{Local Gift Giving Guide} State of Indiana

are you ready for this upcoming season of giving? i guess it is really time to start getting ready for family gatherings and winter gifts!

something i love to do for the holiday season is give my favorite locally made goods to my loved ones. often times family members get excited about specific brands and makers and ask tons of questions. it makes it fun for me and i think it is once again a great way to support the businesses in our own communities!

today i'm sharing about Indiana made gift ideas! I was super inspired about the gifting possibilities during our summer visit to Bloomington, Indiana... so I remembered a few great places to share with you here on the blog! {no special treatment or compensation for mentioning these businesses or products on my blog}


+ local foods
every place has their favorite foods! what about a gift card to a local orchard, an independent restaurant or mom + pop bakery? or are you a canner? could you pull from your personal jarred up stash?

We really enjoyed eating at FARM {click here for their website} + grabbing burgers at Upland Brewing Co. {website here} in Bloomington. I think I'd like to try Late Harvest Kitchen the next time we head to Indianapolis {website here}.

If you decide to eat at FARM you can also try their FARM market while you are there {link here}. Or pick up locally roasted coffee beans from Hopscotch Coffee {click here}

+ handmade items and independent stores
someone on your list need a new tshirt? handmade ceramic mug? a tote bag for dance class? some new stationary? try a shop that focuses on supporting makers from your area.

a few of the favorite shops we hit up while in bloomington...

By Hand Gallery {link to artist collaborative here}

The Green Nursery {link to independent shop here}

Gather :handmade shoppe & Co: {link to handmade shoppe here}

and don't forget you can always do a quick search on etsy to support makers from all over during their best selling time of the year!


+ long time local favorites
you know the mom + pop store that everyone has loved for years. yes, you can make a gift of that... how about a couple bottles of wine from Oliver Winery {link here}? I know a few people who have loved getting such goodies from me in the past!


okay, so this is where i need your help! do you have a favorite Indiana made present you like to give? do you have a favorite way to support local while shopping for your holiday gifts? write in the comments and let me know!


happy gifting!

::this post was originally shared on slow, simple, self in november 2015::

{Local Gift Giving Guide} State of Ohio

hello thoughtful gifters, are you ready for this upcoming season of giving? i can't believe that it is almost time for the holidays!

something i love to do for the holiday season is give my favorite locally made goods to my loved ones. often times family members get excited about specific brands and makers and ask tons of questions. it makes it fun for me and i think it is once again a great way to support the businesses in our own communities!

today i'm sharing about Ohio gift ideas! {please note that this post has many links that take you directly to Ohio businesses. i am intrigued by these businesses and have received nothing for putting them in my blog post.}

+ local foods
every place has their favorite foods! what about a gift card to a local orchard, brewery, an independent restaurant or mom + pop bakery?

Carillon Brewery Co. in Carillon Historical Park in Dayton.
Wheat Penny Oven & Bar in Dayton.
Sunrise Cafe in Yellow Springs.
Wildflower Cafe in Mason.
Skillet near German Village.
Wolf's Ridge Brewing in Columbus.
Casa Nueva in Athens.
Ale House 1890 in Lancaster.
Fowl and Fodder in Toledo.
Cleveland Independents ::MANY places to eat on this link, i might make a personal quest to eat at each place:: around Cleveland area.

or could you find a holiday style treat at a public market? i love picking up local granola, honey or maple syrup to gift. there are many places to shop...

North Market in Columbus.
Second Street Market in Dayton.
West Side Market in Cleveland.
Findlay Market in Cincinnati.

are you a canner? could you pull from your personal jarred up stash? or pick something up from one of these stores... you might want to pick up some spices or chocolates to gift too!

Ashery Country Store in Fredricksburg.
Dorothy Lane Market in the greater Dayton area.
Mustard Seed Market & Cafe in North East Ohio area.

+ handmade items
someone on your list need a new tshirt? handmade ceramic mug? a tote bag for dance class? some new stationary? try a shop or pop up market that focuses on supporting makers from your area.

5th Street Arcades in Cleveland.
Crafty Mart in Akron.
Celebrate Local in the Easton Shopping Center in Columbus.
Urban Handmade in Yellow Springs.
Miami Valley Pottery in Yellow Springs.

and don't forget you can always do a quick search on etsy to support makers from all over during their best selling time of the year!


+ long time local favorites
you know the mom + pop store that everyone has loved for years. yes, you can make a gift of that... just some creative brainstorming and you can make a themed gift basket out of anything! {movie night in with a red box gift card and local snacks, a salsa gift basket with a few salsas and locally made tortilla chips... sounds pretty great to me!}

Ohio is pretty stocked when it comes to historical favorites of the donut and snack food variety...

