Hi!
I'm Nicole. I am a wife, mother, shop owner on Mackinac Island, and lover of handmade. The little things and little moments inspire me. Follow me on my blog as I write about shop news, my travels, island life and motherhood.
Nicole
xo.
Read a little more about me.
I'm Nicole. I am a wife, mother, shop owner on Mackinac Island, and lover of handmade. The little things and little moments inspire me. Follow me on my blog as I write about shop news, my travels, island life and motherhood.
Nicole
xo.
Read a little more about me.
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little luxuries
Do you ever wonder what a seasonal shop does during the off season? Here are a few things that we do to stay busy and get ready for the upcoming season!
*Spend time with family and friends! Since we are open 7 days a week for 7 months a year, I rarely get to spend time with extended family or even friends! A lot of the off season is spent with our loved ones, catching up and making memories! I also spend a lot of time with the boys when they aren’t in school. I love to take the time to make cookies for them, read them extra books or make a fun arts and craft project!
*Take trips! When it isn’t a pandemic, we spend a lot of time taking weekend trips, heading South for warmer weather! Andrew and I usually take a trip just the two of us to celebrate our anniversary and the end of one season before the next season begins! It’s nice to have just time for the two of us and to explore somewhere new!
*Evaluate the past season. Brainstorm what worked and what didn’t! I want to make sure that each season, we are improving and becoming the best shop we can to keep on selling the goodies that bring a smile to your face!
*During November and December when the storefront is closed, we are very busy mailing out online orders and then opening on select days for Island residents to do their holiday shopping.
*Order for the upcoming season! I spend a lot of time perusing catalogs, searching for new, unheard of artists and looking for unique goods for all three shops! This is one of my favorite things to do during the off season. Dream about new goodies that you’ll love!
*In January, I start to hire for the next season! If you’re interested in applying, read about the positions we have open HERE and then send an email with your resume and references to me (Nicole) at littleluxuriesmanager@yahoo.com .
*Purge! I love a good deep clean! I spend a lot of time going through the shops, getting rid of old displays and thinking of ways to display goods!
*House projects! Since I’m so busy during the summer, I spend some days doing house projects, deep cleaning and decorating various spaces. Out with the old, in with the new!
The off season is filled with memories being made with our family and friends, plus administrative work to prepare for the upcoming season! It’s a lot of work, but I love it and wouldn’t trade it for the world!
Nicole
Xo
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Looking for the perfect stocking stuffers this holiday season? We’ve picked out some of our favorite little luxuries from the shop that we know you’ll love giving and they’ll love receiving!
Crystal Clear Brightening Mini Mask: Gifting to someone that loves self-care? Gift them a face mask! These masks help promote smooth skin, while also hydrating the skin- which we all need during the long winter months!
Musee Bath Balms: These new bath balms are so beautiful and we want everyone to shop them because of how much we love them! The shop is filled with many different scents and varieties - Just Breathe, Golden Hour and Dreamweaver. There are bath balms for the kids too - featuring a baby shark, Amelia Earhart.
Wooden MI Map Ornament: Perfect for any fan of the Mitten state, this fun ornament features a silhouette of Michigan’s two peninsulas and highlights the cities, foods, icons, culture and natural beauty that make our state so great!
Snuggle Season Mug: This mug is one of our favorites for the long winter months! Bundle up with this mug, hot cocoa and marshmallows under your coziest blanket for the cozy winter season.
Hammonds Dunking Spoon: If you give a mug, you also have to give something to go inside the mug!
Farmhouse Candle: We have so many holiday and winter scents in stock! One of our favorites is Sugar + Spice: Fill your home with the sweet smell of the holidays! Gingerbread mixed with Cinnamon, Clove and bourbon!
Olive Oil Soap: Rich and herbal, Nablus sage olive oil soap is a sage experience that will delight your dermis. This soap is made with 100% certified virgin olive oil and is perfect for hydrating your skin during the winter.
Christmas Tea Towel: Help them spruce up the kitchen with this truck and buffalo check ruffled tea towel.
