Search results (tags) for: "boston"

Art and Activism: Etsy Products for People with Disabilities

2009-09-21T17:39:00-05:00

When I was growing up, I was one of those art geeks who went to museums for fun, was always drawing in the margins of my class notes, and took requests from other kids to draw horses, unicorns, mad scientists, and various monsters.

After I went blind, finding new ways to be creative became something of an obsession. I learned to sew. I learned to tie-dye. I'm always searching for tactile art, which can include anything from found object sculpture to costumes to textile arts.

Kestrell in the Slytherin dress robes a friend made for her.

Recently I was searching Etsy for some fingerless gloves (due to my arthritis, I often wear these even indoors), and I was pleased to find that not only did Etsy have these in a variety of lengths and styles, but many of them were fun and fit both my gothic sense of style and offbeat sense of humor. The winner is purple people-eater fleece gloves:

Purple People Eater Gloves by BoysenberryLane, $14.95.

This got me wondering what other Etsy items might be appealing to people with disabilities. Here are some of my discoveries.

I've been thinking about taking up crochet, but my arthritis makes this something of an issue. Here's a possible solution, which promises both added ease of use and a decorative element: a handcrafted steel crochet hook with a modified handle. It's decorated with flowers and butterflies. (Hmmm, wonder if I can get that with crescent moons and bats?)

Polymer Clay Covered Steel Crochet Hook with a Modified Handle by thefancifulfeline, $5.99.

I'm not a big Braille reader (I mostly use a talking laptop for reading and writing and an accessible mp3 player for reading books), but I am fond of items that use Braille as a decorative device. It's tactile, and it's like wearing a secret coded message. Etsy offers more Braille-related items than I can list in a single post, but three of my favorites are:

A Child's Braille Alphabet Quilt by NeedfulThingsofSalem, $150.

Love Braille rings available in silver or gold by Zahour, $85.

This textured Braille painting entitled "Joy" by JMJSTUDIO, $179.

For wheelchair users, there are a number of wheelchair bags, although I think there is a market of younger, more hip wheelchair users, which is being seriously overlooked. My favorite of the wheelchair bags is the Smartie Pak, Jr. arm saddlebag by hodgepodgeia, $23.95.

One particularly happy discovery was that at least one Etsy furniture maker is addressing wheelchair accessible furniture, and this wheelchair accessible reclaimed pine table from an old barn made me wish this table fit in my living space. (Big surprise, I live in the attic of a big old Victorian house, with just enough room for me, the books, and the bats.) The table is by jeffbuildsfurniture, $1050.

There are a number of disabled artists who sell their work on Etsy, but the one that I kept coming back to — and from whom I ultimately bought a couple of necklaces — is Sarahbushka and her family's shop, wiresNpliers. She lists her jewelry that she makes at Art Careers, which is an adaptive educational program offered to persons with developmental disabilities. One of the necklaces I bought was the Art Careers' Sarahbushka's "Oh, Amber!" necklace. Find more in the wiresNpliers shop.

I'm still pretty new to Etsy, but I am hoping to find more tactile crafts, more disability-related items and more disabled artists who are using art and handmade crafts as both a form of self-expression and as a form of social activism.

Kestrell is a disability and technology advocate with an M.S. in media studies. She lives in the Boston area and blogs about media, disability and technology at http://kestrell.livejournal.com

Check out items from the Etsy for Autism Team | More Posts about Disability

Etsy Finds: Room for the Whole Family

2009-09-13T09:00:00-05:00

While many children have recently headed back to school, there are plenty of families who are settling into another productive year of homeschooling. This week's Get the Look: Decor is inspired by the Filer-Dougal family, who have created a home that doubles as an inspiring educational space for their two children. From reading nooks to nature cabinets, the Filer-Dougal home is filled with everything needed to stimulate a child's active imagination. Though the atmosphere is decidedly child-friendly, there is a sophisticated balance of modern design and antique treasures that any grown-up would be happy to call home.

