When you live in a place that is heavily trafficked with tourism, like Maine, you get used to seeing a lot of kitchy gift shop stuff. Blueberry, lobster and moose caricature everythang. This is not that. For all the dime a dozen souvenirs there are many Maine gems crafted by extremely creative, innovative and talented folks right here. These artisans make products that harness the essence of Maine with a timeless, classic appeal. Today, I’d like to highlight an up and coming brand doing just that. Say hello to Watts In Maine!

They’ve only been at it for a few months, but Dave and Kylie Watts are making a splash with their first piece, the Perfect Catch Cuff. I was shopping at K Colette on Commercial Street in the Old Port when I spotted the brass beauty and just had to get it for Blair for Valentine’s Day! Given the amount of time Blair has spent on the water lobstering with Dad, she lit up when she opened her gift and realized the gorgeous cuff was a much shinier version of the measure Dad uses to determine if they’ve caught a “keeper” by measuring the length of the carapace, or the shell from eye socket to the base of the tail.

In Maine, a salable lobster must have a carapace that is at least 3.25 inches long and can be no longer than 5 inches, hence the numbers on the cuff. Big lobsters are especially important brood stock to repopulate the species which is why you’ll never see a 20 pound Maine lobster for sale. The Perfect Catch Cuff holds special sentiment for Blair and memories of hot summer days out on the boat when she’s up to her elbows in bait juice (yum!) but it’s an undeniably beautiful cuff for anyone- and it has a very cool story behind it. The cuffs can be found locally in stores and will be for sale soon on the web. We’ll keep you updated. This is such a perfect gift to get your keeper!

Blair and I are both heading north for our weekends, she to the coast and I to the mountains. I hope you have a fun adventure in store, too!

Happy weekend, Hayley