Storque articles by missbatch

Lena Corwin: Painted Furniture How-to and Favorites

2008-11-07T14:00:00Z

I recently caught up with Lena Corwin, who's got lots to share, including her many inspirations, Etsy favorites, and from her new book, this beautifully "dressed-up dresser", just for you! Click here to download the complete instructions, or follow along below. Let's get to it, shall we?

Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
Hi! Thanks for asking me to do an interview. I love Etsy! I'm a textile designer, illustrator, craft book author, and curator of artist books. I started my career in graphic design, which lead me to textile design — and now I do a variety of projects as a self-employed designer.

My book, Printing By Hand, is a how-to guide for printing patterns on different materials and surfaces, using methods of stamping, stenciling, and screen printing. The book covers a lot of detailed technical information, and has fun projects like printing on bed sheets, furniture, and clothing.

What draws you to the printing process and how did you get started with it?
I never get tired of printing. I love working with my hands, and I prefer the look of imperfections that you get from hand printing instead of printing digitally or by machine. I love vintage fabric, and I first became interested in doing my own printing from admiring the inconsistencies and imperfections in old fabrics. I like when patterns are off register, and the ink blends and distorts.

Where else do you find inspiration for your creative process?
A reoccurring source of inspiration for me is imagery from my childhood. I've bought a lot of the books that I had as a kid, and I find nostalgic imagery in them. I went to a Montessori school and we used a lot of blocks and geometric objects as learning tools, and I'm fascinated by those shapes and colors. I'm always taking snapshots with my digital camera, and I look back at my photos for inspiration for designs.

You seem to flow very easily between different mediums, from textile design to graphic design, blogging and photography (what else?)... how do you find they influence each other?

I've always thought of my blog as a catalog of ideas and inspiration for my artwork and projects. The blog has helped to organize my ideas and I notice themes in my inspiration. Using flickr has helped me rediscover photography, which was a passion of mine in high school. My blog definitely helps me organize my thoughts for future designs.

You cover so many aspects of printing in the book, but is there anything you were not able to cover that you wish you could have?
Originally I wanted to ask other designers to contribute to the book. That didn't happen, but I think it would have been great to see how other artists would have interpreted the projects.

What's next for you?
I'm busy working on Lines & Shapes, a series of artists books I co-curate with Maria Vettese (we have exciting plans for 2009!). I'm looking forward to coming out with new pillow designs— both with my own patterns and collaborations with other designers.

These are some of my favorite items/shops/designers on Etsy. I mostly look at new, original art on Etsy, but I also search for vintage items.

cacti .birds eye view by yuizdan168, $2

Grizzly Bear by LizzyStewart, $23

Obama poster by YeeHaw, $15

Set of Postcards by Jennifer Causey of photobird, $16

Calendar by Claire Nereim, $50

Ceramic planters by Michael McDowell of mudpuppy, $10.80

Gold ring by Nicole Solo of soloartworks, $60

Tea towels by skinnylaminx, $12

Handprinted linen by maramiki, $40

Custom dog portrait by Sian Keegan of sian, $110

Calendar by seventyandsunny, $20

Set of handwoven napkins by plait, $120

Vintage tea tin by domestikate, $10

And now for the project...

Dressed-up Dresser
I've stenciled on new and used furniture, and there are advantages to both. Old furniture usually needs some cleaning up (like sanding wood or stripping off flaking paint), but you can usually find a well-made piece inexpensively. New furniture needs little or no preparation before stenciling, but you may have to spend a lot more money for a good-quality piece. For this project I used a new dresser made with unfinished solid pine. My dresser measures 24" wide by 27" tall, but you can adapt these instructions to a piece of furniture of any size. Simply adjust the number of stencils and the amount of paint to suit your project.

1. Prepare Work Surface
You will need a work surface of approximately 3' x 3' for cutting your stencil, and a well-ventilated area covered with newspaper or a drop cloth to paint your dresser.