Between homeschooling two children and taking care of a pug, two parakeets, nine fish and 10,000 snails, mother Courtney also manages to find time to create a beautiful line of jewelry, which she sells on Etsy under the name Eva666. Her home studio is a relaxing, well organized retreat where she can briefly escape the often chaotic life that comes with raising two children (who sometimes sell their handmade goodies at LennonAndRose).

Visit the Filer-Dougal family on Flickr to view more photos of their educational and creative household, and be sure to check out the Etsy Finds below for decorating ideas that will add a playful touch of kid-friendly imagination to the place you call home.

Family Living

Create Your Own Succulent Garden

By MyVintageAddiction, $23.95.

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Mid Century Style Bokz Sofa Bench

By lunarloungedesign, $400.

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Jellyfish - Medium

By mudpuppy, $35.

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the brontosaurus

By dinosaurcabinets, $250.

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Potted plant with ornaments - Watercolor

By LindaCaterpillar, $22.

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Vintage Stackable Coffee Cups

From lovethatvintage, $14.

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Large Birch Tree Forest Archival Print

By lisacongdon, $40.

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white lathe forest tile

By iamhome, $19.

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Home Studio

Crafty Bird Second Edition print

By Geninne, $25.

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dual iphone/ipod docking station

By woodtec, $119.

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Wooden Chest

By NatJGold, $345.

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Heavy duty bench pin & block combo

By Romazone, $16.75.

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little black metal rack

From silocurb, $17.50.

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Stack It Up...Wood Canister Set

From ethanollie, $39.

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Children's Playroom or Bedroom

Zooguu Monster Pillow Cover with Pillow

By Zooguu, $42.

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organic two cars and two bridge/tunnels

By littlesaplingtoys, $30.

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Zippy Scooter padded step stool

By babybloomers, $50.

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Doorway Puppet Theater - Mocha Floral

By CountingBunnies, $39.

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Orchard Fruit Felt Play Food

By bugbitesplayfood, $32.

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Planet Earth Large Vinyl Wall Decal

By WilsonGraphics, $30.

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Carries Kitchenette with Pull Out

By imaginethatwoodshop, $165.50.

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CROCHET LADYBUG RUG

By peanutbutterdynamite, $45.

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birdie chandelier

By meggancolleen, $84.99.

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Vintage Bordens Milk Crate New York

From solsticehome, $36.

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Homeschooling

Time will pass, but will you--school clock

From MaryandGrace, $30.

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Vintage Light Up Illuminated Globe

From VonlenskaVintage, $75.

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Learn How to Spell 62 Stuffed Felt Letters

By MiChiMa, $60.

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Sweet Orange scented play clay 4 oz. tub

By MamaKs, $4.

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Creepy Recycled Crayon Monster Fingers

By buppins, $7.

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Grow Your Own Wheatgrass Kit Set of 6

By Revisions, $24.95.

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Vintage Abacus Counting Toy

From bouquet, $22.

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Wooden Map Puzzle States & Capitals

By puzzlepeople, $40.

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Make Your Own Terrarium Kit

By ShaneLilyRain, $16.

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Bright Yellow Apsco Pencil Sharpener

From 26olivestreet, $18.

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Vintage Student Microscope

From ladiesandgentlemen, $40.

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Build Your Own Tinysaur

By kfarrell, $7.

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Vintage German biology wall chart

From luckylittledot, $350.

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Vintage Wooden Crate Box Organizer

From bluebell, $18.

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Looking for more styles and interiors? Check out our video series, There's No Place Like Here, where creative types show us their unique spaces — infused with their aesthetic and filled with the treasures they collect. Get involved and show us your amazing space in this Flickr pool.

Check out other Get the Look: Home Decor Editions.

