Thank you, Little Magpies, for sponsoring this post, part of the 2016 Shop Small Christmas series. I was selected for this opportunity by Little Magpies; the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
I've said this before, but I love my teething necklaces, and that is why I cannot wait to share with you this Etsy shop, Little Magpies.
Shop owner, Natalie's love for jewelry began as a child and she's been making and restoring jewelry for several years. Once she became a mom, she discovered that her babies love jewelry too! After losing few pretty necklaces to her son's strength, she looked for baby proof jewelry online but didn't find much in her area, the United Kingdom, that I liked, and thus, Little Magpies was born.
I completely feel Natalie's pain. Although I am not much of a jewelry wearer, I love my necklaces, and yet baby Ollie grabs at everything. Natalie's necklace is great, and some of my favorite colors. I even wore it to an out-of-town work meeting the other day when I wasn't even around Ollie. It is so great. Check out her shop over on Etsy and use the code "FESTIVE" will get you 15% off any purchase until December 31st!
Here is a little bit more about Natalie, the owner of Little Magpies:
How did you get your shop started?
I've been making and restoring jewelry for several years and previously had a vintage/upcycled jewelry business on Etsy. When I became a mum I discovered that babies love jewelry too! My son constantly grabbed and chewed my jewelry and after losing a few pretty necklaces I stopped wearing jewelry for a while. My sister in law bought me a teething necklace from the US and I loved it but lost it. I looked for baby proof jewelry online but didn't find much in the UK that I liked. So I decided to make my own!
During breastfeeding and teething troubles with first my son I realized that a baby proof necklace is useful bit of mum kit. I sourced some materials and began making them for myself and my friends. I started selling them through my vintage jewelry shop and eventually decided to go for it and opened Little Magpies on new years eve 2014.
What is the hardest part of owning a shop?
Juggling family life with my day job as a Social Worker and running a small business is tiring. The hardest thing is time management. Fitting everything in in a constant battle! I never feel I have enough time to do everything as well as I want to.
What is one thing unique about you?
Our jewelry is based on high street trends. I take inspiration from seasonal colours and fashion jewelry. If I see another company doing something similar I try to change my designs. I donate 10% of my profit to PANDAS Foundation which is a charity supporting women with Post Natal Depression. My brand is all about mamas and feel that it’s good to give a little back.
What is the best part of owning a shop?
It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy designing and making the jewelry and networking with my customers and other mums in business. Instagram has been great for me and I’ve met so many inspirational women through it.
How did you get your shop name?
My vintage jewelry shop was called White Magpie Jewellery so when I started making the baby proof jewelry as a spin off Little Magpies seemed like a good fit. When my other shop closed I decided to keep the name. Babies are like little magpies grabbing anything shiny in front of them!
What is one way that you keep organized?
That is a work in progress! I’m not the most organised person but since I had my second baby seven months ago I feel like baby brain has really set in. I save everything in my phone because I can be multi tasking while I’m breastfeeding at all time of the day and night. In the run up to Christmas the business has been so busy and my boys have both had coughs, colds and viruses so the organisation has slipped a little. Being more organised is definitely a new years resolution.
How do you balance family life and work life?
Ultimately family comes first so during busy periods in my life, such as when my second baby was born, I have to extend my order processing times to give myself some space and ensure that I’m not letting customers down. I try to not to be on my phone or working while I’m with my boys. I’m currently on maternity leave so I do have a little more time. My three year old goes to nursery two days a week so on those days I can catch up bit when the baby naps. Otherwise all my work is done in the evenings when the boys are in bed. I’m not sure how well I’ll manage this once I’m back at my day job thought. Work/life balance is a work in progress!
Thanks Little Magpies for sharing your great work with us!
