Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Happy Small Business Owner's Day! Giveaway with Campfire Chic!

Hey guys! The amaaaaaaaaazing Kam from Campfire Chic has generously offered to host a giveaway on my blog to help celebrate Small Business Owner's Day! How awesome is that? She is not only hosting a giveaway, but she also has a challenge for you guys to do. I'm so happy to be sharing this blog post with you guys, it's amazing! Thanks so much Kam!

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Happy Small Business Owners Day!

It's Kam from Campfire Chic again :) Today, I'm here to celebrate Small Business Owners Day with you...and do a giveaway! I know you heard from me only a few short weeks ago, but I just can't help myself! I love this project and think Holly is nuts a genius for taking it on.

So, Small Business Owners Day is also known as Mom & Pop Business Owners Day, and it celebrates all the little guys out there :) Yes, from the cute diner down the road, and the hardware store on Main Street, to the online marketplace seller.

Holly usually posts about how she celebrates the day. I'm doing that, AND issuing you a challenge, PLUS hosting a giveaway for all you small business owners, or those looking to own a small business one day!

Here's your challenge: Project 3/50. 

Essentially, the challenge is to visit 3 local, independently owned shops in your town (or online, or wherever you happen to be) and spend $50 at these stores. I don't mean $150, I mean $50 total for the month. You know you can do it.

Here are some ways I do the 3/50 Project:
Latte art. Taken at Kaffa in Orange, CA
 Skip the mega-coffee shop...
...and stop in at your local cafe in the morning to grab your favorite beverage. While the price may be a few cents more than the mega-store, you're helping your community...heck, you may just fall in love with the comfy chairs, smiling faces, and latte art that you'll stop in a few times that month. Total: $20

Le boyfriend settling in between the stacks at Bookman in Orange, CA
 Close your laptop and head to the local bookstore.
I'm talking about the stores named Spellbinder and Pages in Time, not ones that have a giant section just for 'New Teen Paranormal Romance' (it's an actual section, apparently). As soon as you walk in, you know you're in a totally different world. Books aren't stacked neatly, there is a trade-in program, and all the books have that smell...the smell of books that are well-loved and waiting to be adopted by another owner. You won't have to pay for shipping, so let's say the total comes to $10

Taken in 2009 at Vista Farmer's Market in Vista, CA

Farmer's Market. 
Do I really need to elaborate on this one? The strawberries you buy from the supermarket are only good for one, maybe two days. The ones from the farmer's market last longer, are generally larger, and have a smaller eco-footprint considering they most likely came from within driving distance. Let's say you pick up a bouquet of fresh flowers, grab a sweet crepe to snack on while you walk around, splurge on a basil plant, and grab a jar of wildflower honey. You're looking at about $20-$30!

Wait, am I doing my math correctly? Did you just spend $50-$60?! Yep, Mr. Calculator doesn't lie, just stimulated your local economy while finding a great new place to meet your girlfriends on Saturday morning, scoring something to read on your lunch break, and shopping for some essentials. Look at you.

Now that you took the challenge, why not dive into the exciting world of being a small business owner?


One of the first things I did after opening my shop was purchase The Handmade Marketplace. I think it is a great resource and I still pull it out and glance through it for answers/inspiration. I'm not ready to part with my copy, so I bought a second one to give away to one lucky winner!

To enter:
  1. Let us know what local shops in your town you love supporting!  (1 entry)
  2. Check out Kam's blog Campfire Chic & make sure you're following it!  Leave her a comment to say hi! (2 entries)
  3. Follow Holly Knitlightly.  (1 entry)
  4. Follow Kam & moi on twitter. (1 entry)
  5. Tweet about this giveaway!  Feel free to use this:
    Celebrate Small Business Owner's Day with @CampfireChic & @Hllly and get the chance to win an awesome giveaway!  http://bit.ly/fMsNgf
  6. Leave a comment with a random fact about yourself!  (1 entry.  Haha I can never get enough of these!)
You can leave a new comment for every time you enter!  Good luck to everyone!  And thanks again Kam for writing this awesome post! 
Posted by Holly Knitlightly at 12:01 AM
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75 comments:

  1. i LOVE supporting the boutique shops in my town (kansas city), one of my faves is amelia's!! wow, this is such a cool holiday!!! yay handmade! :)

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  2. i do follow you girl!! i could totally use this book since i'm doing my first craft fair this thursday and another possibly this summer!! :)

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  3. left her a comment and of course i follow her! :)

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  4. and i tweeted!! :)

    http://twitter.com/#!/sandyalamode/status/52586369196888064

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  5. following campfire chic!