A Cozy Home Gift Guide | Housewares Category | Vintage Housewares

Homeschooling Posts on Etsy's Blog

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Handmade Portraits: Mimi Kirchner

2009-09-08T10:20:00-05:00

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(Music by Jonathan Cazenave, Lineland, animation by JuliaPott)

All Etsy videos are Creative Commons, so please embed them on your blog! Help spread the word!

UPDATE: Mimi announced the winner of her free pincushion giveaway today. Congratulations to Angela Recada who embedded the video on her blog. Mimi wrote, "Thanks so much to everyone that posted and entered. There were 82 entries all together. The random number generator picked #49 and that was Angela! [The following was originally posted on August 26, 2009.]

Mimi Kirchner, a.k.a. mck254, spent twenty years "being distracted" by ceramics before she discovered her true calling, making dolls. Mimi's childhood was spent surrounded by crafting materials. Her mother was an avid seamstress interested in high fashion, and she collected an endless array of gorgeous fabrics over the course of her life. After her mother stopped sewing, Mimi decided she wanted to make something out of her mother's legacy. Thus was the beginning of Mimi's doll making career.

Mimi and her sister with their fashionable mother.

Mimi's cozy attic studio is jam-packed with a lifetime's worth of inherited fabric, buttons and secondhand clothing awaiting reinvention. From bolts of her mother's tactile cashmere and tweeds to piles of vintage buttons and other thrift store odds-and-ends, Mimi has a veritable stockroom of supplies at the ready to produce her line of unique, handcrafted cloth dolls.

Little guy 6 by mck254, $140.

This injured fellow was inspired by Mimi's experience being hit in the face by a baseball as a kid. This little boy reminds me of my sweet nerdy brother getting into tussles at the playground.

Boy with black eye by mck254, $125.

Mimi's mother left her a huge supply of vintage girdle pieces, snaps, bra and garter hooks, zippers and other sewing hardware. The tiny mechanical parts inspired Mimi to create a line of robot dolls. This nerdy dude is adorable in his plaid pants.

Robot man in plaid by mck254 $250.

Mimi sticks to simple patterns for each of her dolls; by reducing the variables, it becomes all about the extras. Her female dolls are characterized by elaborate clothing and accessories, while her baby dolls are decorated with beautiful applique.

Sleeping swaddled baby by mck254, $125.

For more information about Mimi's work, check out her terrific blog, Doll: The Art and Work of Mimi Kircher.

"Tiny World" Pincushion Giveaway | $60 value

Mimi is doing a free giveaway of one of her adorable "Tiny World" pincushions! Embed the Handmade Portrait video on your blog and email the link to your post to mimi.kirchner.giveaway@gmail.com by 5 p.m. ET, Friday, September 4, 2009. Mimi will pick one lucky person using a random number generator. We'll announce the winner on Tuesday, September 8. This is the most ornate and fabulous pincushion we've ever seen! Don't you covet it?

If you don't know how to embed a video on your blog, no worries, it's simple. Here's how:

Click the symbol that looks like this on the video player at the top of this post.
Copy the embed code from the "embed" tab.
Paste the embed code into the html of your own blog post.
Send the link to your blog post to Mimi!

Browse Items by the Boston Handmade Team | Watch More Handmade Video Portraits

Etsy Finds Decor: Into the Woods with Forestbound

2009-03-01T09:00:00-05:00

This weekend's Get the Look: Decor is inspired by the rustic Massachusetts home of Etsy seller Alice Saunders of ForestBound. She explains her distinctive decorating style as "very similar to my crafting aesthetic – traditionally inspired and rustic, but with modern sensibilities."

Alice shops almost exclusively at flea markets, barn sales and antique shops. She says, "I don’t like to buy new items, especially for decorating my space. I’d rather reuse unique pieces that I happen to stumble across. The table that I do all my sewing on for ForestBound is actually an old door that my roommate and I found behind a building a few months ago – I just attached some old table stands that I found at a flea market and it become a sturdy work table! But when I’m looking for art to hang on the walls I always turn to Etsy or other similar sites..."

