Bowood Farms is a magical place to visit at this time of year…or anytime for that matter. Katherine McPheeters. buyer for the family-run business, was eager to show me a few of the many gift ideas Bowood has to offer.
Vintage-looking ornaments are "reimagined" by a midwest artist using his cache of antique ornaments as inspiration. With a dash of glitter and dollop of beading, what's new looks old, $10 to $20.
A collection of dbO Home porcelain in a honeycomb pattern, left above, is made in Connecticut. The food-safe platters come in three sizes, small, $20, medium, $38, and large, $90. Basic white bar soaps made in Colorado, in bowl and on shelf above, are fragrant with botanical scents, $5 & $9. Lavendar & Sea Salt is the most popular combination. Also in the photo are sets of 4 appetizer forks in brass with twig-like handles, $36.
Baby merino scarves, $35, above, are hand-knit by a Bowood employee, who prefers to remain anonymous. Though shy about her skill, it's obvious the creator of these lovely gifts is the woman in the room wearing the gorgeous hand-knit sweater.
A shelf at Bowood Farms is filled with stocking stuffer ideas for children, including markers, gel pens, and paint pods, $6.50 to $20. Several interesting books are sure to spark young imaginations: 642 Places to Draw and 642 Things to Write About by Valencia, $16.95 each. Playful Fun Projects to Make With and For Kids, $24.95, and Bibliocraft 20+ Projects from Celebrated Designers Who Love the Library, $27.50.
Another section of Bowood is devoted to locally-made products including from left, Big Idea Notebooks, $25, green leather handmade notebooks with red tie, left, $35, and a handmade brown leather clutch, upper right, $100. The woodblock flower press with leather belt closure is made by Perennial, $20. Perennial packs both a textile dying kit, using walnuts as the medium, in a jar, $28, and everything you need to make your own rag rug packed in a jeans pouch, $28.
Bowood Farms, 4605 Olive, Mon. to Sat. 9 – 5, Sun. 9 – 4, (314) 454-6868.
If ever there's a pair of shopkeepers who are longing for sunshine and warmer weather it's Eric Schlling and Matt McRedmond, proprietors of Mike's Bikes. They're counting down the days til April and the start of their summer hours.
In the meantime you'll find some choice accoutrements for your favorite biker at Mike's Bikes. Cinelli caps, barely visible on handlebar, are $30 less 20%. The Abus Ulock (they say it's the best!) shown above is $45, and a limited addition Chromebag bicycle bag, lower right, is $160 less 20%.
A popular bike at Mike's is the Bianchi Dama for women, or Torino for men, $479, above. The Strider bike for ages 18 to 20 months, also above, is $120 less 20%, just in time to stick in Santa's pouch.
When I remarked that the size and handsome interior of the Chromebag mentioned above and shown here would make a wonderful diaper bag, the crew at Mike's Bikes blanched…so maybe not.
Mike's Bikes, 324 N. Euclid, Tues. to Fri. 10-7, Sat. 10-5. Open Sundays starting April 1, (314) 875-0080.
There are lots of gift ideas at Enchanting Embellishments, so I winnowed it down to just a few. A Joseph Ribkoff jacket with wired double collar (so you can arrange it "just so") has been a surprise best-seller for holiday parties, $279.95. It's light-weight polyester and acrylic so it can perk up your spring and fall wardrobe too. Shown with the jacket is a smoky quartz tear-drop necklace, $59.95, and sparkly bracelet, $39.95.
A festive poppy-red Maggy London A-line dress with gold zipper is $139.95, and a Lynne Ritchie winter white gold-sequin top, $159.95, is paired with Bylyse ponte leggings, $89.95.
Enchanting Embellishments stocks Mark Roberts' Collection of Limited Edition Fairies and Santas, $59.95 to $475. You'll see a Mark Roberts' tree topper in middle of the photograph, $39.95 and a garland somewhere in there, $27.95. Each piece comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Enchanting Embellishments, 4732 McPherson, Sun. to Thurs. 10-6, Fri. & Sat. 10-9, (314) 361-5300.
You would expect to find a wonderful chess set at Q Boutique at World Chess Hall of Fame, and Manager Brian Flowers displays the most popular in the shop, just as you see it above. The 12" magnetic chess set folds up with storage inside, $65.
Lovely glass ornaments are available for $5 each.
For big kids, the 3Doodler, offers the ability to make things almost as you would with a real 3-D printer. Plastic filament is heated in a hot glue gun-like device and then the imagination can fly, see Brian's attempts alongside the kit. Since the glue gun device is very hot, the 3Doodler is suggested for older kids or with adult supervision. The kit costs $99, replacement filaments, upper left, including some lthat glow-in-the-dark are also available, $10.
Suspend Junior is a fun balancing game for younger kids ages 4 & up, $19. A spin of the dial will tell them whether to add or remove a piece of curly plastic from the pole, above.
Q Boutique at World Chess Hall of Fame, 4652 Maryland, Mon. & Tues. 10-5, Weds. Thurs. Fri. 10-9, Sun. 12-5, (314) 367-9243 x 109.