Christmas Day is a few weeks away, and I have got just what you need to tick a few more presents off your list with Edition 3 of my Shop Small Gift Ideas blog posts! I’ve been spreading the word of some fantastic independent businesses to support over the past few weeks and here are 5 more wonderful brands to discover…
Every Sunday for the next few weeks building up to Christmas, I have been sharing a special selection of ‘5 Things’ on the blog. The topic? Ways we can all support independent businesses with my ‘Shop Small’ gift ideas.
You can expect more stocking fillers, showstopping present and unique gift ideas, so do keep your eyes peeled for these posts every week! There’ll be 5 editions in total with the final post on Sunday 20th December full of ‘last-minute’ ideas if you missed the boat.
The Schedule
Edition 1: Sunday 22nd November 2020
Edition 2: Sunday 29th November 2020 (Last week’s)
Edition 3: Sunday 6th December 2020 (Currently reading!)
Edition 4: Sunday 13th December 2020 (UPCOMING!)
Edition 5: Sunday 20th December 2020 (UPCOMING!)
Why is it so important?
You’ve probably heard that phrase…
When you buy from a small business, you make an actual person do a happy dance.
Buying from local, new and growing businesses, you’re helping them build a sense of community and strengthen as a brand. You’ll have helped feed someone’s dream, and probably even helped feed their family. Let’s face it, you’re going to feel pretty good! There’s a lot of satisfaction which comes from supporting a small business’s growth.
Not only will your decision to support small, independent businesses create more jobs, you’ll also be helping to strengthen the local economy which we all know is so blooming important right now!
Many of these brands highlighted below are UK-based businesses that I have discovered via Instagram. It’s times like these when social media really is INVALUABLE.
I highly recommend you check out each of the shop small gift ideas below and follow the brands on their social channels as an additional boost – The links are all there ready and waiting for you below…
Shop Small Gift Ideas
Edition 3
Let’s get started!
Merry Stitchmas
Bunny And Bloom Crafts is a small business based in Colchester and created by Hope Steward, a primary school teacher. The embroidery kit company provides you with all the necessary gear to get started such as threads, a needle, fabric and a wooden embroidery hoop as well as the all-important, step-by-step instructions! The Etsy reviews say just how easy the kits and instructions are to follow for beginners and everything looks really beautiful when complete. If any of your friends are looking to take up a new, creative hobby or a more mindful pastime, I hear that embroidery hoops are a great place to start. The hardest part is choosing which design to go for… There are a few festive options available (peep that amazing, beaded Christmas tree!) but I really rather like the inspirational quote kits too like this sunflower one.
Check out Bunny And Bloom Crafts here:
Cheers to 2021
Becky Broome specialises in personalised, etched glassware and thoughtful barware items! The powerhouse behind the brand is Kristian & Becky; a husband and wife duo who juggle their creative business with family life. Their studio is based in Liverpool with every single item etched BY HAND, thanks to their small team of expertly skilled craftspeople (you can have a little snoop behind the scenes here!). Something I just love about this small business is the attention to detail and ability to personalise a gift within such an affordable price range. My favourite pieces are the ‘You Are Magic’ ceramic mug and, OBVIOUSLY, this wonderful wine glass which sums up this year in very accurate, alcoholic measures…
Check out Becky Broome here:
Painterly Patterns
Lisa of Studio Lowen hand-creates lots of lovely leather pouches, purses and other pretty pieces in her Cornish workshop. For Lisa, her studio is a place of absolute joy; her “happy place”… The Cornish word ‘lowen’ (meaning joyful/happiness) even features in the brand name! I just LOVE how Studio Lowen combines my love for Cornwall and shares such a lovely sentiment too with each of Lisa’s creations undoubtedly bringing joy to whoever you decide to gift them to. I suggest you take a look at the recycled leather clutches, purses and glasses cases! Each are hand-painted with delicate brush strokes and some are even finished with glinting specks of gold. Embossed, gold-foiled monogramming is available and almost everything is made to order so you can add a personalised touch to the painterly-printed designs to suit the recipient’s style perfectly.
Check out Studio Lowen here:
For Mindful Minimalists
Cicely & May is a small business producing hand-poured soy candles in a range of lovely scents and pretty little jars of matches too. Kirsteen, a mother of 3 based in Lancashire, also sells these cotton bags full of 9 delicate soy melts which would be very sweet stocking fillers! Artisanal baskets are also amongst the delights available online (there’s even a mini children’s one!) – I can just imagine these filled up to the brim with goodies. You can explore everything Cicely & May has to offer here, including some little greetings cards to include with your super thoughtful gift! There are SO many lovely soy candle scents to choose from, but I personally like the sound of the sage & sea salt or the pomegranate & patchouli for a more fruity fragrance. Seeing as our interiors play a huge part in our wellbeing and with January set to be full of dark mornings and dark evenings, I’m thinking a Cicely & May candle would be a great addition into the routines of whoever you gift this to… Perhaps pair with a cosy book for them to read by candlelight!
Check out Cicely & May here:
Baking Brilliance
Craft + Crumb is a fantastic cookery kit brand from Kate & Louise – Since 2016, they have been creating so many wonderfully creative things and finally settled on cakes & bakes as their ultimate products to develop. Now, with a team of 6 and their own children as expert taste-testers, the kits are selling SO well and this year has proved a huge success for Kate & Louise. Amongst the products available online, you can get your hands on a giant Christmas Eve cookie kit, a very jolly gingerbread family kit or perhaps my favourite: This Christmas jumper iced biscuit kit! These cookery sets are brilliant gift ideas for families, perhaps your nephews & nieces or just about anyone who loves to bake. The kits are really affordable and can be personalised too!
Check out Craft + Crumb here:
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Thanks for reading the 3rd instalment of my shop small gift ideas posts!
If you’ve explored some of the brands and businesses mentioned above, do share this post with your friends (just don’t let on what you’re treating them to this Christmas!).
Pop back next Sunday – You can expect more shop small gift ideas every week in the build-up to Christmas. See you soon!
The pandemic won’t slow the success of small businesses so long as we support them!
If you’re an independent business owner, do drop me a message. I’d absolutely love to hear about you and your creations. See you next Sunday for Edition 4 of the Shop Small Gift Ideas series…
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