Mouthwatering Arts & Crafts in New Orleans

The Bead Shop

★★★★★ 4.9 (96) • $$

"This is one of those places that *I know* I've reviewed previously but poof it's gone. Bead shop is a great spot to buy: beads (duh), jewelry making supplies, beading kits, jewelry, local art, crystals, and a host of other things. The staff is helpful and friendly. The place is CHOCKFUL of stuff so leave the big bag at home because you'll be knocking stuff over with it. Not only do they have a masking Indian suit in the window, they offer discounts to these NOLA culture bearers. Remember to use their baskets and little baggies so you don't have to retrace your steps and figure out how much things cost. (Been there done that.)Parking is on the street."

Artist's Market

★★★★☆ 4.4 (11) • $$

"Total eclectic fun! I found this tucked-away place by happenstance as I grimaced through the Market (ugh!) and was immediately drawn over.Super cool friendly cat and proprietor. Every surface covered in local art and handiwork. Truly something for everyone. If you don't want to buy keepsakes and souvenirs that were actually made in China, head on over here.At the other end of the store is a treasure trove of beads (jewelry type, NOT the mardi gras crap), tumbled glass, and many lovely bits. I found 2 pieces of glass and the awesome gentleman there wire wrapped them right on the spot. I now have 2 cool pendants for my silver chains that were not only bought in NOLA, but created right in front of me. NICE! Excellent price too!"

Miette

★★★★★ 4.5 (57) • $$

"What a fun store to check out while in the Garden District. They have so much cute trinkets to buy, especially if you're looking for Mardi Gras related trinkets! The upstairs was really cool and bizarre. You just have to see it for yourself LOL.My friend was left upstairs and did notice some things randomly drop, it tripped her out and she ran back downstairs. The staff did confirm that they have noticed some paranormal activity there, but nothing bad! Just a friendly ghost :) One other bizaare thing is that they've got a taxidermy deer merry go round that you can pay $5 for to ride it."

House of Voodoo

★★★★☆ 3.6 (10) • $$

"Fun spot to check out on interesting souvenirs too! In the heart of NOLA and on the way to beignets! It represents the city life here with the items offered."

Attenhofer's Stained Glass Studio

★★★★★ 4.8 (5)

"Attenhofer's is a stained glass studio that has been around for about 50 years. The current owner is Cynthia Courage. It is Cindy that we dealt with. She is an artist in her own right, doing both original art work as well as restoration of older pieces. (See some of the pictures I uploaded for her work.) She also does the mundane work of replacing cracked glass pieces. We have wooden entry doors with leaded beveled glass windows in which over the years several of the glass pieces have been cracked. It was something you could live with as they were small cracks lower on the doors, until this latest cracked piece. It was time to do something. We talked with Cindy and she said we had a choice, as she could come to the house and repair the doors in place or we could save the service fee and bring the doors to her. We decided to bring the doors to her. Each door took a day to repair. Cindy rebraced the windows in each door. They looked great when she was done. We were happy and I felt the price was fair."

Yesteryear's

★★★★☆ 4.4 (27) • $$

"MUST DO! Yesteryear's is one of my very favorite shops in New Orleans located right on Bourbon Street. Lots of really interesting Mardi Gras masks both to wear or display plus so much other cool stuff to browse through. I love stopping in the shop every visit for over 30 years. In addition to shopping, you can also get your cards read in the back. That happened a couple of times with friends. * From reading reviews, looks like Yesteryear's closed a couple of years ago. I've had it bookmarked forever and still wanted to leave a review so I could add it to my NOLA collection of reviews. It ~was~ a must do!"

Needlework Vault

★★★★☆ 4 (10) • $$

"Love this place. Quickly ran in on this visit and found lots of new items. Very friendly staff. Another great block to check out on your visit to New Orleans and Gris Gris is not too far excellent food."

Gimme

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) jk.This fun and one-of-a-kind shop in the quarter is fun for locals and tourists alike. It really is like stepping inside a fun acid trip. This shop screams Mardi Gras and every other fun holiday and parade the city holds. You have to spend a little bit of time here. My friends and I found so many fun knick knacks and I walked away with a few goodies. They have a fun photo op which is similar to a life-sized barbie box. All in all, a must stop shop!"

The Quarter Stitch

★★★★★ 4.6 (98) • $$

"The way I feel about art stores is the same way I feel about stores overflowing with whimsical needlepoint canvases, colorful threads, and the sort of people who gravitate to this stuff. That is: they put me in my happy place. I'm not the fastest needleworker out there and going into a shop like The Quarter Stitch forces me to exercise restraint. I can look around my home and find two needlepoint canvasses in progress and one completed but not yet blocked. So, as the enablers encouraged me to get a canvas here "as a souvenir of our vacation" the realist in me asked about their web site and took a bunch of photos. The Quarter Stitch has some really great, vibrant canvasses, ones I've not seen elsewhere. Staff explained that their web site isn't all that but that they're very good at picking out something you'll like, just call them and talk about what you like or share photos and they'll enable you quite successfully. The store also features, equally, the stuff that knitters and crochet-people need. Whether or not you do needlepoint, if you walk into The Quarter Stitch during your time in NOLA you might just find yourself picking up a new hobby. If that's already a hobby? Don't miss this fun and inspiring shop."

