Shop Small Businesses This Christmas

With the calendar turning to November, I’ve been getting very excited for Christmas! Although I’m not a fan of the cold, the time from September to December is my favorite time of year. The build up to Christmas brings so much joy and cheer. This season, I want to be very intentional with the gifts I am giving and support small businesses. Let’s all shop small this Christmas and support small businesses we know and love! Here are a few of my favorites:

Handmade Jewelry

Lissa & Nate

I love this jewelry company! Lissa & Nate is run by Melissa and Nathan Gylland and they have a unique and cool story of how they started their business. The story behind it and the personalization they are able to do with their pieces is amazing. Their shop includes rings, necklaces, and bracelets in multiple finishes and sizes. I have the Dottie chocker necklace in gold and it’s the perfect simple accessory for layering or on its own.

Earth Clay

Grace is the artist behind Earth Clay and one of my dear friends! She’s been creating for as long as she can remember and it so talented. During my freshmen year of college, we would hang out in her dorm room while she drew and painted and I sketched. It was the best! She sells her artwork nationwide at both retail locations & national park visitor centers. In addition to her online shop, she goes to as well as art shows as well.

Home Decor + Gifts

Holland House

During college, I had the amazing opportunity to work and intern at an amazing interior design boutique and store. Holland House is a brick + mortar store with 2,000 sq. ft. of home decor, furniture, women’s clothings, samples, cabinetry, and a full-functioning kitchen. They also sell their clothing, gifts, and home decor online as well. I’ve been wanting to add a bench to our entryway and love the shape and style of this one!

Holland House also has so many cute pots and planters for succulents. I love the concrete look of these and how they pair so well together!

House of Verna

House of Verna has hospitality minded goods to help build a house you love. I know the owner, Abby, through church and I absolutely love the story behind her business. She curates items and collections that help build your home and shares recipes, interior inspiration, and stories of home.

Nadine Stay

Nadine Stay is founded by Danica, who is from my same small town in Minnesota. She now lives in Nebraska with her husband Chris where they run Nadine Stay.

As described on her website: “What started as a furniture refurbishing hustle has since turned into so much more! A home décor shop with pieces that I use in my own home. An interior design blog filled with inspiration, home renovation projects, and designer tips. And a resource for others to find ideas and learn how to tackle the “not as difficult as I thought it would be” DIY projects.”

She’s one of my favorites to follow on social media and her latest shop collection launched earlier this fall. I love all of the pieces and can’t wait to shop them for gifts this Christmas!

Lake of the Woods Coffee Co

If you’re looking for a thoughtful and customized gift this Christmas, you have to check out Lake of the Woods Coffee Co. This company is run by a dad and his three girls in Northern MN. I had the honor of working on a couple of personal projects for this family, as well as assisting with design decisions for their coffee shop while working at construction2style. They have a brick + mortar coffee shop and store, but you can also shop online. Their shop includes coffee, laser engraved wood gifts, and more.

Koselig Candle Co

I recently found out about this company and am now obsessed! Koselig Candle Co is a candle company founded in Minnesota. The owners Matt and Blake hand pour, label, package, and ship all of the candles they make. On their site, they explain that “The Norwegian word Koselig means cozy – but there’s so much more to it than that. It’s a simple warmth, provided by a person, place or atmosphere. It’s the conversations that lead somewhere, that first sip of coffee, a crackling fire and the laughter of a friend. It’s the small things in life.

This Lavendar + Spruce candle is my first purchase from this company and I’ve been burning it nonstop! The scent is the perfect combination of fresh lavender and lively spruce, which makes it ideal for burning any time of year. I bought it at Anchor Coffee House in downtown White Bear Lake, but you can also shop online too!

Clothing

The Minnesota

The Minnesotan is an apparel company that has t-shirts, hoodies, hats, sunglasses and more that celebrate Minnesota and the lifestyle surrounding it. It’s located in downtown White Bear Lake and the store is the perfect mix of modern and nostalgic. I love their designs and it’s so fun to shop in a place that loves Minnesota. I recently got this T-shirt and love the color and style.

KISA

KISA is a women’s lifestyle brand that specializes in small batch statement pieces, curated for bold and adventurous women. It is locally owned and operated by Emily and Caglar Kisa in Minnesota. With strong family ties to the country of Turkey, this brand provides shoppers with unique European clothing. I’ve got my eye on the Neutral Turkish Towel Bundle, look at those beautiful colors!

Woolly Bear Knits

When I asked about small business you love on Instagram, I was introduced to this company! Woolly Bear Knits is a business that has MN-made cozy, modern knit accessories made with ethically sourced yarn. The owner Emily also created knitting patterns and kits that people can purchase to make their own accessories as well. I love the variety of colors of the hats, especially since Minnesota is a place where you’re always needing warm clothing. This ivory color is on my wishlist for sure.

And Emily was so sweet to provide a discount code for Willaby Way. You can use “WILLABYWAY” for 10% off through December 15!

Art + Prints

Art By Aleisha

This shop was started in 2016 by the artist Aleisha who is originally from Minnesota, but now lives in San Francisco. – Art by Aleisha has so many beautiful maps, prints, and totes. My sister bought a custom map of Bethel’s college campus for her friends as a graduation gift and they all LOVED it. This print of the Twin Cities neighborhoods is so cool and I’ve definitely got my eye on it.

Earth Clay

Like I shared above, Earth Clay is amazing! Not only does Grace sculpt clay necklaces, she also creates these beautiful watercolor prints of National Parks. I bought this one of Zion National Park for my sister-in-law because we went to the park on vacation a few years ago. The detail and colors are so pretty!

Kindred Looms

Kindred Looms was started by Kira when she needed a creative outlet from a desk job. Kira and I know each other through church and it’s been SO fun watching her build and grow this business! She creates weaving decor, scrunchies, earrings, and jean jacket weavings.