Some readers just love books. Others love books and won't stop telling you about the view from the lakefront, the best custard stand, and why the Third Ward was better ten years ago. This guide is for that second group: Milwaukee and Wisconsin gifts with a bookish streak.
Everything here is in our For the Wisconsin Reader collection. If you want more Wisconsin pride and less reading, browse the full Wisconsin collection.
Why "Cream City"?
Milwaukee got the nickname "Cream City" in the 1800s from the cream-colored brick made from local clay. You can still see it in older buildings around downtown, Walker's Point, and the East Side. A lot of our Milwaukee designs take their palette from it: parchment, warm cream, navy, and lake blue.
For the morning reader: Cream City mugs
- Cream City Lake Reader Mug: a watercolor Milwaukee skyline over the lake, with tea and an open book. Good for a slow Saturday with a novel and a view.
- Cream City Open Book Mug: a navy Victorian engraving of an open book with Milwaukee landmarks rising from the pages. It looks like a bookplate you can drink from.
Both are under $25, so they also show up in our Gifts Under $25 collection.
For the reading nook: Wisconsin 1848 wall art
Wisconsin became a state in 1848, and our 1848 series pairs the state seal and flag with a watercolor Milwaukee skyline.
- 1848 Studio Prints: Printable Wall Art Set: three watercolor plates (skyline, seal study, and the Cream City lakefront) as an instant download, sized for standard frames. It's the most affordable way to decorate a reading corner.
- Wisconsin 1848 Milwaukee Skyline Canvas and the Framed Canvas: the same skyline, printed and ready to hang, for when you'd rather skip the trip to the frame shop.
For the reader who runs cold: sweatshirts
Wisconsin reading season runs October through April, so a sweatshirt counts as practical.
- Wisconsin 1848 Milwaukee Skyline Sweatshirt: the watercolor skyline on a cozy crewneck.
- Brats. Curds. Kickoff. Wisconsin Sunday Crewneck and Comfort Colors Tee: for the reader who puts the book down at noon on game day.
For the home library: Cream City bookplates
The Cream City Bookplates Printable Reader Pack has three illustrated Ex Libris plates, two of them inspired by Milwaukee, with a "This book belongs to ___" line. Print them at home, cut, and paste them into the books on your shelf, or into a book you're giving as a gift.
New to bookplates? Our guide to printing bookplates at home covers paper, printer settings, and pasting.
Pairing ideas for a Milwaukee gift basket
Put together a "Milwaukee reader" bundle:
- A Cream City mug
- A book by a Wisconsin author or set in Wisconsin, ideally from a local independent bookstore
- A sheet of printed bookplates with one already pasted inside the book and signed
- Something local to eat: cheese curds, a bag of coffee from a Milwaukee roaster, or a few kringle slices if it'll be gone by Sunday
You get a lot of gift for a reasonable price, and most of the money stays local.
For Wisconsin readers who moved away
Not every Wisconsin reader still lives here. If someone you love traded the lakefront for somewhere warmer, a Cream City mug or the 1848 skyline is a nice reminder of home. Printables are especially handy for faraway friends: buy the 1848 Studio Prints or the bookplates, forward the download, and they can print it wherever they live. No shipping, and nothing gets lost in the mail.
Shop the collection
- For the Wisconsin Reader: the full bookish-meets-Milwaukee lineup
- Wisconsin: all things Wisconsin
- Printables: instant downloads under $15
- Bookish gifts under $25: our gift guide for every kind of reader
Want a free Cream City bookplate to try? Join the reader list and we'll email you a printable sample sheet.