Alice is inspired by "rustic, woodsy cabins and everything that goes with them – inside and out, but also by people who build their own homes from completely found materials, by the incredible work of J. Morgan Puett, and by beautiful homes that I come across via various websites such as The Selby (specifically the homes of Meryl Smith, Jean & Sam Buffa and Michelle & Tracy Mccormick)."

Interested in getting Alice's rustic, cabin inspired look? Then check out the incredible Etsy Finds below to help get you started.

The Offering

This nature-inspired photographic print by Irina Souiki seems to sum up what Alice's style is all about. By StillMemory, $30.

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Burlap Drum Shade Pendant

The shape and simplicity of this pendant lamp breathes a more modern aesthetic into its primitive burlap fibers. By kamlampcompany, $295.

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All natural white birch bark wall pocket

It's easy to spot Alice's love for gardening throughout her home, and this beautiful arrangement made from dried flowers and wood-wandering treasures perfectly captures the pleasures of her passion. By NHWoodscreations, $29.50.

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pretty little green twig with button flowers

This adorable nature-inspired shadow box has the sweetest little handmade details. By SisterValentine, $30.

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Classic Vintage Embroidery Pillow - Olive Green and Tangerine Orange on Linen

Handmade vintage treasures like this embroidered linen pillow always makes me wonder about the lifestyle and time period of its creator. By catnapcottage, $35.

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ANY COLOR TV CABINET BENCH

This gorgeous handcrafted cabinet features an antiqued surface treatment, which blends in seamlessly with Alice's rustic style. By usacreations, $75.

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Hickory Bark Wood Bowl 180

This wood turned bowl is a perfect example of how highlighting the natural flaws and age within the wood can connect its owner to the history of its past. By Hendywood, $40.

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3 Legged Stump Stool rustic wood Country plant stand

Use this rustic beach wood stump to display your favorite plant, or place it on your porch or deck so you have a unique place to sit while watching the birds go by. By bearpawrustics, $34.

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Custom Birch Bark Silhouette Portrait

Create a very special family portrait silhouette rendered in birch bark, fresh from the Catskill Mountains. Custom made by jennyleefowler, $45.

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World War II ammunition box

Alice has a thing for old wooden crates and boxes. "I can’t ever seem to pass one up (except if it’s too pricey). I’ve arranged my collection into various shelving spaces – they hold my books, my shoes, my animal skeletons, and my sewing supplies." Add a touch of the past to your living room with this ammunition box from World War II. It's the perfect size to use as a coffee table, and also doubles as a place to store blankets and pillows. From bbagllady, $80.

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Looking for more styles and interiors? Check out our new video series, There's No Place Like Here, where creative types show us their unique spaces — infused with their aesthetic and filled with the treasures they collect. Get involved and show us your amazing space in this flickr pool.

While we're talking videos, got one you'd like to share? We are looking for fun projects, how-tos, and skill-share videos for the Etsy blog. Stop by this forum thread to show off your multi-media talents, or nominate a friend to be featured.

Check out other Get the Look - Home Decor Editions.

Keeping it Cozy at Home Gift Guide | Housewares Category | Vintage Housewares

Need a daily fix of Etsy Finds? Sign up for the Etsy Finds e-mail! Conveniently delivered to your inbox!

Quit Your Day Job: valhallabrooklyn

2008-12-29T11:30:00-05:00

Karin of ValhallaBrooklyn started her business with the goal of large wholesale orders to shops throughout the United States and Europe. Once setting up shop on Etsy, she soon discovered she could make wholesale orders and retail orders together in order to support herself. With a new baby on the way, she made the decision to stay small and handmade rather than outsourcing her designs to larger companies. She now finds herself supporting her entire family through the endeavor and sure works the hours to prove it! Keep reading to find out what goes on in Karin's 80+ hour work week!

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
Yes, I was in the process of doing just that, but it was for doing wholesale to stores here in the U.S. and in Europe.

