Shoping Local, Small and Handmade: A Holiday Gift Guide

Christmas is fast approaching and this mama to be decided to do some early prep. At ForEverly Yours we value small businesses and what they offer to the community. Here is a sneak peek of what I will be gifting this holiday season.

My first pick is from Black Fox Farm & Distillery
For my mother in law I decided to pick up a gift certificate for a bucket of u-pick flowers for the summer season. My mother in law loves gardening and has a great eye for floral arrangements. I thought this would be a great way for my daughter and her grandma to spend a day together too. The farm offers an absolutely breathtaking backdrop to a lovely day out with family or friends. Located on the highway to Pike Lake, SK you are sure to recharge your batteries by taking a short, scenic drive and grabbing some lovely flowers for your home. This would be the perfect gift for that special lady in your life.
Value: $33
Contact Info: http://blackfoxfarmanddistillery.com
Phone: 306-955-4645
Winter Hours: Thursday - Sunday, Noon - 6pm
or by appointment.

 

 

Up next is a gift for my little, Everly from Petite Fen
I knew Everly had to have this dolly when I saw it. The craftsmanship and love that goes into each doll is second to none. Amber is the owner and operator of the shop and puts her heart and soul into every doll she makes. Each doll has it's own story and can be customized. I just loved the way she answered every question and indecisive whim I had about my order. 
Value: $25
Contact Info:
https://www.facebook.com/petitefenhandmade/
https://www.instagram.com/petitefenhandmade/
PetiteFenhandmade.etsy.com
petitefenhandmade@gmail.com

For a very special girlfriend I decided to give the gift of massage from
Beccy Anderson RMT
Beccy works from home which offers a much quieter and more relaxed atmosphere for her clients. Booking is fast and easy to do on her website. You are the boss when it comes to what you want from your treatment and the time of day that suits your schedule. Depending on your needs, Beccy may use a variety of techniques including; Swedish Massage, Rapid Release, Trigger Point Release, Myofascial Release, Joint Mobilizations, Manual Lymph Drainage, MET, and Deep Tissue Massage. Gift certificates are easy to purchase and can be offered in digital or hard copy form. I opted for the digital copy as I could purchase it from the comfort of my own couch and not have to brave the icy roads.
Value: $70
Hours of Operation, By Appointment Only:
By Appointment Only:
Tue     12:00pm - 7:00pm
Wed    12:00pm - 7:00pm
Fri      10:00am - 6:30pm
Sat     9:00am - 5:00pm
Book Online at: beccyanderson.com

 

We love 9 Mile Legacy Brewing Company
Here is one gift I was lucky enough to get my hands on before anyone else. For the man in my life I picked up a gift pack, from 9 Mile, featuring 2 bottles of their Holiday Cheer (Belgian Strong Ale, 10.1% ABV), 2 x 5 oz taster glasses and a bar of soap from Uncle Mike's. I know Kris is going to love unwrapping the unbeatable gift of alcohol, this year. He is a huge fan of craft beers and loves sampling limited edition beers. This is the perfect parcel from Santa for the beer lover in your life or a great hosting gift for any parties you are attending this year. They also carry a host of merch options for gifts and stocking stuffers - glassware, tshirts, toques and guitar picks, the choice is entirely yours.


Value: $35 tax inc
Contact Info:
Ave B and 19th Street
Next to the Saskatoon Farmers' Market
www.9milelegacy.com
hello@9milelegacy.com

For the other littles in our lives we decided to gift a few things from ForEverly Yours and City of Saskatoon Leisure Gift Cards. While toys are fun I prefer to give little ones, clothing, books, or the gift of an experience with a loved one. The Saskatoon Leisure gift cards are good at all of the civic centers in the city including the indoor and outdoor pools, city golf courses, Gordie Howe Campground, The Forestry Farm and The PotashCorp Playland at Kinsmen Park. I felt like a rock star this whole year because I had a few of these git cards and could take Everly to all of these attractions whenever the mood struck us.

