The holidays are rapidly approaching and whether you’re looking to pick something up for yourself, family, or friends, there’s probably something here to suit your cozy, gothic, TTRPG enjoying self! So many of the gift guides I see are focused either on US or UK vendors, which is rough for both shipping and currency conversion for us Canadians.
This is part two of my 2023 gift guide, showcasing seven of the fourteen shops highlighted this year. Interested in part one? Check it out [here]!
From candles to jewellery, tea to dice, project bags, patches and more, I hope you find a new small business to support!
Ambre Noire
Through her brand, Sabri Anna wishes for her delicately crafted talismans to be used as aesthetic alchemy. With fine craftsmanship in mind, her pieces are created with a dedicated passion and a strong sense of honour to both the smithing craft itself and Mother Earth. […] Inspired by her Amazigh heritage, Sabri Anna vows to pay tribute to her ancestors by adding elements of traditional symbolism and shapes used in Amazigh culture and art, which are rich, vibrant and magical. – Ambre Noire
I’ve been fortunate enough to pick up two pieces from here this year. The first was the Wanderer Cuff Bracelet [here], which is created from frog bones found near a river while wandering in the woods, and honours the cycles of life and death. I’m pretty picky about my bracelets as I dislike actively being aware of something around my wrist, but with being able to adjust this one to fit snugly, I forget it is there! It is adjustable, and I’ve found it a way to add understated elegance to any outfit.
When I picked up that bracelet I was also eyeing the Anha Branch ring [here], which I was able to pick up last month! I got mine with labradorite, pictured on the website. Inspired by the Gebo rune, the ring itself symbolises the selfless act of giving, and the gift of love, while labradorite is said to create a shield for aura, and protect against negativity. I’m not going to pretend to know a lot about gemstones, but I’ve also heard it’s of use to people who tend to overwork and so think it a bit on the nose that I’ve unintentionally and unknowingly (until being told) wound up with two pieces of labradorite jewellery.
I’m a particular fan of the ring, which has such a strong design while still having a delicate touch about it. Both it and the bracelet are part of the permanent collection, and the seasonal collections have some truly stunning pieces as well – they’re also all unique. Once one is sold, it’s sold, that’s it. With collections inspired by Atlantian mythology, and science fiction and fantasy (specifically cyber fairy and dark elves, as well as Tolkein’s worlds) I can well imagine finding a beautiful gift for the TTRPG lovers in your life.
Chaos’ Repository
Where the majority of my rings are from! I love the lore behind each of their pieces, and for fans of Critical Roll there are several pieces of jewellery inspired by some of your favourite characters. The Forest’s Whispers [here] and Forest’s Whispers Crown [here] ring are both beautiful individually, but I’ve taken to stacking mine and think they look just fantastic together. The last time I saw them at a market I didn’t even mean to leave with a ring and wound up leaving with a Tempest ring [here] set with a gorgeous sunstone. It wasn’t until later that I read its description “The Tempest ring is meant to represent the forces, struggles, and monumental beauties of nature. It is a symbol of growth and nurture, of peacefulness and fierceness.” and was taken with it all over again.
Not a jewellery person? Not to worry! May I direct you to a large selection of patches, prints, and stickers [here]? The Do no Harm, Take no Shit print sits right above my main monitor, watching over my workdays and I’ve picked up a number of the Magical and Proud holographic stickers for friends! I also have a Tide Mouse Witch patch which, if you were wondering, are great to hang up in humid places (like bathrooms) as the fabric won’t be impacted by the humidity!
Green Leaf Geek
I am very excited to get my ADVENTure Calendar box this year, and while most are out of stock there are still some platinum editions one left [here] if you’re really looking to spoil yourself, or someone close to you! I’ve picked up dice-filled calendars for the last two years, and am very excited for everything that will be coming in this one and that is coming from someone relatively local.
From curated dice to handmade ones, gaming accessories, stickers and more there’s sure to be something here to speak to the TTRPG lovers on your list. I picked up the Soft Boy iridescent dice set [here] and let me tell you – they roll terribly for me, but wow are they pretty. And, in defence of the dice, it isn’t their fault – I’m pretty sure the character they’re for is cursed as her rolls are consistently low regardless of which set I’m using!