Gretna Farmers' and Art Market

★★★★☆ 4.4 (14) • $

"A fantastic open air market where you can get everything from veggies to (on the Second Saturday of the month) arts and crafts. This has become a sort of Satuday morning tradition. The vegetables are home grown by local farmers, fresh and delicious. You can also get farm fresh eggs and corn meal. They have dried okra, if you are in the mood for a crunchy snack. They also have homemade honey and hot dishes such as crawfish bread.A local performer provides musical entertainment while you shop around and all of the vendors are extremely friendly."

Nola Potter

★★★★★ 5 (1) • $$

"This is a great shop showcasing art work and jewelry from local artists. Paintings, pottery, mixed media, jewelry and candles all from the local area. Great souvenirs if you are visiting or if you are a local, something to add to your personal collection."

The Market at Dat Dog

★★★★★ 4.5 (4) • $$

"I stumbled into this market a few months ago. I wasn't even sure of the name of it, until I saw Jen's review.Like other pop up art markets around town, this market has a lot of locally made art, jewelry and other knick knacks (on the day I was here, one guy was selling custom paddles for crawfish boils). There's a lot more than meets the eye with this spot- when I first stopped in, I thought it was just a few vendors, but the market goes all the way through the patio of Dat Dog. Yes, that means that you will be shopping while Dat Dog'ers are eating on the patio,I didn't buy anything on my visit, but all of the vendors were extremely friendly and some of the vendors even encouraged me to try on their jewelry. I know this was there way of trying to make a sale, but considering some of the vendors at the Frenchmen Art Market don't even want you looking at their offerings sideways, this was a nice change of pace.This spot is worth the walk through, if you're in the area."

Nola Art & Craft

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"Business owner is really nice. He made a lot of the masks. They are the best I've seen in NOLA. Amazing selection!"

Tommey's Mardi Gras

★★★★★ 5 (5)

"This is the place to go for Mardi Gras decorations. Some of the decorations that they sell are painted wood signs, ornaments, and wreaths. They also sell beads and novelty items. They are reasonably priced. The employees are always ready to help you with whatever you need."

Java House Imports

★★★★☆ 3.8 (12) • $$$

"I made a couple of trips into this gallery back in Oct 2016 while on vacation in the French Quarter. The contents were exquisite examples of artisan carvings with some being religious based while others were more fanciful. I made it clear that I was only there to admire the craftsmanship but I think the owners realized I wanted to do more than look. I was really enjoying the detailed carvings of many pieces when I came across a necklace which had stones that matched my dear friend's eyes. I asked my friend of the pieces on display, which one did she admire and she instantly picked the one I liked. The owner was able to rapidly read my intentions and gave me a price while quietly setting the necklace aside in a drawer.The next day, I returned, alone, and purchased the necklace with a reasonable discount. My dear friend absolutely loves that necklace and wears it constantly. It has been the topic of many compliments and discussions.This store has a storefront on eBay and they are skilled at packaging. They could help find something by size or design that would fit a specific need. I have a wall in the house that I will be letting them occupy in the future. Stop in and be prepared to be amazed! (Stop in to the store or the online storefront.)"

Arts Market of New Orleans

★★★★☆ 4.2 (26) • $$

"Pandemic update:For December 2020, the Market has moved to City Park on the Great Lawn across from the Peristyle. It is much smaller than the usual December markets at Palmer Park but it is well spread out. It is happening every Saturday until Christmas. You enter from the Dreyfous Dr side of the Great Lawn, where you leave your info for contact tracing and they have hand sanitizer. The whole area is taped off and we are trusted to be adults and comply; but in case you aren't a good citizen, there is a security guard nearby. There were 20-30 vendors selling their wares. Everyone was masked and I was glad to see more and more vendors were excepting e-payments. Great way to support local artists and get some amazing presents for your loved one or you!"

Piety Street Market

★★★★☆ 4 (3) • $$

"I happened to just stumble into this cute art market on a Saturday afternoon. This outdoor market covers a lot of bases and sells everything from homemade arts and crafts to clothing and other household items. I liked the way the market is organized and it flows well, however I would have spent more time in the "indoor" area if they had had a fan going- it was sweltering in there. They also have a selection of well priced food and drinks, if you want to pass by and grab something for lunch.The vendors were very friendly and were happy to tell me all about their crafts and everything seemed to be priced fairly."