What was the deciding factor resulting in pursuing Etsy as your full time job?
I made pretty good sales right away, and decided that I'd rather have this little one-of-a-kind thing rather than starting a big wholesale business and having the bags produced somewhere else.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
I did do all the practical stuff with business license and setting up the monthly sales and taxes on a sheet; I do all the paperwork myself, too. It's just me here, and occasionally my husband helps out. I used to make dresses, coats, and also children's clothing, so I might try those ideas out again if time ever allows for it!

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
Word of mouth, and giving my cards to anyone who asks. I know people who make postcard size flyers with pictures and info on front and back and leave these at local coffee houses and hang outs.
When I lived in Brooklyn, that seemed to be a very successful way for many artists to get their stuff out there. You can also advertise for open studios, etc. I stay away from this as I work from my private home.
Get yourself a nice webpage, do mailing lists, blogs, etc.

Would you walk us through what a typical workday might entail?
I do different steps on different days.

Sometimes I'll cut out bags and linings three days in a row, and then the next couple of days it's all sewing. I do most work in the morning and then again in the afternoon.
I have zippers on long rolls, so I often get my husband to help cut and fix the ends on these.
I work every day. I try not to, but it always ends up that way, unless we are away.
I have my studio in our house so it's really hard to "ignore" the fact that's it's there and that there's always stuff to be done.
At the beginning of each month I take a whole day for paperwork and deal with numbers from the previous month.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
No boss! Vacation and days off whenever you please, I get to sleep in if I like, and no one tells me what to do. I wouldn't change it for the world and I don't know If I could ever go back to a 9-5 job. I'm pregnant right now and the first 3 months it was VERY hard to get myself in motion in the morning. I remember thinking: "How would I have dealt with a regular job? I would have fallen asleep all the time and been highly unproductive."

I do miss the social aspect of a regular job: this is pretty lonely, and I'm here all day by myself. I also miss weekends being weekends: you're off and don't have to worry about anything work related. When we go on vacation I still think about the shop everyday; after all, I'm the seamstress, designer, accountant, customer service, shipping and packaging guy, leather hide shopper, cleaning lady, etc. I don't lie when I say I work 80 hours a week most weeks.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself, knowing what you know now?
I sometimes wish I'd done this with a couple of other people. I see that some Etsy stores are 2-3 people owning a shop together where they split the work. It's pretty overwhelming doing this alone; I get a lot of requests for custom work and often have to say no. There's just not enough time if I have to live a normal life on the side. Also, get a studio away from your home, unless you have incredible self-discipline and "close the shop" at 5 pm every day. I never get to do that: I often sew till way after midnight.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year?
In these difficult financial times I'll be happy even if sales go down just a little. I also have other projects up my sleeve in the creative genre which I will jump to if next year should be disastrous!

Thanks to Karin for sharing her story and business with us! Check out the related items below to see some of her work.

You can find some of our previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Etsy In The Press: Ho Ho Ho-liday Press

2008-12-19T13:24:00-05:00

Tis the season to shop on Etsy! And we're not the only ones who think so. Check out this veritable blizzard of stories, starting with this doozy from Good Morning America Weekend. Smart shopping, indeed. My favorite part of that one (aside from the correct pronunciation and spelling of E-T-S-Y-dot-com) is the "Sneaky Santa" graphic. Check it out! Also on the tube, KOMO (ABC) in Seattle and KSL (NBC) in Salt Lake City chimed in too.

Online, this sentiment has been echoed by The Today Show.com, MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, She Knows, Madison Decider, World Changing, Single Minded Women, and on New University. And let's not forget print. Great shopping tips and stories can be found in the pages of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Boston Globe, The Orange County Register, the Courier Post of New Jersey, the Willamette Weekly, and the Grand Junction Sentinel. Break out your snow shovels.

