Cheer
Little Gifts, Lots of BY TRISH PINO
Upstate New York is full of creative entrepreneurs. From well established businesses to side-hustle hobbyists, our region is bursting with gifted artists big and small. While it may seem convenient to run to a big-box store or order online for the holidays, there are many benefits to buying local such as keeping money in our community and creating more opportunities for our region. It not only enriches our city, but also simultaneously lays the foundation and demand for more.
Want to shop local this
holiday season but don’t know where to start?
We tapped into the expertise of creative, handmade gift specialist Grace Bellanca to share her gift ideas from local creators to jumpstart your holiday shopping spree.
Small business owner and mental health advocate, Grace Bellanca is on a mission to bring joy to others through local, handmade gifts. As the founder of Roc Made Goods, a seasonal artisan market and Ash + Willow Co., a handmade craft business focused on recovery gifts, Grace is just getting started bringing hope and cheer to the community. As a Rochester native, she has been immersed in the local handmade goods scene for almost a decade, but her experience goes far beyond that. Growing up in a creative home, Grace always loved making things, a talent she attributes to her parents who were creative individuals as well. Their 36 THEHOMEPUBLICATIONS.COM | Rochester
dedication and passion for their respective crafts – her father a talented tattoo artist and mother a maker of all kinds – has always inspired her to create things of her own that have purpose and meaning. In 2016 she launched Roc Made Goods with a group of friends that wanted to showcase their handmade goods to the community. What began as “Sip & Shop” events for regular customers to support their cause grew into a platform where buyers can discover and shop handmade items from more than 35 local vendors. In 2019 she launched her next venture, Ash + Willow Co. as a creative outlet after leaving a rehab facility for alcoholism. She began creating recovery cards and learned to crossstitch to keep herself busy
Affirmation Patch Beanies by Ash + Willow Co. Available in a variety of affirmations and colors
Designed to bring encouragement. $15 www.ashandwillowco.com
during the pandemic. She now offers a variety of cards, prints, hoops, stickers, keychains and more – all of which celebrate recovery and provide solidarity, comfort and encouragement to those overcoming their own struggles.
“
Ash + Willow Co. was born from my personal experience with addiction recovery. I needed to stay busy while in early recovery and wanted to create something that could help me celebrate my milestones.
“
F E AT U R I N G GRACE BELLANCA OF ROC MADE GOODS
