Made in America Christmas

Hi guys - welcome to the fourth and final installment of the Made in America Christmas Series.  I've really enjoyed searching out US manufactured products.  I think I will continue to periodically post about products made in the USA that I really like.

{ You can see my previous posts here:  week 1, week 2, week 3 }

Also, head on over to my sister's blog, A Little Ditty to see her Made in America Christmas post this week.

A few weeks ago I came across a company called Hickoree's Hard Goods.  They offer lots of made in the USA products.  Click here to see all their USA products.



I would love to have Santa bring me this Heritage Leather Co. Bag.  I love the simplicity of it.

Also from Hickoree's, this awesome Collectors Set of Crayola Crayons.

The set includes a tin with 64 crayons and 8 retired colors.  Fun!



I know Crayolas are for kids, but I wouldn't mind these for myself!

Did you know that the Slinky is still made in the USA?  Yay Slinky!  Hickoree's offers this Collectors Edition which comes in packaging designed in the 1940s.  Pretty cool.

If you want to check out all the products Hickoree's offers from the USA, go right here.

Next up, Anchor Hocking. You've probably heard me talk about them before on the blog - they are a favorite of mine for their simple and functional glassware.  Most of their products are made in the USA.  I also really like that Anchor Hocking products are inexpensive, and readily available.  Target has a great selection.

Here are just a few of my favorites...

I have a few of these Heritage Hill Jars in my craft room.  The one gallon size is only $11.99.  You can use these jars in just about any room of your house.

Another favorite, the Apothecary Jars.  The medium size is only $4.99!

OK, this 44 oz. water pitcher is $5.99!  It would make a pretty vase too, don't you think?

I think every kitchen could use a set of these glass mixing bowls.  Another great value at $19.99.

Right now you can save 30% of your order at the Anchor Hocking Online Store by entering "endofyear" in your shopping cart.

Stop by A Little Ditty to see my sister's made in the USA pick this week.  She promises that she is participating this week - last week she had to skip because she had a crazy week at work!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Made in America Christmas: Bauer Pottery

The Christmas Countdown is on!  Ten days.  Wow.  Is it just me, or was this one of the fastest years ever?  Honestly, I don't know where the time went.

My sister and I have teamed up for a weekly series every Thursday until Christmas.  We are featuring a few of our favorite made in American products.

For today's made in America pick, I am featuring Bauer Pottery.

Here is a little bit about Bauer Pottery { taken from their website }

"Starting in Louisville, Kentucky, and then flourishing in Los Angeles, California, J. A. Bauer Pottery Company created simple, yet beautiful stoneware from the late 1880s to the early 1960s. With lines ranging from redware flowerpots to brilliantly colored dinnerware, Bauer Pottery was a staple in American homes for many decades.  Inspired by the weather and lifestyles of Southern California, Bauer Pottery created many different lines for the home and garden.  Bauer introduced new, richly colored styles after the Depression which met with overwhelming success. It wasn't long before all the major pottery companies in the United States began to follow with their own interpretations of Bauer's vision.  Today, the work of J.A. Bauer has been reintroduced by a ceramics studio in Los Angeles, located just minutes from the original plant. The new Bauer line, Bauer 2000, is being produced using original pieces as models, with an emphasis on items originally manufactured by Bauer in the 1930s and 40s."

Bauer manufactures a few different lines:  Bauer 2000 pottery styled after Bauer vintage American pottery, Russel Wright's American Modern® line of dinnerware and gardenware under the Home by SunsetTM banner.

You may have heard of Russell Wright before.  He was an iconic American industrial designer who designed several lines of dinnerware.  He believed in easy, informal living and influenced the way Americans lived in the mid 20th century.

{ American Modern Creamer }

I love the creamer.  My Mom actually has a vintage one.  You can often find vintage Russell Wright pieces at antique sales and vintage shops.  Click here to see the entire line of Russell Wright's American Pottery line.

{ Bauer Classic Style Mixing Bowls }

I think these nested mixing bowls are beautiful.  The bright colors are so fun.  They would make a great addition to any kitchen, don't you think?

 { Monterey Pitcher }

Here's the description of the Monterey Pitcher from the website: 

"Fifty-four ounces of lemonade, Bloody Marys, water, margaritas, iced tea, Long Island iced tea, orange juice…I could go on all day. Stands seven and a half inches tall."

With a description like that, how can you not love this pitcher!  Comes in lots of beautiful colors too.

