It’s no secret that we do our fair share of shopping, but one of our favorite ways to shop is small! From Etsy shops and brands we’ve discovered all around the country to local boutiques we love to pop into, we feel so lucky to be able to support small businesses! Today we’re sharing some of our favorite small businesses we frequent, and hopefully you’ll find one or two along the way that speaks to you so you can shop small too!
Erin’s Small Business Favorites
Life in Lilac
Lakeside Cabin Candle
The Life in Lilac x LIY collab is BACK with a brand new scent, Lakeside Cabin! Created by the LIY Team with a fellow blogger, Sister Studio, I was so excited to see her candle business along with our favorite fragrances come to life! The scents and the hand-painted jars are beautiful and have been such a fun addition to sit around our house!
Taylor Wolfe Shop [use code LIY15 for 15% off]
Vintage Santa Sweatshirt [true to size, wearing in small]
If you don’t own a sweatshirt or tee from Taylor Wolfe shop yet, you are missing out. The entire LIY team is obsessed with Taylor as a human [truly, she’s hilarious], and her shop is full of funny, seasonal, super cozy items! Whether you need something for tailgating, the holidays, or the 4th of July, she has you covered on all ends!
Life + Style Planners, Gratitude Journals, & Notepads
I may be a little bias here, but I am so proud of the work that the LIY team has done to create our Life + Style products and LIY Merch. Our Life + Style Planners are my favorite product and so much love is poured into them with thoughtful details scattered throughout. It’s been such a joy [and learning process] figuring out how to do it all, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Shop Living in Yellow
After founding the lifestyle blog, Living in Yellow, in 2011, Erin had a dream of expanding her love of attainable fashion and all of the little extras that make life a little sweeter, into a shop, both online and in-person. Shop Living in Yellow exists to bring you products that will make you feel more confident and bring an extra dose of joy your way. You’ll find a curated collection of apparel, giftables that you will be excited to give, and our very own Life + Style products which were founded in 2019. Whether you’re here to get your hands on the newest years planner, a dress for date night, or a candle to burn all season long, we’re excited to be a small part of your life.
JOYFULLY SAID [USE CODE LIY15 FOR 15% OFF]
It is absolutely no surprise that one of my all-time favorite small businesses to support is Joyfully Said, which also happens to be my sister’s store that she created a few years ago. Her handmade wood signs bring so much joy into our home. They are all so fun, beautiful and high quality. What once started in her living room has now turned into a team of 17 employees, her husband included, making it a truly family-owned business. Whether you’re shopping for your home or gifting to somebody else, I can’t recommend Joyfully Said more! Don’t forget to use the code LIY15 for 15% off your order!
MUSTARD SEED MARKETPLACE
Bel Koz Beaded Bracelets // Bel Koz Charms
It turns out that I have several powerhouse friends who are doing BIG things. Insert Mustard Seed Marketplace which is another small business that was started by my friend, Lisa. There is so much purpose and intention behind this business, Lisa started Mustard Seed Marketplace born out of an idea to only sell fair-trade, sustainable, give-back, or locally made products. She is a woman on a mission to help change the world and her business is doing just that. My favorite product from her shop are these Bel Koz Beaded Bracelets that come with a free charm. These bracelets are created by artisans in Haiti from the clay that lives there. By purchasing this bracelet, you are helping to provide a better life for women and their children in Haiti. Bonus: they are beautiful and make for perfect gifts!
SOCIAL THREADS
Messenger Bags // Interchangeable Bag Straps
Here at LIY, we are so lucky to have been introduced to many small businesses over the years, one that we fell in love with years ago [and remain in love with] is Social Threads. Social Threads was started by and is run by two of the nicest, funniest, loving sisters-in-law who pour their hearts into this business while simultaneously pouring their hearts into their families. They carry so many brands that you all love and know and speciality items as well. At the top of my list? Their bags and interchangeable straps. I use mine every single day to carry my laptop, planner and other necessities.
SOUP OF SUCCESS
Wellness Care Package // Click here to help change the lives of women!