Becker's Donuts in Lorain.
Bill's Donuts in Centerville {um, open 24 hours.}.
Mikesell's Potato Chips in Dayton.
Grippo's Snacks in Cincinnati.


okay, so this is where i need your help! do you have a favorite Ohio made present you like to give? what other states would you like to see a Local Gift Giving Guide created for? write in the comments and let us know!

happy holiday shopping!

::{Local Gift Giving Guide} State of Ohio was originally posted in november 2015 on slow, simple, self::

{Local Gift Giving Guide} How to Give Locally Made Gifts

hello folks, are you ready for this upcoming season of giving? i can't believe that it is almost time for thinking about the holidays!

something i love to do for the holiday season is give my favorite locally made goods to my loved ones. often times family members get excited about specific brands and makers and ask tons of questions. it makes it fun for me and i think it is once again a great way to support the businesses in our own communities!

i thought this would be a perfect time to consider how to give locally made gifts. here are a few tips i have for you...

+ local foods
every place has their favorite foods! i am sure in every city there is a favorite bakery or even a few independent restaurants... we like to snag a few gift cards for our friends + family.

check out a local market that carries independent + local foods. we make at least one trip over to North Market each year in Columbus. even more locally we like to shop at the Second Street Market in Dayton a few times each season. sometimes the hours of operation can be tricky but make a fun outing - grab breakfast and holiday shop on a Saturday morning!

when considering local food one could also create a darling gift from canned goods. i'm talking pretty in the jar goods that either you or someone else thoughtfully put in the jar themselves. our local orchard carries tons of great jellies and jams and we've been known to gift Ohio maple syrup or my very own apple butter.

+ clothing or other handmade items
of course i am a huge fan of shopping {etsy.com}. supporting makers from all over is very important to me. so i totally believe that if you are looking for something particular and you want a quality made item you could easily find someone on etsy making a wonderful product. that is an avenue worth pursuing. you might also want to find out if you have a local store that supports many makers in your area - many of the makers might even have their own etsy store as well. i've mentioned it before but i like shopping at celebrate local in the easton shopping center in columbus if we are in the area. Or the ever reliable urban handmade in yellow springs {they opened a new location over the summer and it looks super great - check it out!}. shops like these often have t-shirts, bags, winter gloves, gorgeous pottery and other usable goods that might make you think of someone on your list.

+ long time local favorites
you know the mom + pop store that everyone has loved for years. yes, you can make a gift of that... around my home state we have a serious love of potato chips and donuts... i'm sure we can create a cute gift basket out of such goodies.


okay, so this is where i need your help! i have loads of ideas for Ohio made gifts and will be telling you more about that next week. what other states would you like to see a Local Gift Giving Guide? or do you have a favorite way to support local while shopping for your holiday gifts? write in the comments and let me know!

what state do you want to see a Local Gift Giving Guide for?

::this post is an update from november 2015::

Mama Hood Mondays {Local Love Edition - Mama & Bean}

Good morning!

Over the weekend I was given a sweet little surprise of an early baby shower gift from some dear ones who are not able to make our upcoming celebration. And you know what... the gesture and the quality of the gift just blew me away! 

I'm talking about Mama & Bean Handcrafted Skin Care products! Yes! So far I'm loving the Gentle Body Butter {safe for pregnant and/or nursing mamas and those teeny babies!}! It left my skin so soft and smooth after only one application. I think I'll start basking in it basically daily... so heavenly!

And I can't wait to try out the diaper cream on our little one... well, I can wait, because diapers + rashes... but the reviews are awesome so I think it will be a perfect go-to product when needed;)

So go ahead and check out this personal care amazingness from Granville, Ohio. Kate seems to update their Facebook and/or Instagram feeds when she is going to sales + pop up markets, or restocking local suppliers. I know I'll be watching when it comes time for some holiday shopping!

Have a great start to the week!

::Please note that this post is entirely of my thoughts. I did not receive any gifts or any prompting to promote this specific product or brand from the maker. This blog series is to celebrate the great products that are made in my home state of Ohio. The photos on this post are mine. ::

{Local Gift Giving Guide} How to Give Locally Made Gifts

hello folks, are you ready for this upcoming season of giving? i can't believe that it is almost time for the holidays!

something i love to do for the holiday season is give my favorite locally made goods to my loved ones. often times family members get excited about specific brands and makers and ask tons of questions. it makes it fun for me and i think it is once again a great way to support the businesses in our own communities!

i thought this would be a perfect time to consider how to give locally made gifts. here are a few tips i have for you...