To make it easy for you, we’ve put together some pre-made stocking stuffer boxes.
Or if you’d rather, put them all together in your cart and add a few more things like jewelry, Michigan made food items or something they’d love from our Island Girl collection.
Xo,
Nicole
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June & December Notepad: The perfect notepad for the paper lover on your list! Made in Michigan, this notepad will inspire you with its pretty florals all year long.
Lollia Hand Creme: Delightfully paired, these signature Lollia favorites will be your skin saving go-to when you're on-the-go. Formulated with rich Shea Butter, Aloe & Macadamia Nut Oils to leave skin supremely soft.
Weekend Money: Once a memento of old-school amusement parks and Summer camps, these vintage-inspired rubber coin pouches adorned with the latest Three Potato Four designs are our new favorite accessory!
Lavender Sachet: Lavender sachets are great to give or tuck anywhere for a fresh scent for years!
Swig: Triple insulation technology allows our top-selling stemless wine cups to keep drinks cold up to 9 hours and hot up to 3 hours. Their unbreakable construction makes them perfect for enjoying chilled wine or cocktails by the pool, hot tea in the morning or even ice cream sundaes before bed (Swig calories don't count! 😉)
Quotable Mug: Give the gift of this Quotable mug to the person in your life who loves al the cute sayings.
Handsanitizer Wipes: Disinfect anytime, anywhere. Made with alcohol-free Benzalkonium Chloride, which means gentle on your skin. Safe and effective alternative to alcohol-based products for skin and surfaces.
Nablus Soap: Rich and herbal, Nablus sage olive oil soap is a sage experience that will delight your dermis. Made with 100% certified organic virgin olive oil
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Happy Fall from Mackinac Island!
I have been blown away by your support of the shop and our island this fall. It has been wonderful to see you in the shop showing up for small businesses like mine online and in person. Every sale matters, so thank you for supporting Little Luxuries and Mackinac Island tourism, especially this year.
Every fall, we welcome a group of women to the island for Women’s Wellness Weekend. Jenna Kator brings tour busses of women from all over Michigan (and more states, too!) and so many of you drive yourselves and come up for the festivities too! Past years, we have had workshops on wellness, a silent auction and plenty of time for shopping!
During the weekend, we hosted the women in the shop for a Jenna Kator Handbag Trunk Show. Since this year’s festivities have been canceled, we have decided to take them ONLINE!
What does this mean?
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 16th, October 17th and October 18th, ALL Jenna Kator Handbags will be 25% OFF! Then, 15% of the sales will be donated to the Mackinac Island Cancer Fund!
We can’t wait to celebrate the weekend (virtually) with you! Be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram, because there will be some fun giveaways that you don’t want to miss out on!
Each year, I am amazed at the amount of money we are able to donate to the Mackinac Island Cancer Fund. You and your friends always show up in BIG ways for this cause and I appreciate it so much!
We can’t wait to celebrate this Jenna Kator Trunk Show virtually with you - so grab your girlfriends and mark your calendars for next weekend, October 16th, October 17th and October 18th!
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We are so excited to have Shore Bags in our sister store, The Artists Market of Mackinac Island. This incredible company is new to the shop and we wanted to take a chance and introduce them to you!
Shore Bags has been in the cotton canvas industry for over 20 years and in 2015 they started created eco-friendly bags from raw content, which means they are bio-degradable helping to reduce waste and avoiding plastics! Every purchase supports women, as they are 100% minority women-owned. They oppose unfair manufacturing practices of any kind and create bags that you will want!
Shore Bags headquarters are located on just across the shores on Lake Michigan and we are so excited to partner with them in selling their bags.
All-In Pouches: are conveniently sized for thousands of small goods-- from a collection of markers or road trip snacks to charging cables and makeup. These pouches have a sturdy metal zipper with pull tab and handy loop ring for snapping them anywhere you'd like. Size: 11" x 7" x 3”.
City Shopper Tote: This simple bag features leather handles and a full lining, making it both elegant yet basic. It also features heavyweight canvas, inside pocket and leather trim. Size: 17.5" x 17.5" x 6".
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