{ Cake Stand }

The classic lines of the cake stand means it will never go out of style.  I love it!  It is also available in several more colors.

{ Swirl Pots }

Bauer Pottery & Sunset Magazine teamed up to produce a line of beautiful gardenware.  Click here to see the entire Sunset Collection.

{ Biltmore Pot } and { Garden Orbs }

Bauer didn't forget about Fido - they have an entire collection devoted to pets.  Check out the food & water bowls here.

Like color?  Bauer's 2000 line is offered in the colors shown below.  So pretty.  Of course, my favorites are Parrot Green, Chartreuse, and Lime Green. 

What do you think?  Do you like Bauer Pottery?  They offer many more beautiful pieces.  Head on over to their website to see their entire product line.  You can purchase directly from the website or check out this list by state of stores that sell Bauer.  If Christmas wasn't so close, I think I would add a few Bauer pottery pieces to my list!

See the other Made in America Christmas posts here and here.

And don't forget to visit A Little Ditty to see my sister's made in America picks this week.  I don't think her post will be up until sometime tomorrow.

{ all photos taken from the Bauer Pottery website }

Made in America Christmas: For the Kids

Thanks for the comments on last weeks Made in America post.  I'm glad there are others who feel the same as I do about supporting American companies when we can!

If you missed last week's post, my sister and I are sharing our favorite made in America products every Thursday until Christmas.  Visit A Little Ditty to see my sister's made in America finds.

Also, I received a comment last week from a reader wondering if I knew of any American made Christmas garland.  I searched all over the web and can not find anything.  Do you guys know of any?  My only suggestion would be using fresh greens.  I wish I would have been able to find one for you!

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For today's edition, I have a few fun picks for kids.  Wouldn't you rather buy toys made here in the USA than from China?  I know I would.

First up, Uncle Goose.  Uncle Goose makes the most beautiful, wood block sets.

{ Classic ABC Blocks }

Here are a few of my favorites:

{ Uppercase/Lowercase ABC Blocks }

{ Nursery Rhyme 28 Block Set }

{ Presidential Blocks }

{ Classic ABC Blocks with Pull Wagon }

There are many, many more sets on the Uncle Goose website.  For the Michiganders out there - Uncle Goose blocks are made in Grand Rapids! 

You will find a store locater on their website or you can buy directly from Uncle Goose online.  Anthropologie loves Uncle Goose blocks - they sell them online.

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I am really happy I came across Green Toys.  Their toys are adorable and I love them even more knowing they are made in the USA!

Here's a little about Green Toys { taken from their website }:

"We believe the world would be a much better place if everyone said “please” and “thank you", cell phones didn’t ring during movies, and all toys were fun, safe, and made from environmentally friendly materials. Since it’s probably no use holding our breath for those first two, we’re concentrating on the toys.

Green Toys Inc. makes an awesome line of classic children’s toys constructed from recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials. This helps reduce fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improving the overall health and happiness of the planet."

Click here to read more about Green Toys Green story and their commitment to the environment.

How cute is this pizza set?  It is nominated for the 2012 Toy of the Year Award.

{ Pizza Parlor }

{ Stacking Cups }

{ Tugboat }

{ Tool Set }

I really like the packaging Green Toys uses and the store behind it. 

"Green Toys environmental mission even extends to our packaging. We strive to minimize packaging, and all of our boxes use as little material as possible. All Green Toys products are packaged in recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100% recyclable. So, not only are they earth-friendly and ready for your recycling bin, they are really easy to open for those little fingers just itching to get at the toys!!"

Brilliant!

You can purchase Green Toys directly from their website by clicking here or see their website for a list of retailers.

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I was really happy to learn that about 60% of Little Tykes toys are still made in the US. Yay Little Tykes!  They have a section on their website just for their toys made in the USA.  Click here to see the list.

One of the toys made in the USA is one I'm sure we are all familiar with.  The Cozy Coupe!

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I love these next items.  They are from a company called Camden Rose.   Here's a little bit about them { taken form the Camden Rose website }

"Camden Rose is a collective voice of designers, artists, teachers, musicians, craftspeople and parents who chose to bring about a better future for our children. We design and manufacture simple, elegant and unique wooden and textile toys. Green natural materials and USA and Fair Trade manufacturing highlight our “leave no footprint” philosophy"

A small portion of their products are made in Peru through Fair Trade and those items are clearly stated on the website.

