Many moons ago, when I was a wee early twenty-something, I toiled away for a year at a outdoor gear retail shop as a cashier and sometimes sales staffer, to save enough money to backpack through Europe. In every town I went to on my three month journey, I would inevitably find a shop that was unique and “spoke to me”. I would walk through it lingering over cool product, admiring decor and taking in the atmosphere. Then I would go outside and write notes or sketch in my journal. These compiled notes and drawings made up a grand image of the “one day dream of opening a shop”.
Fast forward to October 2007. With the help of some friends, I sat late into the morning of October 12th, pricing, arranging, and cleaning up my dream shop for its opening reveal the next day. The next morning I could hardly breathe as I got dressed. And when I finally turned the latch to “open”, I thought I was going to throw up.
This was my daughter playing the day I opened. She made herself right at home in the kids section.
October 14th, I celebrate my fourth birthday. And celebrate I will. I weathered some diverse storms here at the shop, including having a second baby. (I shake my head at that twentysomething me that envisioned her one day dream shop with a baby bassinet in the corner and herself managing to nurse, carry, nap a baby in a shop while at the same time manage to keep up with all the administrative, financial, marketing, product management tasks all with a warm soy latte in her hand. HA!) In these four years I have also grown exponentially. I have met lots of great new customers, other wonderful business owners, and engaged in some new and exciting projects. I have worked with some amazingly talented artists and crafters. I have learned some life lessons.
Scenes from my first birthday window.
So while this dream of opening a store has not been easy, it has been so very rewarding. And as I have just finished celebrating another Thanksgiving, I do give thanks. I am thankful that I took a chance on that young girls dream and that so many of you share in it with your smiles, your enthusiasm, and your support (and yes, your purchases).
And now to celebrate. To celebrate, I am looking to share the love with you and those you love. I have FOUR main methods of communication: blog, newsletter, facebook, and twitter. For the next twentyFOUR hours, I will draw one “winner” from each communication source. Each winner will receive FOURty dollars of Love, Me bucks split into ten dollar denominations – one for you and three so you can share the love with friends. Details below.
To win FOUR ten dollar Love, Me dollars you must do (at least) one of the following:
- Leave a comment here in this blog post telling me what you love about handmade goods – purchased here, given to you or in general.
- Subscribe to our newsletter. That’s all.
- Go to our Facebook Page. Like Us. And then leave a comment on the “post” about our birthday: “I love Love, Me Boutique” (and feel free to tell us why).
- Follow Love, Me Boutique on Twitter. And then tweet “I love Canadian handmade and I love @LoveMeBoutique.”
1. One prize will be drawn from each of the FOUR entry points: comments to this blog post, new subscribers, Facebook Page birthday post comments, and Twitter tweets.
2. You don’t have to be local to win but we hope the three friends you share the love with are local. The idea is that we find more people to love and for you to share your love of us with people you think will love us back. It is one big love fest!!
3. Love, Me winnings will not be mailed out. They are to be picked up in house.
4. There is no minimum purchase necessary with this gift. Just $10 worth of Love, Me goodness. But these Love, Me dollars are NOT redeemable for cash. Oh – and they don’t count toward tax.
5. This contest runs for twentyFOUR hours. It begins October 12, 5pm and closes on the October 13 at 5pm.
Love, Me 
I love that this store is not just about wonderful and often local handmade goods, but also about creating community- through workshops, classes, events, and just passing great ideas along through the newsletter/blog/facebook ect…
Happy Birthday- so glad you are still open and rockin’ the world of independent boutiques!
From ceramics to cards, to local cds..i pretty much love everything. my favorite purchase was my Mary Stewart cd..b/c it was for me. It’s a great spot for unique gifts for other people too. I try to stop in every time I’m in Halifax. Happy 4th Birthday Love, Me!
Happy almost birthday! Great idea:)
Handcrafted = made with love and care and time and thought.
Love that handmade is having a resurgence!!
Happy 4th Birthday wishes to you 🙂
I love, love, love that you’ve brought so much amazing Canadian homemade amazingness under one roof, all year round. I recommend your store ALL the time to all kinds of people. Often unprompted.
I love handmade goods, always have and have an even greater appreciation for them now that I am a mother…handmade goods much like home cooking are an expression of love and creativity and a reminder that each and everyone of us can choose to create something wonderful
Thanks for your inspirational store
Chara, your shop is a constant inspiration—as are you. Congrats on four years…I remember the wee morning hours of October 12, 2007 all too well. What I love about handmade is that when you hold that lovely goody in your hands you can truly feel the love—for art, for creating, for hard work, for life—of the person that made it. There’s a story and a connection with the world that’s hard to beat.
I love the one-of-a-kind items I find in your shop! It’s the first place I go to for wedding, birthday, and Christmas gifts.
I love that I am bringing someone else’s LOVE into my home or into the homes of my friends by purchasing something handmade! Wow- That’s amazing!
happy birthday chara! i know, i know, i need to get out to halifax to see it, but i know i will love everything about it, as it’s a reflection of you. good luck and another 40 birthdays for you! xox
Love the textures, the realness, the story behind handmade. Love supporting the hands and heart that went into making the item. Love feeding the voyeur in me that one day will give up the grind and follow my heart into the land of handmade.
Happy Birthday! We love your shop. ❤
Happy Birthday! You are my go-to place for gifts of all kinds, I know I will always find something unique and exciting. I can’t like you on FB because my wife must never know about your store, it is my secret gift-gold-mine.
Hi Chara, happy happy birthday!! I love the shop so very much, It’s my destination for gift-buying or for treating myself! Congrats, and good luck in the years to come!
I love handmade. When I give something handmade, I always feel good about it because it’s usually something unique and one of a kind. I love to get handmade for the same reason- and I always feel like there was more thought put into the gift when it’s handmade. Plus I’d rather support an artisan than a big box store!
I love being able to support a local business owner and producers who care about their craft. I feel good about shopping at your store, as opposed to the guilt I usually feel when spending money elsewhere!
I love handmade goods because they carry a spirit within them that you just cannot get in mass manufactured products. They carry the mark of the maker and have the ability to connect people on a very real ‘soul’ level. I love anything and everything handmade as well as the people who make them, AND the shops that support them 🙂
I love your store! I always feel that a handmade gift is special, whether you make it yourself or by it from someone else. I love supporting people with beautiful ideas!
Chara! Happy 4th to you and to Love, Me! Your shop has been my favorite Halifax since Year 1! What I love about handmade is the knowledge that someone else’s love and passion for art and craft ends up the hands of someone who appreciates it just as much. I ❤ handmade and I ❤ Love, Me! Congrats!
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