2024 Gift Guides
The Post Supply's favorite time of year is connecting with our friends and asking them their plans for gifting this holiday season! This year we reached out to some of our favorite makers, chefs, writers, ceramicists, and artists.
Read on below as we role out guides from from Ginny Sims, Lisa Przystup, Carla Weeks, Erin Boyle, Rachel Pally, Emily Alben and more, including from The Post Supply Founders Katie Bowes and Hannah Haehn.
We hope you find some inspiration!
GIFT GUIDE : Ginny Sims
Ginny Sims is a ceramic artist living in Minneapolis.
Photo by Zoe Prinds-Flash (for nonna lietta)
Photo by Zoe Prinds-Flash (for nonna lietta)
"As I think about what is important this holiday season, I always come back to the idea of breaking bread with friends. Holidays can be hard. The table is where you gather with those that you choose to be with. The table is a sanctuary where we gather in candlelight and delight in the shadows cast on one another's faces; where the senses mingle, where we laugh and cry and plan how to destroy the patriarchy. It's never been more important to break bread with those people that you hold tight.
My favorite things for gifting at The Post Supply right now are anything by Ty Williams. I especially love his original lobster drawings. I met Ty last summer in Maine, and he is an absolute delight. The kind of person you want to be around. His art is like that, too.
I love the Sabre Bistrot Flatware collection in any color. You can collect them one by one. I have my parents silver dining set they got when they were married (only for a few years), which is supposed to carry a lot of meaning, but it doesn't really. I am considering upgrading to all Sabre in all of the colors.
I love the Vessel Garden checkerboard mugs. Molly does a great job with these. I have one and it gets used a lot.
Georgio Morandi's book, The Suspended Time is also high on my list as a gift I'd love to give to my fellow kitchen witches and artists. Morandi's paintings of flowers and still lifes are quiet and soothing. Much of Morandi's work was a response to the turbulent times in which he lived, and somehow there is hope in knowing that.
Everyone needs at least 5 really good quality tea towels hanging around. The Italian Linen tea towels are a great gift idea. The perfect amount of tooth for drying hands and counter wiping for years to come.
The Paloma lamp by Casa Veronica is something I've been coveting for a while now. If anyone out there is hard pressed for what to get me this year, look no further.
Lastly, a luxury item that you didn't know was a luxury item until you've received it or gifted yourself one, is the Roman Organic cotton pool towel in paloma sun and ecru. I stopped in at the Post Supply last summer and bought myself one of these because I knew I had many beach days ahead, and I'm so glad I did. We all know all the good towels are either sixty years old and only available by chance find at a thrift store, or these contemporary beauties by Baina. "
1. Giorgio Morandi: The Suspended Time
2. Roman Organic Cotton Pool Towel | Paloma Sun & Ecru
3. Italian Linen Tea Towel | Tomato
4. Paloma Lamp
5. Checkerboard Mugs
6. Bistrot Vintage Flatware Collection | Hunter Green
7. Ty Williams Original Drawing | Blue Lobster with Yellow Flower
GIFT GUIDE : Emily Alben
Emily Alben is a baker and recipe developer. She recently relocated from Ojai back to Los Angeles, however she possesses a deep love for Maine and has spent the past two summers working on a cookbook there. Wherever she is, Emily can never pass up a farmers market or shoppy shop to spin seasonal produce and specialty ingredients into recipe gold.
"I deeply love gift giving, and there's a satisfaction in finding the perfect expression of your love and care for someone in gift form. Whether it's sentimental, novelty, edible, an experience, or something that becomes a part of the tapestry of their home, I believe it's really the intention that counts. And there may be one or two things on this list that I wouldn't mind gifting myself..."
1. Estrella Candleholders (Cocoa) Set of 2
2. Beginner Basket Making Kit | The Trail Basket
3. Organic Maple Chaga Elixir
4. French Recycled Hemp Gardening Clogs in Sepia
5. Trattoria Split Espresso Cup
6. Grande Baroque Pearl Studs in Charcoal
7. Olive Mud Mask
8. Living on The Earth
GIFT GUIDE : Katie Bowes
Katie Bowes is the Co-founder of The Post Supply. She lives in Maine with her husband, two children, one dog, and eight chickens.
"To me gifting is a love language in and of itself - an opportunity to show someone you know them better than they know themself, or simply - to share some of your favorite things with a loved one. I love a gift that can be experienced - something to eat or add to a dish, something to adorn yourself with, something to incorporate into a self love ritual, something new to learn, something you maybe wouldn’t buy yourself but are so happy to own and use."
1. Handpainted Fish Dish
2. Italian Canned Tomatoes Ornament
3. No.8 Field Skillet
4. Bistrot Vintage Spaghetti Spoon | Teak Wood
5. Laundered Linen Kitchen Towels | Set of Two
6. Jar of Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon
7.14k Wave Studs
8. Beginner Basket Making Kit | The Trail Basket
9. Frankincense All Over Lotion
10. Seaweed Body Scrub
11. The Oval Handled Board
12. Andean Lucuma *M!Lk* 60% Dark Vegan M!Lk Chocolate
13. Silk Laminated Socks
GIFT GUIDE : Lisa Przystup
Lisa Przystup is a writer and the author of “Upstate: Living Spaces with Space to Live.” She lives in the Western Catskills with her husband Jonathon and their dog Gus.
"I think sometimes with gift giving it’s easy to overthink it or dream too big (at least this is the case for me). I often suffer from gifting-block, going down endless wormholes searching for the most perfect, most thoughtful gift, perfectly chosen based off of an obscure moment or desire shared between myself and a friend/ loved one at some point in the past year. As I perused Post Supply’s website with gifts in mind the things that jumped out to me were the things that would bring me joy, the small pleasures that punctuate a day: delicious and beautifully packaged dark chocolate, a pretty pitcher that makes filling water glasses a kind of performance art, beeswax votives that shine a light during these shorter days (and that smell—so reassuring and grounding), liquid gold face oil that makes a morning ritual intentional and indulgent, easy slip-on shoes that make getting out the door and into the sunshine wildly effortless, a basket that belongs in a museum designed to adorn your stairs (corralling all the loose ends while offering one’s gaze the great pleasure of its beauty), that feeling of setting out napkins with the most satisfying weight and feel for dinner with friends and family, a whimsical bar soap holder that’s sure to make the recipient smile every time they go to wash up, fancy-shmancy coasters, and last but not least the prettiest ribbon (for your hair! For wrapping gifts! For trying around doorknobs or even taper candles or even just for running through your fingers). All these things act as emotional prisms, catching and reflecting the light back at whoever you gift them to throughout their day and I have to say, I like this thought muchly."
1. French Recycled Hemp Mules in Sepia
2. Carmen Coasters | Set of 2
3. Face Oil
4. Italian Linen Napkin | Blue Stripes
5. Oval Blue Wave Soap Dish
6. Recycled Silk Ribbon
7. Beeswax Votives
8. Corde Pitcher | Green
9. Cacao Verapaz, Guatemala 72% Dark Chocolate
10. Handmade Stair Tote
GIFT GUIDE : Rachel Pally
Rachel Pally is a Los Angeles-based clothing designer turned ceramic artist. When not creating art, she loves spending time in nature, cooking, dancing, and playing with her husband and two sons. Her shift into ceramics allows her to channel her design experience into a new medium, finding joy and fulfillment in her creative pivot.
"I love giving and receiving handmade gifts! I'm planning on gifting earrings to my mom, special napkins to my sister, embroidered socks to a girlfriend, and this gorgeous glass pitcher to my in-laws. I’m also excited to share my ceramic fish with friends and family. And when in doubt, Wonder Valley olive oil and some Moire chocolate are always a hit! Since I’m always on the lookout for new crafts, the basket-making kit is on my wish list too!"
1. Wave Pitcher
2. Beginner Basket Making Kit | Baby Botanical Basket
3. Wonder Valley Olive Oil
4. Everywhere Square
5. Camino Verde, Ecuador 70% Dark Chocolate
6. Bloom Socks
7. Baroque Pearl Drop Earrings
GIFT GUIDE : Carla Weeks
Carla Weeks is an artist based in midcoast Maine. She lives with her partner Brian Christopher and their dog Aggie.
"I love to give functional objects that are a joy to look at. In my opinion, things for the home make a wonderful gift; candles, linens, ceramics- things that will get used frequently. Art books are one of my favorite things to give and receive- I think it’s the only thing you can’t own in excess."
1. Sipping Tumblers (set of 2)
2. François Halard
3. 13" Made in Maine Taper Candles
4. Chroma Fringed Napkin | Earth Brown
5. Tokyo Style - Kyoichi Tsuzuki
6. Everyday Oil
GIFT GUIDE : Hannah Haehn
Hannah Haehn is the Co-Founder of The Post Supply. She lives in Los Angeles and is currently trying to live in the present moment.
"Gifting is a pause in the routines of life - they are moments to acknowledge the relationships we value, times to stop focusing on ourselves, to spend time thinking about others, what they treasure, what would make their lives better, or their days a little brighter. A good gift isn't about the item but about the feeling it elicits from the recipient. My favorite gifts will bring a look of surprise or even a small tear because it resonates so deeply. It shows another person that they are known, treasured and valued. We gift as a way to love, as a way to create connection and to bring us all into a shared experience in the now."
1. Bernard Candle | Oro
2. Classic Sport Gel Roller Pen | Brass
3. Bloom Teapot | Clear
4. Cosmo Coupe | Set of 4
5. Shadow Nylon Tote
6. Porta Candele Piccolo Framboise
7. Large Glass Catch-All
8. Tile Coasters | Set of 2
9. Avocado Napkins Set
10. Bistrot Vintage Cheese Knife | Teak Wood
11. François Halard 3
12. Greenwich Organic Cotton Bath Towel | Tabac
GIFT GUIDE : Erin Boyle
Erin Boyle is a writer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her newsletter Tea Notes is a beloved destination for musings on stuff, sustainability, and being a human being in the world. Her newest book, Making Things: Finding Use, Meaning, and Satisfaction in Crafting Everyday Objects, is co-authored with Rose Pearlman and includes easy-to-follow tutorials for over 100 projects that are both accessible and aspirational, inviting readers to try their hands at a wide variety of crafts and to celebrate the satisfaction that comes from slowly and carefully creating for oneself.
"I love giving gifts that I've personally vetted and enjoyed, so my list includes tried and true favorites that I know will be immediately put to good use. These gifts marry what's beautiful and useful. With luck, they'll also support the simple straightforward enjoyment of a life rich in creativity and community. Candlelit pancake breakfasts with colored pencils and crafts, anyone? Everything you'd need is here."
1. 7cm Metal Clips
2. Round Brass Sharpener
3. 1/2 Gallon Grade A Organic Maple Syrup
4. No.8 Field Skillet | 10 ¼ inches
5. Kita-Boshi Colored Pencils | Set of 24
6. Making Things: Finding Use, Meaning, and Satisfaction in Crafting Everyday Objects
7. Segundo Collection | Linen Tea Towels
8. 13" Made in Maine Taper Candles
GIFT GUIDE : Briana Holt
Briana Holt is the co-owner and head baker at Tandem Coffee & Bakery.
"So, I’m obsessed with all these items for similar reasons. Most of them are all extremely utilitarian but SO BEAUTIFUL and thoughtful and made with a focus on beauty for beauty’s sake. My favorite combo! I love giving gifts that will be held and touched over and over in a way that may seem plain but is actually almost like ritual or prayer. Things that will make you stop for a beat and think of me, that I gave it you out of love and my imagining of your daily use. To use that gorgeous egg cup and think of your love of a good soft boiled egg, the weight of a perfect stapler, the buttery softness of a perfect shirt, the silly thrill of unfolding an extremely cute ruler, or the moment you’ll take for yourself with a product like that hair serum (seabuckthorn, is anything better!) I just love thinking of someone fully enjoying something tactile and beautiful over and over. and obviously the gift of an enormous jug of the most perfect maple syrup that exists is basically a love letter to someone."
1. Cake Zine Issue #5: Candy Land
2. Alma Egg Cups (Blue) Set of 2
3. Lapis Mug
4. Orchard Orange Ornament
5. Hand-Painted Butter Claw Clip
6. Olympic Jacket | Coyote
7. Glossy Staplers
8. Meter Coding Ruler
9. 1/2 Gallon Grade A Organic Maple Syrup
10. Trattoria Dessert Plate
11. Seabuckthorn Styling Serum
GIFT GUIDE : Dominique Ostuni
Dominique Ostuni is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the multi-faceted and intimate connections of everyday life. Ostuni reimagines conventional domestic objects, aiming to blur the traditional boundaries between painting, poetry, and ceramics. She works out of her studio on the shores of the Cathance River in Bowdoinham, Maine and she loves The Post Supply very, very much.
"This year, I am gifting things with meaning. Let me tell you what I am thinking. The dining table is a place for both love and for war – might as well gift a cookbook so both things can be experienced over a thoughtful meal. A pen that ages with time – as do we, a mirror? There is nothing like the gift of learning, a basket weaving kit to keep your hands busy and your mind, too. Afterwards you can go to the grocery store and gather all of the ingredients in your basket, that you made (yes, you!) and head home to cook soup for yourself and your other. Socks for warmth, the gift of care. Last but not least, an espresso cup set for someone that you love to share with someone they love. Ah! And there’s more, but for now, the ultimate gift guide, gifts of meaning."
1. Bloom Socks
2. Trattoria Split Espresso Cup
3. Orangerie Candle
4. Beginner Basket Making Kit | Baby Botanical Basket
5. Chunky Claw Clip | Ruby
6. Rotating Soap Holder
7. Classic Sport Fountain Pen | Brass
8. Apartamento Cookbook #7 : Late-Night Meals
GIFT GUIDE : Forrest Lewinger
Forrest Lewinger is a ceramicist and founder of Workaday Handmade, based in Red Hook, New York.
"For a potter, this time of year can be pretty hectic. You're making, making, making, and shipping and selling and setting up for markets and breaking down and packing up. Then about a week or two before the holidays, it's quiet. This can feel a little unsettling, after all the hustle, but with a little time away from production and some momentum built up, I usually start on a few ideas I've accumulated over the year. I get to play and mess around a little bit and it feels good. I'm loose and hopeful and I trust my gut. I am going to try and pull a little bit of that spirit into my gifting this year. I'm going to act before I think and pick a few things that speak to me before I even understand what's being said. I'm going to trust that if I'm drawn to it the person I give it to will be too."