As you plan your holiday gifts this year, make sure you consider giving some love to crafters, creatives, assemblers and makers based here in Minnesota. You’ll come away with a gift that can start a conversation, and you’ll also be investing right here in the state’s economy. Minnesota is rich in holiday maker and craft fairs, so check each artists’ social media and website for updates about their pop-up activities, or make a purchase online.

Romi Apothecary

Romina Takimoto started tinkering around with plants from her backyard garden as a hobby to help her de-stress from her job as an occupational therapist and clinical researcher. Her creative side project has become a successful business as the benefits of her herbal beauty products have become a local sensation. Infusing her moisturizers, serums, toners, and face oil concoctions with the nutrients of medicinal herbs, Takimoto now partners with small farmers to make sustainable yet luxurious self-care in a bottle. You can snag apothecary items like “Oracle Eye Balm” and “Queen of the Winter Face Oil” through the online shop or at over a dozen local retailers, including co-ops, wellness stores, and spas.

Website: romiapothecary.com

Instagram: @romi_apothecary

Makwa Studio

When she’s not making waves on the national scene for her contemporary visual art, like the upcoming Renwick Invitational in 2023 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, or curating exhibitions at local galleries, Maggie Thompson runs a successful knitwear business. A Fond du Lac Ojibwe citizen, Thompson employs bold geometric patterns and festive color combinations that recall Ojibwe material culture with her own spin for hats, scarves, face masks and more. The beanie pictured at the top of this feature is available through a fundraiser Thompson is running to purchase an industrial knitting machine for use by Native artists and other community members.

Website: makwastudio.com

Instagram: @makwa_studio

Četáŋ Ská

The maker brand of visual artist Dyani White Hawk, Četáŋ Ská (the Lakota word for white hawk, pronounced chey-tahn ska) is your source for jewelry that’s not quite like anything you might find in a store. White Hawk’s designs are dynamic and sleek, with statement earrings made from quality materials. You can choose a pair of the bold circular variety, or beaded earrings for that special occasion. The website also lists a number of intricate beaded necklaces, as well as several lines of gorgeous woolen blankets, made in collaboration with the clothing brand Ginew and Fairbault Woolen Mill.

Website: cetanska.com

Instagram: @cetanska_designs

Third Daughter, Restless Daughter

Stitching sisters Wone and Youa Vang spice up their embroidery business with acerbic humor. Juxtaposing internet culture carefully constructed cross stitch, Third Daughter, Restless Daughter serves up wall hangings for your office, bathroom, living room, kitchen, or anywhere you might need a smile throughout the day. With slogans like, “I like my coffee like my soul,” and “Your Point is Moo” (complete with a devil horn-wearing cow), these pieces make gifts for both your friends and enemies. Third Daughter, Restless Daughter also does custom installations, employing their expertise in Hmong embroidery. Look for them at craft bazaars and pop-ups around town, they also sell online. (Youa Vang also contributes to The Current as a freelance writer.)

Website: 3drdcrafts.com

Instagram: @3drdcrafts

Lucia Vasquez

Add a little knit to your life with the stylings of Queer Latinx multimedia artist Lucia Vasquez. Vasquez is an inspired up-cycler, repurposing materials into fashionable beachwear, playful jewelry items, and irreverently chic clothing for work and play. Nab yourself one of Vasquez’s cozy knit bikinis, or add a startling accent to your look with a choker.

Instagram: @luciamakesart

Peter Jadoonath

Part cave drawing, part cartoon, part street art, Peter Jadonath’s ceramic creations feature whimsical narratives, fanciful characters and intrigue. A regular at the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour, the Shafer, Minnesota artist has tea pots, plates, pitchers, cups and more on his site. These pieces will spark some pizazz into your next holiday gathering.

Website: peterjadoonathpottery.com

Instagram: @jadoonath

Las Ranas Jewelry

Candida Gonzalez is a familiar face and voice around South Minneapolis as an artist, organizer, and radio host. Their maker project, Las Ranas Jewelry, assembles found pieces into carefully constructed works of wearable art, with each piece bringing a dose of Brujx magic to the wearer.

Etsy: etsy.com/shop/LasRanas

Instagram: @lasranasjewelry

Thomasina’s Cashew Brittle

Local singer/actor Thomasina Petrus started Thomasina’s Cashew Brittle along with her sister, Leslie, in church basements and craft fairs, believing in the power of their grandparents’ recipe for buttery, home-made brittle to earn them success. Starting out selling at a private residence outside the Minnesota State Fair, they’ve since become a sensation inside the fair, wowing customers at the Merchandise Mart. You can find this addictive stuff at a selection of markets, gas stations, and hardware stores, including Ace Hardware on Nicollet, North Market on Humboldt, and the Golden Fig in Saint Paul, and you can also order online.

Website: thomasinascashewbrittle.square.site

This feature is part of The Current’s 89 Days of Winter series, helping you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation in the Twin Cities.