“My favorite part of designing is the process. When all of the unique beads and metals come together to create one of kind and really unique modern pieces for people to enjoy wearing,” shared Rebecca Dorise of Dorise Irene Jewelry. “I am often inspired by nature, as well as companies like Tiffany, and from the stones I work with.”

The Illinois-based jewelry designer started Dorise Irene Jewelry in the fall of 2016, focused on crafting jewelry for sensitive skin. “My interest came from wanting to make jewelry for myself that was affordable, made from natural stones, quality metals, and modern but classic in design.” The shop designs expanded over the last three years – for example, Dorise recently created a sterling silver wirewrapped labradorite necklace with virtually no tools (other than for cutting the wire). The small shop has become known for its 14-karat rose gold bead necklace on a simple sterling silver chain. “It is an incredibly versatile piece and my most popular design. The rose gold adds elegance, timeless color and luster,” said Dorise. “My most favorite design is creating the simple pieces with metal and beads with unique cuts and types of stones. My favorite stone is probably blue moonstone,” she added.

I love how the shop’s jewelry designs are feminine and delicate-looking, but sturdy enough for normal wear (and withstanding pulls from little hands). “My jewelry is backed with quality in the materials and design and I offer affordable repairs when necessary because life happens. If you wear a piece often, it will need some upkeep and I am more than happy to work with clients to help them enjoy that ‘everyday’ piece,” Dorise explained. “I hand solder all my metal work, so nothing will slip or fall apart with normal use. I also hand select each stone and all the materials that go into making a piece, I look for the best quality. I have a great eye for stone authenticity and quality.”

You can regularly find Dorise Irene Jewelry in Refine309, a local boutique in Bloomington, Illinois. “Custom orders have also been a huge part of my growth as a business. I wasn’t so sure about doing custom orders – it is a lot of pressure – but it is some of the most rewarding work I do.” These days, Dorise is busy designing new pieces for the end of summer and fall. “I am working with lots of new metal necklaces, interchangeable pendants, and other summer colors in beaded necklaces, earrings and bracelets…always something new to check out!” Browse her latest pieces on the Dorise Irene Jewelry Facebook page and Instagram account here.

Wugga Monsters was born serendipitously from the ashes of Jen Nicholson’s former Etsy shop. “Wugga Monsters was created completely on a whim. I have been selling on Etsy since 2016 as a side hobby and it wasn’t until spring of 2019 that I quit my full time job to become a full time small business owner,” she recalled. “I created my first ‘Wugga’ as a silly project for myself with fabric I had laying around from another failed Etsy shop I ran. When I posted a photo of it on Facebook, I was surprised by how many people showed interest. I created a couple more and they sold!”

“Wugga” is Nicholson’s coined name for her plush creations, inspired by her husband and three year old son, Sylas. “My husband liked to call my monsters ‘Wubbas,’ and a nickname we have for our son is Bug (Bugga-bear, bugga-boo, etc.).” Her favorite monster in the current collection is named “Nimbus:” “It is a panda with purple limbs and galaxy print eyes and ears. I like to fill my studio with pandas and purple is my favorite color.” Small shoppers have made frequent requests for Nicholson’s “Gordy” monster, named for its pumpkin shape and coloring. “Gordy is a green monster with a pumpkin face and is my largest Wugga to date,” she shared. “An Instagram follower asked if I would be making any seasonal monsters, which got me thinking. So, I whipped up my first Gordy and he sold very quickly. People started asking for more and I recreated him, but now I can’t seem to keep him in stock!”

