6 things our editors love this December

Emily Balsley, an endlessly talented local illustrator/artist/maker, illustrated a children’s picture book written by the two-time James Beard Award-winning Christina Tosi, owner of national dessert sensation Milk Bar. Balsley’s whimsical illustrations for “Every Cake Has a Story” will make you want to preheat the oven and get out the mixing bowls. bit.ly/3tHLMqW

This unlikely contender might have the best nonalcoholic drinks in town. The owners of Blind Shot Social Club, a social club featuring food, drinks and golf simulators on South Fair Oaks Avenue, are a sober pair who are passionate about quality N/A beers, wines and cocktails. blindshotsocialclub.com

The only thing you need to add to this vegan cookie dough is a spoon. Forage Kitchen knows what vegans like — short-and-sweet ingredient lists with words you can pronounce. They even put it in big, bold lettering on the front of the jar for easy reading. Pick up a container at any of Forage’s locations (Hilldale Shopping Center, State Street or Monona). foragemadison.com

Upshift Swap Shop has been around since 2013, but we’re calling attention to the East Johnson Street boutique because its concept is noteworthy. You bring in a bag of your gently used closet items, fill it back up and pay a swap fee. It cuts down on waste on multiple levels, and there are no complicated consignment agreements. upshiftswapshop.com

We wish we could have included this poster in our stargazing issue back in September. This exclusive Anthology design was inspired by a workshop at Middleton Public Library. Check out the fun Madison references in this local star chart by picking up your own at this State Street shop. anthologymadison.com

These Wisconsin Historical Society conservation greeting cards created by a Midwestern artisan feature artwork from the society’s historic image collection — high school students entered the designs into a poster contest circa 1910. And don’t forget to plant your card after reading, as they’re made out of wildflower seed paper. shop.wisconsinhistory.org/wisconsin-conservation-note-cards