Resident's 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

Welcome to our yearly gift guide! We get a lot of chances to meet makers from all over the country during a typical year at craft shows and being part of the artist community in Pittsburgh. This gift guide gives us a chance to highlight some of the artists and companies we enjoy and whose work we love. Be sure to check out last year's guide since all of those companies are still doing great work too!

Jowdy Studios

Pittsburgh, PA

We've been seeing more and more of AJ's work the past couple of years. And we have been incredibly tempted to donate everything we own so we can restock with all his stunning pieces. He's been really fun to get to know as well! His work feels like painting on functional pieces. Somehow both art and useful. They could sit empty on your table and you'd love having their ambiance in the space. But they also function, yet it somehow feels a shame to use something so beautiful for something so simple like a bowl of cereal. 

Vandalia Metal

Pittsburgh, PA

We first met Mary Beth years ago at a Squirrel Hill Night market here in Pittsburgh. It was her first ever show and it was fun to connect with someone just starting out. Here we are years later and she is still creating fantastic, fun jewelry that features beautifully finished metals. You typically notice the patina's on her work since it's the most distinctive feature but she's also been exploring more whimsical shapes and designs.

Pamut Apparel

Raleigh, NC

Justine discovered Pamut last fall and fell in love with their dedication to running a values-based business. Sustainability, inclusivity, and high-quality craft are at the forefront of all the clothing they make. Seriously - custom handmade clothing to order is the better alternative to fast fashion. Justine loves their masks and green Simone top that make her feel fancy. Follow them on Instagram for a great look into how they make everything.

STAK Ceramics

Pittsburgh, PA

We've been friends with Myles and Heather for years. They've always made simple, beautiful, and functional ceramic work (now including more and more wood!). It's always a pleasure to watch and hear about their journey with new products and updated production processes. We've had our eye on a couple of their products but I think this year is the one where we finally add one to our kitchen. Most of our recipes do get saved on our phones so it'd be great to have an easy spot to display that while we are cooking.

dOSA Naturals

Chicago, IL

We met Dosa (composed of three sisters) in Chicago back in 2019 and have greatly enjoyed their bath salts. With a brand new tub that year, it helped us to look forward to using it. It's the right combination of soothing salts and fragrances to make that bath A+. 

Portland Bitters Project

Portland, OR

Bitters are to cocktails as salt is to food. Everything needs a little bit of salt of make the dish better. Every cocktail should have bitters to bring the flavors together! If you're an enthusiast of any type of cocktails, I'm sure you've seen bitters on the recipe and wondered if it's necessary. Maybe you even bought those crappy paper covered ones from the store. Getting good bitters makes a huge difference in your cocktails and we really like the ones made by our new friends Cindy and Jonn with Portland Bitters Project.