2. Cut Stencils
Photocopy the artwork supplied in the back of the book (and on download) for this project (or your own artwork) onto several sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" or 11" x 17" white paper. Cut out all the shapes in the design with scissors (A). Note: This is a reverse stencil, so you want to keep the center shapes and discard the surrounding paper. When cutting the design out of paper, do not cut out the eyes in animal shapes, or the holes in the flowers.

Roll out approximately 12" of contact paper, plastic-side down, taping the edges of the contact paper to your work surface if it starts to roll up (B). Set several paper cut-out shapes on the contact paper, design-side down, and trace around the shapes with pencil (C). Cut the shapes from the contact paper with scissors (D). To cut out a hole in the center of a flower or the eye in an animal, fold the contact paper where the hole will be and cut a half-moon shape. Repeat until you have traced and cut all the shapes from the contact paper.

3. Prepare Dresser
Remove the knobs from your dresser and, in an outdoor, ventilated area, spray paint the dresser knobs white. With the drawers out of the dresser, paint a coat of white latex primer on the drawers with the paint roller. Let the paint dry, and wash out the paint roller and tray. Paint a coat of white semigloss latex paint on the drawers. Let the paint dry. Paint a second coat, if needed, and wash out the paint roller and tray. Let the paint dry overnight. Note: It's important to let the dresser dry overnight; if you don't, the contact-paper stencils might peel off the paint when you remove them later.

4. Assemble Stencils and Print
Keeping the drawers out of the dresser, tape the sides, tops, and bottoms of each drawer with painter's tape. Put the drawers back in the dresser, but leave them all open about 1". Tape the sides of the drawers together with painter's tape to stabilize them — otherwise they may shift while applying stencils and painting.

Following the placement of the stencils in the photo (see page 82 or download), loosely tape the stencils in place with transparent tape to make sure that they all fit together nicely (E). When you are happy with the placement of the stencils, start to peel the backing off the largest pieces, and press them to the front of the drawers (F). Note: It is important to peel the transparent tape off of the stencil before peeling off the paper backing. Any tape hanging off the edge of a stencil will become part of the stencil design. Once all the large stencils have been placed on the drawers, fill the spaces in between with the smaller pieces.

When a portion of a stencil runs off the edge of a drawer, fold the excess over the edge, and press it into place (G). Avoid putting a delicate part of the stencil (such as a leg or an antler) across a break between two drawers, this will increase the chance of the paint bleeding under the stencil in that area. You may have extra pieces left over, or you may need to cut out more shapes to fill in spaces. When all the stencils are assembled, make sure they are fully adhered to the surface of the drawers by pressing over them again with your hands.

Scoop several tablespoons of yellow latex paint onto an artist's palette or into the paint tray. Push the roller through the paint to coat it evenly. With the paint roller, paint over and between the stencils (H). Let the paint dry, and paint a second coat. If the paint is still translucent, add a third coat. Allow the paint to dry to the touch, and peel off the stencils and painter's tape (I). Note: If the yellow paint bleeds under the stencil, it may be necessary to touch up the white areas with a small (1/8") paintbrush and the white semigloss paint.

5. Clean Up
Discard the used stencils. Wash the brush, roller, and paint tray thoroughly with water, and let them dry completely before using again.

Thanks to Lena for visiting with us and to publishers, Stewart, Tabori & Chang for the book images and project download. It's been a treat!

Want to explore your own handprinting projects? ...Search Handcarved Stamps to get started. For more nature-inspired decorating ideas, search Nature Wall Decals.

Recycled Glove How-to: Make a Chipmunk Softie

2008-10-17T15:34:00Z

Gloves (like socks), while born to be part of a pair, often end their days in lonely solitude, separated from their mates by the forces of the universe that conspire at every turn to pull them apart. Alone, they sadly serve little purpose (aside from the occasional show biz appearance for only the most sparkling among them), and are left to languish in the backs of a drawers and bottoms of closets — that is, if they're not disposed of all together. Ah... but it's a new day. Crafter and author Miyako Kanamori has a plan and she's ready to share it!

