5 Ways to #ShopSmall

On these weekly Friday Five posts, I tend to share a little of everything. In my brainstorming journal, yes, I still prefer taking pen to paper, I try to stick to a template. The list includes, current buys/fashion, current life, kid related, eauty and the fifth being either current life, beauty, fashion or fitness.

This week, I wanted to share the top 5 companies that deserve a little shoutout. Three of the five are local San Diego companies, but all are women run, if not owned and operated. Please support them. If you are shopping right now, totally get it, but give them a follow or a little shoutout on your social media. As always, thank you for spreading kindness and being here!

South Harlow

I met Erika, of all places, on Instagram. After buying our new home, we knew we wanted to work with a professional to help us make the new house a home and look like it. The first chat with Erika, we totally vibed. A couple of minutes into the call, she said, “Now I have to be totally honest, I’m due in a week.” I love her Instagram feed and energy, plus, I tend to drag my feet on big decisions, so I was ok to wait! I told her, “If you don’t mind taking me on, I don’t mind!”

Our first meeting in person discussing everything, we were both breastfeeding on the sofa, and put together random similarities. She went to college the same years I did, at a college in Dallas, whereas I was in Fort Worth. Her husband and mine were in the same fraternity, different campuses. Hunter is a family name for both of us. Our birthday are almost a month apart to the day, etc. etc. etc.

Since our first meeting in 2017, she has grown super successful. Her feed is beyond worth the follow and is drool worthy. I keep buying Loto tickets to have an unlimited budget so she can have her way with my home and would love a kitchen remodel with a South Harlow touch. Erika’s team has grown and everyone she brings into her company is someone you would want in your home. I have referred South Harlow to countless friends and love to spy and stalk on IG to see how Erika and her team are able to keep a similar chic and clean aesthetic with still keeping each person’s home space their own.

She launched South Harlow Home a year ago, almost to the day, where you can buy home goods. This is, not only the perfect way to support San Diego, women and shopping small, but if you aren’t doing a remodel or redecorating anytime soon, you can have a little touch of South Harlow in your home.

{see our home in South Harlow’s portfolio and the feature in San Diego Magazine}

Instagram: @southharlow || @southharlowhome

Website: www.southaharlow.com

How to Shop: shop.southharlow.com

Copafina

Copafina is a wine importer and distributor who, pre Covid, was working exclusively with restaurants and bars. Post Covid, Shelbi, who used to room with one of my dearest high school friends in college, started to curate special cases and half cases of wine for personal shipments and local San Diego deliveries. Let me tell you from a wino, I have never tasted a collection like hers! I have received two deliveries, with every bottle knocking my socks off. I was able to pick my varietals (2/3 bold reds, mostly Spanish, 1/3 light whites and champagnes}, and price that I wanted to pay and I let her run wild. This is 1,000% something that I will be keeping up post social distancing.

Copafina is launching their wine club where you get a shipment every other month with 15% off re orders or more orders. BRB…off to set mine up now!

Instagram: @copafina

Website: www.copafina.com

How to Shop: www.copafina.com/wineclub

The Butterfly Social

Arielle has the most amazing business with the uber on trend beaded bracelets from The Butterfly Social. She has made me probably over 20 items, both for myself and gifts. My favorites are her rings and the personalized 14K gold filled beaded bracelets for me and my kids with their names on them. {I probably wear the tiny gold ones the most, as seen here.}

Arielle shared that this is her best seller, but I love stalking her instagram feed to get ideas of what she can do. You can order directly from her website, or DM her with screenshot or ideas on her Instagram.

***She is offering 15% off with code Hunter15.***

When I reached out to her to let her know about this post, she was super generous with this promotion, so spread some love, shop small and treat yourself! {+ girl power. How often can you do all those things together?!?}

Instagram: @thebutterflysocial

Website: www.thebutterflysocial.com

How to Shop: www.thebutterflysocial.com Or DM her on IG!

Desert Dyes

Weeks and weeks ago, {read: at the start of quarantine}, I thought I was being original with a sudden and obsessive onset of tie dye needs. I search “tie dye” in the search bar of all my favorite and frequented online retailers, not finding anything I loved. Finally coming up with the amazing idea to check Etsy, I immediately found, and feel in love with Desert Dyes. Not only are the tie dyes the best, literally THE. BEST. that I’ve seen, but Lo is beyond a pleasure to work with.

Lo resides in Utah and owns and operates Desert Dyes from her home. She became so popular during quarantine, that she had to shut down her shop for almost two weeks. Now, she releases sweat sets every Tuesday and Thursday, custom making each one. I got this one, asking her to add some navy. She created the most perfect tie dye, that you’ve seen on my IG feed countless times. Lo recently added more products and has given me some exciting news the bike shorts are coming soon!

Lo makes every set herself, with family occasionally helping, promising that she loves custom orders! Since I wear my set all the time, I just ordered this last week. The navy is so different than the pink that I have, and Lo says it is a store best seller, but now, I find myself thinking I might need a set with orange in it next… {hey Siri, please google “how to stop a tie dye addiction.”}

Instagram: @desert.dyes

Website: HERE

How to Shop: HERE

Sew Cal Masks

Sew Cal jumped into the face masking business long before everyone else was doing it and it was a “normal” part of daily life. They are a family owned and operated business that is an offset of Venley, a t-shirt company. Located, owned and operate in Los Angeles, CA, you are shopping small and supporting Souther California businesses.

I have ordered countless shipments and shared with friends, family and deliver persons that are using inadequate masks or their t-shirts or scarves. They recently launched kids and these are the only mask I can get my kids to wear.