Iowa made locally crafted gifts are hot this holiday season

With only a few days until Christmas, those still finishing up their shopping don't need to look far to find great gifts. Locally made is all the rage, said Sheila Davisson, owner of Revival in Iowa City.

'It's definitely something our customers love, and we continue to see a bigger and bigger response to it every year,” she said. 'People want to be connected to what they're giving as a gift. It's not just about giving stuff. It's knowing you're supporting somebody local.”

There are many amazing places to find locally made gifts in the Corridor. Here are a few ideas to get shoppers started.

Rare Bird Soap Shop

NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids; (319) 331-6066; squareup.com/market/Rare-bird-soap-shop

Everyone deserves some occasional pampering, and Rare Bird Soap Shop offers custom-made gift baskets to facilitate just that. Owner Wende Fugate makes the shop's soaps, lotions, massage oils, candles, lip balms and other goodies from scratch using all-natural ingredients that are vegan and paraben-free.

Price: $20 to $55

Revival

117 E. College St., Iowa City; (319) 337-4511; revivaliowacity.com

The clothing boutique and its sister store Revival 119 are offering all Iowa-made gift baskets, filled with goodies like a bar of soap shaped like Iowa, an Iowa charm necklace and an Iowa prairie wildflower-scented candle. The bigger boxes also come with bath salts, Iowa coasters and the biggest box also has a cashmere scarf. All boxes include Revival gift cards so the recipient can keep shopping.

Price: $50, $100 or $200

National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Gift Shop

1400 Inspiration Place SW, Cedar Rapids; (319) 362-8500; ncsml.org/store

Czech pride is strong in Cedar Rapids, but even the non-Czech among us can appreciate the beauty of traditional Czech design work. Cedar Rapids-based Czech master folk artist Marj Nejdl's designs are one of the local gifts available at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library's gift shop. Her work is featured on magnets, cookbook covers, aprons and decorative eggs, alongside the work of other local and international Czech and Slovak artists.

Price: Items range from $5 to $65

Bark & Bloom

NewBo City Market, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids; barkandbloom.com

Looking for a way to keep winter at bay? Bark & Bloom grows plants aplenty. Cedar Rapids ceramist Kevin S. Powell makes tiny handmade pots to display succulents or lowlight miniatures. Purchase plants and pots separately or together. Store staff will pot the plant if purchased together.

Price: Plants, $4.50 to $5.50; Pots, $28

NewBo Mercantile & Vintage Shop

215 11th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; (319) 377-1472; newbomercantile.com

Prefer to make homemade gifts, or looking for the perfect gift for the do-it-yourself enthusiast? NewBo Mercantile offers everything needed to create homemade soaps, candles, lip balms, bath salts and beard oil, which salves the skin of bearded hipsters everywhere. Beard oil ingredients are a hot seller this holiday season, said store owner Sandy Rosenberger. Make the oil from scratch using sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and essential oils, which Rosenberger sources from certified organic company Aura Cacia in Norway, Iowa.

Price for do-it-yourself kits: $5 to $25

Red Ball Printing

1390 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids; (319) 775-5252; redballprinting.com

A sense of humor is important, and the graphic artists at Red Ball Printing wear theirs on their sleeves. Selling shirts featuring slogans such as, 'I was Bohemian before it was New,” 'Cedar Rapids - Czech us out” and ironic nods to May's Island and Mount Trashmore, the store sells the Cedar Rapids-themed gear alongside services including custom screen printing, embroidery and graphic design work.

Price: T-shirts, $20; sweat shirts, $35 to $45

Tailgate Clothing Company

30 S. Clinton St., Iowa City; (319) 359-1628; tailgateclothing.com

With the Hawkeyes headed to the Rose Bowl, University of Iowa gear is selling 'like hot cakes,” according to Tailgate Clothing Company customer service representative Ashley Cron. The clothing store designed a range of Rose Bowl-themed shirts to commemorate the occasion and fill Hawkeye stockings across the state.

Price: T-shirts, $34; long-sleeve shirts, $45; sweat shirts, $74 to $75

' Story by Alison Gowans, The Gazette; Comments: (319) 398-8434; alison.gowans@thegazette.com