With her book, Happy Gloves: Charming Softy Friends Made from Colorful Gloves, she's given hopelessly single gloves a new lease on life as cozy companions. In her able hands, one glove's worth of material becomes an elephant, a penguin, a donkey, a bunny — you name it — all set free to romp and play together. (Can't you just hear the claps of cheer?)

Try your hands at this chipmunk to start your very own menagerie of recycled glove critters. Download complete instructions here or follow along below.

Thanks to the Penguin Group for sharing this project from Happy Gloves.

Author Miyako Kanamori is a crafter who lives in Tokyo. She is also the author of Sock and Glove. You can see more of her work at her website: bananawani.org/nuiguroom.

For more cute critters made from recycled materials, search "Recycled Softie". Some examples plus a few other autumn-inspired creations can be seen in the related items below.

Skull Guy Noah Scalin Embraces Death Daily

2008-10-15T17:51:00Z

Author and Skull-A-Day maker Noah Scalin shares his Etsy picks for spooky and sweet skulls. Join him this Friday, October 17 at 11am (EDT) for a Skull-A-Thon in the Treehouse of the Virtual Labs. Get ready to share your skull-themed favorites and Noah will do the same. Together we'll created a Treasury with our favorites! Without further ado...

I guess there are worse things to have shouted at you than, “It’s the Skull Guy!”…which is exactly what happened the first time I set foot in the Etsy Labs!

At that point I had made just over 100 of the 365 skulls in my Skull-A-Day project and had
no idea where it was heading. Since then, the project has lead to a Featured Video on YouTube (made by Etsy no less!), my very own book (called SKULLS of course), and even a visit to The Martha Stewart show, not to mention the thousands of fans across the globe, who shared their own work and enthusiasm for the project with me.

It all started with just a small orange cut paper skull I put online, saying “I’m making a skull a day for a year.” It’s a good thing I loved skulls before I started the project, since I ended up spending anywhere from 2 to 10 hours every day for that year, thinking about, researching, making, and photographing them! And it seems I’m not done with skulls yet, as I'm curating a second year of Skull-A-Day with hundreds of skull submissions by artists young and old who continue to be inspired by the project. At this point, I guess I’ve earned the title of “Skull Guy” and considering all that the skulls have done for me, I won’t even mind if you shout it at me.

Check out Noah's last visit to the Etsy Labs...

Subscribe to our iTunes Podcast!

The related items below represent some of Noah's skull-scouting on Etsy. Find your own new favorites with a few of these searches: "Skull Jewelry", "Skull Art", & "Dia De Los Muertos."

Create your own cross-stitched skull with Noah's original pattern or send a skull greeting for Halloween or anytime with Noah's free skull e-cards.

DIY Halloween Contest '08

2008-10-07T17:43:00Z

Whether you're a costume creator, spooky chef, decorating diva or gadget whiz... Halloween lovers: it's time to show off your skills!

Instructables has teamed up with Etsy, PopSci, MAKE, Craft, Core77, Threadbanger, IndyMogul, Hack n Mod, Toolmonger, Lion Brand Yarn, Plaid, Quirk Books, Singer, American Science & Surplus, Think Geek, and Ponoko to bring you a contest worthy of your creations! See complete details here.

There are lots of contest categories to choose from and lots of ways to enter!
- Post your Instructables, photo slideshows, or videos on Instructables.
- Enter individual photos and videos through the diyhalloween08 flickr group and YouTube group.
- List your finished contest entries on Etsy. Tag your item with "HalloweenCon08" for possible inclusion in the featured Halloween Gift Guide. Don't have an Etsy shop? Sign up for one here.

