Craft, art and design all come together for Milwaukee's Maker Market, which opened for the season this weekend at Discovery World. Maker Market is one of the best opportunities to buy locally made products and one event I am always sorry to miss. Mark you calendar for the next on May 3rd!
Unfortunately, I had to miss this season opener and maybe you did too. Of course, for me that means spending some time on the interwebs checking out products I may have purchased – and instead buying them from their Etsy pages.
Here are seven awesome Milwaukee made products you could have bought – and still should!
Big White Yeti
Bay View's Big White Yeti specializes in soy candles, hand poured in the South Side neighborhood. Their beautiful soy candles are made from all natural soy, essential oils and cotton wicks. That's it. Clean, pure, long lasting candles that smell delicious. I love this blue mason jar one, and their "Bloomin' Lilac" scent will make my house smell like spring since I can't open my windows just yet.
HANmade Milwaukee
HANmade Milwaukee started out their venture with making these adorable Milwaukee bandanas. They've branched out into a few other products such as a Milwaukee jigsaw puzzle – but my current love is this Note Sketch Scrap Book. The 80-page book is perfect for interviews and such that I do for work, but is also a great Milwaukee themed gift for someone.
Bill Scherrer Forgeworks
Bill specializes in handmade iron forged products. So, go figure that I would fall in love with one of his wood products. This cutting board is made from black walnut, red oak, white oak, maple, and the center piece is black walnut and has cork feet included.
Tactile Craftworks
If you haven't noticed by my previous product picks, I love a good ole' mason jar. This travel mug from Tactile Craftworks is a simple and clever way to carry your hot or cold beverage. The hand tooled leather sleeve insulates and protects the mason jar, plus you can quickly switch between the travel lid for drinking and the mason jar lid for storage and transport. The big bonus? If you break your mug, the mason jar can be replaced at little cost.
Simpler Times Herbs
I've done my own experimenting in making homemade facial products and love to try others as well. I'd snag up this Herbal Aftershave from Simpler Times Herbs as a gift in a heartbeat. Their description of "fresh local apples, persimmons, oranges, and ginger root, chop and mix with hand pestled star anise, and cinnamon bark and add to Milwaukee's favorite spirit, brandy" had me sold already. But then to learn this product is a process of six weeks and is shaken daily? Well, ok, I'll order two.
BishopnJeans
Sconnie lovers unite! These adorable necklaces made by Cassie Bauman of BishopnJeans have Wisconsin hand embroidered on a metal pendant with chain. Perfect for the crafty Wisconsinite in your life. Or yourself!
Patchwork Printshop
Patchwork Printshop has some of my favorite printed products -- but this Salt N' Pepa themed pack of goodies is by far one of my favorites. The hand printed card has lyrics from "Shoop" and the three pins cover off other hits by the 90's duo. Plus Patchwork Printshop is spot on when they say "Salt N Pepa say it best." They do!
Carolynn Buser is one of Milwaukee's loudest and most adamant cheerleaders (don't dare try to disagree). She's the primary voice behind much of OnMilwaukee's social media and content direction, and apologizes in advance if she can be too sarcastic at times.
What else? She's a wine lover, closet trashy novel reader, beauty supplies addict and devourer of cheese (shocker for a Wisconsin born and bred girl, right?). She's also a bit of a foodie, which is a word most of you hate, we know. She works as hard as she plays - and that includes in the gym! So, you've probably seen her at one of the area's newest restaurant openings (and yes, she will share her opinions good or bad) or enjoying a cold one at a local pub.
All in all, Carolynn's a believer in positive thinking and will do her best to smack down your negative ones while writing about her city, her loves, quests and more.