+ local foods
every place has their favorite foods! i am sure in every city there is a favorite bakery or even a few independent restaurants... we like to snag a few gift cards for our friends + family.

check out a local market that carries independent + local foods. we make at least one trip over to North Market each year in Columbus. even more locally we like to shop at the Second Street Market in Dayton a few times each season. sometimes the hours of operation can be tricky but make a fun outing - grab breakfast and holiday shop on a Saturday morning!

when considering local food one could also create a darling gift from canned goods. i'm talking pretty in the jar goods that either you or someone else thoughtfully put in the jar themselves. our local orchard carries tons of great jellies and jams and we've been known to gift Ohio maple syrup or my very own apple butter.

+ clothing or other handmade items
of course i am a huge fan of shopping {etsy.com}. supporting makers from all over is very important to me. so i totally believe that if you are looking for something particular and you want a quality made item you could easily find someone on etsy making a wonderful product. that is an avenue worth pursuing. you might also want to find out if you have a local store that supports many makers in your area - many of the makers might even have their own etsy store as well. i've mentioned it before but i like shopping at celebrate local in the easton shopping center in columbus if we are in the area. Or the ever reliable urban handmade in yellow springs. shops like these often have t-shirts, bags, winter gloves, gorgeous pottery and other usable goods that might make you think of someone on your list.

+ long time local favorites
you know the mom + pop store that everyone has loved for years. yes, you can make a gift of that... around my home state we have a serious love of potato chips and donuts... i'm sure we can create a cute gift basket out of such goodies.


okay, so this is where i need your help! i have loads of ideas for Ohio made gifts and will be telling you more about that on wednesday. what other states would you like to see a Local Gift Giving Guide? or do you have a favorite way to support local while shopping for your holiday gifts? write in the comments and let me know!

what state do you want to see a Local Gift Giving Guide for?

Local Love {HOMAGE - Ohio}

so folks, i'm pretty excited about a recent tee purchase. that's right - i splurged on a long sleeve columbus crew tee. it comes from the ohio clothing company 'homage' a cool company making quality, interesting clothing for all types of fans.

i can't wait to wear this to the next soccer game i head to columbus for... oh and i think my next purchase is going to be the Saved by the Bell tshirt. Yes, definitely, yes.

If you are shopping for something fun check out their store locations {two in Columbus and one store in Cincinnati}. Three stores with a four location coming soon!


::Please note that this post is entirely of my thoughts. I did not receive any gifts or any prompting to promote this specific product or brand. This blog series is to celebrate the great products that are made in my home state of Ohio. The photos on this post are mine. ::

Local Love (Spotted Cow Paper :: Columbus, Ohio)

hey friends! i thought i would share a little fun greeting card that i picked up for my sister's birthday this summer. 

when i heard of the spotted cow paper fill in the blank greeting cards i thought it was really a clever idea. then when i learned that the makers are sisters - it solidified that i needed a card from those sisters for my dear sister!

 

super sweet + fun. just like my sis. it was perfect + she loved it!

i will definitely remember them when shopping for a fun card for the next big occasion!

::Please note that this post is entirely of my thoughts. I did not receive any gifts or any prompting to promote this specific product or brand. This blog series is to celebrate the great products that are made in my home state of Ohio. The photos on this post are mine. ::

Local Love: The Toasted Oat {Columbus, Ohio}

A real treat of a post today, folks.

I'm sharing about a little bit of sweet that I just plain love!

Yes! Ohio made granola by The Toasted Oat is a darling treat for yourself. The perfect topping for yogurt. Or a really great gift idea! 

It is soft, chewy and sweet. Entirely gluten free and this granola comes in four delicious flavors! {Peanut+Raisin; White Chocolate+Macadamia; Blueberry+Flax; Cashew+Apricot}   

I love the little canister and now I'm so excited that it is being sold in Kroger Stores in Ohio. I typically try to buy the most local items that I can and sometimes I shop at big box stores {I am guilty of a relaxing trip to Target at least once a month!} so when I find local goodies at those bigger-store chains I am sure to purchase and support their choice in keeping those local brands in stock. {I suppose it is still best to purchase as direct as possible, but supporting local options in those big box stores helps your favorite makers/bakers/farmers supply their specialty goods to even more people!}

My favorite granola from The Toasted Oat is White Chocolate+Macadamia... taste it and you won't be surprised that it is!
::Please note that this post is entirely of my thoughts. I did not receive any gifts or any prompting to promote this specific product or brand. This blog series is to celebrate the great products that are made in my home state of Ohio. The photos on this post are mine. ::

Local Love: Nature's Magic {Athens, Ohio}

Have you been doing some spring-dreaming {+ spring-cleaning}?! Well, I have. I am starting to get that itch for sunshine, hikes, and planting.