Each Wugga Monsters plush is handmade by Nicholson and stitched with an embroidered face. “I am against using small plastic pieces, like safety eyes and buttons, because I am an anxious mom, so I embroider all of the facial features and characteristics on an embroidery machine,” she explained. “I don’t want to create anything meant for a child that could be potentially harmful. The beneficial part about this is it gives me peace of mind and design consistency because each one will be the same every time it stitches out on my machine.” Before steaming ahead with Wugga Monsters, Nicholson surveyed the small shop landscape to find her own niche. “A lot of my inspiration comes from my Instagram followers and from other designers. Now, I know what you’re thinking. ‘Other designers?!,’ but it’s not like that,” she laughed. “I love seeing all of the other plushies that other creators make because everyone has their own style. I look at them and think, ‘how can I stand out? What is something that no one else is doing?’ This pushes me to look within myself and find something unique to offer. And lucky for me, if I have a creative block, my followers are not shy to tell me what they would like to see in future Wuggas.”

Focusing on the Wuggas full-time allows Nicholson to design the minky creatures she imagined during childhood. “I liked dolls that were eccentric or funny looking, so I love that I can create derpy little plushies for other kids that like plushies the way I do.” But, running a small shop has its own small challenges. “As a small shop owner and a mom, I struggle with time management. I find that I need to spend a lot more time on social media to engage with my followers, post new products, give updates, and so much more,” said Nicholson. “I am a very introverted person and spending so much time on social media can be exhausting and scary because now all of these folks can see me and comment on my work. However, I have met some amazing makers and fellow moms and it is great to have people I can relate to.”

Nicholson already has her sights set on the holiday season this year. “Often, when you hear winter you think of Christmas, but Christmas is not very inclusive for folks who celebrate Chanukah, Kwanza, or Yule. Rather than create a Santa or reindeer plush, I am shooting for a winter theme, perhaps a snowman or gnome, something that represents the season and not the holidays. This way everyone can find something appropriate.” Get a jump on your holiday shopping through the Wugga Monsters Etsy shop and join the Wugga Monsters VIP Facebook group here for discounts and sneak peaks.

Fall smells like apple cider and pumpkin spice to me. “I have a pumpkin spice cake fragrance I’m kind of obsessed with that I am excited to add to the shop this fall,” teased soap maker Mary-Christina Sprouse of Second Street Soaps, a small shop focused exclusively on handmade artisan soaps. “I tend to make more ‘fun’ scented soap than the typical bars you would find in big box stores,” she said. “I really enjoy all the different fragrances and color combinations. I like that I can use the same oils and adjust the quantities to achieve a different feel to my bars or swap in different oils and butters so that my bars have different properties, like more moisturizing or bubbly.”

While she personally prefers “food type fragrances,” Sprouse identified the shop’s two most popular scents as jellybean and sandalwood rose. “I get a scent that I want to use or a request for a scent and I try to think of a fun look that connects the fragrance to the look of the bar. Sometimes it comes out the way I wanted it to and sometimes the soap has a mind of its own and it ends up working out well anyway,” she explained. “I think that is one of the things I like most about making it. You never know the look you will get for sure when you pour the soap into the mold.” I was drawn to the Second Chances collection, made from scraps of previous batches of soap and scented with a new fragrance, like apple berry. “The profits from each Second Chance bar sold benefit the Oswego Animal Shelter,” said Sprouse.

Second Street Soaps officially launched this year, but Sprouse has been lathering up for much longer. “I often found myself watching soap making videos on YouTube. I thought it looked like fun and it was just really fascinating to me,” she recalled. “My dad bought me my first loaf mold and mica colorants. I started making soap right away and immediately fell in love with the process. I talked about making soap so often that my husband said that I should try selling it and we decided to come up with a business plan for it.” The shop name originates from the Sprouse family home, which also serves as soap central. “The name comes from the street we live on. It is where all the soap is made so we thought it worked really well.” While working from home, Sprouse also receives the benefit of lots of design input from her family. “My husband helps me come up with names for the soap and descriptions for my website and has even designed a bar or two. My four year old helped me make the ‘gummy bears’ for my gummy bear scented soap. He also designed his own Fruity Pebbles scented soap (named ‘Professor P,’ after Professor Poopypants, the evil scientist in Captain Underpants) and helped mix the colors for that,” she shared proudly. “My mother-in-law attends every vendor event with me and helps take care of my boys so that I can focus on customers. My grandmother-in-law tells everyone she talks to that I make soap and has even sold a few bars for me.” All (clean) hands on deck at Second Street Soaps!