Key Contest Dates:
CONTEST STARTS: Nov 5, 2007 (Yes, that's 2007; anyone that entered projects to Instructables after last Halloween is eligible.)
ENTRY DEADLINE: Nov 9, 2008
VOTING STARTS: Nov 10, 2008
VOTING ENDS: Nov 16, 2008
JUDGING STARTS: Nov 17, 2008
JUDGING ENDS: Nov 24, 2008

Prizes:
Many prizes! Everything from craft supplies, cool tools and books to shopping sprees and more. So many prizes! More info will be posted here.

Instant treat:
Contest partner Quirk Books is offering a 25% discount for Storque readers! Just type "ETSY" at checkout when asked for a discount code.

For more Halloween fun, check out these Halloween posts on the Storque.

You should also take a look at the Halloween Gift Guide for decorating ideas, costumes and all sorts of Halloween-themed items.

Etsy in Action: Upcoming Events October 2- 8, 2008

2008-10-02T15:48:00Z

Fall events are in full swing, with holiday planning just around the corner... are you ready? Whether you're a shopper or a seller, here are the latest happenings you should know about.

Delray Beach, Florida

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Stitch Rock is an annual indie craft fair and bazaar bringing back old school crafting techniques with new school flare! Full of handmade crafts and unique products like D.I.Y fashion, funky home decor items, natural bath and body goodies, vintage finds, hot rod paintings, pin up photography, and much more! Skip the mall, shop indie!

Door prizes, music, food and drinks.
Free swag bags for the first 100 people!
D.I.Y Fashion show at 3pm
Special feature: Live painting by local Miami artist, LEB

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
October 4-5, 2008

Puces POP, along with over one hundred artists and craftspeople, invites you to SHOP HANDMADE! There will be art collectives, jewelers, fashion designers, screen printers, indie record labels, cake makers, toy creators, puppeteers, fanzine editors, soap makers, stationary designers, knitters, bookmakers, home accessory designers, and the list goes on and on...

Washington DC
September 8th to October 25th

The Luce Center at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) wants to play with you. They have launched an alternate reality game called Ghosts of a Chance and are calling on the general public to participate.

They want you to fall in love with the museum and its collections, a place that holds the best they have to offer, the excessive desires of our civilization. From September 8th to October 25th, the objects you create will be displayed for all to see. In effect, you will be secularly canonized. So join in, at the Museum, at the live events, online or in person.

Calls for Vendors

Sunnyside, New York: October 11, 2008

Sunnyside Gardens Park's 2nd Annual Arts & Crafts Fair.

Set to coincide with both the Pumpkin Patch Festival and Oktoberfest, this year's fair is sure to be a blast.

They welcome everyone to come celebrate the fall, harvest some pumpkins, drink some beer, and check out lots of great local crafts! Space is still available for crafters. Download the vendor contract for more information.

Los Angeles, California: December 13-14, 200

Unique Los Angeles: Want a place to hawk your goods and reach thousands of shoppers in just one weekend? Join the best thing to happen to Los Angeles since the fall of botox. Visit the website for details.

Space available for over 225 vendors.

Let us know what's happening in your area by sharing in the comments below. Want to report on an event you're organizing? Email us!

Fresh Shops: LuckyJackson

2008-10-02T13:09:00Z

"I like the idea of working really hard at being happy and I think that you should surround yourself with things that reflect this, including art. I like making art that is fun, that you get a chuckle out of when you see it, a bit of nostalgia that everyone gets. I hope that my fellow Estians find that in my work!" — LuckyJackson

During a recent jaunt through Pounce Undiscovered I discovered the work of LuckyJackson. Aside from LuckyJackson's refreshing outlook, I was immediately drawn to the bold lines and collage of elements used in her art. Vintage fabric, embroidered stitching, pastels, guache and wood grain are all employed to create graphic and strong, but still intimate and personal portraits. Even though I don't know who the people in her work are, the quirky moments Lucky captures makes them instantly relateable and yes, a lot of fun!

