I remember when I first started blogging, I felt like Ariel and that I had found a “whole new world.” Not only did I meet a ton of new people, I also found a whole new world of small shops. I didn’t even know shopping small was a thing. But do you know what it means? Basically, you’re helping support a local business, usually a small business created by a mom or an individual making handmade things, creating things, or running an online boutique. A lot of these shops will sound familiar because I’m not quiet when I find a good thing and have talked about many of them plenty of times. Some are brand new to me. Some of these shop owners have even turned into real life friends. With that being said, I wanted to give you one nice roundup of all my favorites. Here are the best of the best.
I’m sure you’ve seen Charlotte in cute Sugar Bit clothes all over the place, more specifically, my social media accounts and here on the blog. Natasha from Hello Happiness Blog runs this small online boutique, and we are quite the fans! We love Natasha and all that she stocks in her store. From newborn accessories to clothing for babies and tots and boys and girls, this girl knows what she is doing. So fabulous. Not to mention, her handwritten note in each of her orders is so personal and so sweet.
Do you remember those heart patch leggings Charlotte wore around Valentine’s Day? Those leggings were from Cuteheads, and they are why I fell in love with Esther’s line of adorable clothing. Esther is a fellow Houstonian, entrepreneur, blogger, and mama. I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting her (and her precious little girl), and she is awesomesauce. She creates custom pieces, and her kids’ fashion line is of the best quality. Each piece is handmade with love in Texas.
I found this shop through Instagram, and I am in love. Camden and Kate specializes in handmade kimonos for the baby and even for the lady, but you can also find baby ponchos, swaddles, and bloomers. (You might have seen Charlotte and I on Insta wearing these beautiful kimonos above.) Chanel is the shop owner and designer, and all of her pieces are beautifully crafted. She is also a high school English teacher. I knew she was special.
This shop is for the mama. I am now on my third pair of shorts from this adorable mother and daughter shop. Shop Konfetti offers custom-made and Lilly-inspired shorts, skirts, and dresses, and they also sell art prints and mugs. The shorts are my favorite though. I think it may have to do with the elastic waistband.
Monogram heaven is what Crystal Faye is all about. She has the best monogrammed products, customer service, and spirit. I love following her Instagram feed. And at 24, she’s one busy lady running a very successful business. Charlotte’s Christmas pajamas last year were from her shop, and they’ll definitely be from Crystal Faye again. You’ll have to follow her on Insta if you want to get any info on the next batch of Christmas PJ’s orders, because I think the holiday PJ’s sale just ended. However, back to school necessities, clothing, and accessories are ready to be ordered and monogrammed through her website.
Oh, hey there Willow Crowns! You guys know my friend Megan, right? Blogger and bow maker extraordinaire, and the best gal pal around. She and Stephanie (another blogger extraordinaire) run the ship of all things pretty. I remember when I first found Willow Crowns on Etsy after reading about it on Meg’s blog. After becoming “Instagram friends,” we realized that we were practically neighbors, and we first ran into each other at the mothership, Target. The rest is history. Now if we don’t have a lunch date with our girls at least once a week, things just feel a little off. But back to the bow business. Willow Crowns is known for their beautiful lace headbands, seasonal pieces, and the best bows around. Charlotte is in a WC piece at least 90% of the time.
Another adorable hair accessory shop is Ryan and Wren. I first saw these clips thanks to Jessica from Little Baby Garvin. Am I the only one who thinks she’s flawless? Anyway, I absolutely love anything with sparkle, flowers, or leopard print, so I was completely sold with these clips for Charlotte.
Amanda runs this fun bow and headband shop straight out of my hometown of Port Lavaca, and she’s as nice as can be. She custom makes bows, clips, and non-slip headbands, and they are perfect for moms with little girls who are involved in dance, cheer, or sports. Charlotte loves these headbands because she can put them on herself. I’ll let her play with these, because they’re super durable. Alarm Belles also has dog accessories and key fobs, too.
Sloan and Co. is another handmade shop that we absolutely love! I mean, just look at those bracelets for my sweet C. I haven’t given them to her yet, but do you think my little Frozen lover will like them? You bet your sweet apples she will. Marisa is the mom behind the shop, and she’s expecting baby number 2 in a few weeks. Her shop is amazing, filled with the most adorable bracelets, necklaces, and sunglasses for babies and toddlers.
Last but not least, Krama Wheel, based out of Austin, Texas, is a shop filled with handmade scarves and beach blankets. The fabrics are gorgeous! I mentioned this beach blanket above as an essential for the splash pad or pool not too long ago, and let me just tell you that this is something you’ll love forever. Roni is the woman behind Krama Wheel, and her mission is inspiring. After backpacking through Southeast Asia, she came up with the idea of Krama Wheel. Each beach blanket and scarf is handcrafted by a weaver in Cambodia. Krama Wheel’s goal is to give children access to education while also empowering artisans to make a living. For each item purchased, a weaver is paid fairly and is better able to support her family. One local seamstress is paid to sew a school uniform, and one child gets a school uniform so he or she can attend school. How cool is that? You can feel good knowing that a mom or dad in Cambodia was able to provide a school uniform for her child because of you.
And since Roni is such a sweetheart, she’s offering 15% off your purchase until next Thursday, July 2, using the code 7GRACES15. I can’t wait for the fall so I can get one of the beautiful scarves!
