I met Jason Andelman a few years ago after reading an article in the Washingtonian magazine about his new venture, Artisan Confections. He was then a young pastry chef who was making small batches of handcrafted chocolates and selling them through local gourmet food and wine shops.

By mid-December of that year, all of the shops had sold out, and I was desperate to purchase these gorgeous chocolates for family and friends. I called Jason, and he let me know that he had just made a fresh batch, and offered to meet me outside a local grocery store to complete the transaction.

I was eternally grateful. So we met. We spoke a bit, I learned a little about his venture, and he gained a loyal customer due to his willingness to go the extra mile.

In those early days, each chocolate was individually decorated with a miniature reproduction of a famous painting. They were almost too beautiful to eat. The chocolates themselves were constructed with the freshest and finest ingredients available; and each bite was pure delight.

Business grew, and it wasn’t long before Artisan Confections launched a website and opened a storefront in Arlington, VA. They added new flavors and items, and even began offering group and private classes in chocolate-making!

Their tagline is appropriately “where art is chocolate and chocolate is art;” and you can see some of their current designs here. They offer collections of 15 pieces for $25; 30 pieces for $46; and smaller boxes of nine or four pieces for $17 and $8, respectively.

I’m a big fan of supporting independent business owners, especially when they produce a superior quality product, and I’m definitely planning my annual visit to stock up on gifts before the holidays.

If you have a chocolate lover on your list who appreciates great quality (and great beauty!), Artisan Confections will definitely make them smile. Note that Jason’s website states that all holiday orders must be placed no later than December 22nd.

I had the rainy day pleasure of visiting several galleries, browsing the work, and speaking with several artists. There were two that really stood out in their use of bright color and unusual technique.

Zoya Gutina is a bead artist, making one-of-a-kind wearable sculptures. Three of her works are featured on the Torpedo Factory website. I got the opportunity to see the award-winning Poppy Field Necklace (below) in person, and the craftsmanship and attention to detail were fabulous!

When I asked how long it took to create the piece, her answer was, “months,” and she took the time to show me how each flower was individually crafted, how the base was constructed, and how all the pieces were sewn together. She also has some simpler pieces on display, and has an extensive website at www.mylovelybeads.com from which she sells her designs to customers all over the world.

Another artisan whose pieces blew me away is Ruth Gowell. She has two very different lines of work – woven fiber art and kiln-fused glass. It was the fiber art that completely captivated me, and unfortunately, the photos on the website do not do her work justice!

Ruth has been weaving for more than 35 years, and exploring warp face weave technique since 1978.

Before placing the warp threads on the loom, she hand-dyes them in color progressions of up to 20 shades. There are typically five layers of warp in each weaving – one being a metallic thread. The pieces I saw used clear plastic rods as part of the weft, and these rods were connected to the base mounting board via loops of seed beads in colors that matched the weaving. The result is a stunning, unique piece of wall art. Ruth’s website is at www.ruthgowell.com.

Both of these artisans brought a smile to my face and helped brighten a cold and drizzly day. If you’re lucky enough to visit the DC area, it’s definitely worth a trip to the Torpedo Factory, where you can check out Zoya and Ruth’s recent works, as well as those in the other 80 galleries onsite!