Welcome to the thirteenth edition of my Supporting Small Businesses series. I discovered this small business on Tiktok, of all places! I only downloaded the app because my niece asked me to so I could watch her Tiktok videos. I had no idea I would be drawn into the world of small businesses promoting their wares on Tiktok. Who knew?!
Videos by Handmade Dorset began popping up in my “For You” feed on Tiktok. Kuhla (owner of Handmade Dorset) features in many of her videos alongside her products and they are just a joy to watch. I knew I had to visit the Handmade Dorset website and check out the products.
Handmade Dorset mostly sells stationery (greeting cards, stickers, washi tape, notebooks, letter writing sets etc) but prints and pin badges are also available. Everything can be described as eco kind, carefully crafted, kindness inspired and cute! It’s stationery to brighten your day.
Most of the items I picked to buy were from Handmade Dorset’s Animal Lovers collection. Long time readers will know that I like to use a fountain pen when writing letters, so when I saw the Cat Letter Writing Set, I fired a question to Kuhla via the chat feature on the website asking if the paper was suitable for fountain pens. To my surprise, not only did Kuhla reply straight away, but she also tested the paper for me. How awesome is that? Fantastic customer service!
To match the letter writing set (32 sheets of paper, 16 envelopes, envelope seals, address labels and a line guide), I also picked the Cat Washi Tape & Sticker Sheet Set, the Tortoiseshell Cat Card and the Cute 9 Cats Card, as well as the Follow Your Dreams Card, the Bee Washi Tape and the Christmas Washi Tape (well you can’t get organised too early!). Much to my surprise, Kuhla also threw in a Bee Sticker Sheet to match the washi tape.
Kuhla illustrates all this wonderful stationery herself. It has such a happy vibe about it. The products and the packaging are made from recycled and recyclable materials, so it’s all eco-friendly.
My goodies were packed and dispatched within hours of placing my order on a Friday afternoon in early August. Not only that, but they arrived the following morning, less than 24 hours after I’d ordered. Talk about being impressed! With small businesses, I generally expect to wait a little while for orders, purely because owners are often running the business by themselves or with very little help. So Handmade Dorset and Kuhla went way beyond my expectations.
I’m already wishing I’d ordered a couple of pin badges (the Cat In A Cup Pin Badge and the Cute Bee Pin Badge), so I foresee another order sometime in the future! If you’re thinking of ordering from Handmade Dorset yourself, don’t forget to sign-up for the newsletter to receive 20% off your first order.
Have any Tiktok videos ever inspired you to buy something from a small business?
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Please note: I bought these products with my own money and I am in no way affiliated with Handmade Dorset.
21 Comments
Jo
This looks right up my street, I shall be popping over right away.
Yvonne (@Fiction_Books)
What a lovely website, so fresh and clear looking, it just made me want to buy!
The trouble is, there are just so many small stationery shops around now, that I would spend an absolute fortune, because they all have something lovely and unique to offer.
I think I have found my favourite and then along you come again and put more temptation in my way – Don’t Stop! I Love It!! 🙂
Nikki
I’m so glad you love these posts. I just love supporting small businesses!
Eastside Cats
Love the artwork!
Will look through their website and try to spend some dough…thanks!
Ann
These are absolutely delightful, Nikki, and I’m really impressed with Kuhla’s customer service. That’s what I love about small businesses like that. They offer unique products and will go out of their way to please their customers. xxx
Kelly
Why do you keep doing this to me!? I love everything you’ve featured in this post and must now check out their website for myself.
Hopefully one of these will make its way to me in future correspondence from you. My next to you will be on something from the last order I received. I’m just waiting until it’s my turn again…
Nikki
Some snail mail should have landed in your box already, if not it will arrive very soon. I’ll try to remember some of this for next time!
Eunice Ratcliffe
There’s so much to love here, I especially like the tortoiseshell cat card and I’m very tempted by the stickers and washi tape – I think I might have to visit the website 🙂
Barbara
I love those cat illustrations – so gorgeous. I am so tempted to go and look….
Lisa
Anything with cats gets my vote and Flora adores bees, so we’ll have to check this website out ASAP, thank you!
Kris P
I’m a sucker for anything with cat illustrations – or bees, for that matter. I don’t do Tik-Tok (or Facebook). Blogs and Instagram are enough social media for me!
Anca
Aww, all of these look so cute. The cats and the bees are just lovely. x
Carol
I love support local small business – and I love your choices of cute products available too.
Her Digital Coffee
These are really cute! TikTok is a great place to advertise.
CherryPie
The artwork is lovely. I like to support small businesses, the service you received from this one sounds perfect.
jeanie
Well, as you might imagine, I’m a sucker for all things cat, so I think I would be quite enamoured by this company! And all things, stationery, too!
Hena Tayeb
So many cute products.
Jordanne | Ofaglasgowgirl
Aww all these items look so cute! As a cat lover I am so into these. I love finding new small businesses to support so thanks for sharing, definitely checking out Handmade Dorset.
Sophie
I love these posts, I always find something new. The cat cards are adorable x
Nikki
Thanks. It’s good to know people are enjoying these types of posts.
Diana Studer
I have a sister who loves writing letters, and bees.
If we were in England …
Strange times we live in, New Zealand will not accept post from us.