Oh Soup of Success, how much I care about you. A year or two ago, I was asked to sit on the advisory board for this local organization who pours their heart and souls into empowering and bettering the lives of women who are in a position to be helped. Soup of Success provides an intense 20-week program that a woman can apply to be apart of that helps transform their lives from job training, emotional counseling, and so much more. The women learn on-hands job skills by creating and manufacturing a variety of products like soups, dips, cookie mixes, etc. These products are then sold and the proceeds go back into the organization to fund the program. Added bonus: the products are so delicious, we love making their hearty potato soup on cold winter days!
MAIN STREET ROASTERS
If you know me at all, you know I’m several cups of coffee per day type of gal. Insert my love for this local roastery, Main Street Roasters. Not only do they have the most welcoming and beautiful coffee shop to hang out at in Nappanee, IN, they sell all of their delicious coffee online for everybody to enjoy. I’m a BIG flavored coffee girl and they have it all – from blueberry cinnamon crumble to salted caramel and coconut dream, fill my cup with it all please and thank you. My husband loves the Main Street Blend and makes sure we have it on hand at all times. If you’d like to support a local roastery, raise your cup to this one!
TYPE LEAGUE PRESS
How fun is this personalized mug?! When I saw that I could have my dog’s faces all over my morning drink, I was in. Type League Press creates all types of personalized gifts and is owned by a girl out of Chicago, Sara, who makes them all! Whether you are a dog lover or want your kiddo’s face on your mug or heck, just want a cute mug in general, this is your place!
Hannah’s Small Business Favorites
Etsy
I think this is by far my favorite gift I’ve ever received. My husband and kiddos gifted this to me for Mother’s Day a couple years ago and it’s still the most worn necklace I own! I love that you can customize it with the letters and can decide what to include! They did our family initials! And the quality is amazing!
Etsy
I’d be lying if I said she didn’t wear this almost everyday [even in the Summer]! She has been asking for a robe for awhile and this one was perfect! It’s cozy, washes well, she loves the hood and the fact that it has her name on it! If you have an upcoming wedding and need a flower girl gift, highly recommend this for an option too!
Etsy
For the kiddos who love to color, these crayons have been a HUGE hit!! They loved that each crayon was a letter for their name and they work so well! Bonus — they didn’t come broken and each name had an extra crayon included [robot and unicorn]!
Etsy
Continuing the trend of personalized items [what can I say, I’m a sucker for stuff like this], for the puzzle lover in your life, this astronaut one has been a winner! He has loved putting this together, taking it apart and putting it back together almost daily! He also thinks it’s pretty cool that the astronaut looks like him and the puzzle has his name on it! Customize the astronaut to resemble your kiddo, add his or her name and they will be using this gift constantly!
Steph’s Small Business Favorites
Cadorah
Cadorah Earrings [Use LIY15 for 15% off!]
Cadorah has so many cute and affordable earring options. I chose this Zoe Tan Stripe pair several months ago and have worn them so many times! Be sure to use LIY15 for 15% off!
Etsy
I prefer to keep a mat under our dog’s food and water bowls because girlfriend is a MESSY drinker and this helps keep the floor a little cleaner. Our previous mat was getting old, and when I saw this cute personalized mat I thought it was time for an upgrade. I love the way it turned out!
Mud Love
I’ve known about Mud Love Bracelets for several years thanks to seeing Ben Higgins wear them during his time on The Bachelor, but never got around to purchasing them until now. These products are hand made with production shared between semi-local to us Warsaw, IN and the Domincan Republic (in partnership with Vida Plena). Every product sold gives a week of clean water to someone in the Central African Republic. I purchased one for myself, and one as a gift for now, but this is definitely a business I’ll be buying from again.
