We love supporting Island Made Products, and Flat Point Farm has stocked our shelves for several years. This small farm in West Tisbury keeps a heard of goats that both feed their family in milk and cheese, as well as creating their beautiful, artisanal soaps.
Each soap is handmade with consistency and care. Every new scent is an exciting arrival to the shop, and customers rave at both the beauty and quality in each bar.
Currently we're carrying the largest variety we've ever had of their product, and these are always available for personalization: weddings, showers, birthdays, or any gift giving occasion. With advance notice we are able to offer a variety of sizes to please and hostess.
Bring home a piece of the Vineyard and support our local farmers and artisans!
Solstice has just passed and the 4th of July is coming fast. Sorting out sparklers and planning the perfect spot to watch this year's fireworks is a no brainer when planning for the 4th. What you might not be considering is - this might be the first time you've had guests since summer began.
Have you had a chance to put up the house yet, and shake out your summer linens? We haven't either. Don't panic. Everyone wants to have a stunning home to show off. Rainy Day is here to help with a list of last minute and must haves for your summer home.
Soap - This sounds silly. Why would we start our list with soap? Because soap is classy. The sound when you're tearing off the brown paper wrapper from a company like Shore Soap Co., to be quickly swept away by the scents of lavender and lemon peel is almost magical. (P.S., Don't forget to stock up. There's little more becoming of a sink than perfectly wrapped, untouched bars of soap.
Drawers - Would you prefer the drawers in your house to smell of rice flower or vanilla pear? Either way, you are setting yourself up for a relaxing summer by surrounding yourself with good smells. Gianna Rose Atelier makes limited numbers of liners that promise beauty and practicality. It is the little touches that make the room, after all.
Weather - If you are on the island, you know too well how unpredictable the forecast can be. It is, however, nice to feel as though you have an ounce of foresight. That's why we like our glass and brass Conant thermometers. It may be hot and humid, but at least you'll know exactly how hot it is (without looking at your phone.)
Guest Books - Everyone wants to feel popular sometimes. Whether you are renting out your home or staying year round, a guest book is a really lovely way to remember the people who came through your home for a time. Our Compendium Guest Books serve that purpose to a "T".
Lights - Rainy Day loves light. We love lights on the ceilings, on the walls, strung across rooftops like garlands, and stuck in the ground like windy pathways. It's hard for us to choose exactly which lights we enjoy the most, but for preparing the house Allsop has intriguing and inviting patio lights, to make the evening last forever.
Rugs - You can never have too many beautiful rugs. Patios, picnics, playrooms... there's a rug for ever location and every occasion. Dash & Albert make hearty, durable and ever so stylish rugs that scream beachside picnic. Fab Habitat, too, brings a modern feel with it's ombre shades and geometric patterns.
Soap... again - This is a different kind of soap. This is the soap you use at the end of every day, once the kids are asleep and your guests have slowly trickled out. This is the soap that, as you stand over the kitchen sink and reflect on the day, lives to serve. Dishwashing by hand isn't a luxury, but it can be relaxing. The woody olive tree and coriander aromas of Bella Vita Cucina dish soap allow you that moment to breath and dip your hands into the warm water. Even during vacation, we need to give ourselves permission to breath.
We have so many home goods we could probably write a book, but this list should help you get some of those bases covered. Don't forget the finishing touches to any house - oil diffusers (which coincidently can be found at our shop...) and fresh flowers. We're partial to Morrice Florist ourselves.
When you hear the words "New England gift shop" it's easy for your brain to jump to a very particular image - stuffed lobsters, taffy, fudge, piles of sweatshirts and swag emblazoned with the name of the city you're visiting. Gift shops feel tacky, a "made in China" paradise.
That's not what Rainy Day is about.
Anyone who's visited our shop knows that it's an eclectic explosion of colors and options. Our items only scream Martha's Vineyard when it makes sense, when they are really supposed to. We believe a gift shop should be exactly that - a place where you can find the perfect gift for a loved one... or yourself. We hold value in the idea that our wares are precious enough to be put on display, rather than tucked away as a forgotten memento.
We also think a lot about where our products come from. Every year we get in more Fair Trade, US Made, and Island Crafted products. It makes us feel good. It should make you feel good too. Here's why:
Fair Trade, Hand Made, or Give Backs
What is Fair Trade? Fair Trade Goods are exactly what they claim to be - fair. Fair Trade products are certified by Fair Trade USA, an organization that ensures the farmers and laborers abroad who create Fair Trade products are compensated justly. Fair Trade USA also helps farmers and communities navigate the free market and utilize the tools they need to face the competitive global economy.
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With Fair Trade USA, the money you spend on day-to-day goods can improve an entire community’s day-to-day lives." Says Fair Trade USA.
We also invest a lot of time in sourcing products that are handmade or give back a percentage of their products to global help organizations. These products, while not living under the Fair Trade title, give back to the artists, communities, and individuals working so hard to live a decent life!
Ask one of our wonderful employees about which of these products we have in stock when you stop by!
Made in USA
Why should you buy American made products? Every time you purchase something made in America, you are putting that money back into our national economy. A process where dollars continue to recycle from hand to American hand begins. American producers are also often faced with strict regulations and inspections. Most important? It's fun to support America.
Check out some of our American Made products next time you're in the shop!
Vineyard Made
This category, we are particularly proud of. We love knowing the actual artisans and crafters who make our products. Whether it be locally foraged teas, salts, rock slabs, soaps... the list goes on, we know where that money is going. And living on an island means that, like any small town, we get to learn about the intricate lives and backstories of our Vineyard producers.
When you walk into Rainy Day, you're not just walking into a gift shop. You're walking into an experience, a way of life, a perspective of the world that values small companies whose sources you can trust.
In fact, that's why we started this blog. To highlight new products and sales, of course, but also to introduce our wonderful customers to the people and companies behind the products they're purchasing.
