The holidays are right around the corner, so why not shop local this year!? The Valley is filled with countless amazing local businesses and many of them are owned by moms. Whether it’s a kids yoga gift certificate, eco-friendly teething jewelry, customized apparel & home décor, natural skin care, or unique crystal jewelry, these mama-owned shops offer tons of awesome gift ideas! You might even want to forward this post to your significant other or family members who need a little nudge in the right gift-giving direction. 😉
Lua Skincare
LUA skincare was created with the philosophy that nature has the power to heal, protect, & rejuvenate skin. Founder, Lori Fenn, is an artist & nature lover whose artwork is the design inspiration behind the brand. After using oils on her own skin for over 15 years, she wanted to create something that would appeal to her teenage daughter that was both clean, green, & aesthetic.
In the summer of 2016, the first LUA skincare set was created as a simple way to help start a daily skincare ritual that was plant-based, vegan, & cruelty-free, with a desire to incorporate eco-conscious packaging whenever possible. Combined with the power of plant & flower oils, LUA truly embodies a product created from the heart & soul.
To purchase these gorgeously packaged natural skin care products, visit the website!
The Little Biting Tree
The Little Biting Tree was created in June 2015 by first time mom and preschool teacher Ilana Scheinker when her son Adin began teething. Like so many moms, Ilana immediately bought a silicone teething necklace. The more she read about the materials used in her new necklace, the less comfortable she felt encouraging her little one to chew on it. Unable to find a completely all natural and vegan alternative, she created her own. And thus The Little Biting Tree was born!
Her necklaces are created from eco-friendly and sustainably sourced raw wooden beads threaded with pure organic cotton, eliminating any concern moms have about chemicals and synthetics (such as latex, BPA, PVC, Phthalates or any other carcinogens) going into their babe’s mouth. The wooden beads naturally contain anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. And an added bonus- because of wood’s porous nature, bacteria has a harder time penetrating and surviving in it.
The Little Biting Tree has a philanthropic side too – the designs help support the work of the not-for-profit group Mahima Creations in northern India, providing jobs and empowering the destitute widows of Vrindavan, rescued from at risk and trafficking environments.
Visit the website to browse this beautiful collection of jewelry that would make a great gift for new moms and anyone who loves eco-friendly jewelry!
Mindful Minnies
Mindful Minnies Yoga For Kids aims to open the minds, hearts and spirits of children with yoga. Mindful Minnies’ goal is to give children the tools to grasp a hold of life’s obstacles and calmly, physically, and spiritually be able to hurdle over them with ease.
Since the practice of yoga is inherently noncompetitive, non–judgmental, and highly personal, kids’ yoga classes provide children with an experience unmatched by other children’s activities. These classes teach kids to internalize concepts of self–awareness, compassion, balance, creativity and healthiness on a physical and psychological level. These are the tools that we as adults rely on to thrive in our complicated, challenging, and exciting world. With yoga, anything is possible!!
Visit the website or contact Andrea at [email protected] to buy classes or gift certificates for kids yoga. My kids have taken these awesome classes and I highly recommend them!! 🙂
Adam Rabbit
Adam Rabbit is a collection of handmade jewelry that emphasizes the raw beauty of natural stones. Adam Rabbit started on a kitchen counter in 2012 and has since grown to a full time business for local mama Ashley and her family. Each piece is inspired by the feelings of love, magic, and adventure.
Adam Rabbit can be found online at shopadamrabbit.com, A Market Off Mill (a new shared retail space in Tempe), or at various events around Arizona. Pieces range from $15-$35 making them great for gifting!
A Crafty Couple
Crafting has always been of interest to local mama Melanie Wilkerson. She and her husband, Arnold, gained inspiration from watching HGTV DIY shows together. He started working with wood after they moved into their new home, challenging himself to make home improvements instead of paying someone else to do it. When Melanie’s grandma gifted her a vinyl cutting machine for Christmas last year, it sat in the box intimidating her for 4 months until she thought about all the things she could personalize!
Family comes first for the Wilkersons and they love coaching their 5 year old son’s tee ball team. Melanie first decided to bring out her vinyl cutting machine to personalize the team’s jerseys with their names and she hasn’t stopped using it since!
Melanie also loved the cute signs she’d see in stores, but never bought them after seeing the price tag. As a stay-at-home mom with a family of 5 and her husband financially supporting them, buying cutesy signs wasn’t really in the budget. Then a light bulb came on and she knew she could make one herself! With her husband’s wood-working talent and her craftiness, they started making their own hand-crafted signs. After posting some of them to her FB page and getting a ton of interest, A Crafty Couple began to take off!
Visit them here to purchase beautiful customized apparel, home decor, and more!
Check out these posts for more local shopping ideas: