Ding dong merrily on high!!

December is approaching, the air is hot and dry, cicadas are click-clacking and if you live in the Southern Hemisphere that means one thing: it’s Christmas time! Which - for a lot of us - means it is also present time. And so, in the spirit of trying to tread a little more lightly o the earth this December, I wanted to share with you my main reasons for shopping local this Christmas, and offer you a little inspiration if you’d like to get your presents from someone in your neighbourhood this year.

Why shop local?

Although presents aren’t really what Christmas is supposed to be about (for me, it’s mostly about eating an excessive amount of good food and seeing my family), gift buying does offer us a uniquely awesome opportunity to have a doubly positive impact at this time of year. Why? Because it gives us a chance to support local businesses and our friends who run them.

As someone who runs her own business, I can tell you with absolute certainty that it means the WORLD to me when someone buys one of my cookbooks or signs up to a garden workshop with me.

Unlike massive online companies, when you buy direct from a small business owner you really have instantly brightenbrightened someone’s day and makemade them feel special. When you shop local you also get to meet the person who has made the thing you’re buying (a rare thing nowadays) and you reduce your environmental impact (the item hasn’t been shipped halfway across the planet - it’s been made in our own backyard). It’s also a great way to find personal, one of a kind gifts with a backstory.

So today I am giving you that backstory, along with a rundown of my absolute favourite Perth businesses that are all making and selling wonderful, creative and delicious things. Now, without further ado, here’s my guide to shopping local this Christmas.

Shop local: Christmas gift ideas

Kristin Magrit

@kristinmagrit

Kristin Magrit is not only a lovely person, she’s a lovely person whose focus on ethical fashion and environmental sustainability runs through every fibre of the beautiful clothing she crafts. Kristin is a huge proponent of slow fashion and the idea that we can be kinder to our planet by buying fewer, higher quality garments that are made locally from plant-based fabrics and designed to actually last.

Also, everything Kristin makes just fits so damn well! Her puff sleeve wrap tops have just the right amount of puff, her - aptly named - very useful blouse is floaty, light and (if you’re a tidier gardener than I am) the perfect way to keep the sun fashionably off your back, and I can honestly say (as someone who tends towards a daily uniform of pyjamas, track pants or activewear) I have spent the last few months living in her elastic waisted raised trousers, enjoying feeling both comfortable AND much more well-dressed than usual.

In an age where wonky seams, fast fashion and unfair wages dominate the clothing industry (and make a significantly negative impact on our environment), Kristin’s clothing is something you can actually feel good about wearing. Ditch throwaway clothing culture for good and invest in a few of her pieces this year!

You can check out more of Kristin’s gorgeous clothing at www.kristinmagrit.com.

Kristin’s Puff Sleeve Wrap top in Sand (check out Kristin’s website to see the full range of linen colours for all items)

Wise Child Wine Store

@wise_child_wine_store

Back when I had no idea that natural wines even existed, James and Lucy were already busy creating the most dangerous wine store my wallet has ever encountered. SO MANY beautiful wines, delicious spirits, sour beers and wild ales line the floor-to-ceiling shelves in James and Lucy’s North Fremantle store.

When COVID hit, these legends started adding a home-delivery option for online orders and, well, what was I supposed to do?? After all, it was a GLOBAL PANDEMIC and their family-run business NEEDED our support!!

In all seriousness though, delivered or not, these are the wines you want to drink. These are the interesting wines with the kickass kooky labels made by people who really give a shit about creating tasty beverages. And heaps of them are made locally too.

Just the other week I watched a documentary about CO2 emotions that come from oft-overlooked items and alcohol was a BIG one. Shipping liquids halfway across the globe has a massive impact on our carbon footprint. When we live in a state that is home to some of the tastiest grapes in the world, it really makes sense to buy fermented goods from our neighbourhood. And James and Lucy’s store is the place to start.

Also - they do gift boxes, stock tasty snacks, pickles, preserves and locally roasted coffee and sell the kind of gourmet spirits that will make your gift the pride of this year’s secret Santa.

Go check ‘em out or visit the Wise Child Wine Store website.

Another local business well worth your dollar$ - Si Vintners wines are DELICIOUS and can be found at Wise Child.

Kura Studio

@kura_studio

Serena and Anika of Kura Studio make some of the most beautiful pottery in Perth, and - like many of the businesses on this page - embody the wisdom of a life lived slowly and thoughtfully. In fact, the inspiration for their name comes from the Indonesian word ‘kura-kura’ (tortoise); a creature who moves slowly because it doesn’t need to move fast.

