Showing posts with label local spotlight. Show all posts

Handmade Artist Feature: Baby And Me Designs

*I love shopping different handmade artists online. There are so many unique items out there, and sometimes it's just a matter of knowing where to look. Because it's a big BIG shopping season right now, I am going to introduce to you new handmade artists that you can buy gifts from online. Etsy is a great place to shop handmade locals, and if you are new to Etsy I have put together a post with tips for buying handmade items online this holiday season.*

I hope you enjoy the shops included in this series, and please share with friends and family!

Buy handmade.

Buy Local.

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Petti Lace romper swim suit 2 piece bikini

Petti Lace Romper with Shoulder Straps and Bow

Lace ROMPER with Shoulder Straps and Bow & Matching HEADBAND

Baby And Me Designs is the place to go if you have a little girl in your life that loves to play dress up. This Etsy shop specializes in lace rompers and and accessories to doll up your little girl. How cute would this be for a photo session with little tea cups and handmade banners?!

You can also visit Baby And Me Designs on Facebook HERE.

Handmade Feature: Birdy Bird Boutique

I hope you enjoy the shops included in this series, and please share with friends and family!

Buy handmade.

Buy Local.

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Chevron knit hat with yellow flower

"Chubby Chunky," the Chinstrap hat

"Little Loves" Scalloped Chinstrap Hat

I can't get over the cuteness in these photos. Birdy Bird Boutique is based out of Toledo, Ohio and Kelly is the designer behind these adorable crocheted hats for babies.

I have always been a fan of knit and crocheted hats and ear warmers, and I imagine my little one some day being the same way ;) Not only are these adorable hats great Christmas gifts, but they are functional going into winter and also great for photo props. It's a close call, but I think my favorite is the scalloped chinstrap hat. So so cute!

You can also check out Birdy Bird Boutique on Facebook.

*To view all of my local artist features, click here.

Handmade Featured Artist: Personal Baggage

I hope you enjoy the shops included in this series, and please share with friends and family!

Buy handmade.

Buy Local.

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Homeless To Homie Tank

Lover Not A Fighter Tshirt

Shop Personal Baggage Tees

I first heard of Personal Baggage at Three Dog Bakery, where I am currently selling some of my dog products. I am totally in love with their "Homeless To Homie" t-shirt and love the idea of them conveying their message through graphic tees.

Some people wear t-shirts because they are soft and comfortable, while others wear them to say something meaningful (or funny) to them. In this case, these shirts do both.. And they are handmade. And they are local! Personal Baggage is based out of Columbus and they are selling in Three Dog Bakery and in their Etsy shop online. If you are an animal lover, you should probably take a peek.

You can visit them on their Facebook page as well by clicking HERE or their website HERE.

*Stay tuned for more handmade artists being featured each week.

Local Spotlight: Bonnett's Book Store

The husband and I are all about exploring new places. New restaurants, shops, coffee houses, markets and parks are always exciting to us.

When we moved back to the southwest Ohio area this past summer, we said we wanted (and needed) to rediscover the Dayton area. Although we grew up in a town south of Dayton, we have not lived in the area for a long time and rarely did we as young kids venture out of our southern Dayton suburb. Now we are soaking up as much new scenery as we can and finding hidden gems that we didn't know existed before.

iPhone photos

Recently, we have spent a lot of time in the downtown Dayton area. We have always loved city life and the unique shops and restaurants that accompany a city. While walking through the Oregon District one day, we stopped at a pizza place for a late lunch and then hit up some of the local shops.

One of the stores we found ourselves in was Bonnett's Books. I am going to be honest here, I was a little nervous to enter. There were books everywhere. Husband being the book lover that he is, said let's go in and see what it's all about, and before we knew it we were pulling several Abraham Lincoln books off the shelf.

Bonnett's Books is a buy, sell and trade bookstore that has just about everything. The first thing to catch your eye when you walk in the door is the massive collection of toys....hanging from the ceiling....and peeking over the top of the book shelves. It seems weird, right? But give it a few minutes and you will be reminiscing on when you were into that toy when you were a child.

At Bonnett's Books we were able to add two new (new to us) Lincoln books to our collection for only $4. It is stores like this that continuously teach my husband and I that visiting small, local hole in the wall places can be a great way to find something special. These are the kinds of places that we enjoy finding. Even if you do not live in the same area as I do, I hope that this encourages you to [re]discover your town and the little shops it has to offer. ;)

Handmade Artist Feature: Molly Mattin

I love shopping different handmade artists online. There are so many unique items out there, and sometimes it's just a matter of knowing where to look. Because it's a big BIG shopping season right now, I am going to introduce to you new handmade artists that you can buy gifts from online. Etsy is a great place to shop handmade locals, and if you are new to Etsy I have put together a post with tips for buying handmade items online this holiday season.

I hope you enjoy the shops included in this series, and please share with friends and family!

Buy handmade.

Buy Local.

