My pledge to shop local

I must admit it, I absolutely love online shopping. Guilty.as.charged. I light up with sheer glee whenever I receive a coupon or special offer from J. Crew, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, etc. I think my husband would prefer to block J. Crew from my e-mail inbox and I have definitely caught him throwing out the occasional catalogue before I have the chance to look it over.

I've reached a point in my life where I realize that as much as I love online shopping, I need to expand my horizons and incorporate more local shopping into my habits. No, that doesn't mean driving over to Nordstrom's and picking out a new pair of shoes... my wallet isn't that friendly. Instead, this summer I've made a few trips over to the farmer's market and have enjoyed all the fresh produce. I bought all of my flowers and vegetable seeds from a local nursery instead of a big box store. Also, my husband and I are planning to go apple picking this fall and then wander over to a farm for pumpkin picking.

These are nice small steps, but I need a bigger push. Ideally, I'd love to start supporting local artists by buying a few pieces. Unfortunately, my husband won't let me ruin our beige walls by hanging anything that requires a nail and hammer. There is this small gallery in Federal Hill that I pass by all the time on my way to my softball games and I can't wait for the day to step inside and make a purchase.

In the meantime, I've discovered Etsy. I'm lucky enough that Baltimore has its own wonderful Etsy group: Baltimore Etsy Street Team. I'm drooling over some of the things I've seen so far and hopefully I'll go ahead and bring some of the treats into my home sooner rather than later.

I hope this incredible necklace will be my first Etsy purchase. Etsy seller: Vibrant Earth Jewels