TriciaMadeThis & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #688

January 19, 2024 / 26 Comments

This November will mark 8 years since I began my #SpreadTheKindness Movement. My earliest posts were all about plugging small businesses and celebrating the inspiring people I meet on my life journeys. I eventually merged these kindness posts with my weekly Link Up on the Edge and have since gotten away from regularly dedicating posts to people and businesses who deserve some public praise.

Since I just had an amazing experience with some products from an Etsy seller, I wanted to share it with you all. Plus I think it’s kind of a fun story how I came upon TriciaMadeThis and quickly became a big fan.

Since getting my “Saved from the Landfill” and “In the Garden” rag curtains on display at the State Street Market, I figured I needed new business cards. Check them out in their new space.

“Saved from the Landfill” Rag Curtain
“In the Garden” Rag Curtain
“Fire on the Mountain” Rag Valance

My current business cards are for my blog but I wanted something different and unique for Shelbee on the Rags. Mainly, I really wanted sustainable business cards since my raggery projects really do focus on saving heaps of clothing from ending up in landfills. After doing an extensive online search for sustainable business cards, the most affordable option would cost me $0.75 per card. I felt like that was quite a bit of money for a tiny piece of cardstock that most people will likely just toss in the trash.

But I wasn’t ready to give up. So I went to Etsy to see if I could find something less expensive and more to my taste. And that search led me to TriciaMadeThis. She makes the cutest upcycled blank business cards from cardboard recyclables. Each card is cut with rounded edges to the size of a standard business card. The assortment of cards includes lots of well known food brands and popular treats on the back and then you can customize the front however you’d like.

At first I thought, “Hey, that is a fantastic idea! I can cut cardboard boxes.” Then I realized that I don’t want to cut cardboard boxes. I want to cut clothing and tie the rags into curtains. But I think Tricia actually wants to cut cardboard boxes. Even if she doesn’t it, she already has it done. So I will pay her $10.50 for 100 blank cards and focus on what I enjoy doing.

I also ordered a custom stamper from Zazzle for $25, bringing my total cost per card to $0.35. But as I order more upcycled cards from Tricia, the cost per card will go down because the stamp should last me for the duration of my raggery projects.

Check out my new cards. They are exactly what I wanted and they literally make me squeal with delight.

After I added the cards to my Etsy cart, I saw that Tricia also grows her own catnip and makes the darlingest little catnip toys. My feline family members, Frank and Dave, are mad for catnip and our stash was nearly depleted. So I added 3 bags of Tricia’s non-GMO catnip, a bomb pop catnip toy, a mushroom catnip toy, and a dozen catnip candies to my cart. Look at all the cuteness.

When the box arrived just a few short days after ordering, my cats went berserk over it. I couldn’t open it fast enough and I had to hide the bag of catnip candy from them because they wanted it all at once. Here is a short video of Dave with his first catnip candy.

I have been making much more of an effort to shop small businesses instead of big box retailers. Sure, Target and Petco offer adorable and practical toys for our furry friends, but I don’t think Brian Cornell or Ron Coughlin need or appreciate my $35 purchase as much as Tricia Allen does. Therefore, I would rather give my money to Tricia because it makes me feel better about my purchase knowing that it was created and handled with the same kind of creative love and passion that I put into my own projects. So if you have furry feline friends who might be hankering for some new catnip products, my cats highly recommend anything from TriciaMadeThis.

What are your favorite small businesses to shop? I invite you to share them in the link party, too!

Featured Favorites
Reader Favorite: Amber of The Hungry Mountaineer
Fashion Favorite: Jacqui of Mummabstylish
Other Favorite: Estelle of Homemade on a Weeknight
The Hungry Mountaineer
Candied Korean Gochujang Almonds
Mummabstylish
CHECKOUT THIS ULTRA LIGHT PACKABLE JACKET – #CHICANDSTYLISH #LINKUP
Homemade on a Weeknight
Meatball Ramen Soup

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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26 Comments

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