Island Life Artisan Gifts

10/19/2026

This is it: It's moving week! 📦 😅

Bear with us as we close Island Life for THREE days to send all our pickleball goods two doors down to our new sister shop, Pickleball Life, which opens for business on October 29! We're not CLOSING DOWN Island Life...we're just having a growth spurt! We're so excited to share what's new in BOTH shops soon! 🤩

Since you can't come in for a couple days...take advantage of FREE SHIPPING on all orders through at least Wednesday! Shop online 24/7...link in bio. 🛍️

See you on the other side!

10/18/2026

IT'S HAPPENING...
We're making moves this week!

Moving week is here! Monday, October 19 through Wednesday, October 21, Island Life Gifts will be closed as we move most of our pickleball goods (and a little bit of Island Life) into our brand new shop, Pickleball Life Bainbridge!

It'll take us a few days to shift things around, set up the new shop, clean up, and be ready to welcome you for the Grand Opening (https://www.facebook.com/share/1FZMUTxAAj/) of Pickleball Life on October 29.

Meanwhile, to say thanks for your patience as we move, we're offering FREE SHIPPING on ALL orders from now through at least 10/21! Please note that items will not ship till late this week.

See you at the shops!

488 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island

at the Historic Winslow Ravine
206-565-5596

Click here for an update from Island Life Artisan Gifts & Goods!

10/04/2026

Introducing Pickleball Life Bainbridge:
Bainbridge Island's first
pickleball shop!

If you’ve visited Island Life Artisan Gifts over the last few years, you probably know that our little corner of the shop devoted to pickleball has become...not so little. It hasn't always been this way.

It started with one T-shirt celebrating something that still surprises visitors every day: Bainbridge Island is the birthplace of pickleball. That one tee became a hit (and is still a fave, by the way), leading to a whole collection of gifts, apparel, and even our own paddles; all of it celebrating the fact that pickleball was "Born Here Played Everywhere."

It feels like a natural next step: a whole shop celebrating the game, its history and the people who love it—right here on the island where pickleball was born in 1965. It will not only be the place to find unique gear and goods found nowhere else, but also a place where pickleball fans can connect with each other, learn more about the history of the game, and tap into the incredible pickleball community here on Bainbridge.

Join us for our GRAND OPENING! 🎉

📅 DATE: Thursday, October 29, 2026

📍 LOCATION: 440 Winslow Way E.
(just two doors up from our first shop!)

⏰ SCHEDULE:
Opening 10:30 am
Official ribbon cutting ✂️ 4:00 pm
Nibbles, bubbly, giveaways, and general celebratory mayhem 🥳 4:00 - 6:00 pm

Click here for an update from Island Life Artisan Gifts & Goods!

10/02/2026

In case you haven't heard 😁:

08/06/2026

Alex Sanso, founder and creative captain of Island Life Artisan Gifts racing towards Grand Opening on August 6, 2021. PHOTO: Jay Trinidad

We turn 5 years old today!
Couldn't have done it without you 🥰

When I opened Island Life Artisan Gifts on August 6, 2021, I knew nothing about operating a retail gift shop, let alone owning one. What I did know is that our quaint, beautiful, quirky Bainbridge Island deserved its very own quirky gift and souvenir shop, and if no one else was going to do it, I would give it a shot (https://www.islandlifebainbridge.com/s/stories/how-island-life-came-to-be) .

We're still around five years later because people like you have connected with the joy that we strive to bring every day with our goods and gifts, the stories we share, and the island vibes that are so uniquely Bainbridge. You've put your dot on our maps, supported us, danced in our shop (https://www.instagram.com/p/DZoaMmppAOL/) with us, shared us with your friends. Some of you visit again and again, and we love seeing your smiling faces. (And those of you with dogs, you know we keep treats at the ready...we have our regular pup visitors, too!)

Thank you from me and the whole Island Life crew for bringing us this far, whether you just found us or you've been with us all along. Keep those island vibes alive and visit us again soon!

Now, where's the birthday cake? 🎂

Pickleball peeps: Come find us at the Founders Tournament (https://pickleballtournaments.com/tournaments/2026-founders-tournament) today through Sunday!

Can't make it to the courts? Shop some of these bestsellers...

488 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island

at the Historic Winslow Ravine
206-565-5596

Click here for an update from Island Life Artisan Gifts & Goods!

07/21/2026

Thanks to Bill Clevlen for mentioning our shop in this fun and informative article on the history of our beloved island sport, born here!

Bainbridge Island is the birthplace of pickleball. The game has grown in popularity across America over the last decade but it was invented long ago on a blacktop driveway.

