2024 Shop Small -Gift Guide
At Four Lane Photo, my mission is to capture moments that inspire new journeys, whether that's a trip down memory lane or forging new business opportunities.
Through versatile and captivating photography, I document stories that inspire adventure, evoke emotions, and foster connections. My aim is to create photos that become gateways to meaningful experiences.
During the fall and winter months, my business is focused on photographing families. However, during the spring and summer months, I spend most of my time working with small businesses creating product and lifestyle imagery. These images are typically used for online marketing for the majority of the following holiday season.
I thought it would be fun to make a blog post highlighting some of the businesses I’ve worked with over the years in my 2024 Shop Small Gift Guide! It has been such an honor to work so closely with these extremely talented entrepreneurs, and I can’t wait to share them all with you. Let’s jump right in!
skin care
Blyssen Natural Skincare
Blyssen is built around connection. Connection with yourself, with nature, and with others around you. Founder Mandi feels most at home in nature, not judged and free to be who she truly is. Their products embody the true essence of nature, bringing that freedom, comfort, and trueness into your home. Their goal is to provide clean, natural products and a 5 minute skincare routine to moms who feel they have lost themselves and don't have time for a 10-step routine.
Bogl Supportive Skincare
At bogl®, they’ve got your back! Simple, effective ingredients that harness nature and the innate powers of your skin’s ability to restore and repair. It doesn't have to be complicated and you don't need a 1001 products to have great skin either. Since they are picky about their ingredients, your skin won't be punished or penalized to behave the way it’s intended. And they make it simple & easy — because everyone has lives that keeps them busy! They are here to help you love the skin you’re in with all its characteristics because that’s what makes you amazing!
Jewelry
Creating Crystals
Creating Crystals first began back in 2014 when the owner, Crystal, started studying spirituality, energy and everything in between; all while having a huge admiration for the energy of stones. What started as a creative outlet wire wrapping stones, quickly evolved into a growing passion for crafting jewelry. With influences from the history of architecture and different eras from our past, Creating Crystals has always taken pride telling unique stories through its' one of a kind pieces.
Gilded Feather Studio
Owner and designer Hardwick Sexton’s jewelry expresses her love of color, nature, and classical details. For most of her life, Hardwick has designed and created jewelry as a hobby for family and friends and finally started Gilded Feather Studio, turning her hobby into a small business. All Gilded Feather Jewelry is hand crafted in Hardwick’s San Diego studio using sterling silver, brass, gold, and gemstones. Inspired by natural color and modern designs, Hardwick aims to create unique pieces with modern simplicity.
home
Auburn West
Founder Katie, started Auburn West as a passion project in 2021. However, this passion project quickly grew into a small but mighty business. Auburn West is a curated secondhand shop specializing in vintage housewares and clothing. All items are sourced with sustainability and functionality in mind, proving there is so much life left in these forgotten treasures! Every item in this shop is truly unique, and often times, one of a kind.
Lively Root
With over 200 years of horticultural experience, Lively Root wants to pass their love of green spaces to future generations. From their first nursery in San Diego to other greenhouses throughout the United States, they can deliver handpicked, healthy, and happy plants to your doorstep. At Lively Root, they aim to inspire green spaces by connecting people with plants. They believe a strong relationship with plants leads to greener and more sustainable lifestyles. Their nursery partners nationwide deliver healthy, happy plants safely to you and your loved ones faster than any other retailer.
For the Kiddos
Anna Maria Locke Creative
Founder Anna is a life and wellness coach, multi-passionate entrepreneur, obsessive knitter, and fabric addict. Creating beautiful things has inspired her since she was little. As an adult, she’s realizing that this passion for creativity hasn't really left! Everything in her shop is a personal expression of who she is, and it's her goal to help you create an inspired life as well. As a boy mom, she made it her mission to create colorful, cute, whimsical clothing for little ones (and fun accessories for you)!
Puro Sound Labs
After founder Niki Russell learned that she has Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL - an entirely preventable condition from wearing headphones too loud) she and her family started Puro Sound Labs. They are a small family-owned start-up with a very big goal…eliminate preventable Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in the world’s youth. They are incredibly proud of their products and mission. So much so that they fully-guarantee their headphones with a 30-day money-back guarantee. They’ve created the highest-quality, studio-grade, volume-limiting to 85 dB (the level in which you’re putting your ears in danger) children’s headphones. Their headphones are Bluetooth-enabled, aluminum-bodied, enjoy 82% noise isolation, and have the Puro Balanced Response™. Their signature, flat frequency response curve that was developed based on research done by Dr. Sean Olive of the Harman Institute.
I’m so happy to have introduced you to these amazing small businesses. I hope you take the time to get to know them further and think “small” when shopping this holiday season. Thank you for an amazing 2024 and I can’t wait for you all to see what’s in store for the upcoming year!
Sydney
