With Mother’s Day fast approaching and most small businesses still closed, families may be scrambling for ideas for that perfect gift for mom.
With it likely happening in quarantine, it’s extra-important to make sure this day is extra-special. As mothers, we take care of others, tending to and nurturing those we love, especially during times of crisis like COVID-19, says Halifax artisan Lori Lewis of Petal and Crow.
“We must care for and support, more than ever, those in our families, our neighbours, our communities, our local artists, our local small businesses, and especially female entrepreneurs,” says Lewis. “Just like our mothers, our priorities should be close to home.”
To help make shopping easier, a variety of small businesses from across Atlantic Canada who feature local products were consulted for their top Mother’s Day gift ideas.
1. Petal and Crow: artisanal zippered pouches, Halifax
Lori Lewis designs and makes artisanal, elegant, versatile, reusable zippered pouches using premium cottons and linen that are as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. Pouches come in a variety of shapes and sizes (small, medium, and large) and are designed primarily as makeup bags. Other uses include carrying and organizing a multitude of items, such as medical devices, baby needs, computer cables, special undies, chocolate - whatever the user desires. Also available are makeup 'wallets', which work very well as makeup brush holders, coin/card purses, wristlet clutches and tote bags.
Prices vary from product to product, reflecting the level of skill and the quality of the workmanship used, as well as, the aesthetic uniqueness of each piece. Custom orders available.
Free shipping within Canada, and hand delivery available within the Halifax region.
Price range: Starting at $25
2. Sand Dollar Silver: handmade personalised jewellery, South Shore, Nova Scotia
Rachael Jessup of Sand Dollar Silver makes handmade, personalised jewellery using your loved one’s hand, foot, finger, paw prints and even handwriting. She also has a line of jewellery called Reflection in Nature, where she uses actual leaf or seed prints captured in silver.
Jewellery includes necklaces, charms, bracelets, earrings and key chains for men, women and children. Each piece is made to your exact requirements, and can include birthstones, charms, beads. All pieces are made to your requirements and are totally unique.
For the pieces, all that is required is a photograph of a hand, foot, paw or handwriting sent via email or text. Fingerprint kits are sent to you but may not be processed in time for Mother’s Day; however, they can be a sweet “I owe you” for mom.
Items can be shipped anywhere, with free delivery to Lunenburg, Bridgewater and Mahone Bay.
Price range: Starting at $25
3. Prince Edward Island Preserve Company, Best Ever Mum Gift Box
According to Bruce MacNaughton, owner of the Price Edward Island Preserve Company, the most popular item this time of year from their New Glasgow, PEI-based store is the Best Ever Mum Gift Box set.
According to their website, “Your mum will think of you with every sip from her new Dunoon Fine Bone China mug. She'll receive it alongside a box of our handmade butter shortbread cookies, a bag of creamy Earl Grey black tea with a perfect cup of tea measuring spoon, two jars of our preserves - raspberry champagne and strawberry rhubarb, a jar of honey and a bag of tea biscuit mix. All this beautifully packed in a nice box with a custom Mother's Day label.”
Gift boxes sell for $79.95 and can be shipped anywhere.
To place an order, visit preservecompany.com or phone 1-800-565-5267.
Price range: $75-$100
4. Nick’s Customized Apparel: Mother’s Day T-shirts, Kentville, N.S.
Lloyd Boutilier of Nick’s Customized Apparel in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, has been printing T-shirts in his home-based shop during the time of self-isolation. For each $20 t-shirt he sells, $10 is donated to local charities. To date, over $7,000 has been raised for local food banks, and $12,000 for the families of the Nova Scotia shooting tragedy.
In time for Mother’s Day, Boutlier has created a comical Mother’s Day shirt for $20. From this, $10 will be donated to Chrysalis House, a Valley-based shelter for women and children.
Price range: Under $25
5. Drawbridge Creative: Customized Prints, Halifax, N.S.
Colleen O’Dea of Drawbridge Creative is a graphic designer who creates a series of customized prints featuring, “Things I Love About You.”
To create your own piece, send a list of words and phrases to [email protected] in any format. Then, O’Dea will create the piece basing the final size on how much content you've gathered, making sure to use standard frame sizes so you won't have to spend extra money on a custom frame. Most finished pieces are about a 16x20, which is about 1,000 words.
The finished piece is sent as a PDF file with very specific instructions for your printer. It will typically cost just a few dollars to have it printed professionally and is less expensive than having O’Dea ship it. Plus, she says, you get it right away.
O’Dea says it takes 48- to 72-hours to have a draft version emailed to you.
“It's so hard right now for Mother's Day,” says O’Dea. “I'm hoping this will help people tell their mamas how amazing they are.”
Price range: $100
6. Whink: Customized baskets, St. John’s, N.L.
Kim Paddon of Whink, described as an anything-but-typical gift store in Churchill Square in St. John's, N.L., is offering Mother’s Day gift baskets.
Included in each basket are local chocolates from Jacobean, as well as local soap, lotion, a bath bomb, and lip gloss from East Coast Glow. Products made by East Coast Glow are made with ingredients ethically foraged from along the rugged coast and waters of Newfoundland.
Whink also features a selection of traditional Newfoundland items at whinkinc.com/collections/local. The collection features Duckstreet Collectables, local paintings, fused glass artwork and more, all exclusively available at Whink.
Gift items can be purchased online, curbside pickup and shipping options are available.
Price range: Under $100
