Thank you, Colour Blocks, for sponsoring this post, part of Bahorich Abode's Shop Small Holiday series. I was selected for this opportunity by Colour Blocks; the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Bahorich Abode is all about intentionality over here. We try to make good decisions every day as we know that even the little decisions that we make can have a larger ripple effect in not only our own lives, but others and the environment. Whether it is purchasing small this holiday season or ensuring that you have dinner each night around the table with your family, the decisions that you make can have a larger meaning to someone else.
I love that all of our small shops know this. Each small shop that we partnered with this season has such great meaning behind them. Today's small shop, Colour Blocks, does just that. They solely exist to make something out of what most would think is nothing... old crayons.
Made in the USA, these crayons are safe, non-toxic, and 100% recycled. Owner, Spramani Elaun uses eco-friendly packaging and has designed the crayons so that children can color with them easily and the crayons, themselves, won't roll off the table. They are designed in two different sized blocks which forms to little hands to hold so easily!
We are loving teaching Ollie the gift of art and creativity with our new Colour Blocks. He is just learning the concept of coloring in general and these are a great way to introduce art to him at such a young age. He can grip the crayons easily because of their design and owner, Spramani, is offering you some amazing discounts this holiday season as well.
Buy a 6 pack of the regular sized block crayons and get a small christmas tree crayon for free, plus free shipping, for just $14.00. Buy a 12 pack and get a gingerbread man crayon for free, plus free shipping, for just $24.00. Or buy a 6 pack of jumbo crayons, and get the gingerbread man crayon free, plus free shipping for just $24.00! Just click on pictures below for the direct links to buy!
Also, just head on over to her Etsy shop today and use the code OLLIE6 for $5 off any set! Finally, we are partnering with Colour Blocks for an amazing giveaway this morning. Check out our Instagram in the next 48 hours to enter!
6 Crayon Pack (Free Christmas Crayon)
12 Crayon Pack (Free Ginderbread Man)
6 JUMBO Large Crayon Pack (Gingerbread Man Crayon)
Here is a little bit more about Spramani, author of Colour Blocks:
How did you get your shop started?
I started making and selling Colour Blocks – square stackable block crayons at a cute hip farmers market in Encinitas, San Diego near the beach in 2008. I'm an earth-friendly art teacher for kids. My product came from me trying to walk my talk about being sustainable in every way. All my art students families, local teachers and restaurants were donating crayons to me, which became a whole lot! I had so many and didn't have the heart to throw them away. I was quite accident that my cool recycle design came about. I was playing around with different shapes and watched little kids start stacking and counting my crayons like toy blocks, Colour Blocks was born. Then I soon discovered how functional the crayons really were for little hands. I've been making Colour Blocks now for 10 years, they come in pure beeswax, recycle and soy wax. I ship them out all over the world now, it's really fun.
What is the hardest part of owning a shop?
The hardest part of owning my shop is organization for me, I'm the creative messy type! I like being creative and making stuff, not keeping good records or a well organized stockroom. Both my teens have been taking over that part of my shop, thankfully! Making crayons is also a very messy job, my family jokes I should have been on the show Messy Jobs.
What is one thing unique about you?
I have a natural gift in teaching kids how to paint and draw, and I've written 5 education books about it.
What is the best part of owning a shop?
When customers return and tell me how much their children loved their art supplies, it's also fun to see the kids growing up. I have the cutest customers!
How did you get your shop name?
Colour Blocks is the name of my Etsy shop, Nature of Art® is the actual name of my business. It came from my passion loving nature and art making. Colour Blocks – square stackable block crayons, is just the name of my crayon products, and of course it came from the shape of my product and the 12 unique custom colors they come in. My kids named all my colors when they were little. Colour is spelled this way because of it's link to classical color theory from the beginning of antiquity.
Sea Glass
Summer Sunset
Lemon Yellow
Fire Red
Violet Blossom
Grassy Green
Hippie (my multicolor crayon)
Cloudy Day
Multi Cultural Skin Tone
Midnight Black
Bubble Gum
and Harvest Brown
What is one way that you keep organized?
Get help from my sweet heart and teens, they run that part of the business.
How do you balance family life and work life?
My business started with the necessity to stay home and homeschool both my kids first. I invented a way to make money, raise and home education my kids together. I used to stay home during the week, make crayons and sell on the weekends only with my kids. Being a close family is important to me. My own teen life was isolated because my single mom had to work all the time. My father passed away when I was very young. I always knew I wanted a real close relationship with both of kids. My kids are a big part of my business, in fact both just traveled with me internationally for business. I ask a lot of input from all family members to keep us close and involved. It took many years to figure out my work must support the family eco system. I don't' sell much any more at the farmers market, I just sell online now, and bigger retail shows, which helps me stay more connected with my teens busy social life. This business aways allows me to adjust yearly my schedule to what the family really needs.
