Frequently asked questions
Where are you located, and do you ship?
Victoria's Artisan Gifts is an Etsy shop located in beautiful, historic downtown Claremont, New Hampshire, USA! The Etsy shop has been online and serving great folks all over the USA and Canada since 2007! We don't have a "bricks-and-mortar" storefront, but all Chalkboard Mats, 80s Ribbon Barrettes, and other handmade novelties and accessories are handcrafted in a home studio in downtown Claremont.
We make about 12 appearances a year at local juried craft fairs and festivals -- see "Where to Find Us" on the Home page for details! And yes, we happily ship to anywhere in North America when you make a purchase through the
Etsy shop. Thank you!
Where do you source your materials?
So glad you asked! Victoria's Artisan Gifts makes every effort to source cotton fabrics, batting, ribbon, and other materials from within about 100 miles of our sewing studio in downtown Claremont, NH. Often, fabrics come from local, family-owned businesses right here in town or just a couple of towns over, and all are within New England -- from New Hampshire, Vermont or Maine. We keep it local!
How do I order Chalkboard Play Mats or Ribbon Barrettes?
Easy! Just visit my Etsy shop and see if the item you're looking for is there. If it's not there, please send me an email (or you can click on "Contact" on my Etsy shop site) and let me know what you're looking for. If I have it on hand or can make it, I will let you know, and I can create a reserved listing for you that same day. :)
(Note: If we are both not sure which fabric or color that was, I'll be happy to send you a couple of photos to help jog your memory. No worries!)
If you'd rather not do email, you can also reach us by phone at (207) 436-0617 -- just leave a message and I'll get back to you.
You can also order by phone and pay by check. It'll take a little longer (I can ship out once the check has been received). Any other questions, just let me know!
How do you give back to the community?
Community support is so important -- when we support one another, the "village" benefits. Victoria's Artisan Gifts is just a micro-business, but here in Claremont, we make small donations whenever possible to several local non-profit organizations that in turn help our regional community through the work they do.
Since relocating to Claremont in 2016, we've happliy made the following donations (apologies if I've left anybody out):
- Diapers to Baby Steps in Claremont,
- Chalkmats to Tatum's Totes of Springfield, VT,
- Cash and pet food donations to the Sullivan County Humane Society (donated funds help them purchase dog and cat food for people in need or supplies for the shelter), - - Children's tutus and dressup accessories to One-4-All Center in Claremont.
Nationally, we have donated handmade goods for a fundraiser auction for a Los Angeles halfway home and to Relay for Life for their fundraiser raffles. BIG THANK YOU to all of these organizations for the work you do every day!
What can I do with a Chalkboard Play Mat?
Draw, write, play games, or get creative -- on-the-go or at home!
Every Chalkboard Play Mat comes with 2 pieces of non-toxic chalk sticks, and can be easily wiped clean with a damp cloth or travel wipes.
Have a look at (or print off) this list of suggestions for art projects and games!
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What can I do with my Chalkboard Play Mat?
Play games!
- Tic Tac Toe #
- Alphabet Matching (draw pictures on one side, letters or words on the other side. A friend or sibling can match them up.)
- Dots & Boxes - Fill the board with rows of dots. Take turns drawing lines between dots. Each time you complete a box, put your initial in it. The one with the most initials wins!
- Write a poem or story. Try using cursive, or add illustrations.
- Make funny fill-in-the-blank sentences for a sibling or friend to fill.
- Create and solve math equations!
- Or play any of your favorite games!
Draw! Here are some ideas:
- Draw your home or a favorite place, such as a park, grandparent’s home, or the lake. Add characters or details.
- Make a drawing (or a silly doodle) of your family, yourself, or you and your friends.
- Draw a character or scene from your favorite book, game, or movie.
- Doodle an abstract (lines, loops, circles or swirls). Add colors, dots or any fun details!
- Draw your pet -- or a pet you would like to have some day. Or a dragon, unicorn, wild animals, or a whole farm!
- Design a maze and see who can solve it.
- Create a dot-to-dot puzzle for someone to solve.
(If you wish to save your drawing, ask to take a picture of your art to look at later.) :)
Chalkboard Play Mats can travel!
-Take your Chalkboard Play Mat outdoors, to restaurants, or visiting. Use a wet-wipe or damp cloth for cleaning on the go.
-Fold it or roll it up. Great for car, bus, train, plane, or hotel.
CAUTION: Vinyl can be hot if left in sun. Keep it out of direct or hot sun. Caution: Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Chalkboard Mats can also be used as a Wedding / New Baby / First Day of School announcement board, or as a Message Board for a door, wall or refrigerator (use magnets or regular clips)!
Handmade in New Hampshire, USA
For more information, visit VictoriasArtisanGifts.com.
