SHOP SMALL for CYBER MONDAY

Original post 12/2019. Updated slightly for 2020! I got some recommendations for shop small and I really wanted to highlight them here. I’m starting with ones I know and recommend. Then, I’m moving to all the ones that YOU recommend. This post is not sponsored, just truly wanting to support friends and small businesses.

MicheleBellStudio.com - Check out her photography work and all the fun creations she makes from her original photos. Check out her acrylic blocks and leggings. Follow her on instagram @michelebellstudio.

Thesmallfarmlife.com - I just spent quite a bit of time browsing their site and peeked at their Etsy store, too. Check out this soap/lotion/lipbalm package I received. The lotion is truly amazing after my shower! I love following @thesmallfarmlife on instagram. I’ve known these guys for a loooong time. And SO proud to support them. Give them a follow!

Aloisia Beauty (the Korean skincare masks I most often wear are on SALE!) Buy one, get one free right now! One for you, one for a gift. What could be better? The largely female team of founders is committed to clean beauty. Check them out- and give them a follow @aloisiabeauty.

Another great buy friends told me about? LoyalHana! 40% site wide. If you are expecting or a new mother or like me and just love comfortable timeless clothing, you will not want to miss this sale. You’ll recognize several pieces you see on me often! They are the most timeless pieces for maternity, nursing and beyond (like I wore the top pictured below this week!).

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A post shared by Ashley Jones (@ashleyaubra)

MilesandMilan.com My dear friend (female owned!) founded this children’s clothing company. They rarely have this kind of sale- 30% off! SO…such sweet gifts to grab now. I’m buying some big boy clothes here for Hayden today! (And if you think the clothes are cute, you should see her family!)

TheGivingKeys.com could not be a better company and mission to buy from right now. Please check them out. my girlfriend Caitlin Crosby founded the company to give jobs to people transitioning from homelessness to a better life. It’s helped many, many people. Plus, her giving keys (amazing gifts with meaning) are on major sale today!

Elegantees.com This small shop is fighting human trafficking in Nepal through employment opportunities. Can’t think a better reason to visit and support their site.

CraftilyCreative- my girlfriend Kimberly Brown!! You know her and her store has awesome products, like her Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s CAFFEINE! shirts LOL. I’m getting Hayden one of her kids’ shirts!

Balooliving.com - I can’t tell you how lovely it is to sleep with this- especially now if you’re feeling lonely during this time. It “covers” you almost emotionally as well as physically. If you’ve been debating, do it now cause I believe they are on sale! Should I do a giveaway with them?? I can ask if there’s interest. Leave a comment- let me know.

BeautyCounter - start your year with clean beauty. Have you tried Beauty Counter? Thank you Elizebeth Reid for providing us with a link on my last post! BeautyCounter.com 15% of some of favorite products. Check it out.

StillNovel - I have the beautiful print of Hayden with all his birthdate stats. I will be posting a pic soon. I just adore it. Perfect gift (wedding ones are too… check them out!!). The female run company is awesome. I can’t say enough about these framed gems. I added a close up at the top of the page.

Please check out the small shops below! This is the part of the blog post that was contributed by you. I wish I could do more research on each one and share, but my energy is waning and I want to get this post up. If you own one of these sites, lemme know!

1. @Cupcavela DM on instagram for your vegan baked goods.

2. TheySayParenting.com- book on sale on Amazon!

3. pws.shaklee.com/rmitchell-wellness!! I hear awesome things about this brand! Their clean beauty is also on sale, so don’t miss it!

4. Young Living - courtesy of Judith Mosely

5. IceCreamCastles- vintage inspired kids’ clothing

And on instagram, these people were tagged to check out their stuff.

1. @garyleedrive 2. @tomdesignshop 3. @aussiegirlcreations.

LOVE acrylic block from MicheleBellStudio.com

A lot of good stuff here to reference in the future. Hope you guys find it fun and helpful. On a totally different note, if you happen to watch 911 on FOX tonight, you’ll see me! I heard a lot got cut out, sadly, but it’s the nature of the business with a big show like that with many storylines.

xxoo

AAJ

Friday is for Friends, #KindText and a Sprinkle of Magic!

I pray every day and night for this child. We are so blessed to have healthy, vibrant children. There are a great many things Joel and I hope to instill in Hayden and his big brother Huck. At night, when I'm holding the baby or saying goodnight to Huck, I just want them protected forever. And I want them to grow up protecting others. 

Right now, their innocence is palpable. Huck has such a vivid imagination. I want Hayden's imagination to flourish, too. I hope he believes he can do or be anything. And mostly, I want them both to believe in themselves. I pray that God enables me to be the best step-mother and parent I can be. I think of Proverbs 22:6: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not part from it. 

I have great friends that are creative and are supporting healthy, positive messages for all of us, especially our kids. I'm no different than any other parent that wants their kids to dream big, be brave, but never ever compromise kindness. If you saw my instagram post, you know I'm thrilled to spread the good works of a friend's project called #KindText. Chrissy Kling started this movement with her pre-teens to develop healthy, kind habits for kids with phones and social media. As Chrissy pointed out to me, the world will always have bullies and mean girls, but let's not raise them! Our kids learn from us. If we are not being kind to one another, they see that. KindText is a fun but heartfelt (and sometimes very serious) movement worth sharing, promoting and getting involved. I love that the idea is to promote kindness in tweens and teens on social media, but it's working on adults, too. Pay kindness forward. It costs us nothing and slowly changes our world. If someone has done something like this for you, the feeling is magical... which leads me to...

My multi-talented friend Kimberly Brown has her own etsy store. I really appreciate the messages on her soft t-shirts like the "I believe in magic" one she's wearing pictured below. 

She has another one that reads: being normal is vastly overrated. This is a quote from her character Marnie in Halloweentown, the iconic movie in which Kim starred. Who else can quote lines from that film? I love this message. I've never felt normal! It's taken a lifetime to understand that is actually a good thing! I hope Hayden and Huck determine what's their own version of 'normal' and not let the world determine for them! 

I be remiss if I didn't also mention the t-shirts are under $18.  Kim's site does a great job at describing the sizing and fabrics, so check it out! And you can check her out if you are anywhere near Salem, Oregon at the Cherry City Comic Con this weekend! 

And follow #KindText 

Yes!!!!!! Tag your friends who spread kindness on a daily basis!!! Lets spread the movement! #kindtext #stopbullying #everyoneiskind #spreadlove #upliftothers #usetechnologyforgood

A post shared by KindText (@kindtext) on Jan 25, 2017 at 8:16am PST

And for the lighthearted, fashion portion, see below! This chic, very light sweater (you have to see it on) is on sale for $47 right now;) I also wore it the entire weekend my friend Ali got married. It was perfect with boyfriend jeans at the beach, dinner, morning breakfast, sunset walks with Hayden, etc. I'm into bell sleeves on unexpected pieces like this one and on the hoodie I wore in this post. I'm also into stripes;  this sweater has both! 

ps- Hayden never turned around in these photos, but if he had....a little frog prince!

As always, share any thoughts! Share your own experiences of inspiration when someone else sent a #kindtext or paid it forward to YOU.  xoxo Ashley