Coveting {and Buying!} Items From Black Makers, Artists + Businesses

image + work by Ron Nicole

Last week was intense. And enlightening, and eye opening, and inspiring. There’s so much work to do but dare I say that I feel hopeful? That we might finally see some change in this country?

Last Monday on Instagram, I {along with countless others} made the decision to mute myself as part of the #amplifymelanatedvoices initiative. But I changed my mind the next day {you can read more about my decision here}. I realized it wasn’t about me muting my voice or my platform…it was about muting my own content to share the work of black designers. It was about muting a lot of the mundane stuff I share on stories to instead share resources, educational content, news stories and inspiring black activists, artists, designers, mamas, and creators. I certainly didn’t deserve or need thanks for doing this but the number of comments and DM’s I received about the new-to-them accounts I shared was quite high and it felt really good. While it bums me out that I may not have found them otherwise, I couldn’t be happier that I did. I am committed to staying committed beyond this week, next week, two weeks from now.

I’ve been thinking about what I can do, besides donating {we’ve donated to The conscious kid and the equal justice initiative} and staying educated, and something easy that’s also quite enjoyable?! Shop black-owned businesses! I’ve been saving every single one that I’ve been introduced in the past week plus and have already ordered a few goodies for myself.

Thanks to the overwhelming {and much-deserved} promotion of these talented humans, much of their work + products are currently sold out or shipping is delayed. I signed up for a bunch of newsletters so I don’t miss out on restocks + new items and I encourage you to do the same! Note: none of these are affiliate links.

Tree Fairfax

My first purchase of the week…this beautiful, handmade leather waistbag {aka. fanny pack}. How beautiful is the color?! Tree hand crafts each bag from traditional harness leather.

Aquarian Thoughts

And my second purchase…a 14k yellow gold {also available in white + rose gold} handmade ring with a natural raw diamond. I chose for the stone to be set horizontally but it can be vertical if you prefer.

The Koop New York

And my final purchase from last week…a few of Koop’s hand poured candles. Each one is free of phthalate fragrances, uses cotton wicks, and the vessels can be repurposed once the candle has burned!

Ron Nicole

It’s hard to express how unbelievably beautiful Ronni’s work is. She creates what she calls floral inspired fossils, preserving flowers in clay. I will pounce the minute new pieces are released!

M. Koby Art

I was introduced to Melissa’s work on Instagram and am just SMITTEN. It’s bold. It’s powerful. And it’s oh so beautiful! I have a few prints in my cart for Max’s room, our room and potentially the living room!

Linoto

I’m a sucker for any and all linen bedding and tableware. All Linoto products are made in the USA and shipped in plastic-free recycled packaging. You can find neutrals and bold colors so there’s something for everyone.

Clare

Jess + I are proud to be partnering with Clare on our room makeover project. They offer a wide variety of colors that are zero VOC and GREENGUARD gold certified {in layman’s terms: no toxic fumes}. Bonus points for peel + stick swatches! Anastasia of IDCO’s kitchen 👆🏼

Estelle Colored Glass

Owner Stephanie Summerson Hall founded Estelle Colored Glass in honor of her grandmother Estelle who was an avid antique shopper. This luxury brand of hand-blown colored glass is made by artisans in Poland and are aptly described as “jewels for your table”. Big fan.

Me-cháris Handmade Dolls

These are the most charming dolls I’ve ever seen. The end.

Sun and Lace

Yeah Max is gonna need one of these bags + scarves. Owner Briana hand cuts and sews all items which also include shoes + hair accessories for the littles.

Tracie Hervy

Little i did realize that Tracie is the maker behind some of my favorite pieces at Bloomist. Tracie is a trained ceramicist and that training shows in her simple and timeless work.

Brave and Kind Books

Brave and Kind Books is a neighborhood kids bookshop in Decatur, Georgia. Owner Bunnie offers a diverse + classic mix of books {including gift bundles!} and hosts events, workshops + even birthday parties!

Portrait Coffee Roasters

A coffee company with a conscious? Yes please! Portrait’s mission is to include black and brown people who have been eliminated from the speciality coffee narrative. The entire team lives in Southwest Atlanta and are all committed to seeing the historic west end {where the shop is located} continue to thrive. Adding to cart right…about….now.

Naked Clay Ceramics

Based in England, these one-of-a-kind pieces are inspired by earth tones + textures and are hand made by using a combination of handbuilding {creating forms without a pottery wheel} and slip casting {filling molds with liquid clay to form a cast layer}. You’ll find unique tableware + homeware pieces in simple stoneware and porcelain.

Milked

In her own words, owner Kathy says milked products are always pretty; always natural. And YES they are pretty, oh so pretty! Soaps, lotions and oils are all formulated without the bad stuff and with the good stuff {food-grade oils, natural and cosmetic-grade colorants, paraben/phthalate-free fragrance oils or all-natural essential oils.

Alyissa Letters

Alyissa has one of the most cheerful + inspirational instagram feeds i’ve ever seen. She’s a graphic designer and hand letterer who has an Etsy shop, Society 6 shop, Redbubble shop, and is available for custom work. She’s also a part of the Cherry Pit Collective which is a communal studio space for women creatives in Kansas city, Missouri!

Two Days Off

This sustainable line of clothing + accessories is made in LA and designed by owner Gina Stovall. natural fiber textiles such as linen, cotton, wool + ethical silk are sourced from deadstock textiles in LA, meaning the fabric was already manufactured but unused. I’ve decided I need this oversized linen top for summer, and zero waste bento bags seen above.

Bolé Road Textiles

Brooklyn based interior designer Hana Getachew founded Bolé Road Textiles to merge her love of Ethiopian handwoven fabrics {she’s a native of Ethiopia} with her interior design career. All pieces are handmade in Ethiopia by skilled artisans and are globally inspired. Looking for neutrals? Bold colors + patterns? Bolé has you covered.

Élan Byrd

Élan is trained multidisciplinary artist + textile designer living in Miami. She crafts one-of-a-kind pieces made from natural fibers. They’re contemporary but influenced by the cultural commonalities of ancient civilizations. I’m totally smitten her work.

Black Pepper Paperie Co.

Based in DC, Black Pepper Paperie Co. is a mixed-media art and design studio, and lifestyle brand. Maker Hadiya creates globally-inspired, handcrafted pieces ranging from wearable ceramic jewelry to home decor, paper goods and apparel.

While I have so many more businesses to share {and will do so in subsequent posts}, there are a couple other resources i came across…one is post 21 which is an amazing online marketplace that features contemporary + design-forward products from black-owned businesses and makers. You can find clothing, goods for your home, your kids, your pets, and more. If items are out of stock, they have gift cards! Another site I found is BLK + GRN which is an all-natural, non-toxic marketplace featuring all black artisans. After seeing the firsthand effects that harmful ingredients + practices have had on the black community, all of their products are carefully selected by black health experts after going through a 4-part approval process. BLK + GRN, founded by Dr. Kristian Henderson {who has a fascinating + inspiring story} connects black people to high-quality, non-toxic brands.

I’ve also started a Pinterest board where i’m saving black-owned makers + artists. Check it out!

Please let me know if there are any black-owned businesses, artists or makers you’ve been following, have found, or are fans of! In the meantime, happy shopping!

emily

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mStarr is a lifestyle studio specializing in approachable interiors, e-design, content creation, and creative direction. We’d love to work with you!

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