I was curious what made her decide to fill her shop only recently after opening over a year ago:

"The delay between when I opened my account and when I started listing coincides with the birth of my daughter. I had all these ideas for my 'lucky' work when she was first born (last August) and in the last few months have taken the time to execute them. All the originals featured in the shop right now will be available [soon]. I also have another 14 new works to add. (It's all a time thing with two kids!)"

I also had to find out about that name:

"Funny you should ask... I lost my Dad just a little over a year ago. I had just found out that I was pregnant with my second child just a few weeks prior to his death.

My Dad and I were best friends. He was a huge 'culture vulture,' loving music, art, literature and movies. I owe him for all the things he
exposed me to over the years. I was just in awe of all the artists that he introduced me to.

When he died I knew I had to focus on good things. My father often said 'You can't control what happens to you, only how you react to it.' So I realized how lucky I was to have the new baby inside me, to have known such a great and passionate and creative father, for having such a supportive husband, my beautiful kids and for having a gift for the arts. I decided that I was only going to create art that was optimistic, happy, witty and fun.

To make a long story short, it's a reminder when I am feeling down, to remember just how lucky I am.

My name is Jennifer Jackson, but I prefer Lucky!"

Wow, thank you Lucky for this beautiful reminder and art work to match!

...Why not be the lucky one yourself and snap up Lucky Jackson's first sale? Worth noting, she will be accepting custom orders, which makes me think: hello costumed Halloween portrait!

Looking for more Etsy newbies? Check out our previous Fresh Shops coverage!

Handmade Kids Sweepstakes: Winners Announced!

2008-09-22T15:26:00Z

Congrats to the following 14 lucky Etsians, winners of the Handmade Kids Sweepstakes:

Happy shopping! (Winners will be contacted directly with instructions for redeeming their prizes.)

If you missed it, check out the Members Choice Award Winners and the Expert Panel Award Winners. Thanks to all who participated and all the judges, it's been a blast! Handmade Kids Challenge

For more great items for kids, search "INTLKIDS" to see what some of Etsy's international artists and designers have to offer. (The related items below show a sampling.)

Jewelry How-to: Naughty Secretary Club Bracelet

2008-09-19T16:41:00Z

This goes out to all you office girls (and guys), slaving away out there in a stuffy cubicle, working for the man... all the while surreptitiously reading this here blog, and looking oh so busy... (how do you do it?) Ah, we joke, we joke. Take heart, it's Friday! ...And the Naughty Secretary herself, Ms. Jennifer Perkins, has a special treat — a free project download! Plus lots of other ideas for all of those office supplies you "borrowed" in her new book, The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry. Now get to work and make yourself this sweet bracelet!

Office Hanky-Panky Bracelet

(Download complete instructions here.)

Stuff You'll Need:
1 hanky or other thin vintage fabric scraps; 3 vintage clip-on earrings; silver bracelet blank; button-covering kit; chain-nose pliers; wire cutters; scissors; Liquid Fusion Glue

STEP 1: Gather your materials
Choose a hanky or thin piece of material with an office theme. Gather your stray clip earrings, bracelet blank, glue, scissors and button covering kit. Make sure that the size of the kit you choose corresponds with the size of the blank on your bracelet.

STEP 2: Cover the Button

Using the circle template provided in the button-covering kit, cut out a circle from your hanky, making sure the part of the image you want to show is in the center of the circle. Hold the fabric circle right side down and center the top half of the button on top of it.

STEP 3: Arrange Covered Button Inside Cup

Insert the fabric with the top half of the button on top into the larger plastic cup. Fold all of the extra fabric edges on top of the button. Push the back of the button into the plastic cup, making sure all of the fabric edges are tucked under it.

STEP 4: Secure Button Back

Use the blue cap provided in the kit to push the button back down into the plastic cup, securing the fabric under the button back. Simply pop the covered button out of the plastic cup.