Today I am featuring a new find on Etsy: Molly Mattin

I came across Molly Mattin when I was shopping on Etsy for locals. When I shop local on Etsy, I type in Ohio because I consider all of my home state local. When I come across a shop that is in the same city or county as I am, I get a little excited. Molly Mattin is based out of Springfield, OH which is not too far from where I currently live. Molly Mattin is a digital artist that specializes in typography within states. Her work is very eye catching and great for showing your hometown pride.

Take a look at some of her work below:

OHIO Cincinnati Reds special edition print via Molly Mattin

Digital illustration Print of Florida with Cities via Molly Mattin

Digital Illustration Print of Texas State with Cities Listed via Molly Mattin

State of Ohio Digital Illustration Print with Cities Listed via Molly Mattin

If you like Molly's work, stop by and say hello and that you found her on Little Blue Feathers blog!

You can shop more of MollyMattin in her Etsy shop HERE. She is also on Twitter.

Local Spotlight: Public Markets

*Collages like these can be made through PicMonkey.com.

Do you ever visit local public markets? It is something I have really grown to love. Recently, husband and I went to the Second Street Public Market and the North Market, one in Dayton and the other in Columbus Ohio. I have been to the North Market several times, and I have to say it is my absolute favorite market I have been in so far. Maybe it's because my favorite mediterranean meal and my favorite ice cream can be found there?

Either way, public markets are worth the trip. What I love about them is that you can buy local, fresh and unique items as opposed to going to your regular grocery store to get everything. In addition to fresh produce, you can stop in just for lunch at one of the specialized cafes, shop for a one-of-a-kind gift or pick up some coffee or a sweet treat to take with you. Depending on the size of the market and the day you visit, there might also be an additional outdoor farmers market, live music and tasting events.

When I visit any public market (Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Cuyahoga Falls....) I seem to never get out without purchasing a homemade treat. Sometimes it is baklava, sometimes it's a chocolate covered something, but if I am at North Market in Columbus, you better believe I am walking out with Jeni's ice cream!

Do you visit local markets? I am still on the hunt for more local farms, markets, boutiques and restaurants in our new area, but I am determined to find them!

Have a great Thursday friends.

Made in the 216 event

This weekend is the Made in the 216 event held in downtown Cleveland, OH. I am so excited to be participating in this event and am even more pumped to shop other local artists!

Made in the 216 is held at the Dredgers Union on E. 4th Street in the heart of downtown Cleveland. This show is very different compared to a traditional art show because the handmade artists dropped off their goods to the store two weeks ago and the store owners are creating a retail store environment with all the handmade products displayed throughout the space.

Pretty cool, right?

Friday is the beginning of this event, with a party celebrating Dredger's Union's first birthday and to help kick off the Made in the 216 event. If you live in or near Cleveland, come shop talented local artists in this unique event on Saturday or Sunday that will be sure to impress you and your friends. And if you see me out and about enjoying downtown Cleveland (I might have a Colossal Cupcake in hand) or shopping at Made in the 216, stop me and say hi. I love meeting new people!

Local Spotlight: Room Service

This local spotlight post is one that I am really excited to share with you all. Justin and I discovered Room Service at the end of February when we spent a Saturday in the downtown Cleveland area. Our purpose for going to Cleveland was for the West Side Market, but found a couple eye catching stores when walking in that general area.

One of these shops was Room Service.

Room Service is a store that sells a lot of handmade items and has a very stylized store design that instantly won over my heart when I walked in. What I loved about Room Service was the creative way all of the products were displayed. I found a lot of inspiration in their store colors, use of materials, furniture, the height of the store and all the natural lighting that was shining in.

After doing a little shopping, Justin and I talked with the manager and associate buyer, Jennie, about the area, the history of the store and an event they put on in the summer called Made in the 216. This event is to showcase creative handmade businesses right in the Cleveland, OH area. When Jennie was describing the event, she explained it as not just another craft show, but an event that is displayed as a retail setting in a studio space in downtown Cleveland. Customers will come in and feel like they are walking through a store layout and not visiting separate booths of only items from that specific artist. I love the idea of a show with this approach and am anxiously waiting to attend this event in June!

Just as I was impressed with their store, I am sure that Made in the 216 will have the same aesthetically pleasing layout and style as well as quality artists participating in this event. You can read more about this event on their website!

Overall, this was an amazing find and I am excited to have the chance to visit the store again today and do a little shopping. If you live in Cleveland, I definitely recommend visiting Room Service.

Local Spotlight: Salty Not Sweet

A couple weekends ago, Justin and I ventured into Cleveland and found some pretty awesome small local shops. One of them was Salty Not Sweet, a shop featuring handmade artists and crafters in Ohio. Everything you can imagine; clothing, home decor, jewelry, cards, bath and body products, journals and baby items are all sold at this little handmade boutique.

I was pretty impressed walking through the store looking at all the handmade products, but then I noticed the window display: little blue feathers!

That's when I knew this shop was truly an amazing find. Take a look at Salty Not Sweet, and if you make fun creative items, contact them and maybe you could sell some items in their store. Word is Little Blue Feather items might be appearing there real soon! ;)