How adorable is this knit play food?

 { Knitted Corn, Carrot, Tomato & Onion Set }

{ Knitted Strawberries, Grapes & Pear Set }

Camden Rose has many other products, including wooden baby toys, play kitchens, and dolls.  You can find where to buy their products here.

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Lastly, here are a few products from American Plastic Toys.  They have proudly manufactured plastic toys in the USA since 1962!

Here's a little about them { from their website }:

"American Plastic Toys has proudly manufactured safe toys in United States since 1962. We currently operate a total of three facilities in Michigan and Mississippi. Our product line includes over 125 different items ranging from a simple sand pail to a play kitchen set.

We assemble 100% of the toys in our product line in the United States. Most of the components in our products are molded in our plants or purchased from US companies. Less than four percent of our toy value content is imported from the Far East. The majority of this small percentage consists of sound components and fasteners. Toys with imported components only represent 25% of our entire product line. None of these components are painted."

{ Deluxe Runabout Wagon }

 

{ Sweet Petite Trike }

 

{ Turbo Cycle }

 

Those are my picks this week.  Do you have anything you would add to the list?  I would love to hear what your favorite made in America products are.

 

{ Make sure to head over to A Little Ditty to see my sister's picks. }

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On another note, I want to say thanks to Beverly of A Serene Life For Me.  This week Beverly freatured me on her blog.  Thank you Beverly for your kind words about me & 33 Shades of Green!  Beverly has exquisite taste and her blog is full of beautiful things.  If you have a moment, head over and visit her!

Made in America Christmas

My sister and I are teaming up to bring you a Holiday series called "Made in America Christmas".  Each Thursday, from now until Cristmas, we will share a few of our favorite American made products - perfect for gift giving!

Earlier this Summer, ABC Nightly news started a made in America series.  I love the news segments they have put together.  I pretty much get teary eyed at every one!  For more information on their series, click here.

According to ABC, if every American spent just $64 on American made goods during our holiday shopping, the result would be 200,000 new jobs.  Pretty amazing, right?

My first pick are these beautiful Pendleton blankets, available from Lands' End.  The blankets are not inexpensive {prices range from $149.50 - 229.50}, but I think in this case, you definitely get what you pay for.  Shown above is the Navy Stripe color.  It is also available in a beautiful neutral colorway, called Toasted Rye Stripe.

The blanket is also available in several solid colors, like this chocolate brown:

Here's the description of the blankey for LE's website:

"Pendleton® Mills, the legendary Northwest weaver, creates these blankets for us. With 140 years in the region, the family-owned business has a strong commitment to weaving wool in a way that leaves the smallest possible footprint on the environment. So the Eco-Wise Blanket uses only soft, 100% pure virgin wool certified as Cradle to Cradle® eco-effective by MBDC (a product and process design firm promoting sustainability; learn more at c2ccertified.com). The blankets are so thoughtfully made, the wool can be recycled or even composted — and will stay soft and colorful wash after wash. Whipstitched binding. All sizes are 96" long. Machine wash. Made in USA."

Pendleton has a large selection of many items on their website, including this beautiful throw, called the Stripe 5th Avenue Throw.

Pretty, pretty...

I also really like this throw, called the Merino Throw.  It is available ins erveral different plaids colors and is $108

The soap & tea towel pictured above wasn't originally on my list, but I searched the Lands' End website for products made in the USA and this was one of the items that came up.

The Monogram Soap and Linen Towel Set is $29.50 and the monogramming is free.  What a perfect hostess gift!

Next up is the Stormy Kromer hat.  I read about Stormy Kromer last month {or mayber the month before?} in Country Living.  Every month they feature a Made in America product. 

Stormy Kromer products are made right here in Michigan, in the beautiful Upper Penninsula.  If you are ever in Ironwood, MI, Stormy Kromer offers a free factory tour.  Fun stuff.

Pictured are the Original Wool Stormy Kromer Cap.  You can buy them right on the companys website for $34.99

You know I love this green one:

The caps are available for both men, women, and kids.  This kids cap in red is adorable:

There's a cute story to how the Stormy Kromer company got its start - read about it here.

Those are my made in America picks!  Do you have a favorite made in America product?

{ Head on over to A Little Ditty to see what made in America product my sister is featuring. }



Also, don't forget to link up tomorrow morning for the Kitchen Favorites link party.  I will have the link up and ready to go at 8 AM EST.