From earings to shampoo and leather goods, this year's winners will really wow.
Blue Mountain Sweater
(Calluna: in Arrington)
(Photograph by Fred & Elliott)
Countless artists have been inspired by the Appalachian Mountains, and Heather Gonzalez, founder and owner of Calluna, can be counted among them. “When I saw the pattern, I knew I had to make it,” she says of her label’s Blue Mountain Sweater. Gonzalez sources her fabrics from a woman-owned business that uses organic cotton milled in the U.S., and she looks to smaller operations for her patterns, such as the one found on the Blue Mountain Sweater, as well. The cozy knit is available in both adult and grow-with-me children’s sizes—making it the perfect uniform for a family photo, perhaps during a mountain getaway. Available online, or at The Heart of Nelson Shop in Lovingston.
$68-$145 CallunaByHeather.com
Antique Button Bracelets
(on u designs & finds: in Richmond)
(Photograph by Fred & Elliott)
If you’re looking for a statement piece that you won’t see on anyone else, you’d be hardpressed to find a better option than on u designs & finds’ antique button bracelets. Each piece is one of a kind and handmade with care. Owner and designer Donna Silvestri sources her wares from around the world, creating one-of-a-kind bracelets featuring vintage buttons ranging from glass and celluloid to mother of pearl. “I have many customers who have 10 pieces apiece,” she says. Art is the family business for Silvestri, a former fabric designer who grew up with a painter father, fabric stylist aunt, and fiber artist grandmother. Though Silvestri has run on u designs & finds for more than 20 years, her enthusiasm for her signature bracelets has never waned.
Starting at $125 OnUJewelry.com
Olive Oil Soaps
(Mieka Olive Oil: in Locust Grove)
(Photograph by Fred & Elliott)
When registered nurse and entrepreneur Charity Norton was presented with the opportunity to purchase Mieka Olive Oil Soaps just over four years ago, she saw more than a chance to create well-scented suds. “I have several clients with skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, that have found my soaps to be helpful and healing,” she says. Using a traditional Mediterranean recipe taught to her by eponymous brand founder Mieka, Norton crafts soaps using honey and oat for exfoliation (featuring raw honey grown in the Shenandoah Valley), peppermint for rejuvenation, and lavender for relaxation, each with antioxidant-rich olive oil at the heart of the formulation. The soaps are available on the brand’s website, and, says Norton, “in retail stores up and down the East Coast.”
$5.99 MiekaOliveOil.com
The Jefferson
(Handley Watches: in Richmond)
Jay Carpenter just didn’t have the time—literally. While training for a triathlon, Carpenter—who started building watches with wife Alexis in late 2019—was looking to squeeze quick training runs into his lunch breaks. But he was finding it difficult to source a timepiece that could stylishly keep his day on track. “I realized there wasn’t a single watch that I could wear while training for triathlons or playing golf that could transition to a board meeting or entertaining clients at night,” says Jay. Thus Handley Watches was born. The brand specializes in pairing classic dials with safe, silicone bands. The Jefferson—which features a Miyota quartz 2115 battery, flat sapphire glass, and stainless steel case—is its most polished offering, says Carpenter.
$225 HandleyWatches.com
Sunflower Tote Bag
(Third Branch Leather: in Staunton)
(Photograph by Fred & Elliott)
Like many Virginians, Berkeley Harner spent the early months of the pandemic picking up a new project. He tried his hand at leather arts and has since turned the hobby into an official business: Third Branch Leather. The brand’s Sunflower Tote Bag is among its newer offerings, consisting of American oil-tanned leather and Italian suede and featuring a wide opening and 12-inch strap drop—making it the perfect choice for elevating a trip to the market or quick weekend getaway. “There are so many cool designs in nature and I like to use these in my leather work,” Harner says. The totes are available on the Third Branch Leather website and Etsy store, and locally at the Made Shop in Downtown Staunton.
Sterling Crochet Leaf Earrings
(Spearman Artisanry: in Lynchburg)
Jannett Spearman, the owner and designer behind Spearman Artisanry, aims to make jewelry that you (or your sweetheart) can wear forever. She took up jewelry making while attending artisan school in Lima, Peru, where she was teaching technology at an international Christian school. “I learned various techniques, but fell in love with wire crochet,” Spearman says. After initially offering her wares at the Lynchburg Community Market, she set up a permanent shop in 2015, landing at her current location—on Lynchburg’s Main Street—in 2017. The label’s Sterling Crochet Leaf Earrings fall right in line with the designer’s classic ethos. Inspired by one of the most timeless things of all, Central Virginia’s fall foliage, the wire crochet earrings “can be made to order in any fall shade.”
Shampoo and Conditioner
(Raindrops in Virginia: in Gordonsville)
(Photograph by Fred & Elliott)
If Virginia had a state scent, it might just be found in a bottle of Raindrops in Virginia’s shampoos and conditioners. Husband-and-wife team Adam and Kathryn Krehbiel started formulating the hair products after noticing that Kathryn was frequently switching out brands, hoping to preserve some of the natural oils in her hair. Using ingredients like aloe, shea butter, and jojoba, the duo creates shampoos and conditioners in delectable scents like Summer Dreams, Herb Garden, and the popular Virginia Hyacinth, which captures “the very particular subtleties of Dutch hyacinth here in Virginia,” says Kathryn. While Adam handles the chemistry, Kathryn steers scent design, tapping into the Old Dominion for her profiles. The products are available on the brand’s website.
$26 for set RaindropsInVirginia.com
This article originally appeared in the December 2021 issue.
