Give Mom a unique green gift

Locally owned Yims Foods offers a variety of pickled treats that are out of this world. Photo courtesy of Yims Foods.

May 8, 2019

It’s Mother’s Day week – so why not honor Mother Earth with a gift for your mom that has a positive impact on our beautiful planet! Here are a few ideas to get your green gears going…

Ultimate Pickling

Camille CortinasCamille Cortinas, founder of Yims Foods, is steeped in brine – but don’t be fooled, she’s anything but salty. Her homegrown pickling hobby has turned into a sweet business creating small batches of delectable jarred veggies and pureed fruits that will knock your mom’s socks off.

Under the watchful and proud eye of her own mother (who helps with the jams and jellies), Camille’s sales have expanded from a weekend farmer’s market to store shelves at posh shops around town such as Williams Sonoma Yims Foodsin Northpark, Opening Bell Coffee at the Cedars, Local Yocal in McKinney, Allgood Café in Deep Ellum and Rooster Home & Hardware in Lake Highlands. Many of her customer fav’s have won awards at the State Fair of Texas including her signature pickled Brussels Sprouts, spicy Pickled Carrots, zesty Salvador Dillies, tasty Tomatillo Salsa and sweet Apple Butter. Pick up a few jars for Mom and be sure to get some for yourself! Visit YimsFoods.com to find a dealer near you.

Hemp Healing

The use of CBD (Cannabidiol) oil is growing like a weed all over the Metroplex and Mom might just love to try it for whatever ails her. Thrive Apothecary is the first physician-owned CDB shop in this area and they have been “thriving” since their launch last fall. Dr. Lisa Gardner-Phillips and her husband, Trey – a retired Fort Worth policeman, opened Thrive to offer their customers a natural alternative for everything from anxiety and pain management to insomnia. Derived from hemp, a plant related to marijuana, CBD is low in THC, the chemical that makes you high, but it retains the healing properties of cannabis plants and it is FDA approved in under .3 percent THC. Thrive offers edibles, oils, personal care products and pet treats with varying levels of THC. Mom might enjoy their best-selling Night Time Gummies (who wouldn’t?) with CBD and melatonin or perhaps some CBD-infused Shampoo & Conditioner. Visit Thrive Apothecary in the trendy Foundry District of Fort Worth at 212 Carroll St, Suite 120. 817-480-7098.

Five Mile ChocolateChocolate You Can Trust

The above headline is the slogan of a unique confectionary in Oak Cliff - 5 Mile Chocolate. Offering two-ingredient bars made from sustainably-sourced cacao and organic sugar, this is chocolate in its purest form. Your mama will not only savor the sweet and somewhat fruity flavors but will appreciate that each one is named for its cacao country of origin such as Piura Blanco from Peru and Reserva Zorzal from the Dominican Republic. Other selections include cacao from Belize, Columbia and even the rarest, India. Originally launched as a sidekick to Oak Cliff Coffee, 5 Mile Chocolate is now available at more than 20 retailers including Cox Farm’s Market in Duncanville, Savor Coffee Bar and Urban Alchemy in Arlington, The Flour Shop Bakery in Flower Mound and, of course, Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters. Visit FiveMileChocolate.com for a complete list of resellers.

CharmsRustic Charms

Ruth Semmi’s busy hands have been making jewelry for more than 30 years. Many will remember her Sunshine Store that was a longtime staple in Deep Ellum.

Now Ruth sells at local markets around the area, each piece created lovingly with those same Ruth Semmihands that never seem to rest. Her bespoke charms, necklaces, rings and bracelets effuse the love and care that Ruth crafts into each one.

Choose something special for your mom such as a whimsical, wrought dragonfly or perhaps “BE THE CHANGE” stamped into a genuine copper penny – or even a triple stack that spells out “MOM”. Custom designs also available. Whatever you select, it will be as coveted as the “Faith” charm that this writer wears every day. Find Ruth most Saturdays at Good Local Market on Garland Road, just south of Buckner, from 8-1.

