Meet Emily from Blue Feather Mercantile
This week's featured vendor is Emily Norton, owner of Blue Feather Mercantile.
If you've visited one of our markets, you've probably noticed Emily's beautiful booth filled with colorful home décor, artisan gifts, candles, and thoughtfully curated pieces that instantly make you want to bring them home. Her collections are warm, inviting, and designed to help people create spaces they truly love.
I recently asked Emily to share more about the inspiration behind Blue Feather Mercantile.
Tell us about your business.
"Blue Feather Mercantile is a woman veteran-owned boutique based in Rancho Palos Verdes, curating colorful home decor, unique gifts, and artisan finishes that help people create spaces they love to live in. Every collection is thoughtfully chosen to inspire beauty, warmth, and connection. You'll usually find me sharing that passion at local farmers and artisan markets throughout Southern California but mostly in the South Bay."
What inspired you to start your business?
"I've always been passionate about interiors and believe that every home- no matter its size, deserves to be beautiful, functional, and a true reflection of the people who live there. After years of "reviving" several homes my family dwelled in and working in a local home decor boutique where someone else made the buying decisions, I realized I wanted to create a brand that reflected my own design style and vision. That's how Blue Feather Mercantile was born: a place where I can thoughtfully curate pieces that spark the Blue Feather spirit into other people's spaces.”
What is your best-selling product or service?
"My best sellers are definitely my clean burning candles and my colorful artisan gold plated coasters because they are both beautiful and functional. Customers love the candles for their vibrant, reusable art vessels that can be repurposed as planters or decorative containers long after the candle is gone, and the hand crafted metal coasters, made right here in SoCal are like miniature works of art that add personality to a coffee table or desk. “
What is your favorite part of being a small business owner?
“My favorite part of being a small business owner is having the freedom to curate collections that truly reflect my style and vision. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing someone light up when they find a piece they love and hearing how excited they are to bring it home. Knowing that I've helped them create a space they enjoy or allowed them to find the perfect gift for someone they love.”
What is one challenge you've overcome along the way?
“I still have lots of new challenges as a small business owner but one that I've overcome is knowing that "success" and major growth isn't going to happen overnight. I have learned to do one thing at a time and keep going, no matter what new challenge comes my way. In business, and in life, I continually remind myself to just keep going and always do my best. Hard work pays off but sometimes the timeline is different than what you expected.”
What are you most excited about right now?
“I'm most excited about continuing to grow Blue Feather Mercantile within the community while expanding beyond pop-up markets and into online shopping. My goal is to make my thoughtfully curated collections available to customers throughout the seasons of life or whenever inspiration strikes, not just limited to market days.”
Where You Can Find Blue Feather Mercantile
Most Saturday mornings from 9-1pm you can find Blue Feather Mercantile at the Valmonte Farm and Garden Markets and I also am a proud Sun and Sea Collective member. I always post the markets I pop-ups I land at on Blue Feather's Instagram page @BlueFeatherMercantile
Will be launching my new online shop in the near future. So excited about that! Stay tuned!
South Bay Favorites
Waverly Boutique in Manhattan Beach- Love so many of their clothing pieces and truly admire what they offer their customers. Well done!
Why We Love Them
At Sun & Sea Collective, we love celebrating businesses that are built with heart and intention. Emily has created more than a home décor boutique, she's created a brand centered around helping people love the spaces they call home. From thoughtfully curated gifts to beautiful artisan pieces, every item in her collection reflects her passion for design, connection, and creating beauty in everyday life.
Thank you for supporting Blue Feather Mercantile and all of the incredible small businesses that make our community so special.
Stay tuned for the next Meet The Sun & Sea Vendor Feature!
Meet Adele from Adele French Art
This week's featured vendor is Adele French, a South Bay artist whose work is impossible to walk past without stopping.
From bold stencil paintings to wearable art, Adele's creations are inspired by a life shaped by travel, surfing, and cultures from around the world. Her work blends creativity with sustainability, often using reclaimed materials to create pieces full of texture, character, and story.