Hey June
Diamond Ear Cuff [Use LIY15 for 15% off]
Love the look of a cartilage piercing but not sure you want to commit to the extra hole in your ear? OR have a teen daughter that wants her cartilage pierced but you’re not sure she’s ready for the permanent commitment? I present to you – the best solution! True to consistent Hey June quality, this diamond ear cuff is comfortable to wear, looks great and feels like it will last a loooooong time. I love the look of it with my diamond huggies. I’ve purchased probably 10 pairs of earrings over the last few years, and each has been the best quality, arrived quickly and looked great in person! Be sure to use code LIY15 for 15% off your purchase!
Etsy
I purchased this hand lettering kit during quarantine last year for something new to try. I really like all of the components that come with it. It makes for a unique gift for someone who is crafty, or aspires to be.
The Modish Home
This print from The Modish Home was a sweet addition to our bedroom. I chose the lyrics of the song I walked down the aisle to (Little Big Town’s Bring It On Home), but the possibilities are nearly endless for how you can personalize this!
Lauren’s Small Business Favorites
Vintage Charm
Sweater Dress from Vintage Charm [not currently online] [true to size]
This sweater dress is the trifecta – insanely soft, the perfect not-too-loose not too-tight fit, and priced right! It feels like the softest fleece and I might actually sleep in it – don’t judge me. Maybe I’ll wear it to a holiday party first, more bang for my buck!
Joyfully Said [USE CODE LIY15 FOR 15% OFF]
Grand Adventure Sign – Use code LIY15 for 15% off!
Erin’s sister owns the best sign-making business around [if I do say so myself], and that includes making this sign! I’ve had it in my oldest son’s room since he was a baby, and the saying holds true – there’s nothing that kid loves more than a grand adventure!
Etsy
Lip gloss, hand sanitizer, extra contacts, ibuprofen. I feel strongly about a “catchall” pouch inside of my purse for all these little on-the-go necessities. Add in the fact that I’m a sucker for a monogram, and this cute leather pouch was speaking to me. I chose black with gold foil, but there are plenty of other combinations as well!
Sawyer Candle Co
Can you ever have enough candles? I think not. I’m constantly buying them to “have on hand for gifting” and tend to end up using them myself. Oh well! These candles are SO good! The owner, Annie, is a fellow Indiana University alumni [hoo hoo hoo, hoosiers!], and the scent combinations are unique and spot on [hello Bergamot + Tobacco!]. *Gently* toss one in everyone’s stocking this year.
Etsy
Wow! I loved this lavender salt scrub! The smell, the texture, the real dried lavender in the mix, the end result – all of it! I used this while relaxing in a bath, but you could also use this in the shower! The scent was wonderful – I LOVE lavender, but there are also other scents to choose from!
Etsy
My latest belt bag / bum bag obsession! I chose the stone color but it’s also available in a black leather, and I love the subtle initial monogramming! Perfect for a hands free day on the go!
Claire’s Small Business Favorites
Ambre Blends
Ambre Body Cream // Ambre Essence
Ambre Blends is a woman-owned business based in Indianapolis, IN. All of their high quality organic body products are handmade with 100% pure and natural vegan ingredients. I fell in love with Ambre Essence after smelling the oil on several of the girls on the LIY Team [seriously, one whiff and I was hooked]! I started small for my first purchase with the 10mL oil pump bottle and have been a fan ever since. The larger 30mL bottle is a great option for us repeat customers refilling the pump bottle. I couldn’t get enough and splurged on the body cream [2oz // 8oz] to add to the collection too! It’s a light and clean yet woody fragrance, but you can read more about that and find the official description here.
Katy’s Small Business Favorites
Soapy Gnome
This is a local shop from here in Indiana! I love going in here and taking in all the scents. They hand make almost every type of soap scent that you can imagine. From Lavender Eucalyptus, to Snow Day, to Milk & Honey. If you’re not a bar soap person, not to worry! They also make foaming liquid soaps, deodorant, and more! These would make a great stocking stuffer for someone else, but why not grab a gift for yourself while you’re at it 🙂
The Modish Home
My husband and I are also singer/songwriters and met playing music. On his last album he wrote a song called “Bluebird” for his future child. This framed canvas from The Modish Home is usually more dedicated to wedding song lyrics for a Wedding or Anniversary gift, but for our Nursery (see our Nursery Reveal here! I wanted to get one of this song!
