Ohio-fy Your Life

Photos by OHventures

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being so devoted that you'd get an Ohio tattoo (I am considering it), how hardcore of an Ohio fan are you? We aren't talking Ohio State football (although we are big-time Buckeyes fans), or Ohio University (although Athens is one of the coolest college towns around), but we are talking the entire state of Ohio.

If you are a tried and true lover of this great state, from Lake Erie to the Ohio River, from Ashtabula to Cincinnati, then here are some products that you can get to Ohio-fy Your Life. And, yes, all of these are in my house!

1. Ohio Thread Art: Pictured at the beginning of this post, this thread art in the shape of Ohio is hanging proudly in my bedroom. Made by a friend at Threaded State (based in Cincinnati), you too can get a customized piece of Ohio thread art. Choose your color, your design, and whether or not you want to highlight a special city! You can also learn to make your own.

2. Milk Chocolate Ohio: Okay, so this was in my house, before I devoured it. Just in time for Easter (or whatever the closest holiday is at the time you are reading this), I purchased this tasty milk chocolate shaped like Ohio from Hartville Chocolate Factory in Stark County. You can also get loads of other goodies, such as chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate dipped Oreos, which are not shaped like Ohio, but taste pretty awesome nonetheless.

3. Ohio BibFolio: If you are a runner, and you live in Ohio (or do a lot of races in Ohio), then this handy dandy contraption is for you. It's called a "BibFolio," and it holds all of your race number bibs inside! Since I have dozens and dozens of bibs from races, this was a no-brainer. You can get a ton of different designs, but how can you pass up the RUN OHIO design?!

4. Ohio Ink Art: This Ohio ink art was special made for OHventures by our pal Matt of MATTHEWDYEstudio in Canton. Browse his site to see what artwork he has on sale. Odds are, there are some Ohio pieces available - or, if not, he would be willing to whip one up for you! Tell him I sent ya.

5. Ohio Cutting Board: I am quite the chef these days (don't believe me, then stop over for some award winning chili or my specialty shrimp & cheesy grits). So, a trusty bamboo cutting board in the shape of Ohio is a dream for me. Pictured, you can see I had a little fun and added some cut carrots on my three "homes" of Columbus, Akron/Canton, and Youngstown (Hubbard). This find was thanks to the Totally Bamboo brand sold at Bed Bath & Beyond.

6. Ohio Pocket T-Shirt: This is one of my favorite Ohio-themed items I own (can't you tell by the goofy face I am making while modeling it in the picture above?). The reason I love it so much is because of the story it tells. This shirt is from a new grassroots company in Akron called Neighbors Apparel. All shirts and accessories are made by refugee women living in Akron. Plus, a portion of the profits goes towards giving these refugee women a living wage, and some is donated to help Urban Vision, an inner-city mission in Akron. Become a neighbor today by getting one of these shirts!

7. Rubber City Golf Balls: And while we are in Akron, we may as well put a plug in for Rubber City Clothing, which sells, among other things, these golf balls donning - what else? - the shape of the state of Ohio! It's on my bucket list to hit the links and become a better golfer, so perhaps these balls will be good luck? If not, there's always other great Ohio-themed clothing and items at Rubber City Clothing as well!

8. #OHIO T-Shirt: Ah, yes. I couldn't ever pass up a shirt such as this. It incorporates a hashtag AND Ohio's historical year of settlement? The irony! The cheekiness! The Ohio-ness! I can't even. I got this gem at the Ohio-themed boutique in downtown Columbus called State & Third (found at the Shops on Capital Square). The vendor of the shirt is Lamp Apparel.

Stay tuned for more ways to Ohio-fy Your Life! Have items to add to our Ohio collection, send us an email to let us know!