Artist and engineer, strategist and color lover, Sara Fritsch has always lived at the intersection of creativity and leadership. After years at the helm of Schoolhouse (which was sold to Food52 in 2021), Sara stepped away in 2022 to launch Studio Tigress. Now in its fourth year, Studio Tigress is a creative venture devoted to always-beautiful, never-boring products and services that deepen our connection to one another and to time itself.

Sara currently lives in Portland with her husband and their two kids, Winter (17) and Penelope (16). When she’s not building products or advising clients, you’ll find her running in Forest Park, skiing on Mt. Hood, or cheering from the sidelines of her kids’ many sports.

For her Mother Essentials list, Sara shares a deeply personal and values-driven edit. In addition to Studio Tigress favorites, the selections reflect her advisory work with design-forward product companies—with many items from brands she’s working with now or has partnered with over the past years. Many are made in Portland and founded by moms, and all are rooted in thoughtful design. If you’re looking to shop small (and well) this holiday season, consider this a beautiful place to start.

2026 Tall Months Calendar. “A new addition to the calendar assortment for 2026, ‘Tall Months’ is a fun twist on the best selling ‘Months’ design (which is also a good choice).” Tall Months Calendar, $88, Studio Tigress.

Lunar Tracker. “Isn’t it calming to know we can count on the moon? The Lunar Phases calendar offers daily tracking of the moon and its phases, helping remind us to stay connected to the bigger world and our place within it.” Lunar Phases Calendar, $58, Studio Tigress.

Very Important Plates (VIPs). “Make the most of the time you have and the people you adore, by celebrating them often and lovingly with these special plates for special people on special days.” Very Important Plates, $90, Studio Tigress.

La Tigresse. “La Tigresse was developed with 100% organic essential oils to smell like confidence and optimism, with undertones of je ne sais quoi.” La Tigresse, $48, Studio Tigress.

Playdate. “Giftable, handheld, modern nostalgia, in bright yellow, with a crank? Yes please! The ultimate stocking stuffer. This sweet device is new but feels old. It is tech but feels simple. I don’t like video games, but I love the Playdate. I have also loved the opportunity to work with the team at Playdate HQ, which is here in Portland. The space and team are as cool and quirky as this gaming console.” Play.date

Bobine. “When Jessica Helgerson designs a lamp, you know it’s going to be special. Named after traditional turned-wood bobbin lamps—but a little fancier—Bobine is a playful, pretty table lamp available with either a wood or glass base and a glass shade. Jessica and the artisans that make Bobine’s components are all Portland-based lovely people that are a joy to work with. Note that Jessica is also a mom!” Bobine Lamp, $3750, Jessica Helgerson Interior Design.

Grovemade Wall Shelves. “These range from a minimal solution for displaying your favorite pieces, to a large-scale grid fit for your inner librarian. This Portland-based company set out to ‘make cool stuff and have fun doing it’ over 15 years ago, and they are still doing it. I have worked closely with this design-obsessed team for the past year and I can confirm they are nailing what they set out to do (make cool stuff and have fun doing it).” Wall Shelf, $350, Grovemade.

Ratio. “Since 2012 the Portland-based Ratio team has been focused on designing a home coffee solution that marries beauty, simplicity, and quality into a single experience. This team refuses to believe you have to sacrifice one for the other, and is on a mission to have great coffee every day. With this new version, I believe they have nailed it. Having one of these beautiful machines on my kitchen counter is a perk of being on their board for the past several years, but the real delight is getting to work with a team that is so passionate about their products.” Coffee Machine, $799, Ratio.

East Fork Mug. “This is the mug you’ll want to use every single day. Made with love in Asheville, North Carolina, by a team focused on being and doing good. I have spent time in their facilities and had the pleasure of working with their leadership team for many years. I can confirm they are a company that cares and feels more than most. I’ll drink to that (from an amazing mug).” The Mug, $44, East Fork.

Gamblin Set. “Gamblin is the leading oil paint company in America and the factory is right here in Portland. This beginner’s set makes a great gift. Taking an active role on the board of this company gives me every excuse to love color even more.” 1980 Oil Paints & Set, $5.25 to $45, Gamblin.

MADRE Napkins. “MADRE loves rest and food and linen and a feminine economy—what is not to love about MADRE? Like all good things in life, MADRE is evolving and it has been an honor to advise and support the founder on her journey of reinvention. Note that Shay, the founder, is also a mom!” Sobremesa Napkins, $52, MADRE.

The Yo! Store. “My holiday wish list has two things on it: Anything from Yo! and Everything from Yo! Beyond their products, their team and owner are such a bright spot in the Portland community. Sarah, the founder, is also a mom!” Amfora Vase, $175, The Yo! Store.

