A few months ago I got a handwritten note when I ordered a broom off amazon. It totally shocked when it fell out of the box like a Willy Wonka golden ticket. It read “Thank you for purchasing from a small business on Amazon. Your order means more to us than you know.” I was so struck by the thought that I kept the note.
As a fellow small business owner, I could relate. I mean, I know that every time someone buys one of my pieces, I let a little piece of myself go home with them. I try really hard not to come across as a weird helicopter mother when I help them load up and try to casually ask for a photo of it in its “new home.” I scribble my cell phone down for customers “if they have any problems” or want to know how to best tuck him in at night. I fret over how he’s holding up - is he making new friends? Are they feeding him well? Did they put him in a forgotten corner of the house or is he on display for all to see?
See, it’s more than just a hobby for us. When you buy from a small business, you buy something that’s been labored over. And loved. And it means more to us than you know.
You are feeding our families and clothing our kids. You are taking a discarded piece of furniture out of the landfill instead of adding styrofoam remnants from that assemble-yourself-box-store number you have to allen-wrench into being. And like Chelsea touched on in her recent post, that note got me thinking of new ways to incorporate other small businesses into what we do as fellow makers.
Whether we mean to or not, each of our products affects an intricate assortment of people. I purchased this vintage dresser from Geenae and her husband who were making room for a nursery. The dresser used to be his grandmothers, but with twins on the way, they needed the space. I was scheduled to pick up two of their dressers (the other became this white and wood number) when baby’s cold made me change plans last minute. Geenae was gracious enough to reschedule our meet for the following week so that I could focus on caring for Huntleigh but still nab some project pieces.
After conducting several repairs on Grandma’s dresser, I painted the body in “Deep Breath” by Behr Paint - a color I used for a custom build for clients Lauren and her husband this time two years ago.
This color has that inky quality I like so much in my darker pieces but it has vibrant teal undertones.
To finish it off right, I needed the perfect hardware. Instead of sourcing new pulls via an online dealer like I usually do, I decided to shop small.
I left the unique “bowling pin” peg legs in their original wood so I wanted pulls that would play off the brown tone. I found Julie and Brian selling these leather pulls in their Etsy shop YesterdaysNovember and thought they were perfect paired with their brass capped screws.
I also found Sarah from ModernMakerStamps (also an Etsy shop) who made my custom SMH logo rubber stamp so I can literally leave my mark on each piece I send into the world.
I even borrowed a few baby gifts that were also small business purchases from Huntleigh’s room for this shoot. The yellow letter board was shipped by Lyubomir and Yana in Canada and that gold mobile (given to us by my other beloved sis-in-law Casey), handmade by Eleonora in Croatia - both Etsy sellers, both small businesses.
In light of Small Business Saturday, Chelsea and I have both been thinking about how much your purchases mean to those of us who side-hustle for our families. If you’re also interested in supporting small businesses, Chelsea curated some superb mom and pop gift ideas this holiday that will not only say Merry Christmas to your gift recipient but to the small businesses you buy from.
We are so grateful to get to do the things we love but also to intersect with so many relationships along the way. As a small business, many of our customer interactions have turned into pleasant conversations or even the occasional “small world” moment. Chelsea and I create as an expression of worship and as an outlet for our insatiable imaginations - but it’s a sweeter joy to have these opportunities to meet you. I look forward to meeting whomever purchases Grandma’s re-loved 9-drawer. And to all our past customers and clients out there: thank you for shopping small!
Blue + Leather Dresser
Now Available for Sale
60”L x 18”D x 31”H
$745
If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com