As the new shop grows, Sprouse has found different ways to streamline her creation process to increase productivity. “The more soap I can produce, the more options people will have. My main goal is to give people a lot of fun soaps that they can enjoy themselves or together with their family.” Right now, she is working on expanding her different product lines. “I am researching how to make liquid soap and I would like to add that to my shop lineup soon. I’m also going to have soaps that align with the upcoming holidays.” Pick your favorite scented creation on the Second Street Soaps website and Facebook page here.

Kayla Ann Coleman’s grandmother Barbara taught her how to use an embroidery machine when Coleman was twelve years old. “My grandmother has embroidered since I was a child. I remember hitting the start button for her and picking out colors when I was little,” she recalled. “I am currently a college student and a mom. When my grandmother approached me to learn this skill, I could not pass it up. Her knowledge that she has passed onto me and seeing her light up every time I come up with a new design makes me that much more driven.”

Coleman is applying those skills in her new small shop, Little Shop of Mayhem. “I started Little Shop of Mayhem at the beginning of May 2019,” she shared. “When I had my first baby in May 2018, I realized how hard it is to find cute boy clothes. My family has had embroidery machines all of my life, so I started just making my son Atlas things. After hearing reviews from others, I decided to put my ideas out for business.” The shop name is play on Coleman’s soon-to-be-married name, Mahan. “It gets mispronounced often and one of the funniest ways is when people say ‘Mayhem,’” Coleman laughed. “When I was thinking of a name, I wanted something cute but chaotic because that also explains our life with an adventurous one year old.”

Little Shop of Mayhem offers kid-sized custom t-shirts, shorts, tanks, rompers, bathing suits and dresses. “My favorite design I have done so far is my Toy Story design because, let’s be real, I was extremely excited to watch the new movie,” said Coleman. “But, my most popular style is probably my monogrammed swimsuits.” I think the colorful embroidered and applique designs really elevate the apparel sold by the shop. “I am extremely passionate about embroidery and designing. I do not want to be an assembly line shop where everything looks the same because our children are not the same,” she explained. “I want to make your children a piece that brings that spark of excitement in their eyes because the piece is made for specially for them with their favorite characters or their names. I don’t want to be generic.” Many of the shop’s designs are inspired by Coleman’s son Atlas and his preferences. “Also, I often hear moms talk about the struggle of finding cute clothes for their children. I like to make affordable options that fit their wants.”

With fall just on the horizon now, Coleman is getting excited for a release of new designs. “If you are from the south like me, football is a huge deal,” she exclaimed. “Plus, this is my first holiday season selling. I have a family Christmas onesie pre-order already open and I am hoping to see them in many of my customer’s family pictures.” Order your own custom design through the Little Shop of Mayhem’s VIP Facebook group here and follow the shop on Instagram to see examples of past custom designs.

Steampunk fashion refers to a combination of Victorian Gothic style and futuristic features with some steam-inspired reinvention and science fiction elements. A pair of lace gloves is a quintessential steampunk accessory. “We specialize in gloves in all sizes from babies to adults,” said Tracey Williams Salbacka of Steampunk Wolf. “Black lace is the most popular type of gloves sold in the past eight years and literally 75% of what we sell year round is black. It really adds a touch of class to any outfit when you wear gloves. Jeans and a t-shirt or fancy dresses look more spectacular with gloves.”

