Cozy season is here
I sit here writing this email a few days after getting back from vacation. I went to Fort Lauderdale with some pretty special girlfriends of mine. It was a trip that was long overdue and surely filled my cup. Girlfriends are good for the soul. And we need things that are good for the soul these days.
Small Business Saturday
It’s also Small Business on Saturday, November 30th. I’m going to switch things up this year. We will be closed November 28th and 29th, but will be open on Saturday the 30th.
We will have special packages to purchase in house for Saturday only. I will send out a sneak peak of the specials we will have before Thanksgiving.
Spoiler alert, this will be spa and retail driven. So come in and invest in yourself and your community. Being intentional is a beautiful thing.
Spread kindness
Be intentional, be kind, and be caring as we enter a new season. Check on your people, your friends, family and neighbors. Take care of one another.
Make sure to read about Lesley from Paper & Clay in our Spotlight section. Learn more about a local business, just in time for holiday shopping!
Community Spotlight
By Julia Mongeau
When Lesley Keegan decided to return to work, she started to package smudge sticks using plants from her organic garden. Smudge sticks are bundles of herbs and plants that you burn to clear negative energy. She’d wrap these smudge sticks while reciting the serenity prayer. When a few stores found her smudge sticks online, they reached out about carrying them in their stores. And so Serenity & Sage was born.
Keegan soon added pottery, candles, and herbal skin care to her portfolio. She started to run artisan markets in Peabody at Mills 58, and selling her products at the Melrose Farmers Market. When her daughter was diagnosed with a heart condition, she realized she wanted a retail space closer to home where she could continue to create and share her work. And so the doors of Paper & Clay opened.
At Paper & Clay, you can shop handmade products, including pottery, candles, and aromatherapy, created by over 40 local artisans. You can also get in touch with your own creative side by joining a pottery class. Keegan offers a pottery wheel and hand building classes for individuals and small groups. Other artists also offer classes and workshops, like sound baths or kids birthday parties.
Recently, Keegan had a potter travel from far away to take a lesson with her. Keegan was able to help the potter “work out some kinks”, and find confidence in her skills despite that pesky imposter syndrome.
Keegan loves to create custom work for people, creating a memorable piece unique to the individual. She also puts together curated gift boxes - something to keep in mind as we enter the gift giving season!
As for the future or Paper & Clay, Keegan says she’s happy and content with where she’s at, happily running Paper & Clay and enjoying time with her two kids, boyfriend, and dog.
That said, she’d love to welcome folks to the store. So grab your friends and stop by 953 Main Street. You may find your new favorite local artist, get inspired and take a pottery class, or pick out a smudge stick to help you set an intention. There’s something special for everyone at Paper & Clay.