07/21/2026

Thanks for the LOVE! ...from Katy, Zya, Elena, Elliot, and Alex ❤️

If you love our shop, we'd love your support

Have you voted yet in the Best of Bainbridge poll? We're up for FIVE different categories and we'd love your support if you feel we excel in any or all of them, whether you're a local or a visitor who loved our shop:

⭐️ Best Gift Store (about 85% of our entire store is locally designed and made)
⭐️ Customer Service (we love to share stories and history of Bainbridge culture, and point folks to the best to-dos in town!)
⭐️ Specialty Shop (we're the only shop that is ALL about Bainbridge Island)
⭐️ Clothing Store (all of our apparel and headwear is designed by us, in-house)
⭐️ Sporting Goods (our Bainbridge-designed pickleball gear honoring the legacy of the game is authentic, playable gear, not just cool and collectable)

Thanks for being a fan of our little shop and our mighty crew. We're celebrating FIVE YEARS of being your "all about Bainbridge" shop, and simply couldn't have gotten this far without you. You ROCK!

488 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island

at the Historic Winslow Ravine
206-565-5596

Click here for an update from Island Life Artisan Gifts & Goods!

07/02/2026

Bainbridge Island Welcomes the World

How many once in a lifetime, joy-inducing, can't-miss events can be going on in one year on Bainbridge Island? Or in one month, or one WEEK? Quite a few, as it turns out. And we're here at the heart of it, ready to help you commemorate it all.

The biggest news as of this writing? Team USA won their match tonight in the World Cup tournament, which will bring them back to Seattle Stadium Monday night to face Belgium. GO, USA! 🇺🇸 In honor of their win, we're offering 20% OFF our Bainbridge/Seattle World Cup items for one day only. The offer is good only in the shop and only TODAY, Thursday, July 2. Come see us!

Not into futbol? How about celebrating our nation's 250th Anniversary right here on Bainbridge Island during our Grand Old Fourth Celebration? It's the biggest party and the most hometown parade in the west. (Learn more about it, and other fun summer happenings on the island in my blog post here (https://www.islandlifebainbridge.com/s/stories/bainbridge-island-welcomes-the-world) .)

Pop into Island Life Gifts and check out our newest items: apparel, pickleball paddles, drinkware, and great local gifts and goods you've come to expect from our shop. Keep your summer humming with our island vibes!

488 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island

at the Historic Winslow Ravine
206-565-5596

Click here for an update from Island Life Artisan Gifts & Goods!

06/30/2026

What's so great about summer on Bainbridge Island? I've got thoughts. 😄
https://www.islandlifebainbridge.com/s/stories/bainbridge-island-welcomes-the-world

06/02/2026

THIS FRIDAY: Meet Port Orchard artist

Ina Xi during the Art Walk

Lovely (and unpredictable) spring weather is here on beautiful Bainbridge Island. We're ready to celebrate by welcoming a favorite artist in our shop, Ina Xi (https://www.instagram.com/inabear/?hl=en) , for a pop-up event on our deck this Friday. Rain or shine, Ina will be here from 5 - 7 pm with original watercolor paintings and beautifully printed reproductions for sale. Stop by for a chat, shop directly from the artist, enjoy some refreshments and let the beautiful light and color of Ina's works fill you with the promise of an unforgettable Northwest summer.

Learn more about the event here (https://www.facebook.com/share/1BUH5shGtV/) , and if you can't make it? Shop Ina's art here (https://www.islandlifebainbridge.com/product/woodblock-watercolor-prints-ina-xi/HNILJB6KCHPVW34PUGM3ZFNT?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=12) .

Speaking of Pop-ups...

Alex will be popping up in Seattle Thursday

Imagine my surprise when the inimitable Fran's Chocolates (https://frans.com/) invited me to be their featured artist at their downtown Seattle shop this Thursday, June 4!

Across the street from the Seattle Art Museum (which has free admission (https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/programs/free-first-thursday) on first Thursdays), it'll make for a SWEET pop up event.

I'll be representing Bainbridge with some of my bestselling items, including our birthplace of pickleball gear. Shop directly from the artist (me)—no ferry necessary. But who needs an excuse to come to Fran's? Come on by between 11 am - 2 pm and say hello!

FRAN'S CHOCOLATES
1325 1st Ave., Seattle, WA
Thursday, June 4, 11 am - 2 pm

488 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island

at the Historic Winslow Ravine
206-565-5596

Click here for an update from Island Life Artisan Gifts & Goods!