Based in Monterey, California, Salbacka found her start in the summer of 2011 while on leave from work from an injury. “I started an Etsy shop with my daughter Audrey, age 14 at the time. We originally were creating clothing for teens and called the shop ‘Seamstress by the Sea,’ but in the photos, she was wearing gloves that I had made her and suddenly we had requests for gloves,” she recalled. “It was kind of crazy how it became our thing very quickly. I got all of my daughter’s friends to help model. We jumped right in and signed up for Artist Alley tables at several Cosplay Conventions.” Initially, her glove offerings were sparse and limited to black and white lace or eco-friendly sock gloves for kids.  “But now, we have so many more options and a wider size selection. We continually add more styles and colors to fit kids.” Shortly thereafter, Salbacka changed the name to “Steampunk Wolf,” which helped raise her profile with cosplayers (i.e., costumed players who use fashion accessories to represent a specific character). “Later, we also added some jewelry that fit out steampunk theme,” she said. “By the time we left Etsy and opened our website in 2014, we had been lucky enough to create gloves for Madonna, Carrie Underwood and other celebrities.” These days, the small shop focuses almost exclusively on its distinctive custom glove designs. “We hand make each order and will always custom size. So, if you are plus size or have a special need, like a scar to cover or medical issue like needing a hole for a tube, we are very willing to work with you,” explained Salbacka. “Many of our regular customers have a custom pattern created for them on file so they always get a good fit.” Like a glove!

Salbacka draws design inspiration from movies, books and other pop culture references. “Recently, some of the boys wanted ‘biker boy’ gloves, so we created a new kid-friendly style that is compliant. Our Harry Potter-inspired gloves became a shop favorite almost instantly. I love anything that is inspired by reading books and making something that brings out their imagination,” she shared. “We create gloves that are functional and last past a single use. Many of our kid reps have tested out gloves that held up to some pretty hard play and get outgrown, but not worn out. Our upcycled sock gloves sold out in our Etsy shop every time we listed a batch.”

Steampunk Wolf is gearing up now for Howl-ween! “This is one of my favorite times of year,” Salbacka exclaimed. “Last year, we did our first kids costumes officially and created 22 unique costumes. I personally reach out to everyone that orders and provide pictures, sketches and fabric swatch ideas to help them imagine what I can make a reality. I already have several in the works for this month, including Jasmine and Jessie from Toy Story. I don’t ‘copy’ Disney or other licensed characters but find a way to represent it that is original.”

Want to join the wolf pack? Shop for your own steampunk-inspired gloves and accessories on the shop’s website and join the Steampunk Wolf VIP group here for discounts and to secure a custom design spot.

“Summer loving had me a blast / Summer loving happened so fast” – Grease

My beach-loving, Florida boys live in bathing suits, so I am always on the lookout for colorful prints and stylish pieces that also shield them from the sweltering sun. Enter Peace.Love.Snugs. “I try and create fun and unique swimwear that no one else has,” said designer Jaclyn Blake. “But, you may not know that a lot of my designs are created last minute. My ‘Swim of the Week’ designs that release every Sunday are usually created Saturday night. I am a terrible planner and believe that in fashion, we need to be free and let things flow with how we feel that week.”

As a mom of two boys (like me!), Blake understands how swim trunks should fit active little people. My youngest has a blue and yellow banana swim set from Peace.Love.Snugs and it is the cutest. “I am lacking in the frilly girly department at home, but boy, do I have loads of it myself to make up for it,” she laughed. “I scroll through fabric suppliers and find pieces that I love and just design in my head as I go. I try to stick to a theme for every drop, but I am a little crazy and tend to go over the top with creating.” Beyond the weekly releases of swim leotards, two-piece bikinis, rash guards and Euro-style shorts, Peace.Love.Snugs also offers small shoppers printed skater skirts, skirted bummies, cardigans, bellbottom pants, crop tops and jogger shorts for kiddos. “I strive to make clothing kids love to wear due to the comfortable nature, but still stylish and fun that the parents love to put on their child instead of just a boring t-shirt and shorts,” explained Blake. Fabric prints move quickly through the shop, so if you see something you love, claim it quickly. “I change things up often in my shop. Prints tend to sell out faster than I would like. My favorite themes are animal print, unicorns and rainbows.” For Blake, her favorite part of the creation process is “turning a plain fabric into something unique and interesting. Creating something from the same exact fabrics other people have but mine being completely different. Really putting my creative juices to work.”

