Supporting Small Businesses from Home and How I'm Re-Purposing My Old Gallery Wall Art
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If you think I’m going to argue about staying home all day and having to do all my shopping online, you’re nuts! I’m sure you’ve either been hearing about or seeing first hand how precautionary measurements surrounding covid 19 aka the coronavirus are hurting many business owners and their employees. Safety is always first, but why not do what we can to help support small businesses in a time of need while simultaneously meeting some of our own needs (er, “wants”, let’s be honest)?
That’s where sites like Etsy come in. Etsy gives people just like you and me a great opportunity to have a virtual storefront to affordably pursue their passion, whether it be selling handmade furniture or creating artwork for sale. I thought I’d gather up some of the great purchases I’ve made via Etsy that have supported the person and their family behind the “storefront”.
Most recently, I purchased these beautiful swing arm sconce lights for our office/guest room that I posted about here. They are made to order and can be customized with a variety of colors, metals, and shapes.
Do you remember my palm print gallery wall that was in the living room in our last house? Well, they finally found a home! Some of them, at least. There are still a few more that I could hang as a third row, but I’m not sure how I feel about the placement yet. This is where they’ll be living for now. You can also find prints, both digital and paper on Etsy. It’s a really affordable way to switch up your wall art.
Several years ago, I found this pillow cover shop that had the right fabric to go in our family room. I asked the shop owner if she could make a bed cover to fit one of Summer’s beds and she did! I am SO happy with the results. I’ve washed that cover numerous times over the years and it still looks like new!
Most of you probably already know that you can find so much more than home decor on Etsy. In the past, I purchased some darling matching mommy and me pom pom ski hats for my sister and my niece when she was born. She loved them!
Another non-decor item I found on Etsy was the perfect custom collar for Summer! Dogs by the Bay is the name of the shop that specializes in making martingale collars, which were originally created for sighthounds. Their necks are larger than their heads, so the collars are made specifically to prevent them from slipping off during a walk. This is not the case with Miss Summer, although she does have a pretty large neck. ;) It was hard to find a collar that was wide enough and didn’t look dinky on her big ol’ neck.
For her birthday a few years ago I messaged the shop owners to see if they had any girly/beachy fabrics. I found this pink pineapple pattern and the ladies at Dogs by the Bay were able to source it for me and create this fantastic collar for Summer! Isn’t that fun!?
If you want something customized, it never hurts to ask! Just click on the link that says “Message Seller” to start a conversation. I’m really glad I did. :)
Below are a few items I’ve marked as favorites while scrolling through Etsy. It’s an easy way to create a list of things as you shop especially if you’re looking for something you may want to purchase in the future.
Also, consider buying gift cards from local businesses and online shops! If we all try to do what we can, we can make a difference in real people’s lives. :)
Sending Sunshine!
Jessica
