$25 challenge: Warm Shape’s treasure trove of Tucson-made goods

Welcome back to the $25 challenge. This week, I stopped by Warm Shape at the MSA Annex, 267 S. Avenida del Convento, to round up some affordable treasures from local artists and creatives.

Tucson artist Linus Schief opened Warm Shape in 2022, and in store, you can find locally designed T-shirts, hats, mugs, bookmarks, keychains, stickers, clothing, skincare, herbal remedies, ceramics and much more from dozens of Tucson makers.

Here are some of my favorite things I found around the shop:

Warm Shape has a collection of adorable Tucson-inspired mugs designed by Schief, featuring roadrunners, javelinas, quail and “A" Mountain.

Mugs are priced at $14 each, but if mugs aren’t your thing, you can also find the same designs on postcards for $3.

Schief also created a line of desert-themed baseball hats, with embroidered slogans that read “Desert Brat” and “Dehydrated,” which would go with any summer outfit in the coming months. Each hat costs $25.

If you are looking for unique wearable art or decorative art pieces, Tucson artist Claire Tobias creates ceramic jewelry, mugs and even ornate incense holders, inspired by her desert home.

She creates her signature “sgraffito” designs by carving away black slip to expose the white clay. For $20, you can get a keychain or bandana ring with Tobias’ art. If you want a toad patch for your bag, you can pick one up for only $10.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Warm Shape also stocks several local skin and body care brands, including soap bars by Larrea, which are made with plant-based oils and butters, scented with essential oils and colored with natural clays and botanicals. Each bar costs $12, and some of the scents include “Midnight Woods,” “Rose Geranium,” “Turmeric & Honey,” and “Cedar & Juniper.”

You can also find herbal salt soaks by Wolfberry Apothecary, including “Desert Lavender,” “Creosote” and “Self Love.” Each 3-ounce packet is $15.

One of my favorite finds was a cute, mini watercolor book by Tucson artist Lindee Zimmer. Zimmer creates murals, paintings and illustrations, and you’ll find her prints and greeting cards throughout the shop. Her mini watercolor book is full of small desert scenes that you can paint yourself. The booklet retails for $12.

If you love art or want some new wall decor, there’s a whole section of the store dedicated to prints from local artists, many under $25. Two of the featured artists who caught my eye were Amber Michon and Frankie Beesley.

Michon experiments with many different mediums and techniques, and her work often uses bright, vibrant colors. I found one of her prints for $24.

Beesley creates maximalist designs, taking inspiration from graffiti and patterns. Her work explores how personal spaces convey important details of self-expression and identity. I found one of her prints for $20.