

The Local Artisan Guide found out about Tasty Slice and their magnificent chocolate flower arrangement from Atelier d’Emotion (one of our favorite boutiques for jewelry, art and design). Tasty Slice has created a beautiful box of chocolate flowers (that also includes stationary). The description for the chocolates are:

Discover the delicious flavors of Tasty Slice ruby and white chocolate flowers by awakening your taste buds with exotic flavor combinations. Each chocolate candy is made with the finest ingredients from around the world. 100 grams of chocolate.

It’s almost a two in one; chocolates AND flowers! Win/Win!

Heretic, Floragasm

Los Angeles based perfume brand Heretic has set themselves apart in the perfume industry by creating small batch fragrances by using organic non-GMO sugarcane alcohol so you can experience the Ayurvedic benefits of the powerful plant materials, plus Heretic uses all the parts of the plants to create even more unique scents that are vegan and cruelty free. Heretic also does not use the chemicals and additives used by standard perfumes to artificially extend wear. For their scent, “Floragasm” the description for the fragrance is:

Bright, seductive Jasmine flirts with Bergamot, a tingle of Pink Pepper, and a burst of Orange Blossom, in this 100% natural floral fragrance that stimulates creativity and passion.
TOP: Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Coriander, Lemon, Pimento Berry, Pink Pepper
HEART: Jasmine, Linden Blossom, Orange Blossom, Tuberose, Ylang-Ylang
BASE: Hibiscus Seed

Also available at 15 ML for $65.

Patent of Heart Alba Accordion Flip Crossbody/Clutch

Patent of Heart, Alba Accordion Flap Crossbody /Clutch, $189

Handbag and small leather goods brand Patent of Heart is ideal for a Valentines Day gift for her not only because she will be in possession of a beautiful handbag or small leather good (whose logo involves a heart) but because the designer and founder Elif Ayadin is passionate about creating sustainable fashion AND giving back to the world. In this case proceeds of her profits go to organizations that encourage education for girls worldwide that have obstacles in attaining an education. The leathers for Patent of Heart are sourced from dead stock and sustainable materials. Further details for this multi purpose clutch AND crossbody are:

Dimensions:

8.5"Length x 7.5"Height x 2.5" Depth ( Open Depth: 6.5" )
2 accordion compartments
1 flat inside zipper pocket
removable chain strap
Fully - lined with leather

We hope you find the selection of Valentine Gift ideas for her helpful. Just click on the name brand of each image and the link will take you to the site and provide further information on the product.

We are dedicated to finding artisans who create small batch production of unique, thoughtful and romantic gifts in all price ranges that your loved one will be touched to receive as they will appreciate the originality of their gift.

Next up, Valentines Day Gifts for Him!

By Natalie Rivera