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  6. following your blog too :) thanks for the giveaway!

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  7. I am in Tempe AZ and I support Changing Hands bookstore!

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  8. One of my favourite places to eat when I'm out in town is this little veggie baked potato shop. It's amazing because you get like 3x the portion you would in a chain and it just tastes amazing. Love it. Whenever it's sunny I'm straight up there :D

    Kim Hutton
    wicked_sister69@hotmail.com

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  9. Folling Campfire Chic

    Kim Hutton
    wicked_sister69@hotmail.com

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  10. Following Holly Knitlightly

    Kim Hutton
    wicked_sister69@hotmail.com

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  11. Following you both on twitter

    wickedsister69

    Kim Hutton
    wicked_sister69@hotmail.com

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  12. Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/#!/wickedsister69/status/52669080657862656

    Kim Hutton
    wicked_sister69@hotmail.com

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  13. Random fact....hmmm....I can pick a lot of things up with my toes. It freaks my boyfriend out. He thinks I have finger toes :P.

    Kim Hutton
    wicked_sister69@hotmail.com

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  14. I love the local farmer's markets and go all the time. I also love this little hidden treasure called Persimmon Hollow that you may have seen mentioned on my blog that is a bunch of local shops and I support all local craft fairs!

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  18. random fact - I can't think of anything super fun right now. I crave donuts far more than any other sweet thing.

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  19. Pretty much all of the shops at our local Farmer's Market are my favorite. Hoping to sell there this year!

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  21. Following you now as well :]

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  22. I follow you both on Twitter!

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  23. I tweeted: http://bit.ly/hBM9Qi

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  24. And a random fact: I'm getting married in Jamaica next month!

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  25. I love our local farmers market and our little bagel place!!
    xo

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  26. I follow Kam's blog via GFC!!
    xo

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  27. I follow your blog, of course!! ;)
    xo

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  28. I follow you both on twitter!!
    xo

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  29. random fact:: I am allergic to stress.
    xo

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  30. I support the local Flea Market, where there are over 60 stall holders all small business owners. :)

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  31. Locally, I love to support the local consignment store & a super cool restaurant. Small towns are giving way to big box stores & fast food, so I try my hardest to keep the locals around!

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  32. Recently the subject of moving came up in my home. Right now, we live in Puyallup (tiny little farming town south of Seattle) and we discussed where we'd move if we did. Finally it was decided despite the 120 mile commute I do to and from work every day that we'd stay in Puyallup because we love it there so much. Farmer's Market, the Antique District (5 double decker antique stores = heaven), the produce stands, the local book shops, the coffee houses, the wine shop, the pizza house, the breweries, Rose's Diner, our favorite little mexican place, Bagel Boys (literally a group of 5 guys from highschool living their dream!).

    This place has too much to ever consider leaving it, no matter how far outside of it I have to travel. We're even considering buying a home here eventually.

    Now that I've started my own business, I really feel a sense of pride that I am literally surrounded by a group of people that saw the same starting line I did. And look how far they've gone, covering main street and meridian with all their success and support.

    Great post Kam, thanks so much for sharing!

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  33. (sorry my internet crashed half way through entering!)
    I already follow kams blog, I'll pop over and say hey in a mo.

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  34. I already follow this awesome blog! :)

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  35. Great idea, Kam & Holly. I just moved to a new town in New Hampshire, & it's chock full of amazing indie, local stores that I can't wait to patronize - coffee shops, bookstores, paperies, bakeries... EVERYONE should give this a shot!

