Watch USA TODAY reporter Jayne O’Donnell give tips on shopping at local merchants.

Hot Sand n Dress up a boring surface with a unique sand-cast glass bowl in shades of emerald and granny green, created right on the Asbury Park boardwalk. It sells for $375 at Hot Sand, 1200 Ocean Ave. in Asbury Park. Hot Sand sells ready-made, one-of-a-kind glass pieces or allows adventurous customers to create their own. “People want the experience,” co-owner Paul Elyseev said. “Everyone remembers the first time they’ve seen liquid glass.”

Small shops offer terrific holiday findsEven back when humans wore

only fig leaves, surely some of them showed up looking stun-

ning in just the right designer leaf, with coordinating earrings and designer sandals. And fashion has evolved sig-nificantly since then in the Asbury Park area. Here are some unique items from small, independent merchants.

Seldin’s Trinkets n Boast some bling and support wounded soldiers by wearing From Soldier to Soldier cord bracelets with sterling silver closures, made by Lovelinks America. For every bracelet sold, Lovelinks do-nates $25 to orga-nizations that help returning wounded veterans. They cost $95 at Seldin’s Trinkets, 2 W. Front St. in Red Bank. “It seemed like a really nice thing to do,” Jamey Seldin, who has owned Seldin’s Trinkets for 18 years, said of the bracelets.

Heaven Art & Antiques n Wearing a particular Lucite beaded necklace ($28) in bold shades of blues and greens re-quires a low-cut dress – or a fitted turtleneck – and a whole lot of attitude, according to Malcolm Navias, owner of Heaven Art & An-tiques and a longtime antiques dealer. The shop, located at 721 Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park, offers “some of everything,’’ said Navias.

Asbury Bark n Four-legged friends can dress to the nines with a red argyle doggy sweater in machine-washable acrylic ($24.99-$26.99, depending on size) at Asbury Bark, 611 Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park. Owner Jim Modica has eight dogs and four cats of his own. “I like to buy merchandise for Asbury Bark that’s something I would use for my own dogs and cats,” Modica said.

BY FRAIDY REISSPHOTOS BY FRANK GALIPO

The Bee n A Milly faux-fur leopard-print miniskirt is for the woman who’s got legs and isn’t afraid to use them. It goes for $210 at The Bee, 410 Main St. in Bay Head; 80 Ocean Ave. in Long Branch; or 2150 Highway 35 in Sea Girt. Owner Kim Kiss Morris opened The Bee 15 years ago, and the shops remain New Jersey shopping staples.

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LOCAL SHOPPING GUIDE

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LOCAL SHOPPING GUIDE