The weekly $25 challenge continues! This week, I headed downtown to check out Arizona Poppy, 150 S Fourth Ave., and pick out the best, budget-friendly finds, made by local businesses and artists.
Let me tell you: there were more options than could fit in one list, so I picked a few favorites to share.
Looking around the shop, the first thing that I was drawn to were bright red, handmade candles by Laterite Designs, that were shaped as a pair of cherries. There were also candles shaped like a prickly pear cactus, a pink mushroom and what looked like marigolds.
Handmade candles by Laterite Designs shaped as cherries, cacti, mushrooms and more.
Each of the candles ranges from $12 to $24, and they could make unique home decor or gifts.
I personally love a good incense holder, and they had the perfect cactus-inspired ceramic incense dish from Tough Kitty Designs, which was priced at exactly $25.
Barrel cactus incense dish from Tough Kitty Designs.
Linnie Damm, the artist behind Tough Kitty Designs, works across multiple mediums and gathers inspiration from all things vintage, metaphysics, pop culture, and even Tucson’s desert landscape for her artwork.
Damm creates everything from earrings to trinket trays and spoon rests, so if incense dishes aren’t your thing, there’s still bound to be something you’ll enjoy.
Mushroom earrings from Warm Shape at Arizona Poppy.
Speaking of earrings, Arizona Poppy also sells a collection of earrings from Warm Shape, featuring cartoonish mushrooms and fried eggs. The pair of mushrooms cost $22.
Warm Shape, owned by Linus Schief, opened in 2022, and sells locally designed t-shirts, hats, mugs, bookmarks, keychains, stickers, clothing, skincare, herbal remedies, ceramics, and more, created by local artists and makers.
Local fiber artist, Paige Mariesa, creates nature-inspired embroidery, featuring desert creatures like roadrunners, quails, local flora, and mushrooms.
If you’re looking for a way to add some whimsy to your clothes or belongings, local fiber artist, Paige Mariesa, creates nature-inspired embroidery, featuring desert creatures like roadrunners and quails. Mariesa has several patches with local flora, and mushrooms. Each patch retails for $18, and would be perfect additions to your pockets or tote bag.
Axolotl hair clip from Turtle's Soup for sale at Arizona Poppy.
Turtle’s Soup, is a Tucson based business known for their aesthetic pastel designs, stickers, and accessories. Their bright pink axolotl hair clip was so cute, I just had to include it in this round-up, and, even better, it only costs $24.
Arizona Poppy also sells a collection of their Arizona-themed stickers, which are priced at $3.50.
Honey from Amado Bee Co. for sale at Arizona Poppy.
The item that surprised me most were the jars of honey from Amado Bee Co. (formerly Horseshoe Honey House). I don’t think there’s anything better than fresh honey, and it’s even better when it’s local. You can pick up your own 16 oz. jar for only $18.
Finally, I can’t talk about Arizona Poppy without talking about owner Rosie Crocker’s line of herbal skin and body care, “Sonoran Rosie.”
Sonoran Rosie products are organic, sustainable, and handmade from foraged plants of the Sonoran Desert. The line includes face oils, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, body scrubs, lip balm, perfumes, and more.
All her products are organic, sustainable, and handmade from foraged plants of the Sonoran Desert, which she uses to create face oils, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, body scrubs, lip balm, perfumes, and more.
If you’re keeping your budget under $25, there is plenty for you to pick from, including: the Desert Rain Tattoo Salve for $10, the Healing Desert Rain Salve for $20, the Solace Balm for $20, the Desert Rain Soap Pack $14, the Desert Herbal Hand Sanitizer for $16, the Saguaro Soap for $8, the Self-Love Body Scrub for $24, a Sonoran Bath Bomb or Sonoran Soap Bar for $14, the Desert Showers Shampoo or Conditioner for $16, or the Desert Dreams Roll-On Perfume for $24.
