Handmade Christmas Gift Guide from the Finger Lakes

Every year about this time, the leaves start turning here in the Finger Lakes and folks start asking us the same question: "What should I get them this year?" We're Tami and Jennifer, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law team, and we make our gifts by hand in our little shop in Newark, NY. So we put together the guide we'd want if we were the ones shopping, with handmade, personal gifts for just about everybody on your list.

For the lake lover: a layered wood map

If somebody on your list counts down the days to summer at the lake, this is the one. Our ready-made wood maps stack engraved maple land over hand-painted blue water, with the depth contours scored in so you can see the shape of the lake bottom. Each one is framed and ready to hang.

• Price: $49
• Size: most are 11 x 17 in, framed, set tall or wide to fit the lake. A few run different, like Seneca Lake at 8.25 x 17 in and Lake Champlain at 13 x 17 in, and every map page lists its exact size.
• Frame: 1/2" stained walnut, or painted black at the same price
• Ships: leaves our Newark, NY shop in 1-2 business days

Being a Finger Lakes shop, we've got our home waters covered:

• The Finger Lakes, for the person who loves the whole region
• Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake and Keuka Lake
• Canandaigua Lake, Owasco Lake and Honeoye Lake
• Conesus Lake and Canadice Lake
• Along Lake Ontario: Sodus Bay, Irondequoit Bay, Braddock Bay and Lake Ontario

Their lake lives somewhere else? We've mapped lakes, bays and coastlines all over, so take a look through all of our wood maps. And if the place that matters most isn't there yet, we can make a custom wood map of any place. Tell us the spot, we'll send you a proof, and it ships 3-5 business days after you approve it.

For the family: personalized Christmas ornaments

An ornament with a name on it gets pulled out of the box and hung up every single year. That's why these are some of our favorite things to make.

• Personalized Christmas Bulb: laser-cut maple, engraved with the names you choose, with a hand-painted border in your choice of 11 colors. It comes in three sizes, so you can make one for everyone or string several together as a garland.
• Personalized Wooden Reindeer: a free-standing reindeer with a hand-painted red nose and a name across its belly. Pick large or small for each person and build the whole family.
• For the folks with a hobby: the bowhunter, quad and dirt bike ornaments, each personalized with the name of your choice.
• For the nurse or medical worker: the Scrub Life ornament, hand-painted with their scrub color and their name.

You'll find the rest in our Christmas ornaments and personalized gifts collections.

For the friend who has everything

• Friendship Bulb Ornament: two layers of maple and a sweet little poem about friendship. It's ready to ship.
• Leather-wrapped flask with a custom message: stainless steel, wrapped in leather and laser-engraved with whatever you'd like it to say.
• Snarky mugs, like our Coffee Is My Daytime Wine mug, for the friend who'll laugh first thing in the morning.
• Hand-painted wooden hair clips and earrings, which make easy stocking stuffers.

For the person who loves to decorate

Our Christmas shelf sitters are hand-painted wood pieces for the mantel, the windowsill or a tiered tray. The Joy to the World tree is a cheerful place to start. You can browse the whole Christmas collection too.

When will it ship?

• Ready-made items (wood maps, shelf sitters, mugs and other in-stock pieces) leave our shop in 1-2 business days.
• Personalized items are made to order. We email you a proof first, and your piece ships 3-5 business days after you approve it. Items without a proof step ship 3-5 business days after you order.

One tip from us: keep an eye on your inbox (and your spam folder) for that proof. The sooner you approve it, the sooner we can get to work. Orders of $100 or more ship free, and if you live nearby you can choose local pickup at checkout.

Come see us

We'd love to meet you. Stop by Dirt Road Barns at 3542 Fairville Maple Ridge Rd, Newark, NY 14513, or call us at 585.505.4669 if you have a question about a personalized piece. Happy holidays from our family to yours!

- Tami & Jennifer