This may be called the “Where we met” map (which I think is SO cute), but I ended up making this for my husband’s Grandparents with the coordinates of the land they live on now. It’s been in their family for a long time and is special to them so I thought they would enjoy a tribute to it. I love that this Etsy shop makes their items so personalized and that this gift has the exact location. You can personalize this however you’d like! They were great to work with and made changes I asked for even after I ordered! I highly recommend this for a special someone in your life.
Etsy
I’ve seen this idea on Etsy for a few years and have always thought it would make a super special gift. You can choose the shape and wood type you would like and then you will message the seller a scanned copy of the recipe you would like on the board! I have a box of recipes from my Great Grandmother. She was here until 2015 and was a huge part of my family, so having something with her handwriting will be a special, personalized gift for my Mom or Grandma.
Etsy
I gifted this to my Pa (Grandpa) last year after I realized he probably hasn’t bought a new wallet since I was a kid haha! There’s nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to get him a new one with his name on it. I know something like a wallet (especially for men) can sometimes be at the bottom of the list when you’re shopping for yourself, so I hope he loves this new, personalized gift! You can also choose different monogram styles and leather colors.
Joyfully Said Signs [LIY15 for 15% off]
Rainbow Art [LIY15 for 15% off] // Lyric Sign [mine is Aged Barrel frame color, size 20×30] // Similar End Table // Similar End Table // Hatch Baby Rest // Similar Lamp // Frame // Swivel Glider // Similar Pillow // Rainbow Art [LIY15 for 15% off]
Erin gifted me this sign from Joyfully Said as a baby shower gift and I couldn’t love it more 💙 Not only does it have a special meaning to us, but works perfectly for our nursery color scheme! Lots of colors & sizes available!
Greyfeather Farm
Crack Attack Intensive Healing & Repair Cream
Story timeeee 
A few years ago I was playing a show with my band in Pennsylvania and we met a lady named Jennifer that we hit it off with and hung out with that night at the festival. Her and her husband were so kind to offer us a place to stay if we ever toured in the area again…which we did and we DID stay with them a year or so later the next time we were in PA (people are pretty cool) 
She makes these INCREDIBLE skincare products. I am telling you if you have dry skin, this “Crack Attack” is MAGICAL and smells amazing. If you want to support small business with great ingredients, I highly recommend grabbing this and checking out all of her products!
Cassidy’s Small Business Favorites
Etsy
Where are our pet lovers at!? How cute are these customizable pet gifts from HitherRabbit on Etsy!? My pup is in love with her newest toy–is is strong and durable while being oh so cute! It does also have a squeaker in it for extra fun! When I saw these embroidery portraits of your pet, I HAD to get my hands on one! It is obviously adorable but is such a sweet ode to your pet as well as a conversation starter! Carolyn from HitherRabbit was so easy to work with and absolutely nailed it! I cannot recommend this shop enough! If you are a pet lover or have one in your life, this is the shop for you! Creation + ship time is 2-3 weeks!
LIY Ambassador Small Business Favorites
The Pretzee Company
These cute and yummy pretzees make a great addition for any holiday or event! Jen, the creator of Pretzees, can make these sweet treats in so many fun designs!
Ella Jayms
Top // Similar Skirt
For each item purchased at Ella Jayms, one item will also be donated to a local women’s shelter. When I first met the owner of Ella Jayms, Sami, we instantly clicked. We shared our stories, and she was like a dear friend I had not seen in years, and we picked up right where we left off. I support the store quite often (as my hubby will attest to!) but at the heart of who I am, is fashion and philanthropy. I like to see the new trends and styles and incorporate them into my daily life, while supporting a great mission; it encourages me to shop more often knowing that Sami and Ella Jayms truly do support meaningful causes in the community, where so many live and work.
Shop Small:
Living in Yellow is a life + style brand that provides a fun space for girlfriends to gather and feel empowered through real talk and attainable fashion.