Blake launched Peace.Love.Snugs in August 2015. “I borrowed my mom’s sewing machine and took a trip to Joann’s and started creating! I created my own patterns for bibdanas and boho bibs and listed them on Etsy,” she recalled. “I originally intended to be a tie-dye swaddle shop. I feel like peace, love and snuggles totally embody tie-dye and blankets.” Turns out, Blake was not destined for baby blankets. “After doing my first run of blankets, I realized I didn’t like it all that much, but I had already fallen in love with the shop name so I decided to keep it as is.” Over the last four years, Blake has expanded beyond bibs and found success with her custom apparel designs. “Peace.Love.Snugs has become something I never imagined it would. Not only was I able to quit my full time management job to stay home with my boys, but I have also been able to support our family financially,” she shared. “I have also gained lifelong friendships with women I’ve never ‘met’ in real life. This community has taught me so many things and this brand has evolved me into a stronger, more confident woman.”

“Tell me more, tell me more.” Order your custom apparel through the Peace.Love.Snugs website this Labor Day weekend and join the shop’s VIP Facebook group here for sneak peaks of upcoming releases.

Hair scrunchies have come full circle since Carrie Bradshaw famously uttered that “no self-respecting New York City woman would be caught dead running around Manhattan in a scrunchie.” “I wanted to bring scrunchies back because it gives older women a reason to feel young again, reliving their childhood perhaps,” said Emily of small shop Top Knot Bae. “It is a trend that came back and the younger girls are loving it just as much as we did.” I mean, who doesn’t love a good messy mom bun accessory?

Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Top Knot Bae specializes in trendy scrunchies and hair ties, decidedly more high-style than their 1990’s predecessors. “While I was on maternity leave from work and I needed a hobby, I came up with the idea of making scrunchies and it became a passion for me,” Emily recalled. “I think the shop name Top Knot Bae means girls putting their hair up with my scrunchies and just being awesome.” Her throwback hair accessories are gentle on hair as a ponytail holder but also sufficiently stylish to be worn as a wristband. The shop features colorful fabric prints from local craft stores and Emily regularly accepts custom orders as well. “My favorite style is the ‘You’re a Sunflower’ print,” she shared. “It is also my best seller!” The super cute hair ties are perfect for all ages and practical for every day use.

Emily launched Top Knot Bae in May 2019. “Most shops use sewing machines to create their products. However, I hand make all of my scrunchies with love,” she shared proudly. “I have been getting a lot of great feedback over the past month and I even made over my sales goal and got to know a lot of people through Instagram.” Emily has also learned valuable lessons about running a new small shop. “Before having this shop, I was going through postpartum depression and this was definitely an outlet for me. One challenge I face day to day is dealing with all different types of customers, but the shop has made me open up to people and I have made a lot of friends so far.”

Top Knot Bae recently released a new collection of Mommy and Me turbans named after Emily’s newborn daughter, Skyla. Pick out your own popular ponytail holder on the Top Knot Bae Etsy shop here and follow the shop on Instagram for updates on new shop drops. Plus, use the code “thankyou1” to save 10% on your next purchase. Thanks Emily!

“So, the Labyrinth is a piece of cake, is it? Well, let’s see how you deal with this little slice…” – Labyrinth

“The shop name Lilith’s Labyrinth is very special to me because it is a nod to my daughter Lilith, but also a nod at life itself. Mental health has always been something I have tried to advocate for because I was diagnosed with postpartum depression after she was born,” explained Tricia Lynne Parker. “A labyrinth, in the classical sense, is a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way. To me, the labyrinth is a lovely representation of life. A five circuit Chartres labyrinth is the logo of Lilith’s Labyrinth and the background is an actual photo of the galaxy.” I love a good metaphor. 

