Deborah Kendrick
During the early lockdown of the pandemic, many people squeezed the proverbial lemons into flavorful lemonade. Among those innovative optimists were some blind entrepreneurs. Laura Legendary, owner of Elegant Insights Jewelry, and featured in
teamed up with her friend and colleague, Brent Harbolt of the Harbolt Company, to launch the first online Let’s Go Shopping event. For many blind artists and business owners, the exhibits held in conjunction with state and national conferences of the American Council of the Blind, Blind Veterans Association, National Federation of the Blind, and others represent the primary opportunities to showcase their products. With all such conferences on hold, Let’s Go Shopping
brought those products to shoppers everywhere, and in their own homes. As Laura Legendary put it, that first event was so popular that it broke the Zoom room! Not to worry, the event was soon back up and running, and was wildly successful. Early this November, Laura Legendary led the seventh Let’s Go Shopping event, featuring some old and some new companies. All were either blind-owned or proudly presenting products designed with the blind in mind. While not all products or companies presented in this gift guide were part of that event, many were, so it is with a nod to Laura Legendary and Let’s Go Shopping #7 that this 2022 AccessWorld Holiday Gift Guide comes your way.
Braille Lovers’ Bounty
Whether you want to reach the heart of someone who loves all things braille or raise the awareness of one who is just being introduced to tactile literacy, there are plenty of beautiful objects boasting braille available this holiday season. From Laura Legendary’s own Elegant Insights Braille Creations, choose from bracelets, pendants, earrings, or bling for your purse, your backpack, or your guide dog. Most items can be customized with either embossed braille or print engraving, and the web site is full of ideas.
Be sure to check out the 2022 holiday ornament and wine glass charms!
www.elegantInsightsJewelry.com
A west coast teacher of the visually impaired has taken her love of braille to a new level with her embroidery machine, adding braille phrases, acronyms, or expressions of your own creation to aprons, t-shirts, tote bags, and more. Prices are low and even lower if you buy several of one item for a group. For pricing and detailed availability, contact Terry at brailleWear4u@gmail.com.
An Ohio entrepreneur is creating quilted fabric creations with braille and tactile images. Her mug rugs, 5 x 7 inches, protect your furniture from hot and cold beverages while adding some style to your décor. Each mug rug has a tactile image and accompanying braille word. Holiday and year-round themes available. Write info@ThreadSceneLLC.com for pricing and available designs.
For a bit more bling or pizzazz, fashion designer Alexa Jovanovic with her company Aille Design adds custom beadwork to short- or long-sleeve t-shirts, pocket squares, masks, and more. Visit ailledesign.com for ideas or write hello@ailledesign.com with questions.
And if you want to buy a stylish leather bag for someone who has a special braille display that needs protection, contact Guidelights and Gadgets, bscheur@scheur.com or 617-969-7500 to find out if there’s a bag to fit the device you have in mind.
Cables, and gadgets, and chargers, oh my!
For the tech aficionado in your life, there are plenty of great choices from blind-owned businesses and in every price range. Try a 3-pack of magnetic charging cables (one cable, 3 plug-ins) to make charging the Victor Stream or other product easier. The Harbolt Company, www.HarboltCompany.com, has set available with various length cables. Also available are power banks to keep all that technology charged while on the go, and a variety of headphones and Bluetooth speakers.
A T Guys offers a $25 low-tone light detector, a foldable Bluetooth keyboard, and a speaker they say is the loudest around (Tribid, 12 pound boombox style, $199.)
For a more practical gift for those who want to build up the home first-aid department, Guidelights and Gadgets sells a talking oximeter, talking blood pressure cuff, and contactless talking thermometer. Buy all three or just one. Prices range from $30 to $50 per item. Email bscheur@scheur.com
And for those Furry Friends
The other half of Guidelights and Gadgets, Barry Scheur’s partner in both life and business, is KaeAnn Rausch, owner of GuideLight Dogs. Call her at 781-286-1696 or email her at GuideLightDogs@gmail.com to select best toys and tools for your favorite dogs, working or not. If you want something other than a toy, a leash, or a grooming tool, she also has raincoats and bathrobes (for quick drying your pooch), and fun things for the dog owner to use like bone-shaped carabiners and bone-shaped luggage tags.
If you want to treat your dog with bone-shaped items that are doggy edible, get some delicious treats from a new business opened this year by a new guide dog handler. Tully’s Treats sells organic nutritious dog treats in a variety of flavors (try peanut butter, pumpkin, apple, carrot, and more). For just $6.95, you can order a pack of holiday mini treats in fun holiday shapes. Call Jennifer, 708-635-3970, or email tullystreats2@gmail.com for details.
Make It Yourself
If you’d prefer to be that amazing person whose friends and family are in awe because you made all those beautiful gifts by hand, Mitsy Kits has projects for every ability, taste, and budget. Make a Bandana for your dog, an eyeglasses case for your spouse, a blanket for your favorite child, or a pillow or holiday wall hanging for yourself. Whether you have never made any craft items by hand or are a skilled artists with a needle and thread, Mitsy Kits has projects you can master. All projects are designed to be accessible to everyone. Buy kits and make gifts for your family, or select a kit to introduce someone you love to the joy of handcrafting. Visit Mitsy Kits online or call owner Tammy Rousssell at 978-419-1824. to find a project that’s right for you.
Scents and other Senses
From the mountains of northeast Tennessee, one blind couple has built a deliciously smelling business by crafting plant-based skin care products for every occasion and personality. Mountain Crafted offers goat’s milk soap bars in 250 fragrances as well as shea products, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, essential oils and more. Try Frosted juniper body mist, tobacco vanilla hand soap, butterscotch shampoo, Campfire hair conditioner, or any one of an almost endless list of other fragrant possibilities. Whether you want to give gifts that smell sweet, smoky, savory or exotic, Mountain Crafted is likely to have multiple choices that will appeal. Shipping is free for orders over $50. All items can carry braille labels if requested. Visit Mountain Crafted online or call 423-743-6805.
Fashion Statements
One fashion designer who decided to run with her blindness, so to speak, has launched a company called Blind Girl Designs. Her t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, and sweat shirts and more feature imaginative designs incorporating white canes into flowers and snowflakes and other fanciful images, combining beauty with blind pride in an innovative style. Visit BlindGirlDesigns.com or call 862-448-1011 for descriptions and orders.
The number of artists and entrepreneurs who are either blind or designing products with the blind in mind is growing, and the myriad of beautiful and useful merchandise is stunning. Give Yourself the win-win of the holiday season by supporting vendors such as these, enjoying the pride of supporting fellow travelers while also gathering some gorgeous holiday gifts.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
