Friends Support Friends
Hello, all my Christmas loving friends! This elf on the shelf knows how important it is to support small businesses in our town, especially by shopping with our friends because friends support friends! So, Mrs. C. brought me along to visit her friend Amy Bierstedt at Handmade on Main.
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!
It’s so easy to believe that Christmas is a commercial or materialistic holiday – that it’s all about ME – but that’s just not true. Christmas is about giving, not getting. It’s about showing God’s love to others.
It’s, also, easy to think that our downtown shops are all about commercialism, consumerism, and materialism, too. But, there’s a reason we call ourselves gift shops not “get shops”. All of us have similar goals – to help you find wonderful gifts for others, to help you create a home that welcomes family and friends, to come alongside you to create a more beautiful world.
“Handmade on Main is the best little handmade shop in Texas. Nestled on Boerne’s Main Street, owner Amy Bierstedt has brought together some of the best Texas makers and handmade goods under one roof. A warm and welcoming boutique, ready for you to find your next perfect gift, pampering self-care item, unique home decor, or new favorite t-shirt.“
Amy Bierstedt
You can be a big dill, too! Friends support friends by checking their small businesses for awesome gifts before checking the big box stores.
So, here’s a few of the things we found at Amy’s store…
Sweet Sensory Fun
There were some people shopping in the store while I took this photo, but I never once felt self conchas!
What an awesome gift for some lucky kiddo! I’m over a hundred years old, and I liked playing with the panaderia set, too. It’s a play doh sensory box by Fresh Masa full of lots of fun things to make some Mexican pastries and pan dulce WITH SPRINKLES!!!
Speaking of sprinkles, look at this yummy chocolate ice cream cone from First Cabin Co…. AND IT’S FULL OF SURPRISES! So, don’t eat it.
Grownup Stuff
Normally, I find adult stuff kind of boring, but this stuff was fun!
I brushed my head with a soft, dry brush I found in the From Scratch Farm corner while I interviewed Amy about herself and her store.
What is your favorite holiday?
Just one? I have two, both centered around food and family. Thanksgiving and Christmas. And Christmas has the added bonus of celebrating Jesus’ birth. Have I told you I’m obsessed with the movie/musical “Journey to Bethlehem?” Love singing along. But I feel all the feels, and still cry every time.
What are all the smells of your soaps?
I’m one of the 26 makers in our gift shop. Making natural/non-toxic home, bath, body, facial care, and eczema care products. And soaps are definitely one of my best sellers! Scents are lemon drop, soothing lavender, sweet peppermint, refreshing rosemary, spicy cinnamon, lime margarita, and a charcoal peppermint & eucalyptus. Lots of shoppers choose lavender. The cinnamon is all I use. It’s warm, spicy, comforting. Smells like fall.
Do you like PIE on special holidays? What’s your favorite kind of PIIIIE?
I could take or leave most. But I’m obsessed with a few of my recipes for- chicken pot pie, apple pie, and pumpkin pie. And I’ve made myself a pumpkin pie for my birthday at least twice. It’s that YUMMY!!!
Then, I tried on some of the holiday clothes while I peppered her with a few more questions.
What is your favorite part about owning a small business of handmade awesomeness?
I don’t love the stress, heartache, worry, and exhaustion of slow months. Especially as a single mom, single-income household, I can get stretched very thin. But I am happy! This is where I’m supposed to be, making my own hours, running things my way, picking and choosing the talented makers in my shop, being a part of an amazing retailers group, participating in incredible Boerne business events, becoming friends with customers, accomplishing goals, living my dream.
O_O Do you like MONKEYS?
Of course! Love all kinds of animals. For almost a decade (in another life), I worked as a veterinary technician. If I had the land and means to have more pets, I would love to have giraffes, flamingos, a tortoise, have hens again, would love to have a kayak-loving dog again. Obviously some of those are much more practical than the others. So I’ll just take a tortoise for now…
All this hard work deserves a treat!
I was almost stuck in the cooler with the Doubleside Toffee treats FOREVER! That could have been a disaster! I would have eaten aaaallll of it.
Mrs. C. bought herself some toffee popcorn, which she ate all in one day. O_O She said she would buy me some churro toffee to put in my lunch this week. Mui delicioso!
Hi ho, Silver! Away!
Yeehaw! Time to ride into the sunset! Back to The Christmas Shoppe, Silver!
Want more? Click here for access to Handmade on Main’s newest product releases, latest news, and upcoming events/sales:
Tell us what you think! Should I go visit other businesses around town? I could bring my show on the road showing other businesses how to “Celebrate Always”(I Thessalonians 5:16)!
Merry Christmas,
S’more
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