Last Saturday I paid a visit to the “Craftacular” gift fair organized and sponsored by BUST Magazine. It only ran two days, and I’m glad I made the trip. I had intended to do some early Christmas shopping. Inevitably, I ended up doing plenty of goggling at things I wouldn’t mind owning myself. Here are five vendors that made an impression on me… 

Mullein & Sparrow is a Brooklyn-based maker of all-natural teas, tinctures, salves, bath potions, and more. I admired the products’ sweet, vintage-y packaging and use of botanical ingredients. And I did purchase one small product (for myself), which I’ll be writing more about soon. (pictured: Serenity Gift Set, $48)

I swooned a bit when I came across the Martha Rotten booth and spied its collection of cast pewter jewelry. The pieces are detailed and substantial, with enough skulls and scarabs and wilted roses to make my former-Goth heart skip a beat. (pictured: Crowned Skull ring, about $60)

Eavesmade sells laser-cut wooden ornaments depicting famous scientists with appropriate sayings at the bottom, like the nerdiest Valentines you’ve ever seen. Marie Curie: “You’re Radiant.” Gregor Mendel: “We Are Two Peas in a Pod.” Darwin…well, you get it. (Heroes of Science Love Notes, $9 each)

I’m still not sure where I stand on the current collar-necklace trend. They’re adorable and unusual—at least, until the cheap knock-offs show up everywhere and they end up looking dated before we know it. Still, I was pretty tempted by Laura Busony‘s hand-crafted interpretations, especially the models that incorporate tiny aluminum roses or real dried flowers. (Metal Oxford Collar with Aluminum Roses, $160; Copper Collar with Dried Flowers, $85)

Okay, I did buy one gift for someone else at the BUST fair. Goose Grease sells a variety of clever do-it-yourself wooden-doll kits: unfinished wood “peg dolls” with a set of paints and little brushes, so that you can decorate them to look like your family (or the characters in your favorite book; the possibilities are endless!). I know a very young artist who will enjoy these. (7-doll set, $20)

Disclaimer: I did my own browsing and buying at the BUST Magazine Craftacular.

For other posts in my “5 on 5” series, see here.