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My first of many reasons to support small business. You’ve heard the saying never put all your eggs in one basket, right? Well that’s the case with employment. In every community, there’s always some giant that employs half the town. What happens when that giant moves or closes? Half the town is unemployed and the spirit of a community is broken. It’s the same in the design world, never have the majority of your work with a single client. Why? Because if that client goes to another designer or closes up shop, you’re out of work.

Small businesses can employ anywhere from 2-200 workers. When they move or (god forbid) close up shop, then there’s only 2-200 workers on unemployment. More small businesses = community security in my opinion. So what I want to know is why the local government doesn’t realize this and provide incentives to small business? Seek those small business dreams out, be aggressive, and make your community a thriving town where people want to work, live, and visit. This is something that’s been bottling up inside and I know it strays from what I usually post, but I need to get it out.

I’ve been talking with some talented people in Berks County, and I hope we’re the next generation of movers & shakers, but in a new way – a smart way. We’re going to care about this place and make it what we want it to be. Not what it once was, not what it should be, but what it’s capable of.

Not a small business owner? More concerned as a consumer? Visit the 3/50 project to learn how to make a difference.

I fucking love these, yes I said that. I can’t find any other ways to express myself rather than that previous statement. Zara Carpenter is from England and is a poet and artist who’s work draws inspiration from the likes of Lewis Carroll and Oscar Wilde in her Etsy shop Chatham Girl. I was blown away when I saw her items featured on the Etsy home page as Featured Seller, read her interview.

“I make hats out of the crazy things I find on my daily travels and making hats is what makes me happy.”

“Being creative is a way for me to escape pain and illness. Even on the days I can’t walk at all, I can sit in bed and sew or dream up the next hat. People have said to me that it must be awful to have a chronic disability but if I didn’t have it, I probably wouldn’t be doing all the amazing things I do now. I have the time to dream.”

I love all the simple products by Pony Rider. In the description of the company and products they use great line “using the ‘good’ linen for the everyday.” LOVE it!

Via

I was reading up over on Oh, Hello Friend and just love Quote Studio’s bags! The Leather and Canvas Sea Bag is on my wish list! Isn’t it great?! I know all of my friends would be asking “Where did you get that bag?!” and it would make me smile!

The bags are made in small quantities by Vicki and Jim out of Thailand, and I love them!

I am so amazed at how the internet allows us all to find each other. Joanne of Drawn to Letters brought her work to my attention, and I just love the illustrations that she has created and applied to several of her products available on Etsy.

Many of her products can be used in a nursery or kids room, but I just love her cards with knitting humor (shown above, right).

I am not one for obsessing over the after life, but if you walk into the Post Mortem Gallery – in New Hope, PA – you are sure to be as bewitched as I was. I’ve inserted a gallery at the bottom of the post, so don’t miss all the great items that I got to see in person!

The most interesting to me in that shop, was the mourning art (or Art Memento Mori). The owner of the shop was nice enough to engage in some conversation and directed me towards the pieces on the wall. Have you ever heard/seen these? I have not. Using a loved one’s (those who have passed away) hair to create art. Look closer at the images, all of those organic forms are made from hair. The image on the right, all of those leaves on that family tree are made from the hair of each person listed. Amazing!

Another store on Etsy that I just came to love. 1 Canoe 2 is a letterpress shop in Missouri and has some truly adorable prints available, and I especially love the state prints. But no Pennsylvania is available …

I love everything in the Miniature Rhino etsy shop! Cute, small, and affordable items for … well, anyone really! I really love the product photos, simply done but you can tell they were thought out. (I lesson I probably need to learn for my own shop.)

I’ve had birdhouses on the brain, and this one is just too amazing not to own. Don’t you think?! But I don’t want to put them outside I just want to hang them on my office walls, is that weird?!

Via

Today I finally got to visit Made Shop in person! What a great shop filled with well-designed objects from the 20th and 21st centuries and a nice selection of the owner’s (Tess & Dave) jewelry, lighting, and sculpture! I even got to chat with shop owner, Tess for a moment. She was super nice and allowed me snap photos with my iPhone for this post! Looking around at their selection, I just could not resist these miniature modern Eames chairs (shown above)! They are hanging out on my desk until I find a more appropriate place for them. If you are in Kutztown or in the vicinity, definitely stop in!