C'Mere

★★★★★ 4.6 (11)

"Super cute store supporting tons of artists. If you're looking for unique and eclectic gifts, this is the place to stop by. The prices range so there's something for everyone."

Garden District Marketplace

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"I feel like I reviews this space last year... maybe under a different name. Welp this is the name now. It has a sign above the big garage doors and everything!I feel like this is sort of related to Zele across the street since they share a couple of artists, but there are unique items here and they have changed up slightly on the weekends that I've been in. Plus there's a rug store in the back which I haven't really checked out since I have beaucoup rugs.Each booth is separate so you pay each artist or their designee individually. There is jewelry and pottery and paintings and prints and photos and an assortment of items.If you are a fan of Cary Chun Lee's cat paintings, he is often painting at his booth in the marketplace and also sells originals not just prints. Great spot to find the perfect item that you didn't know you needed."

Love It!

★★★★★ 4.7 (9) • $$$

"Yes, yes I do! This store is utterly luscious and I'm so happy I've discovered it! There's a gorgeous array of drop waist 20s style dresses, as well as flashy glammy gowns, fancy sweaters and tops... fashion for ladies who shun the whole "casual and comfortable" myth (or, someone like me that prefers to keep casual and comfortable at home where it belongs).The delicate, beautiful fascinators with ostrich feathers are something to behold! These will make you stand out in a crowd of parade and Mardi Gras ball revelers! I believe the woman who owns the shop makes these on the premises as there's a huge sewing studio in the back of the store. IE, these are not coming off a shipment from China.There's so much to tempt the eye and wallet here. Prices are more than fair. I'll be back soon for a coat that I can't get out of my mind. It has to happen."

House of Bali

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"Fun gift shop with mirrors and decorative items as well as some very large furniture pieces. Although the owner said he's discontinuing the furniture so that's on sale.Fun metal sculpture as well as hand carved decor pieces and masks. Purses and beaded bags are very cute.Store is small and there were 2 giant strollers while I was in there so plan your route out.Will definitely be back to see new stock"

Byrdie's

★★★★★ 4.5 (26) • $

"You are reading this here first: Byrdies makes the best sandwich I've ever had. What's more? It's also the cheapest sandwich in New Orleans! The value is incredible (ie, I don't mean shitty American "cheese" and limp iceberg lettuce-cheap. I deserve better than that. *You* deserve better than that). Those tomatoes on there are probably heirloom and for greens, we're talking arugula. The specialty veg sandwich has an avocado spread that's out of this world divine delicious and the other day, I was introduced to the joys of buttermilk cheese sprinkled on top. They make their own *bread* for god's sake... If you don't like red onions or red pepper, Chris will gladly substitute you with something else. And whatever the ingredient, there's just the right amount of everything perfectly combined to make a sandwich into an edible piece of art. OK, so the price for this incredible sandwich that I still can't stop thinking about and have had to have twice in less than a week when I normally don't eat lunch out? FIVE FUCKING DOLLARS! Make that four with the Yelp Check-In offer. I shit you not. And yes, I'm cursing up a motherfuckingstorm because I feel like I've discovered something not many people know about (with the exception of Yelptern, Emily A, who introduced me to the joys of Byrdie's sandwiches just recently). And just so you know I mean business. I consider this place to be really off the grid when it comes to food. For the love of a good sandwich, stop in immediately and do yourself a favor with one of these incredible concoctions. See a fantastic art installation that a righteous feline might be guarding along the way...One other thing: I haven't tried it yet, but you should probably also know there's a homemade lavender bread with homemade strawberry jam, along with other pastries made in-house. These folks aren't fucking around."

NOLA Craft Culture

★★★★★ 4.8 (16)

"Do you need all the fancy glitter for your carnival crafting? Then this place has you covered. They also have all the varieties of adhesives and feathers and what not. One of the owners was working the counter and was giving a new rider great advice while I was there. I was seeking inspiration for a costume so not exactly what I needed but I'll definitely be back.I also liked that they had some original artwork for sale. And their list of classes/party options look fun too!The store is in a former 2nd story home so that means steps. Not sure that they have an accommodation for folks who can't do stairs."

Idea Factory

★★★★★ 4.7 (11) • $$$

"I love this shop! Walking in, you immediately discover that Idea Factory is going to bring you back to simpler times. The times before modern technology when toys were built to last.Everything here is hand made out of wood, and it's a sight to behold. Tops, puzzles, train whistles, secret boxes and much more are on display and available for purchase for the kid (or big kid) in your life. They have a fantastic selection of unique gifts that are sure to capture the imagination. The staff is very friendly and is more than happy to explain how everything works and you are sure to find something that you'll enjoy. I want to go back and buy one of the slide boxes to keep my rings in, so I'm sure I'll be making a trip back to this delightful spot."