I recently asked Adele to share more about her business and what inspires her creative journey.
Tell us about your business.
"Adele French, I am a stencil artist."
What inspired you to start your business?
"My art is shaped by my multicultural background, extensive travels, and my identity as both an artist and surfer. These influences fuel a distinctive style that contrasts the relaxed spirit of surf culture with the intensity of modern hyper consumerism. I work with reclaimed materials, giving her pieces a raw, eco-conscious edge while celebrating irregularity, texture, and imperfection."
What is your best-selling product or service?
"There are 2 parts to my activity. They are very complementary.
Painting: online sales + gallery shows + pop ups (eg: This summer you can find me at the El Segundo Art Walk, the Hermosa Side Walk sales and more) as well as commissions
Love seeing the emotion of a collector when they find the one painting they had been searching for. That’s what inspires me to keep creating!
Fashion: cross body phone chains + artistwear."
What is your favorite part of being a small business owner?
"I am a creator: creative process of turning a vision and turning into a real painting/ object."
What is one challenge you've overcome along the way?
"Learning new techniques, managing multiple activities from creating to marketing to accounting to event set up. It doesn’t leave a lot of energy to concentrate on creating."
What are you most excited about right now?
"Continuing to explore creative technics: working on a mural, new phone chains with material I sourced on a trip to France and Mexico."
Where You Can Find Adele French
Website: adelefrench.com
Instagram: @WhoIsAdeleFrench
You'll also find Adele at our next Sun & Sea Collective market this weekend - August 8th at Promenade PV!
South Bay Favorites
When she's not creating, here are a few of Adele's favorite local businesses:
• Gumtree
• Goodboybob Coffee Roasters
• Bone by Dawn at the Bungalow in Hermosa
Why We Love Them
At Sun & Sea Collective, we love celebrating artists who create with intention. Adele's work reflects a unique perspective shaped by travel, culture, sustainability, and a willingness to continually explore new ideas. Whether she's creating a large-scale mural, a one-of-a-kind painting, or a handcrafted phone chain, her passion for the creative process shines through in every piece.
Thank you for supporting local artists, shopping small, and celebrating the stories behind the businesses that make our community so vibrant.
Stay tuned for next week’s Meet The Sun & Sea Vendor Feature!
Meet Gabe From Gabriel Estrada Photo
One of the best parts of this series is introducing you to the rad people behind the businesses that make up our Sun & Sea community!
This week, we're featuring Gabriel Estrada Photo, a local photographer whose work beautifully captures everything we love about living in the South Bay, from coastal landscapes and surf sessions to family portraits that become lifelong keepsakes.
What I love most about Gabe's business is that every photograph is created and finished by him. From photographing the moment to editing and printing each piece on museum-grade archival materials, his commitment to quality shines through in everything he does.
I recently asked Gabe to share a little more about his journey:
Tell us about your business.
"I'm your local coastal photographer, whether it's our local landscape, your family portraits, or a surf session."
What inspired you to start your business?
"It started with shooting local landscapes and the occasional wedding or family portrait. I used to work for someone else, but I realized I wanted to build something of my own."
What is your best-selling product or service?
"My local prints have been a big seller, with sizes from 5x7 up to 11x14."
What is your favorite part of being a small business owner?
"It's truly being who you want to be. I'm at every shoot, photographing and editing in my own style. I handle everything in-house, including printing. We use archival, museum grade materials, it feels good not to cut corners and offer something built to last."
What is one challenge you've overcome along the way?
"One of the biggest challenges is going from photographer to business owner. I'm still learning the business side while staying true to my style."
What are you most excited about right now?
"I'm most excited about seeing where photography takes me next. I started with pop-up markets and now surf photography's picking up. I'm excited to grow family portraits next."
Where You Can Find Gabriel Estrada Photo
Website: www.gabrielestradaphoto.com
Instagram @gabrielestradaphoto
You'll also find Gabe at upcoming our next Sun & Sea Collective markets - August 8th at Promenade PV!
