1. Mosaic Glass
A pound of glass is appropriate no matter your recipient’s artistic discipline. Bedrock Mosaic Glass, located under the Magnolia Bridge, offers a variety of colored glass—some pieces circular, others triangular, all 100 percent recycled. Browse mosaic materials to complement his or her next project. A trip to the shop’s Stoneyard is a gift in itself. Orderly as it is, the back outlet lends a funky flair that lures a buyer to the bright-hued tubs of tumbled tile. ABBY SEARIGHT
$7.99+. 1401 W. Garfield St., 283-7625, bedrockmosaicglass.com.
2. Turtle Sandbag
Ordinarily used to pound sheet metal, a Turtle Sandbag also serves to deaden the sound of hammering, support hand tools, and as an engraving surface. Handstitched by Danaca Design instructor Bill Dawson, this multipurpose leather pouch is sure to delight the artist in your life—especially if that artist is partial to turtles. AS
$40. Available at Danaca Design, 5619 University Way N.E., 524-0916, danaca design.com.
3. Hand Roller
$7.95–$17.95. Available at Seattle Pottery Supply, 35 S. Hanford St., 587-0570, seattlepotterysupply.com.
4. Yarn Bowls
Yarn balls never stay put. They’re on top of the nightstand one second and rolling across the floor the next. Heidi’s Pottery’s yarn bowls will secure those runaway balls, making your grandmother’s and knitter friends’ lives a whole lot easier. Hand-thrown and carved on Capitol Hill, the bowls are specially designed with holes and a J-curve to hold yarn in place while knitting and a weighty bottom to prevent tipping when tugging. Jeanny Rhee
$39–$68. Heidi’s Pottery, 735 Belmont Ave. E., 965-9810, heidispottery.com.
5. Charcoal
For the artist who wants some Northwest in his or her work, there’s Bob’s Fine Vine Charcoal, sourced in Eugene. Its trademark color and consistency is credited to its method of production—select Northwest hardwood is burnt at a specific temperature. A pack contains 24 sticks, 20 small and four large. AS
$12. Available at ARTspot, 408 Main St., Edmonds, 425-640-6408, artspot.squarespace.com.
6. Clothbound Chicago Screw-Post Portfolio Professional
This is for any Type-A artist out there who understands the importance of keeping work neat, organized, and coffee-stain-free. Paper Hammer’s handmade cloth-bound portfolio comes with three 1-inch vertical Chicago screw-posts that tightly hold and secure paper, with multiple colors available. It’s the perfect gift for your anxiety-ridden designer friend, who’ll most likely treasure this timeless gift—and you for your support of their tidy career. JR
$45. Paper Hammer, 1400 Second Ave., 682-3820, paper-hammer.com.
7. Fountain Pens, Nibs, and Dip
Calligraphy isn’t just for Mother’s Day cards. These wooden beauties with replaceable nibs offer an archaic yet worldly feel that is perfect for illustrators and cartoonists, but also good for writing your autograph in your checkbook. It certainly would make paying the rent an eloquent chore. Jr
$5–$15, $2-$5 for nibs. Available at The Lost Quill, 126 Winslow Way E., Bainbridge Island, info@thelostquill.com.
8. Pastel Set
Washington-based Dakota Art Pastels is the designated distributor of Blue Earth Pastels, which offers two sampler sets, Land & Sea and Portrait & Figure. Each includes 21 sticks in seven tones that will enable an artist to draw the most convincing landscapes or portraits. Place an order with Ballard’s Dakota Art Store, and your pastels will be available for pickup within a week. AS
$49. blue earthpastels.com. Available at Dakota Art Pastels, 2000 Market St., 523-4830, dakotapastels.com.
9. Customized Stamps & Crafty Miscellany
On average, holiday cards cost $4 to $6. $4 to $6! Add the cost of stamps, shipping, packaging, and sometimes Priority Mail Express, and sending a standard “Happy Holidays” card plus a few “envelope stuffers” can easily cost you $15. That’s quite a burden to put on your loved one. At Impress Cards and Crafts, your friend can custom-order and design stamps that start at a fraction of that cost, choosing from a variety of typographies and font sizes. You’ll see the results in the mail. JR $9+.University Village Shopping Center, 2621 N.E. Village Lane, 526-5818, impresscardsandcrafts.
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