Indie Craft Sampler Review: April 2015

This is my last month of Indie Craft Sampler, since I signed up for three months and they don't renew automatically. Right now is a good time to pause anyway, as I am doing with a ton of my subs, but I still enjoyed this sub. This month included a nice mix of products. 

The first set of items included a cologne, healing balm, nail polish, and body lotions. I love that the sampler has everything from personal care items to food and mini comics. All of these items intrigue me and I will be checking them out in detail once we move. I did notice a few are marked vegan already, and generally small indie artisans are cruelty-free, too, which is refreshing. 

Fair Ivy Review: March 2015

Fair Ivy is a subscription for women that includes a monthly hand-crafted surprise. These are often jewelry or something personal and because everything is handmade, Fair Ivy limits subscriptions. You have to sign up for their mailing list and then they will open subscriptions a couple times a month if there are openings.

This month's artisan is Amanda Deer Jewelry. This is described as "cute and dainty jewelry" so I knew before opening the box that it would be unlikely to be something I would personally enjoy. Those who know me well know that if there are two words that are antithetical to my existence, they are cute and dainty. 

Indie Craft Sampler Review: March 2015

I really enjoyed my Indie Craft Sampler from February, so I was excited when this came. I admit I was a little disappointed in this month's but mostly because the items just didn't work for me personally in the same way. They were more, obviously, crafty items, but in areas I don't see myself using them as much.

With that said, these samplers are ideal for just that - a little peek into what you could be getting without a commitment to something you end up feeling isn't for you. (This should probably have had a St. Patrick's theme, huh? I just realized that.)

It's unlikely I don't miss something in this review because there were tons of items in the sampler. I will try to focus mostly on my favorites while doing my best to get everyone.

GlobeIn Review: February 2015

Oh my goodness, I am in love with this new subscription I started! (Someone needs to stop me, because I clearly can't stop myself!)

GlobeIn is a monthly artisan box that sends you products from crafters around the world, generally in developing nations, and supports fair trade practices. This month's theme is perfect - World Kitchen. I wasn't sure how I would feel about the box, so I planned to cancel, but I love it. I'm not big on knick knacks (my house is cluttered enough) but every single thing in this box is not only usable, but amazing! To top it all off, when I contacted them to make sure my subscription was still active/could be reactivated, they replied SO fast! And they're friendly (there was an issue where an item was broken in several people's boxes and they sent out a message offering to replace anyone's who was broken; mine, however, was fine).

Plus look at this sticker on the outside! I'm sure this box was made for me. :)

Indie Craft Sampler Review: February 2015

I really love the samplers you can get from independent artisans, because they give you a great deal of exposure to small businesses while also not filling your house with things you can't use. Indie Craft Sampler is a packet of 12+ items each month that range from food, household goods, and beauty products.

Dottiebox Mini Review: January 2015

Dottiebox comes in two sizes - Dottiebox (see my review from earlier in the month) and Dottiebox Mini. Both include unique, handcrafted items each month from various vendors. You can either purchase a subscription or select a one-time purchase for an upcoming month.

Out of the Box Sampler - January 2015

Out of the Box Sampler isn't exactly a subscription box, because you decide each month if you want to order based on the theme and vendors. However, each month, boxes are made available in the first few days of the month (the theme is revealed the month before and spoilers go out to get you ready). These sell out fast - and you will quickly see why!

This is also an amazing opportunity for crafters. For information on donating to a future box, you can visit this page and get more information. They even tell you themes for the year, shipping dates, etc. so you can plan. It appears they're pretty open to anything, too, as long as it's related to the theme and it's a great way to get your name in front of lots of people as a crafter.

January's sampler was themed "Baby It's Cold Outside" and you can see the giant list of vendors on the paper below.

Dottiebox Review - January 2015

Dottiebox is a monthly subscription box for women that includes handmade items from independent crafters and artisans, as well as small businesses. They also offer a "Mini" box each month, with different items. (By the way, they're always open to working with new vendors, if you're a crafter yourself. Here's the link for more info.)

This is the kind of subscription that's probably hit or miss, simply based on your interests. I love supporting local and independent artisans, though, so I wanted to give it a try. I also ordered a Mini, which is coming later in the month. This is a review of the regular size Dottiebox.