I’m a fan of the Witchy Vibes sticker [here] and the matte ghost sticker [here] – the latter is the first and only sticker I’ve ever put on my laptop! I think it is really charming and gives me those cozy cauldron vibes whenever I look at it.
goatbunny
goatbunny is a POC non-binary artist who mainly focuses on painting and drawing in traditional and digital media. These pieces are often turned into fun stickers and stationery paper goods like letter sets, notepads, postcards, calendars, notebooks, etc. […] Their art has been described as “cute, with an edge”, “like Sanrio, but angrier”. They have training in fine arts and the medical field, but felt pulled towards illustrative art and creating things that people can relate to, use and enjoy! – art of goatbunny
I’ve picked up a few stationary items from goatbunny, mostly to give as gifts to friends, and they bring me such delight. Their art is cute, I mean, who doesn’t go “awww” at a holographic sticker of a fox holding a molotov cocktail going “it’s arson time!”? (You can find that one [here]) Their work makes me grin. Can’t choose just one design? There’s sticker sheets for that and I’m pretty partial to the Trashy Pals sheet [here] or if holographic ones aren’t your thing, the ACAB fuzzy sticker sheet [here]. More of a button person? Always tired? Maybe the Perpetually Sleepy button [here] is for you. If the shoe fits, you know?
While I haven’t picked one up (yet), I’ve been eyeing the Maybe Illegal Things stash tin whenever I see it in markets. It’s very portable! It seems like a good place to hold dice whose rolls are so bad the set itself should be illegal. Besides, who doesn’t love a shrugging crow friend with a little knife in the background? It’s fine, all fine, nothing to see but the tin [here].
Moonstone and Myth
Funny enough, I first came across Moonstone and Myth on Etsy and it wasn’t until spotting the art print sitting in my favourites at an in-person market that I went “oh! I know this shop!” Something about ghosts and tea is very charming to me and I’ve picked up this illustration [here] as a sticker to send to a few friends as well.
I get frequent compliments on my project bag [here] and with two large pockets divided by two smaller ones in the middle to hold all your odds and ends. Right now I have 1.5 balls of medium weight yarn in there, and a small ball of cotton yarn for the dishcloth I’m working on. One pocket has a bunch of stitch markers, and the other holds my stitch and row counters. I also sometimes throw other things in this bag, namely my journal, a pen, and wireless earbuds, as it’s very practical to throw into another bag when heading out. Plus, if you wanted, you could fill it with yarn and what fibre craft person isn’t going to love that?
If illustrations and project bags aren’t your thing, I’m a huge fan of Jen’s candles as well. I picked up the 8oz Moonglow candle (vanilla, coconut, bourbon and sandalwood) over the summer and loved it so much I picked up a second one – which is great, because as of November the first one I got is done. Should I have picked up a third? Yes, apparently! It burned beautifully and the scent was enough to fill a room without being overwhelming – if there’s a scent profile you like the sound of, pick it up – you won’t regret it! You can find all candles and wax melts [here].
Last Rites Vintage
All of my favourite clothing pieces come from here. I’m always so excited to see Miranda at markets and beeline it to her stall to browse what she’s brought with her! There’s regular clothing drops online and while I’m pretty hesitant about ordering clothing online, I’ve had a good experience – having the exact measurements of a garment as well as information about its stretch is very helpful. Collections sell out very quickly, which might make this one tricky for gift shopping but as of the time of writing there’s a few cosy knits left in stock from Friday’s release.
Not looking for clothing? Please consider picking up a solid perfume. I had no intention of picking one up at the last market I was at, I was only there to look at clothing! But when I said I was partial to Sandalwood and was directed to For I Have Sinned [here]? Immediately purchased, I didn’t know until yesterday that it was the best seller, but I am not at all surprised. I wear this at home just for myself because it smells that good.
The Witch’s Nest
Tank tops, patches, pins, and banners oh my! I’m a big fan of my dagger and snake crop top [here] and while not currently available, have a tank top with Nancy’s design for The Moon (banner version [here]) that aside from being just beautiful, is perfect for showing off those arm tattoos! It might be chilly now, but warm weather is just around the corner so might as well stock up right? Right. Winter is also a great time to get those tattoos you’ve been thinking of! No sun exposure? No problem.
But if that’s not in your or your loved one’s future, maybe check out a banner – everyone loves home decor right? I’ve got one like this [here] hanging on the inside of my front door. You can check out all sorts of designs, shapes, sizes and colours of banners [here].
And if you like mystery (I love mystery), there’s a mystery package [here] with one shirt, two back patches and three mini patches – what isn’t to love in that, really? Great when you can’t make a decision, or just want a variety of items to give to one or multiple people. Either way, with how striking all her designs are, these are sure to make a statement!
That’s all for this week, I hope you found something here to pique your interest and maybe even found something for yourself!
Until next time, stay cozy!
The Cozy Cauldron 
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