STEP 5: Remove Button Shank

Use chain-nosed pliers to remove the shank from the back of the covered button.

STEP 6: Remove Backs from Clip-on Earrings

Use chain-nosed pliers and wire cutters to remove the backs of the vintage clip-on earrings. Occasionally a Dremel tool with a sanding attachment will be needed to smooth rough edges for a better gluing surface.

STEP 7: Adhere Covered Buttons and Earrings to Bracelet

Use your favorite glue to attach alternating earrings and covered buttons to your bracelet. Let everything dry overnight and wear to work!

Can't get enough of this naughty secretary? Be sure to catch Tuesday's Etsy Finds, where Jennifer shares some of her key sources for jewelry-making supplies — right here on Etsy. (And we're talking way more than beads!)

Not on the mailing list for Etsy Finds? Sign up today! All the goodness of Etsy, conveniently delivered to your inbox!

Handmade Kids Challenge: Expert Panel Award Winners

2008-09-17T13:10:00Z

More congratulations are in order! Besides the Members Choice Award Winners, where the Etsy community got to vote for the best of the Handmade Kids Challenge, there's still the small matter of the EPAoEs— that would be The Expert Panel Awards of Excellence.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our guest judges, the Expert Panel.

Each judge is a knowledgeable participant in his or her field and has chosen one winner per category to receive a $200 Etsy shopping spree, based on the following criteria:

Quality of craftsmanship
Originality of design
Adherence to theme and entrance categories
Quality of photography for entered items

...Let's get down to it, shall we? ...and the EPAoE goes to:

ACCESSORIES

Girls Pink Mermaid Tail Towel by tinygreenapples

Category Judge: Amanda Kingloff of Parents magazine

“This had me at hello! I love it because it’s not only a dress-up item, but because it doubles as a towel. The colors are fun and vibrant and the top stitching just adds that little extra something to make it special. (And she makes a size to fit your child’s doll, too!)”

ART

Plant A Tree by kachingdesign

Category Judge: Jodi Levine of Martha Stewart Living
“I chose this sweet print because it makes me smile. I love it's simplicity and I think a child would have fun staring at it and making up stories about the little character watering the plants.”

CLOTHING

This is My House, My Car, My Tree Girls Dress by babypop

Category Judge: Kelly Alfieri of Cookiemag.com

“This dress looks like a vintage one from a time when people had more time. The appliqué work, with the white stitching on dark denim that looks like chalk on a chalkboard, is gorgeous. I think this would be any little girl's favorite dress.”

ECO-FRIENDLY

forest creature hat upcycled by mosey

Category Judge: Bonnie Alter, Contributor, Treehugger.com

“Maybe it is the Canadian in me, but I love cozy hats for children: the only thing my doctor told me when my son was born was: he had to wear a hat in winter and summer. This one is green and made of felted wool, another favorite thing of mine.”

FURNITURE

Owyn Toy Box by modmomfurniture

Category Judge: Carrie McBride of Ohdeedoh.com

“Why it gets my vote: A mom with power tools – what's not to love? The OwynToy Box stands out for its unique leaftop design and modern graphic quality. Its adult-friendly look ensures its place in the home for years to come, long after its use for toys.”

HOME DECOR

Butterfly Mobile by khamm75

Category Judge: Holly Becker of decor8.blog.com

“I love mobiles and always had one growing up, so I'm naturally attracted to them. I really like butterflies and appreciate that to baby, a mobile is more than home decor but can be a learning tool and source of comfort. This whimsical mobile can grow with the child, a little girl may want to keep this in her room for years.”

TOYS

Frank Porter the Hot Dog Eating Champion Plush Doll by PillowMonsters

Category Judge: Mark Frauenfelder of Boingboing.com

“This whimsical doll with a hot dog as an accessory is adorable and well-designed. My kids would love it, my mother would love it, and I love it.”