Exclusive Woonwinkel Blanket. “This Portland boutique is known for color and curation, and this year I am so very proud of this lean and talented team for launching their own exclusive collection, which includes (among other things) the most colorful and giftable throw blankets. We can’t all live in Portland, but we can all shop Woonwinkel online. Kristen, the founder/owner, is also a mom!” Baby Blanket, $142, Woonwinkel.

Nanu Arc Alarm Clock. “A modern analog alarm clock that blends timeless design with thoughtful functionality. With a real mechanical chime for a more mindful wakeup and a discreet digital display for easy setting, Arc is designed to ground your space and support better sleep. Being on the board of this dynamic, young, visionary company has brought me a lot of inspiration and learnings.” Arc Alarm Clock, $299, Nanu.

P.F. Candle Diffuser. “Los Angeles-based P.F. believes that fragrance is an extension of home design, and I agree. P.F. makes their products by hand and after 17 years in business they still manage to deliver the highest quality at approachable price points. This is a business model I admire and feel lucky to be a part of. Kristen, the founder, is also a mom!” Golden Coast Reed Diffuser, $26.50, P.F. Candle Co.

Dimwit. “This ‘coming soon’ hardware company will turn everyone on. Getting to be an advisor to this visionary founder has been a highlight for me this year. Joanna, the founder, is a mom (of 4)!” Dimwit.world

Lanterne Candle in Sweater Weather. “This online-only candle shop is a side hustle for a friend of mine who is a mom, an executive, and a lover of well-designed products. Each candle is poured by hand in the U.S. by women artisans who have resettled as refugees in the country. The porcelain vessels glow beautifully when lit, and can be repurposed as a bud vase, votive holder, planter, or pencil cup. Jess, the founder, is also a mom!” Sweater Weather Candle, $39, Lanterne.

Nike Shoes. “I run many days a week and have done so for the last 30 years. My husband works at Nike, but even if he didn’t I would gush about how obsessed I am with this shoe.” Vomero Plus Sneakers, $180, Nike.

Dad’s Decoy. “My dad passed away and left behind broken hearts and an extensive decoy collection. He loved his decoys, and we loved him. The decoys cannot fill the hole in our hearts, but they do help us continue to love and think about him every day.”

Mia Farrington Art. “I love all of Mia’s bright and colorful work, I also love Mia. Ever since she crashed my wedding 22 years ago (true story!), we have been besties. Watching and supporting her career as an artist to take off has been very cool. Mia is also a mom of 2!” MiaFarrington.com

Brisca. “Sandra is a Portland mom and entrepreneur who is originally from Spain. Her recent launch of Brisca (Spanish olive oil) has been fun to cheer for. Before even tasting the olive oil, I knew I wanted that bottle on my counter. The fact that the olive oil is also exceptional is a bonus!” Olive Oil, $40, Brisca.

North Drinkware. “North Drinkware was the first (and is still the best) company to put a mountain into the bottom of a glass. The visionary founders are dear friends of ours and they are the real deal. Their love for the mountains and quality product is authentic to who they are. What started with Kickstarter over 10 years ago has grown into an extensive assortment full of opportunities to bring the mountains into your home.” Mountain Beer Glasses, $59, North Drinkware.

K&M. “I can never decide what is cooler, these incredible rugs or the people who bring these incredible rugs to Portland. Althouhg I am not sure I need to decide—I can simply love both, and I do. Portland is lucky to have this gem of a shop and the deep expertise of the shop owners. They have been bringing ‘artful rugs for the modern home’ to Portland for over a decade. Katan the founder and namesake is also a mom!” Katandmaouche.com

Mahsa Chai. “This Portland-based brand was brought to life with love by a Portland mom (also named Mahsa) and entrepreneur with a story as delicious as her chai.” Chai, $18, Mahsa.

For more MOTHER ESSENTIALS, peep our recent features with artist Lena Corwin, Hello!Lucky’s sister duo, doula and author Latham Thomas, Carla Wingett of Idlewild Floral, on Andrea Faulkner Williams of Tubby Todd, Hana Getachew of Bole Road Textiles, artist & author Carissa Potter Carlson, actress & activist Hilary Swank, the co-founders of Hearth Display, author and organizer Aida Mariam Davis, design consultant Joyce Lee, self-care advocate Rachel Garahan, DJ Va$htie Kola, designer Rebecca Minkoff, VEERT founder Julia Lang, cookbook author Jenné Claiborne, Neha Ruch of Mother Untitled, model, writer, and activist Cameron Russell, author Nasozi Kakembo, kid-lit talent Bo Lu, artist Suzy Ultman, and Super Smalls founder Maria Duenas Jacob.