Small Business Saturday inspired me to write a post featuring some of my favorite local businesses! Although I do enjoy big box stores and our favorite online retailers as much as most folks, it is great to support local businesses, artists, and restaurants. Spending some of your money with these folks helps to support your local economy and improve your community! I encourage you to try shopping from some small businesses around you for the holiday season. If you're in the St. Louis, Missouri and surrounding area, here are some of my favorite places for holiday gifts!

Restoration Alley DIY Studio and Handmade Market located in Ellisville, features a variety of handmade items from local crafters. You can also sign up for classes in their studio, with projects for all ages.

LotusColour offers a variety of handmade and custom clothing for yoga, festival-wear, performance, and more. Check out their super soft fabric and unique designs! 

Binx Ceramic is the best place for super sweet ceramic creations! Find Binx at a variety of local craft fairs, and stop by the open house on the 21st!

The Tiny Hedgehog offers a selection of handmade baby & toddler clothing, featuring adorable fabrics and trendy designs.  Pick up something fun for the tot on your list!

Riley Construction offers modern handmade rag dolls and stuffed animals. Her plush mermaids are the cutest!

Bright Idea Toys located in Town & Country has a great selection of the newest, popular, and educational toys. They also have lots of fun events (they even hosted us, and our friend Mermaid Waterlily last month!), and they also offer gift-wrapping in store!

I Dream to Be written by local author Rebecca T. Clark encourages readers to use imagination by dreaming of different occupations.

The Sleep Catcher by local author Za Goodbrake is a captivating wordless tale about a young girl's dreamy quest to fall asleep.

Kind Soap Company in Webster Groves offers natural skin care, and other scented goodies! I just recently tried a few items from this shop, and love them!

Jewelry by Michele Mohr offers beautiful handcrafted enamel jewelry. What a decadent gift one of her pieces would make!

St. Louis and the surrounding area is really becoming a restaurant city! There are so many delicious choices, and I love that many are locally-owned. Here are a few places I frequent: Lulu's Local Eatery, Candici's, Tree House, Kakao Chocolate, and Sarah's Cake Shop.

If you're looking to find a variety of handmade items, check out one of the many holiday markets this month! Visit our event page for a current list of ones we're attending.

Kiwi birds are the cutest! These adorable, plump birds are native to New Zealand, and are unable to fly. Kiwis have a very long bill with nostrils at the end, which helps these nocturnal birds forage for food on the ground. Find our top 5 kiwi bird gifts below!

1. This adorable Kiwi Bird Magnet.
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2. This colorful Kiwi Bird Pillow.
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3. This funny ​Kiwi Bird T-Shirt.
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​4. This whimsical Kiwi Bird Art Print.

5. This funny Kiwi Bird Card.

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5. This coloring book featuring lots of woodland animals.

Disclosure: Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Six Holiday Gift Ideas for the Animal Lover:
1. A cute hedgehog art print bring a little woodland fun to their wall. ($9.00)
2. A kiwi bird stationery set, complete with stickers. ($8.00)
3. An Aquatic Coloring Book for some underwater sketching. ($6.50)
4. An original sea otter watercolor illustration for a playful gift. ($50.00)
5. An adorable holiday mouse greeting card. ($3.50)
​6. Six fun woodland animal postcards for sending or keeping. ($7.50)

Here are five fun ways to dress up small gifts, or hand out Valentines! Use our mini Valentine cards or any other small Valentines you might find for these projects.

12 of our favorite animal Valentines!

Wrinkly Turtles Card from Kate's Paperie
Narwhal Love postcard by likeit
Frogs in Love Card by CuteAnimalArtShop
You're a Fox Cards by Rifle Paper Co.
I'm Sticking with You card by dudeandchick
Ladybug Love Cards by OctopusLove Designs
Sloth Valentine Cards by OctopusLove Designs
Bird in a Heart card by QuillandFeatherTales
You Octopi My Thoughts card from MyZoetrope
Hedgehog Valentine by MonicaLewArt
Dinosaur Love Card by colonelle
Penguin Valentine Cards from The Inky Octopus

Disclosure: Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.