Congratulations to all! In some cases, the members' and judges' tastes were very much aligned: both the Butterfly Mobile by khamm75 and the Owyn Toy Box by modmomfurniture placed in the Members Choice Competition. So double congratulations to these winners are in order!

EPAoE winners will be contacted directly with instructions for redeeming their prizes.

Still to come: The Handmade Kids Sweepstakes winners will first be contacted directly, and then be announced on or before September 22, 2008.

As always, love goes out to Etsy's international artists and designers who, though ineligible for the contest, shine just as bright in our eyes. Search the tag "INTLKIDS" to see stellar examples of their wares for the young ones.

Handmade Kids Challenge: Members Choice Award Winners!

2008-09-16T14:40:00Z

It's that time! Thanks to all who entered the Handmade Kids Challenge and all who voted. The competition was steep and the entries all showed incredible diversity and talent. With close to two thousand entries and more than ten thousand votes, you cared, you really cared — and we love you for it. Join us as we congratulate the Members Choice Award winners.*

As a reminder, the Members Choice Awards are based entirely on your votes. Prizes will be awarded to the three artists who received the most votes in each category.

(7) First Place winners will each receive a $200 Etsy shopping spree.
(7) Second Place winners will each receive a $100 Etsy shopping spree.
(7) Third Place winners will each receive a $50 Etsy shopping spree.

* The Expert Panel Awards of Excellence (as determined by our expert panel of judges) will be awarded on Wednesday, September 17.

* The Handmade Kids Sweepstakes winners will first be contacted directly, and then be announced on or before September 22, 2008.

Without further adieu, by category, the Members Choice Awards go to (drum roll please!)...

ACCESSORIES

First place with 901 votes:

Little Bunny Shoe-Shoe Felted Merino Baby Booties by prettylittle

"I'm not sure who loves these bunnies more, the grown-ups or the babies! There's nothing like putting a pair of these on a little one and watching her face light up! Seeing those tiny fingers reach down and tug at these fuzzy ears... It's why I do what I do."

Second place with 858 votes:

Blustery Grey Petit Lamb Wool Felt Mary Janes by AureliaandAnnalise

"We, are VERY naughty little sheep! Depending on our mood, or how tired we are from a day out in the fields, sometimes we face each other, sometimes we both look the same way! Very, naughty!"

Third place with 720 votes:

Little Lion Costume Chunky Earflap Beanie by babaialainn

"This unique and chunky earflap beanie is made from gold and cafe brown acrylic yarn with accents of pumpkin orange yarn, with big loops forming the mane and finished with earflaps and ties. This is the perfect addition to a costume, or adorable by itself!"

ART

First place with 1230 votes:

Berry Street Village (9 x 11 shadow box) by PetiteHouse

"Once upon a time there lived a village of gnomes on Berry Street. The air was sweet with smells of the earth, and lovely quiet bird noises were pleasant in the woods."

Second Place with 626 votes:

Make a Wish (edition 2) by yumiyumi

"Giclee print of an original illustration done in combination with pencil, pen and ink, love and some digital tweaking. One of three different color combinations (I love color so much it's hard to decide on just one)."

Third place with 612 votes:

No Monsters Allowed Print by johnwgolden

"No Monsters Allowed is part of a series of 24 'signs' (By Order of the Management) that I created, after realizing that there are some things every parent says over and over again. Then I realized that many of these parental mandates are good rules for adults to live by too."

CLOTHING

First place with 926 votes:

Birdie Dress or Top by allthenumbers

"It's reversible, so if she spills, just flip it over for a clean look! One side features a little red bird appliqued on a grey chamberey background, and the other side is a red Moroccan woodblock print."

Second place with 900 votes:

Custom Fairy Princess Look Dress by HannahsTutus

"Our company started three years ago when my daughter Hannah had some fabulous pictures done in a tutu! From there I made tutus for friends... then a few other moms... then I finally made the plunge to have a website and this year came to Etsy."