For those of you who like to make things, there were several articles describing the joys of selling on Etsy coupled with some heartwarming seller stories, from the likes of The Los Angeles Times, Deseret News, ECommerce Guide, and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

And this icing on this ice storm, The Martha Stewart Show has been kind as well, featuring Etsy sellers Caroline Stender, aka papertreats, Katie Steuernagle aka matsutake, and Ashley Steele aka hiccupdecor. Great job ladies!

In summary, the flurry of press should make this a very happy holiday season for shoppers and sellers alike. See you in '09!

For more Etsy in the Press, go here!

Gift Ideas: Shop Local Massachusetts with ReclaimedToYou

2008-12-02T10:19:00-05:00

Shop Local this holiday season and support independent craftspeople. It's a great way to reduce your carbon footprint! We're going around the world here on Etsy's blog, so let us know where our next stop should be in the comments below. This post is straight from Boston, MA courtesy of Etsian Jessica, aka ReclaimedToYou. That's her, pictured above, knitting in one of her favorite neighborhood coffee shops/organic food store, City Feed. She has great taste and has curated a collection of items with their corresponding Massachusetts sellers featured below.

I am proud to say that I live in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, MA. It's an area full of artists, writers, and performers of all kinds. Jamaica Plain, referred to as JP, is home to delights such as the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Pond, and a whole host of wonderful local shops, restaurants, cafes, historic buildings, and lovely parks. I feel so lucky to have found this warm community where my husband and I can walk to do many of our regular errands, exchanging greetings with folks we know from the community all along the way. On Sundays I gather with a knitting group at a pub called Doyle's where I have learned to cable a scarf and knit mittens. JP is populated with people of all ages, backgrounds, faiths, nationalities, and lifestyles, and that's why it's such a dynamic and vibrant place to live. There's always something happening like the Day of the Dead festival, the JP World's Fair, the Lantern Parade, the JP Open Studios, block parties, and frisbee games. The Etsy team, Boston Handmade even gets into the act with an annual series of JP Artisan Fairs in the spring and summer. In fact, Boston Handmade has had such success with group shows in JP and all over Boston that we are opening a brick-and-mortar gallery in Downtown Crossing just for this holiday season. The gallery will be all Etsy and all handmade, and is opening on November 28th, just in time for holiday shopping. If you're in Boston between Thanksgiving and New Year's, stop by the gallery to say 'hi,' and while you're at it, be sure to grab a chocolate chip cookie from Blue Frog Bakery, it's the yummiest!

ElizabethBrennick

Beth on her street in Seekonk, Ma. with one of her cats Baby and her two kids Abby and Noah.

Kiki Fluhr aka allthenumbers

"This is a picture taken by my husband at Avalon Beach, which is just around the corner from my house. I have a deep love of the ocean and I don't think I would feel right living far away from it. It gives me a great sense of calm, and a certain groundedness that I have yet to find anywhere else. During moments of panic I try to imagine myself here, sitting on the seawall, and hearing the continuous lap of the waves. The sound is like a deep breath, like a sigh of relief, and like coming home."

DeShawnMarie

"I love the fact that Boston is surrounded by nature and that I can gather inspiration for my creations in short walks around town or along the coast. The photo you see here is a walk along the coast that inspired my By the Sea soap."

Karissa of kissandtellcards

"The picture was taken just north of Boston, or as the locals say, 'on the North Shore.'"

Don't forget to let us know about your favorite local Etsy artists. Pitch your town, state, country or region; include a screenshot of your Poster Sketched picks and a link to a pretty photo of yourself in your neighborhood. We can't wait to hear from you!

You can find folks in your area by using Etsy's Shop Local site feature. Find out more about how Shop Local works. Make sure to update your geo info in your public profile!