Parker launched Lilith’s Labyrinth this summer after Lilith was born. “I have always sewn for myself and my kids,” she recalled. “A couple months ago, I designed a play hoodie for my son MJ that I now offer under my customs. I had so much fun creating this blue dragon outfit. I also loved being able to customize it for him. He has eczema, so I drafted cuffs that go just below his elbows to protect his little arms.” After experimenting with designs for her own kiddos, Parker set out to bring them to the small shop community. “I have had others ask me to make this or that, so I decided to do it all by the book. I researched consumer safety regulations, tax law and brushed up on my accounting, as I have a Bachelor’s degree in business from the UK.” The shop now focuses on small runs of bows, bummies, leggings, rompers, pocket t-shirts and hoodies for girls, boys and their mamas. “My favorite shop design at the moment is the raglan shirts. I love to color block and the sleeve style always brings a nice contrast to the bodice,” said Parker. “I only order small quantities and a large majority of my items are made to order or one of a kind. No two raglans are the same either. Sometimes, I will have fun and use multi-color thread or do a cover stitch design on the sleeves.”

Prior to opening, Parker spent a substantial amount of time handcrafting the actual patterns for Lilith’s Labyrinth. “I love being about to draft my own designs. The shop actually evolved from me wanting to sell my draft patterns to me focusing on the physical creation of products. I am a designer first and a seamstress second, to be honest,” she professed. “I also have created custom one-of-a-kind unicorn fabric. I do offer my fabric and pattern designs for sale, but I do not advertise them as such.” Her own experiences as a mom heavily influence the apparel designs as well. “I have been breastfeeding my daughter for months now and part of my goal as a shop owner is to provide customization for every mother through all stages of motherhood, be it from maternity to nursing to hiding that mom tum (that I totally still have),” she shared. “Inclusive wears and body positivity are something I pride myself in. I want to not only make bespoken clothing, but make the wearer feel that love and confidence too.” Speaking of inclusive, the gender neutral Lilith’s Labyrinth is a proud LGBTQ+ owned enterprise. “Most people don’t know that Lilith’s Labyrinth is LGBTQ+ owned and operated and that we are also a military family. I feel very privileged to be able to openly operate as part of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Parker is hard at work on custom orders in holiday prints (and just released an exclusive print in her VIP group), so check out the new shop on Facebook and Instagram and share your favorite style. Also, mention Small Shop Drop and save 10% on your first order. Thanks Tricia!

“If you want to destroy my sweater / Hold this thread as I walk away / Watch me unravel, I’ll soon be naked / Lying on the floor, lying on the floor, I’ve come undone” – Undone – The Sweater Song, Weezer

“I love to go to the thrift store and I love sweaters. I always found so many cool sweaters that were just not good for wearing, but they called to my heart in some way or another, whether it was the color or the softness or simply the work put into them. It seemed sad that they wouldn’t all get worn. I know it is ridiculous, but it made me sad,” Amanda Katzenmeyer shared. “I started buying them to unravel and use the yarn but my crochet skills are limited and so is my attention span, so that was a no go. I then thought I would make purses from them, but I am not really a purse person. The things I like are faces. They are all different and they all have such personality. I just wanted to make faces and personalities.”

Katzenmeyer is the chief sweater deconstructor and designer behind Oregon-based Sweet Poppy Cat, which handcrafts upcycled plush animals. “I love the fact that these creatures are inspired by the sweaters and I want the sweater to shine through. I don’t ever want it to look like it was just fabric from a bolt that anyone could buy yards and yards of,” she explained. “I like to incorporate the pockets, buttons, seams, really anything that let you know it was a sweater. If I come across a darned hole in a sweater, I like to incorporate that as well because a darned hole is a symbol of either love or thriftiness, both things that we need more of.” As a result of the creative materials involved, no two Sweet Poppy Cat plushes are ever identical. “I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that there are not really strict patterns involved. A lot of it is just doodling with scissors.”