 

 

For my dad I made a gift basket that features a few Saskatchewan businesses. Dad loves his tea and preparing meals for his family. I thought I would make a package that reflected his refined tastes. First I picked up some honey from Black Fox Farm and Distillery   ( http://blackfoxfarmanddistillery.com). I know for sure he will be going back for more once he tries his first sip. I then grabbed a cute, crocheted cup cozy from So Cozy Wear (https://www.facebook.com/SoCozyWear/) to keep his beverage warm and his hands cool. For breakfast I thought some delicious Saskatoon Berry Syrup from Blue Bell Berry Farm (rm.ens@sasktel.net) would pair nicely with dads unbeatable crepes. And for snack time I went with a few bottles of cold pressed Camelina Oil from Three Farmers (http://www.threefarmers.ca/) to smother his popcorn in. They offer free shipping on any order of $75 or more. They also have some very delicious Roasted Chickpeas and Pea Pops (not featured in picture) that dad loves. I think he is going to love this basket.

I thought I would spoil my mother with a painting from a local artisan at 
Dabble Diva Artworks. I do a lot of trade shows throughout the year and I was lucky enough to be placed by these lovely ladies at one of our shows. There are lots of goodies to choose from at this shop and each piece is a one of a kind. I know mom is going to be so surprised this Christmas when she unwraps the beautiful owl painting she was admiring at the show. I also picked up some beautiful jewellery for my mother-in-law for a stocking stuffer.
Value: $110
Contact Jenine at:
https://www.facebook.com/dabbledivaartwork/
(306) 230-1992

Tiny Footprint
Tiny Footprint is a small online shop that carries a variety of items including many that are handmade. The main focus is to help support other small Canadian businesses by offering and promoting their items, and some of the items offered are exclusive to Tiny Footprint. Owner and operator, Bianca, helps others gain exposure for their small businesses and truly believes in positive networking. I started working with Bianca last year when she offered to feature ForEverly Yours on her page with some of our products. She was an absolute pleasure to work with and helped our little company grow in ways we could not even imagine.  She features many different businesses that offer products for babies, children, and adults. There is something for everyone. Shopping at Tiny Footprint, you can find items for everyone in the family including clothing for little ones and natural skin care, (deodorant, essential oil remedy blends, soap, hair, and body wash...) the list is endless. I was able to source a few nifty gifties through her page and the process was very easy.
Contact Info:
https://www.facebook.com/tinyfootprint.ca
@tinyfootprint.ca

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should our little one arrive on or before Dec 25th they will be well prepared to celebrate the season in some of the finest ForEverly Yours gear. These little harem pants are made with organic cotton knit with a cotton spandex blend cuff and waistband. The thing I love the most about this print is that the little Rudolph's antlers say "I Love You" in American Sign Language. I just love the way they turned out.
Contact Info: www.foreverlyyours.com
facebook.com/foreverlyyoursbabyboutique.com
@foreverly_yours

Advent Calendar
Here are just a few of the other things I have been working on for the holiday season.
I saw a wonderful idea on Pinterest the other day for an advent calendar of Christmas/ winter themed books. Our little Everly loves to read and I thought this was a great idea for her. Rather than wrapping every book I decided to put 24 of our Christmas books into a basket under the tree that she is welcome to choose from. Once we have read that book we will put it back into storage for next year. We try to waste as little as possible and thought this method would help save a few trees.

Home Brew
We decided to make our own wine to take, as a favor, to the festive parties we have been invited to this year. It is a fun way to spread good cheer while keeping costs down during the holidays. Last year we made a lovely Gewurztraminer. This year we tried a Mueller and I'm told it is sure to be a crowd pleaser.



Baking Exchange
While this is not a new concept I made sure to book this early. I wanted to have a variety of goodies to offer guests, but I didn't want the hassle of buying several ingredients and making multiple different recipes. Ain't nobody got time for those dishes. So I asked the gals at work if anyone would be interested and had a huge response. There were 7 of us in the group and we agreed on making a dozen per person. I made 3 batches of "Basic Truffles" https://www.pinterest.com/pin/58335757653636690/
It took me about 45 minutes of actual cooking time and I got roughly 80 truffles out of it.
I knew I would have some left over so I made most of mine with alcohol so I wouldn't be tempted to eat them all by myself.

 

I hope you enjoyed this weeks blog. I had a wonderful time connecting with all of the business owners who were featured. We all started with humbled beginnings and owe all of our successes to you, our valued customers. Thank you for your patronage and continued support. Where ever you go, whatever you do we thank you for thinking big and shopping small this year.

FEY Team