eleven small businesses to support in the new year

If you have been following Pábitel Photography for awhile, you know I love supporting small businesses. As a small business owner myself, I am so passionate about supporting creatives and innovators who truly make it happen. Not only do these individuals come up with the idea behind their product or service, but they are often the ones who operate the small business too. There is so much that comes with running a small business besides the product. I know in my case, I am fulfilling every role in my business by myself. I update my website, reply to emails, write these blog posts, draft newsletters, take the photos, edit the photos, package orders, keep track of finances, and so much more.

This is why whenever I am shopping for something new, whether it be a gift or for myself, I look first to independent vendors before moving on to larger corporations. There is just something special about knowing you are truly impacting someone's business, life, and even community with your dollar!

Together, Estevan and I were able to support over 10 small businesses this holiday season! I am so proud of this accomplishment and am definitely aiming to beat this number in the new year. In the meantime, I have compiled a list of the companies we shopped with this year along with a brief description of their services and locations. The holidays may be coming to a close, but I know just about every month hits you with at least one birthday or celebration worthy of gift-giving.

the list

1. Color Incorporated - I personally use Color Inc. Labs all of the time. They do such beautiful work and are my go-to when it comes to printing any photo. This company does work with photography businesses only, but if you are a photographer who creates an account with them, they will develop any photo you have the rights to print. We used Color Inc. Labs to gift our family members with wedding photos this year and were extremely pleased with the turn-out. Color Incorporated can be found online and is based in Grandville, Michigan.

2. JEAAWoodworks - This one is a fun one! As far as I am aware, this shop can only be found through Etsy and Instagram. JEAAWoodworks is located in Florida where shop members Jack, Erin, and Alexis create handmade furniture for dolls up to 18" tall in their smoke- and pet-free workshop. They describe their products as "solid pieces of furniture that are built better than real furniture you might purchase in a furniture store." This shop is the perfect place to find a gift for your American Girl doll lover. Or, in my case, the perfect place to find a Festivus Pole miniature for my Seinfeld loving husband!

3. Meadow Ceramics - I have been following and admiring Meadow Ceramics on Instagram for awhile now. This Christmas, I ordered my first piece from Caroline's shop and now that I have seen one of her platters in person, I can confidently say that her work is extraordinary! Each piece she creates is one of a kind with no two pieces sharing the same colors, pattern, or shape. Based in Denmark, Caroline describes her stoneware as "organic and Nordic with a hint of something natural and mysterious." Meadow Ceramics can be found online. If you choose to order from Caroline's shop, make sure to check product dimensions! Some of her pieces are smaller than you might expect but worth every penny!

4. Hemleva - This is another brand that I have been following on Instagram for awhile and finally purchased from this year! Samantha has several different products available, almost all of them focused around plants. Her art can be purchased in the form of stickers, pins, key chains, stationary, and Himmeli, "a traditional Finnish ornament, a mobile decoration that is usually made out of straw." I personally purchased her suncatcher window stickers, buying two for myself and one for each of my sisters. You can often find photos of the rainbow the stickers create in my apartment or car in my Instagram stories! Samantha's products can be purchased through Etsy, Instagram, or her website. She is located in Seattle.

5. Blue Bridge Games - Blue Bridge Games is a brick and mortar located right here in Grand Rapids, Michigan! Not only is the store local-local, but it is also woman-led! My husband has been supporting this shop for a couple of years now, (they opened in 2019), and this year we chose to purchase a D&D book through them as a gift to one of my brother-in-laws. It's a small and welcoming shop filled with board games and more. They do not currently offer shipping, but if you are ever in the area, you can order online and pick up in-store!

6. Sandy Ridge Farm - Estevan and I found this family owned and operated business this year at Chesaning's Candle Walk this last year. We were blown away learning that Sandy Ridge Farm is located in Owosso, Michigan, only 15 minutes from my hometown! Sandy Ridge Farm can be found on Facebook and at Farmer's Markets. To see if they will be at a Farmer's Market near you, make sure to follow their page as they announce upcoming markets through Facebook! The farm offers baked goods, meats, and our favorite: maple syrup! The booth we visited at the Candle Walk was filled with several different maple products ranging from syrup to maple syrup flavored cotton candy!

7. Uncle John's Cider Mill - A cider mill always makes for a great time and a visit to one can make a nice gift all on its own. Perhaps one of the larger small businesses we supported this year, Uncle John's offers more than just fresh doughnuts and cider. Located in Saint Johns, Michigan, Uncle John's has many great gift items in addition to their regularly offered activities. Not only do they sell the essentials (cider, doughnuts, pie, etc.), but Uncle John's also carries products from other local businesses as well such as candles, kitchenware, and clothing.

8. Dorothy and Tony's Gourmet Specialties - This is another Michigan business! We discovered this company during one of our trips to Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids and have already visited it a second time. The shop, located across from Starbucks, is filled with unique sodas along with Dorothy and Tony's gourmet kettle corn. Estevan loves going in and finding new flavors of pop; his current favorite is an Elderberry soda!

9. URWizards - Etsy really understands how much I love wood and glass working. Even before I knew my sister-in-law had an item from this shop on her wishlist, Etsy was feeding me advertisements of URWizards' beautiful wooden dice boxes. The wood box we ordered was stunning, and if you look closer at the shop's work and products, you'll find that their dice are beautiful as well. Located in China, Rebecca and Joshua's products can be found on Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or through their company's website.

10. Full Circle Farms - I found this small business at the Chesaning craft sales on Thanksgiving weekend. The owners, Jim and Crystal, were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They talked to my mother and me for several minutes about their different skin care products such as lotions and soaps. Full Circle Farms is a "free ranging, grass fed, pasture based, multi-species endeavor focused on sustainable and regenerative agriculture," and is based out of Lakeview, Michigan. In additional to skin care products, the farm also sells meats, hair products, flowers, and paintings. Full Circle Farms can be found online here.

11. Diceify - I found this one through Uncommon Goods, one of my favorite sites to shop for gifts. Since then, I have found Diceify's website as well. From their name, one might suspect that this company has a little something to do with dice, right? Well, yes, but not in the way you might guess. Diceify sells wooden dice designed to help you choose what to watch or to drink. Estevan and I have a huge list of shows we are trying to knock out right now, but when it comes to finding something new or a movie to watch, we are often stumped. I bought their Streaming Service Dice to help with this and now, whenever we want, we just have to roll the set to figure out what is on the menu for the night!

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A few of my typical side notes:

• This blog post is NOT sponsored by any of the aforementioned businesses.

• I am currently booking all of the sessions! Contact me to learn more, or check out my services to learn more about what session types I provide.

• To be the first to hear about new blog posts, business updates, and promotions, make sure to subscribe to my mailing list by filling out the subscription box listed below my contact form.

• The 2022 calendar, "simple pleasures on mackinac," is out now. You can see the photos included in this calendar here. To have it shipped directly to you, please visit my Etsy listing. Contact me with any questions!

• Read about my Christmas session with Samantha!