South Bay Favorites
When Gabe isn't behind the camera, here are a few of his favorite local businesses:
• ET Surf
• Racer Tea
• La Terraza
Thank you for supporting local artists, shopping small, and helping businesses like Gabriel Estrada Photo continue to grow.
Stay tuned for next week's Meet the Sun & Sea Vendors feature!
Meet Upasana from Urban Nest & Nook
Meet the Sun & Sea Vendors: Part I
One of my favorite parts of hosting Sun & Sea Collective markets is getting to know the incredible people behind each booth.
Every small business has a story, and I wanted to create a space where we could celebrate those stories—not just the products they make, but the passion, creativity, and hard work that goes into building a business from the ground up.
I'm so excited to kick off our Meet the Sun & Sea Vendors Summer Series with Urban Nest & Nook.
If you've wandered through one of our markets, you've probably found yourself stopping at her beautiful booth filled with cozy textiles, handcrafted home décor, gorgeous serving pieces, and thoughtfully selected jewelry. Everything feels intentional, timeless, and designed to make a house feel more like home.
I recently caught up with the owner Upasana to learn more about the story behind the business.
Tell us a little about Urban Nest & Nook.
Urban Nest & Nook is a South Bay-based small business offering thoughtfully curated home décor, handcrafted textiles, serving pieces, and distinctive jewelry. Our goal is to help customers create warm, beautiful spaces and find unique pieces that feel personal.
What inspired you to start your business?
"I have always loved decorating, styling spaces, and discovering products with beautiful craftsmanship. I started Urban Nest & Nook to share that passion and bring unique, high-quality pieces to my local community."
What are your best sellers?
“Our handcrafted home textiles—including cushion covers, throws, quilts, table runners, placemats, and napkins—are among our most popular products. My clients love my new addition of mango wood serving pieces/ charcuterie board platters and my designer jewelry”
What's your favorite part about owning a small business?
"My favorite part is meeting customers in person and helping them find something they genuinely love. It's especially rewarding when customers return, bring their friends, or tell me how they've styled one of our products in their home."
What's been one of your biggest challenges?
“One challenge has been learning how to manage every part of the business—from sourcing and inventory to marketing, events, and customer service. Each experience has helped me become more confident, adaptable, and connected to my customers.”
What are you most excited about right now?
“I am excited to continue expanding our product collection, participating in more South Bay markets and community events, and introducing Urban Nest & Nook to new customers.”
Where You Can Find Urban Nest & Nook
Website: www.urbannestnook.com
Instagram: @urbannest.nook
You'll also find Urban Nest & Nook at upcoming Sun & Sea Collective markets throughout the year.
Bonus Question: What is your favorite South Bay business besides your own?
South Bay has a variety of independent restaurants, boutiques, and family-owned businesses.Its super hard to say which one is favorite as they all have some uniqueness in them.
The next time you see Upasana’s booth, be sure to stop by, say hello, and support this wonderful local business!!
Stay tuned for next week's Meet the Sun & Sea Vendors feature!
Summer Vendor Spotlight Series
Introducing: Meet the Sun & Sea Vendors
One of the questions I'm asked most often at our markets is, "How did they get started?"
Every Sun & Sea vendor has a story. Behind every handmade product, painting, candle, piece of jewelry, or small business is someone who took a chance on an idea and decided to share it with the world.
That's exactly why I'm so excited to introduce our new Meet the Sun & Sea Vendors series.
Over the coming weeks, we'll be highlighting the incredible small business owners who make our Sun & Sea Collective community so special. You'll get to meet the faces behind the brands, hear how their businesses began, learn what inspires them, discover their favorite products, and get a glimpse into the heart behind what they create.
My hope is that these stories inspire you to shop a little more intentionally, support local whenever you can, and feel more connected to the amazing people in our community.
Whether you're a longtime Sun & Sea shopper, a fellow small business owner, or you've just discovered us, I'm so glad you're here.
Let's celebrate the creativity, passion, and courage it takes to build a small business…. one story at a time
Welcome to the Meet the Sun & Sea Vendors Summer Series. ☀️
I can't wait for you to meet our first featured vendor.