2021 Maine Homes Gift Guide
For this year’s roundup, we went straight to our favorite source: local makers. And, boy, did they deliver. From candlesticks to kids’-room décor to kitchenware, we present 25 clever ideas for the design lovers on your list.
TEXT BY JEN DEROSE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANIELLE SYKES
HOME

1. Inspired by ripples in the ocean, Eliot ceramicist Elizabeth Benotti’s textured-porcelain Ebb & Flow vases are stirring with or without flowers. $68–$144. elizabethbenotti.com

2. Eliot’s Bernadette and Michael Spear design their cotton-rope coasters and baskets and Bernadette’s mother, Norma Jeane Vela, sews them on her Steuben farm. $45 for 4. tethermade.com

3. Portlander Caitlin Mushial stitches her crinkly double-sided linen throw from European fabric and fringes the edges by hand. $145. alwayspiper.com

4. Hang this pinched-porcelain bell chime by Portland’s Rachel Herzer on a covered porch or near an open window to hear its soft song. $28. handiworkportland.com

5. Anna Queen, of Rockland’s Process Goods, casts her faceted porcelain Triangle planter in a 3D-printed mold. $30. thegoodsupply.org

6. Put a bow on tabletop piles with York illustrator Sara Fitzgerald O’Brien’s melamine-coated birch tray. $22. sarafitz.com

7. Made from strong natural fibers, Newcastle seamstress Katrina Kelley’s linen table runner is designed to last for decades. $58. amphitritestudio.com

8. Matte and shiny meet on walnut-and-brass candle holders by Nondas Iacovou and Melissa Fuller, of Scarborough’s Studio 89. $70–$160. vennandmaker.com. Pop in tapers by Rockport’s Danica Design. $5–$7. shop-folk.com

9. Portlander Alice Yardley’s mini pouches, sewn with Angela Adams fabric, put a stylish face on makeup storage. $30. aliceyardleymaine.com

10. Give Cumberland painter Sarah Madeira Day’s deckled-edge watercolor cards and receive an artful thank-you note. $30 for 6. sarahmadeiraday.com
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KIDS

11. Warren’s Kate Tallberg was stitching and selling masks last year when the idea for her customizable handmade dolls, available in a range of skin tones, hairstyles, and outfits, struck. $118. thelinneacompany.com

12. Rockland artist Nina Devenney’s whales flag garland features canvas squares printed with her watercolor art and the mammals’ scientific names. $50. wildrosiemaine.com

13. Gem-like adornments on this geometric paper mobile by Nicole Svenson, of Portland’s Occasional Papercraft, add sparkle to a modern nursery. $60. handiworkportland.com

14. Topsham’s Drew Hughes works at a marina by day and carves maple baby rattles like the Lobstah claw, inspired by the birth of his son, in the evenings. $22. patriotbabytoys.com

15. Falmouth watercolorist Allison Chavanelle started her stationery-and-linens line, starring this bamboo-cotton Woodland muslin quilt, during her boys’ nap times. $56. emmyandolly.com

16. Decorate with flying colors thanks to Gorham designer Erin Flett’s Metamorphosis giclée print. From $25 (unframed). erinflett.com

17. Braided-nylon fishing line on this Rockland-made Maine lobster-rope swing creates a sturdy seat for kids — and fun-loving adults. $55. bellalunatoys.com

18. With wax sheets and organic hemp, Eco-Kids’ Gouldsboro-crafted beeswax candle-making kit has everything youngsters need to roll out seven birthday-cake-size tapers. $8.99. ecokidsusa.com
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KITCHEN

19. Westbrook ceramicist Kristen Camp and food photographer Jenny Bravo’s flower-like porcelain scalloped plates come in a bouquet of earthy shades. $42. campfirepottery.com

20. For conjuring cozy upta-camp vibes, these A-Frame old-fashioned glasses, etched in Westbrook by Greg and Christina Benoit, are letter perfect. $35 for 2. benoitsdesign.co

21. Portlanders Chandlyr Jackson and Kalli Roebelen’s screen-printed cotton strawberry and lemon tea towels are a visual feast. $19.50. freckledfuchsia.com

22. When Northport cabinetmaker Ben Block posts new cutting boards on his website, they sell out in minutes. Follow @blockbrotherscc on Instagram for details on the next release in late November. From $175. blockbrotherscabinets.com

23. Serve fresh-from-the-oven meals with love with Washington blacksmith James W. Kearney’s hand-forged iron heart trivet. $50. thegoodsupply.com

24. As place settings or serving plates, stoneware small mod platter sets by Boothbay Harbor’s Jim Schatz bring a Mondrian-esque vibe to your table. $300. jschatz.com

25. Metal fabricator Erica Moody hand-forms brass serving knives and other utensils in her Waldoboro barn and donates 10 percent of sales to a different cause each month. $67. ericamoody.com