small business saturday & etsy

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving and had some time to relax and reflect. I feel like that’s just what we all need before the holiday madness begins. Or maybe you went shopping this weekend and the madness has already begun for you! I’m not shopping on Black Friday but I am going to shop this Saturday {Nov. 29} because it’s Small Business Saturday® – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for their communities. I encourage you all to do the same and support your local – or any – small business by shopping small businesses this Saturday. The nice thing too is I’m going to do a lot of my Saturday shopping online at Etsy.com.

Etsy is an e-commerce website  – and one of my favorites! Their purpose is to give small business owners the opportunity to promote and sell their products. There are over 30 million registered users and it is projected that there are currently over of one million sellers. Most of these being small businesses who specialize in handmade, unique products. And most – if not all sellers – do not make mass-produced items. Several of the products are made from recycled and upcycled materials. And these are all great qualities for holiday gift giving. I have bought lots of items from all different businesses on Etsy and they have all been high-end, reasonable priced, unique products. And they all came with a hand-written note from the sellers. So classy.

I opened a shop on Etsy a few months ago – with just a few items for sale right now. It’s been pretty successful and I get lots of feedback and support from potential buyers and also Etsy support staff. I just added a new set of products too – arrow drawings on wood. These handmade items were fun to make and I have one hanging in my foyer. I can add type to them whether it’s personalization or just a simple phrase like “be brave.” I also have a fun watercolor calendar that I painted along with some of my art prints on my Etsy shop. I hope to add more products soon and I’d love to get your feedback on my products.

I encourage you to shop small businesses this Saturday and also be sure to check out Etsy.com if you haven’t already. Even though some of the sellers might not be local – they do make you feel like they know you and are so grateful for your support. That’s a nice feeling for the holiday season. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend and think small!