Craft and cuisine with a uniquely territorial twist Shopoholics will have endless opportunities to find great souvenirs in the Azores, including well-crafted handmade items like baskets, ceramics, textiles and furniture. The historic art of scrimshaw – carving and etching whalebone – uses whalebone and teeth recovered from the sea, where they had been dumped during the peak days of the whaling industry. Jewelry and miniature whaleboats are also often made from whalebone. Other local finds include folk figurines, flower arrangements made from dried fish-scales, fine embroidery and lace, knit blankets and bedspreads. Using local materials, the Azorean artisans in Lagoa on the island of São Miguel make blue and white ceramic decorative pieces like tiles and plates. On some islands, visitors will find traditional handmade dolls which have been crafted from the pith of fig trees, cornhusks and hydrangea.