Since 2009, the shop has created thousands of fuzzy friends, like dogs, bears, whales, sharks, monkeys, bunnies cuddle bugs, and of course, cats. “My favorite things to make are cats. I have just always been a cat person,” she said. “Probably the most popular design I ever made however was a pug. I have not made one in years though because I just got burned out on them. I made a pattern to make it easier and that took all the fun out of them.” Katzenmeyer’s cat companions inspired the shop name as well. “The name came from my sweet friend Poppy. He’s a very large lilac point Siamese that is sitting on my lap right now. He loves me so and I love him. He and his brothers, Rory and Toby are always handy, but not helpful,” she laughed.

Her favorite part of the design process is using color. “Whether that is a bright color or pale, unassuming color, it really doesn’t matter. I just love color,” Katzenmeyer exclaimed. “I spend way too much time sifting through my boxes and mountains of scraps finding what I think are just the right color combinations.” It is Sweet Poppy Cat’s mix of fun color combinations, warm fabrics and unique creations that help the small shop stand out. “I think that all handmade shops struggle to stand apart from one another.  I mean, one of a kind is always going to stand out as far as being unique, but getting the public to recognize and appreciate you is simply a matter of opinion,” said Katzenmeyer. “Over the years, I have had a lot of copycats, but I think none of those shops has become popular because a love of what you do, and doing what comes from your own head and not someone else’s, is always going to shine above the rest. At least, that is the hope.” I strongly agree with this.

Sweet Poppy Cat is active on social media, so check out all the sweater sweetness on Facebook and Instagram and don’t miss Katzenmeyer’s next Etsy shop drop here.

Clinical researchers and art therapists have touted the calming benefits of artistic design for adults for over a decade. Creating art allows us to explore our feelings, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and achieve mindfulness. “I have always loved art and lettering and stickers, and I have found that it is a very therapeutic thing to do that helps with my anxiety and depression,” explained Jess Pollard of Lettered by 28^th Ave.

Lettered by 28^th Ave. creates unique stickers and labels for small shops and shoppers. “I had just closed down my kids clothing shop and I launched this business about two months after closing,” Pollard recalled. “The shop name does not really have a true symbolic meaning at all. I was born on the 28th and it is my favorite number. I thought it would be cool to make it after my favorite number.” Since opening this year, Lettered by 28^th Ave. has designed hundreds of different decals. “My absolute favorite sticker design at the moment (because it changes a lot) is my floral ‘Thank You for Shopping Small’ sticker,” she exclaimed. “The colors are all so beautiful and all of the floral elements were arranged by hand. It is definitely one that took awhile to create.”

The small shop allows Pollard to flex her creative muscle (“I love having total creative freedom”). Virtually all of the sticker designs incorporate her original designs. “I do not typically use preexisting clip art or fonts in my designs, and when or if I do, it is very minimal,” said Pollard. “All of my designs are hand lettered and hand drawn by me. So, it is more than just finding a pretty clip art file and typing up words to make a sticker. Each design takes me hours, if not days, to create because of the true hand lettered and drawn nature.” She finds design inspiration all over. “Any and everything can spark that creativity.” For small shops, Pollard prints custom hangtags and sheets of “Thank You” packaging stickers (I love the “Thanks a Melon” watermelon labels). Plus, she is currently working on releasing monthly sticker boxes for small shoppers. The first boxes will include different sticker sheets and additional items from other small shops, all centered on a “self care” theme (naturally). “I have only been open for a few months and I have already grown so much. I have the best clients ever. I cannot wait to see where this journey takes me.”

What else can we expect from Lettered by 28^th Ave. this month? “More machines for printing and lots of new designs for stickers. Every month, I will be adding new products, so I am super excited about that!” Take a look at all the current designs (or request your own custom sticker sheets) in the Lettered by 28^th Ave. VIP Facebook group or in Pollard’s Etsy shop here.