Unique & Unusual Handcrafted Wood Gifts & Home Decor by VanEss Expressions

VanEss Expressions is a very small family business; creating original & custom wood wood gifts, home decor and home furnishings; including unusual clocks, decorative wooden boxes, unique vases & bowls, our classic holiday nut bowls, wall decor and more.

All of the items are individually & personally handcrafted by us in our Minneapolis Minnesota workshop. We do not import any products or materials. All of our wood items are 100% hard-wood and 100% handmade ~ in the USA.

We do not carry a large inventory, and since each item is unique, our in-stock items change often. The below links will take you to pages showing the types of items made by VanEss Expressions. Please note that these items may or may not be available - but give you an idea of the Please click here to see the gift & decor items currently in stock and available for immediate purchase. To give you an idea of what we make, The links below will take you to pages that show some of the items we have made in the past


Unique One-of-a-Kind Wood Gifts for All Occasions ~ Wood has warmth, compliments every decor style, and never goes out of style. Original photo / picture holders are great gifts for parents & grandparents. Desk, mantel or wall clocks make practical and decorative gifts for just about anyone. Wood vases & bowls can be functional gifts or purly decoration. Don't forget that Wood is the perfect gift for that 5th Wedding Anniversary. And handcrafted decorative wood boxes are wonderful gifts and are a unique way to package your other gifts.



Handcrafted Classic Wood Nut Bowls ~ Wood Nut Bowls are a tradition around the Christmas holidays, but are great for entertaining year round. Our classic wood nut bowls are individually handcrafted from 100% hardwood. Although similar in design - each is unique & original. Our standard woods are Oak, Ash, Maple, Cherry & Walnut, though other woods may be available. These classic wood nutbowls make excellent holiday gifts. They come with a nutcracker & 2 picks, so all you have to add is the nuts. Click here, or on the picture, to see examples of different nut bowl designs.

Unique & Original Handcrafted Wood Clocks ~ All of our wood clocks are individually handcrafted and use either clock inserts or clock movements. We have a wide variety of desk & mantel clocks - and each could be scaled up or down as the need dictates. From a more traditional Pillar Clock, to our contemporary 'Oval', to our very popular 'Pendulum Clock, to our whimsical walking worm; we have a variety of unique and original clocks to match just about any decor. We also make a variety of wood wall clocks - as a funchtional yet decorative wall accent.


'Button' Wood Wall Clocks are small inexpensive hand-turned round wall clocks that can be tucked just about anywhere you might need a clock. Great gifts for co-workers or when you just need to add a little more, and perfect when you need multiple, similar gifts, but want each to be unique & original.

'Button' Wall Clocks range from 4½" to 6" in diameter and have a 2¾" clock face. The key-hole allows them to be hung on just about any wall. And the clock faces are interchangable. Click on the picture to see some examples.

Hand-Turned Solid Hard-Wood Bowls & Vases ~ Wood vases & bowls come in a variety of shapes, sizes & woods. All are hand-turned from either solid stock or glued up board lumber. We turn some of the vases specifically to hold dried or silk flowers, others vases have a plastic water insert for fresh flowers. Wood bowls & vases are wonderful house warming gifts, or a perfect accompaniment for a flower bouquet. Click the picture for examples of our handcrafted wood vases, or click Wood Bowls or Containers & Cups for other individually hand-turned items available from VanEss Expressions.

Functional & Decorative Wood Boxes ~ Jewelry boxes, keepsake boxes, tea boxes and book boxes. Decorative wood boxes to hold just about anything - in style. All of our boxes have striking box-joint corners that are very strong & eye-catching. These are more subtle in single wood boxes, whereas multi-wood boxes are much more dramatic. Decorative wood boxes are not only beautiful gifts themselves, but are a wonderful way to present that very special gift. Have a specific need? We do custom orders.

VanEss Expressions is more than Wood Gifts.
VanEss Expressions is a very small Minneapolis familiy business, creating unique & unusual, original & custom wood gifts, clocks, home decor & home furnishings, hand-turned vases & bowls, and distinctive wood furniture (larger furniture items are only available to our Minneapolis area customers).

VanEss Expressions is all about Wood
All of our pieces are 100% solid hardwood ~ no pine, plywood, or laminates. We use a variety of wood stains & dyes to enhance the grain, to add color, or to match your current decor - but we never paint wood.

VanEss Expressions is all about Quality
Each item is individually & personally handcrafted by us ~ from the original design, to the selection of the wood, to the very last coat of varnish ~ and we do it one piece at a time. We do not import any products or material - every pieces is individually handmade in our workshope in Minneapolis Minnesota - 100% made in the USA.

VanEss Expressions is all about Customer Satisfaction
We stand behind our work and work with our customers. Most of our sales are from repeat business or referrals ~ and that's the way we like it.