Hellllllo Summer!!! These 85+ degree days here in Michigan have certainly let us know summer has arrived. Plus, my tomato plants are jumping out of their pots! Goodness, am I excited for warm weather, especially now that things are opening more and we’re able to get out and about for adventures.
Today, I’m sharing a few things that I am loving right now as we enjoy the summer season. One thing I always enjoy is supporting small businesses. I’m a small business myself, passionate about my craft, and I am all for supporting anyone who is chasing their dreams. (Especially when it’s yummy, pink, or glittery ;).) These items are sure to bring joy to your life or the lives of those you love. They make great gifts to spoil yourself with, spruce up your home and help keep you healthy and safe. Hope you enjoy these items as much as I do!
Otter Be Baking Cookies
Liz makes beautiful, and delicious, creations with her cookies! She puts so much love into every cookie and they bring such joy to the people who receive them. She’s a small business owner just outside of Cleveland, OH and can ship her cookies within the state or offers pickup options. Doug and I ordered the Fall Sampler Pack back in November, and they sure were tasty! I loved how beautiful they looked too. We are definitely due for another set soon! Just look at how cute they are!
Following Otter Be Baking on Facebook adds a lot of fun into my newsfeed seeing all of the unique cookies she comes up with every time! She has so many options to choose from and is such a pleasure to work with. These cookies are a great way to spread some cheer or add that extra ‘pop’ to your next gathering. Leave some for your mail carrier, take some to a friend’s house who needs a pick me up, or spoil yourself and have a sweet treat while enjoying a cup of tea. You can request a custom order online here and keep your eye out on her Facebook page for themed sales around the different holidays.
Source: Facebook
Origami Owl Jewelry
Seriously, who doesn’t love receiving or picking out a special piece of jewelry? You may have heard of Origami Owl Jewelry already but in case you haven’t, it’s a direct sales company that sells beautiful jewelry that you can custom design to tell your story. Origami Owl is also a “Force for Good”, as their website explains, giving back to causes the company is most passionate about.
My sweet friend, Valerie, sells these unique, one-of-a kind creations on her site here. I love how customizable they are! They have these beautiful pieces called “Living Lockets” that can be worn as a necklace, bracelet or even on a lanyard. Then you get to have loads of fun picking out your favorite charms to fill your locket and tell your story. They have so many charms for the different seasons, hobbies, causes you support, and more. They also have larger charms and other pieces of jewelry that can be worn independently or matched perfectly with a Living Locket.
I’m a storyteller. It’s what I do. And any chance I have to express myself in a fun creative way, I’ll do it! These lockets are no exception. Check out a few of my favorite creations below:
Origami Owl is a great way to pamper yourself or give as a gift to a friend, family member, teacher, or that special someone in your life. Check out Valerie’s site for the newest items, catch the sales and support Valerie’s small business and her wonderful family!
JW Tiny Totes
Another favorite item of mine right now is my Tiny Tote by my remarkable friend, Jessie. Early on in pandemic life, Jessie often caught herself forgetting her mask despite her best efforts to have one in virtually every convenient place possible. During one of these frustrating moments is when Jessie thought, if she only had a tiny tote that always held a mask attached to her bag, she’d never be without one. And so JW Tiny Totes, based in CO, was born.
These Tiny Totes easily attach to your purse, belt loop, messenger bag, suitcase, dog leash, etc. allowing you to have a mask with you at all times and plus, they are environmentally friendly! Carrying a Tiny Tote helps reduce the waste that comes from a single-use disposable mask. Jessie hand makes each tote, and even masks, with exceptional care using high quality materials that are machine washable. She offers a variety of Tiny Totes for sale on her website and some can even be personalized!
Below, you can see the personalized tote I had made for my husband because he works in the medical field! And check out how adorable my tote looks on my crossbody bag! I loved having quick access to my mask when I took a recent girls trip to Gatlinburg, TN. Mask mandates may be lifting but with groups gathering, and the ability to travel again, it never hurts to have one nearby. I love that I can carry my mask with me just in case in a cute, fun, stylish way! P.S. These Tiny Totes make great gifts too! 🙂
Traditional Timber Coasters
We received these beautiful handmade coasters from a dear friend as a shower gift and I can’t love them enough. The wood coloring matched with pink resin is so beautiful and smooth. They look lovely on just about any surface and we have received quite a few compliments on them!
For those that may not know, I LOVE to drink tea and getting to set my teacup down on my favorite pink and wood coaster adds a sweet touch of joy to my mornings. Traditional Timber is run by a dear friend’s son-in-law in and he, alongside his brother and father, handmakes each item in their workshop in a small town in Ohio. For a full catalog of their items and to find my coasters, the Laney Bug Specials, visit their website here.
Seriously friends, their products are gorgeous and incredibly well made. Each product makes such a thoughtful and unique gift perfect for a wedding, housewarming, birthday, and more. Not to mention, Father’s Day is coming up so check out what they offer! They have some beautiful charcuterie boards, coasters, dough bowls, cutting boards and more. They are such a great small business to support!
Gaiam Yoga App
Ok, so Gaiam isn’t exactly a small business but I am seriously loving my Gaiam Yoga App for iPhone right now. This Yoga app has been a lifesaver through the pandemic and continues to be as life gets busy again with places reopening!
The two things I love most about this yoga app is the variety of duration for each yoga session and the focused practices offered. If you only have five or ten minutes to spare, no problem! They offer yoga sessions starting at five minutes long all the way up to 50 minutes in duration.
The focused practices are probably my all time favorite feature of the app because they offer so many options! They have yoga for beginners, intermediate and advanced. Yoga for runners, yoga for back pain, family yoga, prenatal yoga, yoga for weight loss, mobility, mental health, sleep. So. Much. YOGA! I have done so many of the videos, it’s hard to choose a favorite but one of my top, quick-fix, stretch-it-all-out videos is the 15 minute Intermediate Stretches video under the Yoga for Runners category.
Friends, this app is only $2.99 a month and it is WELL worth it. I know the group class setting is wonderful but nothing beats packing up my yoga mat, heading to the park, and having a wonderful morning session in nature as the birds wake up for the day. It is exactly what I’ve needed to get me outside and keep me moving as we transition from the cooler days into the heat of Summer.
And speaking of Summer, I think it’s time for a relaxing evening out back! I hope you found an item or two in this list to spoil yourself with or gift to a friend! What are some of your favorite things right now?
Disclaimer: These reviews were shared willingly of my own accord and not to the previous knowledge of any of the businesses mentioned. I received no goods or services for sharing my personal thoughts!