When buzzing phones, pinging emails and hasty news cycles threaten to derail our attempts to live peaceful lives, Serena and Anika’s ridiculously beautiful, handmade and thoughtfully sourced items are a gentle reminder to return to reality, pick some flowers and pop them in a sandy mountain vase, light a cactus flower candle or have a quiet cup of coffee in the garden.

Check out their wares here: https://kurastudio.com

Though their creations, Serena and Anika prioritise living, working & consuming mindfully

Stackwood

@stackwood_

Stackwood is a plant lover’s Mecca. In fact, the whole building even has a kind of cuboid shape and is regularly visited by Perth green thumbs on pilgrimages to learn how to propagate indoor plants, carve wooden spoons, weave hanging baskets, make handmade vases and discover the art of flower arranging (or even to learn how to garden, with me!).

Studies of human behaviour have shown that (while we tend to think of gifts as material ‘things’, giving people experiences leads to greater happiness and leaves a lasting impression in our memories). So this year, why not ditch things-as-gifts mentality and buy your loved ones a chance to learn a new skill and have an inspiring morning in the fairy-lit Stackwood workshop.

Sarah and the folks from Stackwood truly work tirelessly and have created a space that (aside from being very beautiful and filled with delightful green things) fosters community and gives anyone with even the slightest creative inclinations endlessly enjoyable ways to spend their Saturdays.

P.S. if you want to give physical gifts, Stackwood also stock an massive range of beautiful indoor plants and eco friendly garden gifts too - present that any garden lover would adore (and they home-deliver!).

Check out the workshops, plants and other goodies here: www.stackwood.net.au

Weekend workshop for all your creativity and gardening needs.
Image by Rae Fallon

Yòng Objects

@yongobjects

Jo Yong of Yòng Objects is as lovely as she is talented. Her pottery and other handmade wares are both useful and beautiful; little daily reminders to live more intentionally and to make time to enjoy the moment. Each piece Jo makes is handcrafted and totally unique, so if you want to give a one-of-a-kind gift this Christmas - Jo Yong is the woman to speak to!

Jo’s collection of vases and vessels made from gritty stoneware would be the ideal gift for a gardener who loves to pick homegrown flowers, and her bowls and plates are perfect for a candlelit dinner on the back verandah!

To have a look at Jo’s beautiful creations in person, head down to the Perth Makers Market at Goolugatup Heathcote on December 19th.

If you can’t make it to the markets, head to www.yongobjects.com to get in touch with Jo or check out her instagram account to see what’s new.

Gardening with Casey Joy

@gardeningwithcaseyjoy

Hello, it’s me! And I’m about to sing my own praises, which feels distinctly weird but here we go!

There is nothing as delicious as vegetables that have been grown locally and picked at the peak of ripeness and freshness. My two cookbooks, Pinch Dash Glug: Summer/Autumn and Pinch Dash Glug: Winter Spring celebrate each season’s finest, freshest produce. Whether you’re a home grower or farmers market frequenter, these recipes will give you new and delicious ways to make the most out of each season’s ingredients.

I believe food can be exciting and interesting without being difficult. My recipes are easy to make, but with complex and unexpected flavour combinations that will leave your dinner guests thinking you put a lot more work in than you really did!

These books are the perfect gift for a gardener who wants to turn their homegrown veggies into something delicious, or for vegetarians looking for plant-based recipes that are unconventional, fresh and packed with colour and flavour.

If you’d like to give an experiential gift instead, head to my list of upcoming workshops to see what’s coming up in 2022 - grab a ticket for a friend (and maybe one for yourself too) and come hang out with me in the garden together! You can also check out my store to browse my cooking and gardening ebooks, seed saving envelopes and garden consultation packages. Click here to see what’s on offer!

Cook delicious dishes in every season with my cookbook gift set: Pinch Dash Glug Summer/Autumn & Winter/Spring

Luka Rey Swim

@lukarey_swim

My lovely friend Luka has JUST THIS WEEK launched her new and very excellent made-to-order swimwear line! In fact, at time of writing, her website has been live for just a few precious hours, making these bathers TRULY hot off the press!

Luka has a background in fashion design and, upon returning to Perth this year, set about creating her own totally unique range of swimwear. With eye-popping colours, beautiful cuts and fabric featuring designs by local Perth artists, Luka Rey Swim is 100% Perth and 1010% good (for the record, calling something 1010% good is not remotely mathematically accurate, but with Luka’s bathers, it’s true)!

Find Luka’s beautiful swimwear range at www.lukarey.com.au.