Third place with 614 votes:

Marne 3 Tunic Dress, by breadandroses

"My Marne 3 Dress is inspired by smocks worn by children in rural towns along the Marne River of France generations ago. But with modern twists: exposed textured selvage/fringe on front & sleeves, this time without top stitching to create a flange with volume."

ECO-FRIENDLY

First place with 679 votes:

Sweater Ball, by handmadepretties

"This fun ball pillow was made from a rainbow of recycled sweaters. It is stuffed with fiberfill to a pleasant fluffiness. The ends are capped with wool and/or felt and hand stitched with yarn. These are super fun on a couch or for the little ones to toss about. They are huggably soft."

Second place with 631 votes:

Plum Creek Bags Snack Bags by Plumcreekmercantile

"Plum Creek Mercantile is a combination of my desire to bring creativity into my everyday life, make daily tasks more enjoyable and benefit the environment around me. My products are meant to be simple and functional while decreasing my environmental impact."

Third place with 517 votes:

Recycled Blue Jeans Cocoon by joliem6201

"I am a professional photographer and SAHM of 3 wonderful boys; 4 year old twins and an 8 month old. I love crafts and use it to make photography props for myself and others!"

FURNITURE

First place with 2622 votes:

Owyn Toy Box by modmomfurniture

"My father, a self-taught carpenter and woodworker, built most of our furniture when I was growing up in Ohio. I learned from the best tinkering around in his garage workshop. Thirty-some years later, I have my own garage workshop."

Second place with 1086 votes:

Spring Blossoms Hand Painted Armoire by madteapartyfurniture

"I am a mother of four who has a passion for painting. What started as a hobby, painting has now become a full time job. I love every aspect of painting, especially knowing that others enjoy my pieces in their homes."

Third place with 793 votes:

Mr. Turtle Step Stool by Animals

"He's lean, he's green, and he's ready to help your favorite child reach the cookie jar! This turtle stool is super detailed: he has 4 feet with individual toes, a realistic 3-D face with raised eyes, and a cute little tail."

HOME DECOR

First place with 2159 votes:

Tree Stump Floor Pillow by bebemoon

"I'm a graphic designer and most recently a mommy to our beautiful little girl. Sewing for me is a great escape... and now I have all the inspiration I could ever ask for."

Second place with 780 votes:

Wrapped Up in Words Blanket, whynottsewn

"I am someone who has quickly fallen in love with fabric and sewing. I have fully embraced the love of both, and I will admit...I am obsessed. Therefore, I decided to spread the love and put this newly found passion into creating functional pieces that put my obsession to good use."

Third place with 702 votes:

Butterfly Mobile by khamm75

"I made this for my daughter when I was unable to find a graphic mobile that really engaged her. She absolutely loves it and can interact with it through entire diaper changes and beyond! Plus, I loved having a use for all those beautiful scraps of paper I have been holding on to."

TOYS

First place with 1045 votes:

Card Table Playhouse, by missprettypretty

"The very first thing I ever sewed was a hideous tie for my dad when I was about 8 years old. Uneven stitches, fabric that never should have been used for a tie, and poor cutting skills. He wore it to work the next day! I think that was when I decided I loved to sew."

Second place with 906 votes:

Custom Pretend Tea Set by NiftyKidstuff

"Nifty Kidstuff began when I was just fifteen as a way to make some cash without working at a dreaded fast food restaurant. Now I'm a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design. All along the way it has been an excellent way to use my creative abilities doing something I really love."

Third place with 809 votes:

Custom Little Girl Friend by dmollison

"What started out as a promotion thread on Etsy, has turned into one of the most wonderful collection of friends one could ever imagine. We laugh together, give advice, and support each other's shop. These dolls are dedicated to the wonderful women on this forum."

Congratulations to all! Winners will be contacted directly with instructions for redeeming prizes.