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  37. Random fact: I recently found out that my dads side of the family were travelling gypsies.. which I feel may explain the fact that I haven't stayed in one place for more than a year (in the last 10) and love to collect a lot of trinkets! :)

    xBeth
    P.S. Great giveaway! Happy Small business owners day to you both! :)

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  39. I love supporting Coffee Underground, a local coffee shop in downtown Greenville. It's one of my favorite places ever!

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  43. i adore the 3/50 project. it's actually pretty easy to do out here in the Seattle area - there's already strong community support for local business. but that doesn't mean 'good' is good ENOUGH. so i'll keep shopping at my favorite little places (twist my arm, right?). : )

    great post, Kam!

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  44. OMG...can I please give everyone a tour of my favorite local private shops/joints??? We have, Simple Simons...BEST cafe! The Riverside farmers market! The antique book store...LOVE it! The 4 story antique mall...even better! Mrs. Tiggywinkles...an independent buyer of goodies & eye candy! Ugh...this is TOO cool. Okay, I'm done...I promise. <3

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  45. I like to support my local 2nd hand bookstore and used children's clothes store, and I love me some etsy!

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  47. I left a comment on Kam's blog. :-)

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  49. I already followed Kam on twitter, but now I follow you too!

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  50. Here is a link to my tweet! http://twitter.com/#!/MelRellerPhoto/status/52790647064768513

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  51. I support all the local diners. Half of them don't have names.

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  52. Random Fact- If I break a nail I have to file all the other nails down to match it. Ha! How's that for RANDOM!?

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  53. following your blog! Excited for all the celebrations.

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  54. Random tidbit: joiing the marine corps after being a stay at home wife for 3 years

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  55. Following Kam left a message on her blog!

    Hooray for small business owner's day

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  56. i love one of our local antique shops here in town, i actually just bought some pyrex from them today! ($15) i also usually get my chai lattes from two different completely local spots.. they are better then any from the 'big' cafes. ($10) and i love eating at a local 50s inspired diner, as i did just today as well ($15)

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  57. i also follow kam's blog, this is how i heard about this post. i am a small business owner as a painter and tattoo artist :) ...am about to pop back over there to leave her a comment as well

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  58. i now follow you as well :) thanks for the chances to win this great book

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  59. oh.. and a random fact? i was headbutted by a donkey when i was like 4 years old at a petting zoo set up in the mall. my mom took a picture of the exact moment when it happened! haha my sister put it on facebook :/

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  60. Oh, I love supporting local shops in B'more! My favorites are Doubledutch (clothes), Trohv (home goods), and Ukazoo (used books).

    omydarlingblog(at)gmail(dot)com

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  61. GFC isn't cooperating right now, but I'm pretty sure I'm already a follower.

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  62. My random fact: when I was three years old, I wanted to be "an apple picker" when I grew up.

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  63. I really like to support the local yarn shops and small fabric shops in my area! They often have fabric and fibers Iv never seen and its always a treasure when you find them! :)

    cllovegood@yahoo.com

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  64. I follow Kam's blog Campfire Chic! : )

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  65. I follow Holly Knitlightly via Google Friend Connect! : )

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  66. I follow you both on Twitter: @ZombieCupcake90

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  67. Hmm..random fact? Let see, i taught myself to knit and crochet from books at the library! : )

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  68. i love the local craft store Fancy Tiger in Denver! it's paradise hehe.

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  69. and of course i follow you ;)

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  70. random fact about myself... hmmm, i am afraid of ice skating! haha

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  71. I love to go to the local bead store and buy one of a kind handmade beads... they're tons of fun to make unique jewelry with! :)

    elisegeorgoussis at gmail dot com

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  72. I'm a follower!! :)

    elisegeorgoussis at gmail dot com

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  73. Following you both on twitter too! (@elisekayem)

    elisegeorgoussis at gmail dot com

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  74. Tweeted!

    http://twitter.com/#!/elisekayem/status/53327075309928449

    elisegeorgoussis at gmail dot com

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  75. Random fact... I can probably get my dogs to do anything for a scoop of ice cream and I'm pretty sure the same can be applied to my hubby! :)

    elisegeorgoussis at gmail dot com

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Thanks so much for checking out my blog & leaving a comment! I appreciate each and every comment I get! Be sure to leave a link to your blog and/or shop so I can check it out.

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