Luka Rey - the Sonne Tee, Ateleta Crop & Atelta Brief

Margaret River Soap Factory

@margaretriversoap

This family business makes some of the most amazingly scented soaps I’ve ever had the pleasure to discover. Emily and Brittany - two gorgeous sisters - run Margaret River Soap Factory as a continuation and celebration of their mum Tracy’s legacy. Their soaps are made from Tracy’s original recipes; they are gentle on the skin and their perfume comes from real ingredients, like raspberries and mint, lemongrass and ginger, and rose geranium and pink clay (I strongly suspect this is why they smell so glorious).

The perfect gift for a gardener with perennial grubby fingers, these soaps will keep them clean and smelling wonderful - even after a day of shovelling manure!

To check out the rest of Emily and Brittany’s body products (including body butters, lip balm and bath salts), head to: www.themargaretriversoapfactory.com.au.

Neighbourhood Press

@neighbourhoodpress

Nora and Scott are the endlessly creative brains behind Neighbourhood Press - a Fremantle based Risograph printing press and probably Perth’s coolest print design studio! They also happen to be two of the loveliest people you’ll meet, and their risograph cards, comic book anthology and notebooks make truly awesome gifts.

What’s more, Nora and Scott have just finished creating the most beautiful garden calendar to pop on your wall and enjoy throughout 2022. It’s really a piece of art as well as a handy time-keeper - if you’re like me and you need help remembering to sow your sweet peas every autumn, this calendar will keep you on track!

Each month is illustrated with in-season fruits and veggies (so you’ll never forget what’s growing) and, in true Neighbourhood press style, the colours and designs are impossible to look at without feeling cheerful!

To check out everything else Nora and Scott are designing and making, head to: www.neighbourhoodpress.net.

Ancient Lakes Magnesium

@ancient_lakes_magnesium

Looking for a present for a tireless gardener? Look no further than this Deep Soothe Thermal Balm made by Ancient Lakes Magnesium; a business created by my very own sister Emily and her husband Scot to bring natural magnesium supplements to the people of Perth. Emily and Scot’s magnesium products are sustainably harvested from an ancient salt lake in the heart of Western Australia and this balm smells so nice and feels so good I figured it was worthy of a little of nepotism!

Made from organic magnesium, fermented chilli extract and essential oils like camphor, menthol, eucalyptus, and wintergreen, this balm has a certified organic Australian beeswax base and will make weary gardener’s muscles feel hot, cool and oh-so-relaxed all at the same time.

To check out Emily and Scot’s full range of magnesium based products, head to: www.ancientlakesmagnesium.com.au.

Studio Nikulinsky

@studio.nikulinsky

Studio Nikulinsky is the perfect example of a business that prioritises ethics, environmental sustainability and beauty all at the same time. Angela Nikulinsky began Studio Nikulinsky as a way to share her mother-in-law Philippa’s talent for watercolours and bring her artwork to a wider audience. Together, they have created a range of journals, planners, gift cards, tea towels and jewellery that showcase Australian flora and fauna.

Not only do Angela and Phillipa celebrate Australian wildlife through their products; they also help to protect our native wildlife - for every order made with Studio Nikulinsky a tree is planted in the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity corridor. Click here to read more about Studio Nikulinsky’s fabulous environmental policy. And to check out their full range of beautiful products, head to www.studio-n.com.au.

The Table of Us

@thetableofus

Simone Agostino is the culinary wizard behind The Table of Us - a gorgeous cookbook inspired by her love of wholesome and uncomplicated Italian recipes. Her food is ridiculously beautiful, very delicious and, after just a few minutes speaking to Simone, her warmth and encouragement will have you feeling brave enough to try making hand-cut pappardelle too!

But it doesn’t stop there. Simone also runs pasta making workshops and cooking demos around Perth, so if the idea of giving experiences as gifts has struck a chord with you, check out her 2022 workshop dates here (you should probably nab a few tickets for yourself too so you can start 2022 by learning how to make pasta that is as beautiful as it is tasty - just look at these little bundles of ravioli!)

To find out more about Simone’s delicious recipes or to book in for a workshop, head to her website: www.thetableofus.com.

Shop Local: It’s the best

If you weren’t already convinced that Perth is a super cool place filled with creative people doing awesome things, I hope today’s post has you thoroughly convinced. And this list isn’t some randomly generated thing I’ve made by trawling google, either. I have met every single one of these lovely people and can say with total certainty that there are no finer folk around!

Speaking for myself, the job of starting a business is exhilarating, rewarding, scary and nerve-racking all at once, and it wasn’t until I began my own business that I truly realised just how much it means to other business owners when their work is encouraged, supported or shared.

So if you want to give just one more gift this Christmas, give this blog post a share. Forward it onto a friend and help them discover some of the great people making cool things in Perth.

Local Gardening Gifts for Perth Gardeners

Ding dong merrily on high!!

Why shop local?

Shop local: Christmas gift ideas