Do you shop local? Do you shop handmade? Do you shop small? There is something so intriguing and satisfying about shopping with small businesses. I have such an admiration for men and women that start their own business from scratch and out of their home. The creativity and inspiration these men and women have is so fascinating. There are always new products on the market and so many items can be custom made. Being able to talk directly with the shop owner about your purchase and specific needs is such a relief to the consumer, plus it feels much more special and personal. And I have to admit I am a little envious because I honestly never learned how to sew and I think it is so complicated and never had the patience to learn. For that reason alone, I am in awe of the men and women that create masterpieces from the work of their own fingertips.
Whether it is because they had a innate talent for making something, a hobby, and or a passion for entrepreneurship, these men and women took a risk and are creating their own online empires. I especially admire the small business owner that begins a business so they can earn an income and have a career, but also want to stay home with their children. What a wonderful world we have that lends opportunities like these that we did not have before the World Wide Web existed. The Internet has opened up a whole new world of jobs and opportunities. What did any of us do before Etsy?
There are thousands of fabulous shops located all over the world that I absolutely love, but this week I am specially focusing on shopping locally in my home state of California. Home of surf, sand, sun, Hollywood, Disneyland, and much more, I love to support men and women from my own community. What I love is that the majority of shops I work with eagerly support each other rather than compete with each other, which is so refreshing in this world. We are all trying to make a living, we all have a similar audience and demographic, and we all started from Day One at some point, so there is no reason not to support each other. When I talk to a shop owner that is from my home state, and more specifically from my hometown, there is an automatic camaraderie and instant bond that takes place and it’s very welcoming to this big online community.
I will be highlighting different California based shops all week, starting with a somewhat newer, small shop called Little Quills Clothing. If you aren’t familiar with Little Quills Clothing, you are going to get acquainted very quickly! You can find this mom-made shop on Etsy with this link https://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleQuillsClothing?ref=shop_sugg or www.littlequillsclothing.etsy.com and I suggest you check them out on Instagram @littlequillsclothing or by following this link https://www.instagram.com/littlequillsclothing/. This Paso Robles based small business is inspired by the shop owner, Angela DiMauro’s, own children and she makes the most colorful, and comfortable organic clothing items for babies and toddlers. The patterns that she offers are so unique and so much fun. She makes leggings, shorts, onsies, hair bows, beanies, rompers, harem pants, dresses, pajamas, hoodies, and more! She even offers pre-made, ready to shop items. And if you email her at littlequillsclothing@gmail.com you can ask for a customized order.
Seriously, I fell in love with all of the items in her shop the second I found out it existed and you will, too! She graciously made Haven the most adorable polka-dot dress (pictured on Instagram) that didn’t even hit the shop yet for sale! It is so soft and fits perfectly. She loved it and you could tell she felt absolutely beautiful and special wearing it.
This week I have partnered up with Little Quills Clothing to give one winner a $25 shop credit. And the shop owner is generously giving everyone a 15% discount code for her shop! I will post all the details tomorrow on Instagram so make sure you are following me @theparentologist or by following this link https://www.instagram.com/theparentologist/?hl=en
Also, tune in later this week as I promote some other California based shops and have some more giveaways for you, including a huge Mother’s Day giveaway starting on Thursday with 7 local San Diego area based shops!!!
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