Shop Local & Small Biz – The 2016 Holiday Edition
Happy Holidays friends! I hope this blog post finds you well and surrounded by loved ones this holiday season. If not know that now that the Viking and I are in the empty nest officially this season is quite different for us too. It’s awfully quiet around here but we definitely make sure to make plans with close friends and family when we can. If I haven’t said so lately thank you for being on the journey with us…we are so glad you are here and you are the reason these blog posts go out just about every week (not always but I try)! This is one of my very favorite traditions that I started doing a couple of years ago and well I must say I love it. This post has become an annual holiday tradition around our Lil’ Suburban Homestead and I love finding new businesses to share with all of you! As you know it’s a passion of ours to support local and small businesses and this post will be a fabulous starting point for you in your holiday plans but this year I decided to post this a little earlier to give you plenty of time to get all of your shipments in before the big day.
Here are my list of Local Businesses in Wilmington NC and the surrounding area you should go check out! Also here is the Small Business Saturday Link click here:
Of course atOur Lil’ Suburban Homestead Etsy Shop currently we have lip balms and lotion bars for sale! They are a favorite among friends!
The Viking in my life is making these awesome bird feeders at his own Etsy shop he just named “ByrdzNBeez”. Click here! I will be linking the store front to our blog so everyone will be able to see his fun new creations every time they visit our blog soon!
Now on to all of the fabulous businesses we think you don’t want to miss out on this holiday season!
Gravity Records – This is such a fun store and the folks that work in the store absolutely love music! They host events to launch new musicians as a matter of fact they are hosting a show today with some awesome musicians Chris Frisina and Onward Soldiers. Also if you love vinyl have they got some vinyl for you which is slowly becoming a new passion of me and The Viking’s.
Memory Lane Comic Books – They have so many items and events here this will sure to become a favorite for your super hero in your life and there is something here for everyone! Stop by and tell Jacob and Ben we said hey!
Pomegranate Books is a local book store in Wilmington that has buyers that are out of this world I am telling you if you need the book they will find it and they still gift wrap and offer all of the personal touches that you just can’t find anymore at the big chain stores. I have to say that their buyer is fabulous!
Re-Eco Gift Shop – My friend Katherine recommended this place to me! It is a place that was opened by a couple of local artists and they sell really cool unique items often that are repurposed and seeing is believing so get on over there! Trust me I take what she says seriously you should too!
Andrea Watson Designs – She has some amazing jewelry! I arranged for one of my gifts to be from her collection earlier this fall and as luck would have it we stopped by her table at Art For The Masses at UNCW yesterday (an annual tradition by the way that is really cool if you love purchasing hand-made gifts.) and I was able to pick out the necklace I wanted for Christmas and lets just say it’s a wrap literally. It was as I shared with Andrea serendipity and certainly my good fortune to get one of the last necklaces she had in stock right now of the style I wanted but don’t worry she is making lots more!
ktnunna Jewelry the owner of this shop is a good friend of mine and she’s a homesteader in her own right. She hand crafts fabulous jewelry and accessory items and she has beautiful and affordable items in her shop! Her store is online as an Etsy shop make sure to go check this stuff out. I ordered hair ribbons from her shop last year for my nieces and they were a big hit!
A Mad Doodler – is actually a good friend of ours so we were thrilled when we ran into her at Art For The Masses as well and well we had to share we love her work. She is a doodler and actually doodles gorgeous creations including plates, rocks, and even guitar picks. I’m not going to share what we picked up at her table as it would ruin a surprise for someone but she loves her art and it certainly shines through in her art!
Jodylou Creations – She has some fun stuff…her jewelry is playful and fun. We also met her at Art For The Masses and she quickly made for me a set of beautiful earrings which are also going under the tree for me. She makes much more than jewelry though. She creates handmade stuffed animals, clocks, ceramic tiles, switchplates and more!
Crabby Chic – is such a cool store and we just stopped in over there yesterday and I have to tell you they have some of the most scrumptious smelling candles I have had the pleasure of checking out in a while. Of course the entire store is so beautiful and if nothing else you will get tons of ideas. They are right next door to a wine shop so need I say more?
Jillian Nicole Boivin – Jillian creates beautiful mixed media art work and she does it so well. We met her at Art For The Masses as well and well she has something for everyone. Her work has features a variety of items but I noted some beautiful floral arrangements, along with sea turtles, and mermaids!
Wilmington Home Brew Supply and Wilmington Brewing Co. both located together off Kerr Avenue is your holiday place to shop for home brewing supplies and or really cool t-shirts. A gift certificate would be the perfect holiday gift for that someone special in your life. We have been shopping here for quite a while now and John and Michelle, the owners provide personal service and attention as well as providing a wealth of knowledge regarding home-brewing and they will welcome you like family.
Fly Trap Brewing is another brewery and entertainment venue that opened up recently in Wilmington. They have a very nice ambiance, great bands and is also convenient to restaurants downtown or they have food trucks stop in often. A gift certificate from them would be a perfect gift and they also have Cotton of the Carolina T’s and hats. If you do decided to stop in and visit Tell Mike & Emily that the Viking and I sent you!
