Shop local: Mother’s Day gifts that support Pittsburgh women

Ditch the big box stores, and buy something special.

A perfectly Pittsburgh gift.

Photo by MATT DAYAK / Courtesy of Worker Bird

May. 05, 2018, 5:20 a.m.

Reminder: Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 13.

Whether you’re celebrating Mom, Grandma, an Aunt, a Mom-to-be or any other wondrous woman in your life, it’s time to start preparing now. Don’t wait until the last minute and run to Giant Eagle on Sunday morning to pick up any card that’s left.

Instead, start now and shop local at these 9 spots, many of which are women-owned and women-operated.

Spa-ahhh — the gift of relaxation.

Courtesy of Good Body Stuff

An at-home spa package

Good Body Stuff, $15

Moms deserve pampering — and peace and quiet. Give her those gifts by making a DIY at-home spa kit, but skip Bath & Body Works and pick up some Pittsburgh-made products instead.

Check out Teliah McCaskill’s Good Body Stuff, which sells handmade body butters and sugar scrubs — “each made with love and high quality ingredients,” she said. Order a sugar scrub, which McCaskill said are gentle on skin as they exfoliate away dead skin, leaving the body feeling soft and polished.

Complete the gift with a candle from a local vendor like Soyil by Greta or North Ave. Candles.

The sweetest treat.

Courtesy of A519 Chocolate

“Bouquet Collection” truffles

A519 Chocolates, $30

Inspired by flowers, this 15-piece collection of truffles from master chocolatier Amanda Wright features flavors like hibiscus, rose and lavender. Each piece is emblazoned with an ornate design, such as a rose sketch, a swirling otherworldly pattern or a bright pop of color.

Pop open a bottle of something special.

Courtesy of Threadbare Cider &amp; Mead

Bouquet de Rosé

Threadbare Cider & Mead, $18

This modern interpretation of a rosé employs rose hips and hibiscus botanicals for a pink hue. In this semi-dry cider, expect a balanced palette with lemony tartness, soft mineral notes and a hint of sweetness from Threadbare, which is co-owned by Meredith and Alex Grelli.

Give the gift of knowledge.

Courtesy of Moms Can Code

A coding membership

Moms Can Code, $5 monthly or $50 annual memberships

Erica Peterson (a Who’s Next: Education honoree) founded Moms Can Code as a membership-based network to connect moms who are learning to code or who are thinking about learning to code. Empower your gift recipient with a monthly or annual membership (just be sure to enter the recipient’s name under contact information). Or if you’d like to donate a membership to a Mom, email [email protected]

Perfectly Pittsburgh.

Courtesy of Worker Bird

A DIY embroidery piece

Worker Bird, $6 (+ materials)

If you’ve got some embroidery skills (or some time and patience to learn before Mother’s Day), download this perfectly Pittsburgh pattern from Worker Bird and create a work of art by hand. There are suggestions for colors and stitches you can use, but as Fox said “you can also go wild with your own creativity.”

Hand-forged jewelry

Studebaker Metals, $48

Braddock-based Studebaker Metals (co-owned by Alyssa Catalano and Michael Studebaker) specializes in hand-forged goods like this stylish cuff bracelet. This heirloom-quality piece will match just about anything. You can find it online from Studebaker or at “love, Pittsburgh,” which just opened a second shop Downtown in addition to the store’s first location on Mount Washington.

Ashley Cecil and her son in the nursing area at Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Photo by Elizabeth Craig / Courtesy of Ashley Cecil

Nursing mammals wallpaper

Ashley Cecil, $121.50 per roll

During her artist residency at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, artist Ashley Cecil created a series of paintings of nursing mammals inspired by the museum’s dioramas and used those images to create a contemporary twist on toile wallpaper for the museum’s breastfeeding area. Not only can moms enjoy the wallpaper in this private area at the museum, it’s also available for purchase in three colors variations.

‘The Pretty Dish,’ a Pittsburgh-made cookbook

How Sweet Eats blog, $22.10

The mega popular Pittsburgh-based blogger Jessica Merchant of “How Sweet Eats” published a cookbook called “The Pretty Dish” this spring. It’s chock full of 150 everyday recipes made for a Mom who loves to cook.

In Highland Park, expect to see homes in Victorian, colonial and craftsman styles.

Melanie Linn Gutowski / For The Incline

Time for a Pittsburgh experience

Prices vary

The best gift? The gift of time spent together. Buy tickets to a museum (like Phipps Conservatory), or check out a house tour (we’ve got plenty of ideas here), or take a craft class together (look into Pop Craft).