It is still winter in Ohio, so I decided that the best thing I can do is clean. 
From decluttering + organizing crafty craziness to dusting the windowsills... I've been busy! 
 After scrubbing the stove-top yesterday I thought - I really should tell someone about this great cleaning product I'm using! It happens to be Ohio Made and squeaky clean!

Last time we were in Columbus we stopped by Celebrate Local and I picked up a bottle of Nature's Magic Deep Clean. To be honest it was a bit of an impulse purchase. What sold me? It was made by the company Nature's Magic which is located in Athens, Ohio and it was well presented {both in the store display and in the overall look of the packaging}. The cleaner is very eco-friendly with completely safe ingredients {think essential oils, castile soap + grapefruit seed extract}. And since cleaning spray is pretty useful... I decided it was okay to splurge. 

Of course I got it home and found that I really liked cleaning with the spray. It comes out of the bottle nicely, no drips during storage and things are fresh + lovely when I'm done. It ends with a sweet scent that I really do enjoy. I typically clean with a multi-purpose spray that I make at home, but every few scrubbings {especially in the kitchen} I find that I want a little something stronger - that is when I grab the DEEP CLEAN bottle from Nature's Magic. I found that it was worth the investment and Nature's Magic gets things done when I have a bit more mess to clean up {think stove top after a major Sunday cooking session}.  I am trusting that this bottle will last several seasons since I do not use it daily. But they carry a multi-surface cleaner if you need a daily cleaner with simple + safe cleaning agents. 


Looking forward to spring this year, but for now my soon-to-welcome spring cleaning will just have to do!

::Please note that this post is entirely of my thoughts. I did not receive any gifts or any prompting to promote this specific product or brand. This blog series is to celebrate the great products that are made in my home state of Ohio. The photos on this post are mine. ::

Local Love: Hen Pen Paper Co {Columbus, Ohio}

Oh dear friends! I have to tell you. I'm a bit giddy. 

About these darling winter-love greeting cards I've found. 

See it started with not finishing my winter holiday cards... and realizing that I didn't want to lose sleep or happiness level when it came time for this year's holiday celebrations. So I decided it was okay. 

It was okay to just stop. I would stop where I was and send a different winter wishes card to my friends and family who had not received a card from me yet. I would write them a card that didn't connect with any specific December holiday. I surely was not able to meet that deadline. 

I hoped for a greeting card that could share a little winter wish or pass for a simple valentine. You know, incase I could not finish writing all my notes prior to mid-February {procrastination meets practical, if you will}.

And Hen Pen Paper Co. provided just that! I love these sweet cards and wanted to share my excitement with all of you. 

These beautiful {blank inside} cards are assembled in Columbus, Ohio and printed in the great U.S. of A.! They are four and a half inches by six and a half inches and are printed on 100% recycled white cardstock {80 lb for you cardstock lovers out there}. Included in the purchase, of course - recycled kraft paper envelopes. 

My experience was great with Hen Pen Paper Co. and look forward to checking them out for other stationary needs. Because, truth be told - I'm a sucker for sweet, paper + local!

::Please note that this post is entirely of my thoughts. I did not receive any gifts or any prompting to promote this specific product or brand. This blog series is to celebrate the great products that are made in my home state of Ohio. The photos on this post are mine. ::

Living an Intentionally Local Lifestyle

Hello Friends! Have you been over to the actual blog to see all the changes around here? {If not, please click away:: here} You probably can tell that I've been thinking, reorganizing and giving even more thought to what my current direction of this little space is.... I realized that I wanted to give more attention to my intentional lifestyle and some of the daily work that I'm doing for myself, my home, and my family.

For years we've been simplifying. For years we've been focusing on "local" - local food, local goods, local entertainment -heck, even local brews! Some of these thoughts, trials, and triumphs have been what inspired me to start blogging! So I want to bring some focus to these thoughts once more.

This year I have a huge hope and goal to make even more local choices than I have in the past. I'm thinking about what is in our lives daily and there are still so many things that I can make myself that I'm not as of yet. Or different needs that can be met from a source that is more local to my home. {Of course there isn't something "more local" than what you create, grow, or supply yourself or on your own land - but that might be for a different post}.

If desiring to live a more local lifestyle one should make choices and use resources based on what is available locally.  It can be entirely manageable - just start small and see what is comfortable to you. Every little bit can be something positive! Think about a little something you can do today. What could you make yourself {laundry soap, ketchup or jam}? Or what is something you don't need that you know comes from somewhere far off + away? 

I'm excited to consider these topics here on the blog and get into sharing a few tips and ideas of living a more local lifestyle!