Tula Hats

Hot Hats

If you’re not sure what to get for your exalted female parent this year, Trinity Haymarket has a special offer – 20 percent off of their gift cards if purchased by this Saturday, May 11. For instance, a $50 value card would cost just $40. After you surprise Mom with her gift card, take her shopping at Trinity so that she can select from their incredible bevy of goods.

A customer favorite is Tula Hats, hand-woven from sustainable palm fibers and on sale through the end of May. As adorable as they are durable and UV-resistant, Tula hats will stand up to wet or dry wear in the yard, at the beach or even a chichi garden party. Tula is based in Austin and supports the artisans of Mexico whose hat-making legacy dates back nearly 400 years. Lots more from which to choose at Trinity Haymarket, 1715 Market Center Blvd., Dallas 75207. 214-202-2163.

PotholdersBlast from the Past

Remember those colorful potholders that we used to weave when we were kids? Rooster Home & Hardware has brought them back! Grab Mom and head to Rooster this Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a free weaving class where you can re-learn an old skill and get to take home your creations when you’re done. Kits available so you and Mumsy can continue weaving these handy heat eradicators for the entire family. Everyone loves them and they last just about forever. I still have some that we wove more than 25 years ago. Maker, Harrisville Designs has been in the textile business in New Hampshire for more than 40 years. Their traditional all-metal potholder looms and USA-made cotton loops are the real deal. Call to pre-register for the class at Rooster Home & Hardware, 10233 East Northwest Hwy. Suite 409, Dallas 75238. 214-343-1971.

One Tiny Acre SoapSustainable Soaps

You might wonder how body care products can be vegan. Just ask Denise Acebo of One Tiny Acre in Burleson, and she’ll tell you that her mission is to create amazing soaps without any animal products except occasionally honey, which is sustainably sourced and ethically harvested. All packaging is recycled or recyclable with little to no plastic. But it’s really the One Tiny Acre’s incredible blends that will leave Mom clean and with a smile. How about Mocha Chocolate YaYa, Lavender with Shea Butter, Nag Champa with Oatmeal and Hemp Seed or even Coconut Milk Herbal Delight. Choose several and create a gift basket tailored just for your sweet matriarch. Check out OneTinyAcre.com to place an order or get in touch with questions and requests.

Lindsey Owen braceletAncient Art

Fine enamelware is a craft that dates back to 13th century Cyprus when an unknown artist realized that intense heat could fuse glass to metal and create a permanent and durable finish of brilliant color and depth. Today, artists around the world continue this practice, including some in our own backyard. Lindsey Owen fires her handmade enamelware in ovens up to 1600 degrees. The result transcends mere jewelry – each is a work of art that will be handed down for generations. Find Lindsey’s enamel and copper or silver bracelets, necklaces and earrings at LindseyOwenCustomJewelry.com.

Wabi Sabi CardRecycled Art Cards

If you’re looking for a special way to tell Mom how much you care, visit North Haven Gardens and choose from their selection of unique notecards, handmade by local card aficionado, Beverly Ann Moore, who is known for her uncommon synthesis of art and nature.

Crafted from recycled materials like leaves, feathers, gems and other found objects, each design is one-of-a-kind and inspired by the Japanese tradition of wabi sabi, the art of appreciating simple detail in found objects and honoring the beauty in every day. Slip a gift card inside from either North Haven Gardens or their new Café and you’ll have a Mother’s Day that won’t soon be forgotten by your plant and nature-loving mom! North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd, Dallas, TX 75230. 214-363-5316.

Garden KitSave the Bees!

Kim Young, proprietor of Pretty Things and Cool Stuff, has assembled the perfect gardening kit for mommies who love this planet and the creatures on it. The kit includes a bee-mix seed packet from Botanical Interests, a family-owned non-GMO company in Colorado, that will attract bees and other pollinators to Mom’s outdoor garden plus indoor microgreen seeds for her to grow and enjoy in salads and on sandwiches. Also included are a countertop seed-growing tray with clear lid for the microgreens and a dozen 1.5-inch Botanical Interests Recycled Paper Pots with Tray to seed-start the bee mix. As Kim states on her website, “The more we connect with Mother Earth the better, for all kinds of reasons!” Go online to PrettyThingsandCoolStuff.com for ordering info.


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