And that’s a wrap, folks! Any new shops to you? Any of your favorites make the list? What small shop is your favorite?
Let’s keep in touch, shall we?
You can see where I’m linking up on this page.
Love SugarBit – just got the sweetest romper from her last week!
Yes, Jen! It’s the best! :) And aren’t rompers the best? I’ll be putting those on C until she tells me she doesn’t like them, which is I hope never. ;)
You just mentioned allllllll my favorite small shops! I didn’t know it was a “thing” until recently either– and now I feel like I almost only shop small! And that beach throw?! It’s GORGEOUS. I might need one ;)
Yay!!! Your girls are always looking too fabulous, and I’m pretty sure I’ve found some cute small shops because of you. :) And the beach throw IS gorgeous! And it’s the perfect size. It would make for an awesome baby blanket too. I need to tell Roni she could market it as one. The scarves from there are beautiful too.
you are a gem my dear… love you and Charlotte SO much!!! thank you for your unwavering support and your sweet words!! OXOX and you totally mentioned some of our favorites, too!!!
Thanks, Natasha! You are so welcome! I think your business has done so well because you just spread JOY, and people gravitate to that. You’re a gem as well! So lucky we’ve “met” in this wonderful blogging world!
I want every Krama Wheel scarf! What great gifts for moms and teacher friends.
Oh yes, they’re beautiful! Thank you so much for introducing me to the products, Sarah! You are a doll! :)
Love SugarBit – just got the sweetest romper from her last week!
You just mentioned allllllll my favorite small shops! I didn't know it was a "thing" until recently either– and now I feel like I almost only shop small! And that beach throw?! It's GORGEOUS. I might need one ;)
you are a gem my dear… love you and Charlotte SO much!!! thank you for your unwavering support and your sweet words!! OXOX and you totally mentioned some of our favorites, too!!!
I want every Krama Wheel scarf! What great gifts for moms and teacher friends.
Oh my gosh, I love these shops. I just clicked on the links – what good finds. Thank you for sharing!!! I also love Cuteheads and Willow Crown (of course!) – the others are new to me!
Aren’t they the best?! They’re definitely your style. You’ll love each and every one, I’m sure!
Well it looks like I am going to have to order some jewelry for Kennedy! She is dying to wear mine after I let her wear a Kendra Scott necklace around one day. Girlfriend doesn’t have a KS budget yet. Haha!
Haha! Yes! Now Charlotte is into necklaces. It started with bracelets, and now she wants to wear necklaces. Maybe her Aunt P can hook her up with some KS. I think she may know a girl. Lol.
While you’re at it, pick up a few pieces for Kennedy. Hahaha!! #spoiledgirls
These all look like the cutest shops. I love small shops but have to hold back sometimes because its hard on the wallet and hubby doesnt like that! ;)
Aren’t they fun? Yep, thankfully, it’s taken me a year to find all of these people, so it hasn’t been hard on the wallet; the purchases have been spread out. I know how hubby’s can be, too. Lol.
So great- many lovely shops. I’m going to have to spend some time going through these! They look like great ones!
Thanks, Keri! They really are wonderful, and I of course love that they’re small businesses run by ladies. :) Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Well it looks like I am going to have to order some jewelry for Kennedy! She is dying to wear mine after I let her wear a Kendra Scott necklace around one day. Girlfriend doesn't have a KS budget yet. Haha!
These all look like the cutest shops. I love small shops but have to hold back sometimes because its hard on the wallet and hubby doesnt like that! ;)
So great- many lovely shops. I'm going to have to spend some time going through these! They look like great ones!
Yes, Jen! It's the best! :) And aren't rompers the best? I'll be putting those on C until she tells me she doesn't like them, which is I hope never. ;)
Yay!!! Your girls are always looking too fabulous, and I'm pretty sure I've found some cute small shops because of you. :) And the beach throw IS gorgeous! And it's the perfect size. It would make for an awesome baby blanket too. I need to tell Roni she could market it as one. The scarves from there are beautiful too.
Thanks, Natasha! You are so welcome! I think your business has done so well because you just spread JOY, and people gravitate to that. You're a gem as well! So lucky we've "met" in this wonderful blogging world!
Oh yes, they're beautiful! Thank you so much for introducing me to the products, Sarah! You are a doll! :)
Aren't they the best?! They're definitely your style. You'll love each and every one, I'm sure!
Haha! Yes! Now Charlotte is into necklaces. It started with bracelets, and now she wants to wear necklaces. Maybe her Aunt P can hook her up with some KS. I think she may know a girl. Lol.
Aren't they fun? Yep, thankfully, it's taken me a year to find all of these people, so it hasn't been hard on the wallet; the purchases have been spread out. I know how hubby's can be, too. Lol.
Thanks, Keri! They really are wonderful, and I of course love that they're small businesses run by ladies. :) Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
While you're at it, pick up a few pieces for Kennedy. Hahaha!! #spoiledgirls
LOVE these shops! and I think I have to check out shop konfetti! I love those shorts and need a few loose fitting pairs for summer. :)
Thanks, love! If you ever do order a pair, order up a size or two, not just because you’re pregnant either, but because they run kind of small. ;)
LOVE these shops! and I think I have to check out shop konfetti! I love those shorts and need a few loose fitting pairs for summer. :)
Thanks, love! If you ever do order a pair, order up a size or two, not just because you're pregnant either, but because they run kind of small. ;)