Shelton Herb Farm – Meg Shelton is a friend of ours and she runs a beautiful herb farm in Leland, NC. If you haven’t been out to visit the farm it is so worth a visit! She is very knowledgeable about what grows well in North Carolina.
Down To Earth – is where I ask my husband to pick up my custom or almost custom-made perfume made from essential oils every Birthday and Christmas! It smells amazing! They also sell incense and jewelry I love this store! Did I mention I love their jewelry?
Rebel Baking Company – Pretzels and Local Baked Goods for the Holidays!
Backyard Visions – Are you looking to maybe have a home DIY project done locally? You may want to contact these folks they have some amazing projects they have completed.
Here is my list of online small businesses where I actually know these folks and they have good high quality products!
Canning & Kitchen Gifts
Pantry Paratus- has everything you need for your kitchen! They have cookbooks, resources, and all your kitchen tools. It is definitely one stop shopping here!
Tidal Creek Co-0p – located in Wilmington, NC has a store full of delicious local, organic food to stock your kitchen and tons of gift ideas too. Make sure to stop in soon. The Viking and I joined this co-op this year and we are proud to be a part of the Wilmington mindfulness about our food community! They are having a special home-grown holiday market this coming Saturday, November 26th!
Tiffany’s Norwex Store – My good friend Tiffany is passionate from Imperfectly Happy.com has a Norwex store with items to care fore your entire household – cleaning products for your entire home and I have been busy cleaning for the holidays!
Farm, Garden & Re-Purposed Gifts 
Bee Bayou Farm & Apiary – Honey & Balm You can’t go wrong with homemade natural balms as a gift! The owners Troy and Jan are passionate about beekeeping and good friends of ours so go over and visit them! Good folks here!
Timber Creek Farm’s Handmade Shop is just so cool it’s chock full of Homemade postcards ( I can vouch these are beautiful!, farm calendar, and beautiful hand-made gifts!) You will even find Janet’s book Chickens From Scratch which is one of my personal faves! Janet is a joy to know, she shares informative blog posts and her passion and enthusiasm for chickens is contagious!
Curbside Overhaul – Love a good re-purposed gift then look no further. They like to turn trash into treasure kind of like the Viking and I do but they sell some of their stuff!
Cape Fear Habitat Re-Store – We love this place! That is where I got my topiary for the holidays in the photo above for a deal. We have bought light fixtures, our primitive canning pantry cupboard and so much more from them!
How about some music for that music lover in your life? All of these musicians listed are absolutely amazing! Take a listen why don’t you?
L Shape Lot Merchandise Store – Americana, Rock, Bluegrass – This band is playing the Annual L Shape Lot Toys For Tot’s Christmas show at Brooklyn Arts Center on Saturday December 17th in Wilmington. Such a great cause!
Massive Grass Music Store – Bluegrass/Americana/Rock (Yes this band played our son’s graduation party!)
Steep Canyon Rangers Store – Blues, Country, Pop and Bluegrass
John Stickley Trio’s Store – Gypsy jazz, Bluegrass, Acoustic Swirl
Randy McQuay’s Store – Storyteller, Bluesman, Modern American Roots Music
Travis Shallow’s Store- Eclectic but I think Travis has a country sound……certainly soulful.
The Clams – Beach Rock/Eclectic – They are so much fun!
David Dixon Trio’s Store – Blues, Rock, Soul
Justin Fox Duo’s Store – Blues, Rock, and Country but every now and then him and his band will pull some metal out!
Hannah Kaminer – A new favorite vocalist of ours we met in Asheville, NC one of our favorite places on earth!
I wish we could fit all of our favorite musicians in this one blog post but it’s just not going to happen sigh!
A Free Edition of the Holiday Edition of From Scratch Magazine – This is a beautiful holiday magazine to get inspired with holiday ideas!
Give someone the gift of knowledge and enroll them in the Herbal Homestead University it’s all about Essential Oils and Herbal Education!
The gift of health is important too! If you are in the greater Wilmington, NC area make sure to stop in at Terra Sol Sanctuary for one of their holiday events….Located in heart of the Castle Street Arts District, terra sol is a light-filled sanctuary for yoga, community gatherings, and special occasions. They have an event coming up “The Holiday Health Fair” on December 3rd.
How about a Self Reliant School Membership….what could be better than the gift of preparedness?
Also what could be better than giving back this holiday season? If you are local and live in Wilmington, NC why not go to the L Shape Lot 5th Annual Toys For Tots Holiday concert? For more information about this event click here!
I hope you are having fun preparing for the holidays with your family! Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Some other holiday posts you may enjoy…
Brown Paper Packages Tied Up with Tulle & Twine
Celebrate Christmas with Less Stress On A Budget
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays From Our Homestead To Yours!
I wish you all a beautiful week…until next time!
Fondly,