Shop Local Posts | Gift Ideas | Shop Local in Your Area | BostonHandmadeTeam Items

Featured Buyer: VeganYumYum Shares Her (Delicious!) Kitchen Know-How

2008-11-05T13:39:00-05:00

Lolo is the creator of VeganYumYum.com, and she's been a member of Etsy since 2005. She loves all things handmade, so Etsy is a very dangerous website for her to visit. Despite great peril on her part, she's collected some of her favorite things to share with you. On her blog she only focuses on handmade food, so she's excited to break out and feature some original, hand-crafted goods that will not only fill your life with a little bit more sunshine, but also support artists who make a living using their hands.

Sometimes I spend so much time thinking about the food I'm going to put on the table for the holidays, I forget about decoration. (You know, the non-edible stuff.) I usually end up running around my house grabbing things I can pass off for holiday flair, which always ends up being the votives I made for my wedding two and a half years ago. I dust them off as best as I can, hoping no one will notice, but since the people I have over are usually people who went to my wedding, I often hear, "Oh, I remember those candles!" With that in mind, here are some pretty handmade things we can use to, uh, update our tables.

There are other things I've included in here that I love, but don't necessarily have to do with the holidays, or your table. I hope you like them anyway! I certainly do.

Botanicraft finds natural things (leaves, flowers, branches, seeds) and makes the most gorgeous pottery out of them. These tube vases would be a perfect fall or winter or [insert favorite season] table decoration. Check out her entire inventory, there's even a pretty brown vase in there for only $6!

I'm a sucker for cutting boards: they're just so gosh darn useful. You can cut on them, use them as a hot plate, and if you find a pretty one, they look great on the table for serving as well. I feature cutting boards in about 99% of the photos on my website for these very reasons (also because I'm lazy). TheWoodenKnot has a range of gorgeous cutting boards made from the most beautifully colored woods you can imagine. No one will think you are lazy because they will be distracted by your beautiful cutting board.

If you're like me and love unique, multi-purpose, (pretty!) cooking tools, check out Khphillips' queso pot. This is the ultimate low-tech appliance for one-pot cooking. Ingredients go in, shove it in the oven, serve from it, then stick the custom lid on and put the leftovers in the fridge. (Of course I'd use it for everything but queso.) I want to eat every single one of my fall and winter meals out of this pot. Check out the rest of his pottery, too!

I'm a huge fan of salt pigs. (Yes, that's really what they're called.) I have a good idea of how much salt I'm using (when cooking or at the table) when I can feel it in between my finger tips. Using a salt shaker just doesn't do it for me. If you have a salt pig, your salt is always within reach, but protected from dust and...well, let's be honest: cat hair. Check out Risingsky's shop for different colors, and other fun items like garlic keepers and olive boats.

It's always good to have candles on hand. Worthysoycandle's shop is full of them, and she even let's you pick out your own custom fragrances, colors, as containers. And they're all vegan-friendly soy! You can't really beat that for $6.

These aren't for your table, but I just have to mention them: reusable bulk food bags. Is that a great idea or what? I bought these earlier this year and they're FANTASTIC. They're light, strong, and washable. They don't weigh any more than the normal plastic bags, and they're slightly transparent so you can see what's in them. Take a look at Kootsac's shop to get the colors and sizes that work for you. I liked them so much I went back and bought more.

I just had to feature these pretty coasters by Knight27, because the photos were taken right in my neighborhood! They're totally lovely, and since they're just trees, you can pretend they're from your neighborhood, too. (And you'll be all matchy-matchy if you get the vases above, too. Just saying.)

I'm always on the lookout for interesting dishes. (I have a little bit of an obsession.) These mini bowls are totally beautiful, modern, and fun, and also made by a local Bostonian. There's even a nice, affordable appetizer plate in JillRosenwald's store for $24. If I was going to invest in some gorgeous, handmade pottery, I'd start my search here.

I love recycled and unique things that are also useful, everyday items. Hammeronsteel's shop has some very charming church keys made from scrap metal. One of the bottle openers in his shop used to be part of an old cider press...How awesome is that? Much cooler than the one I have from Target. Sigh.

There is so much handmade vegan soap on etsy! If you search for vegan soap, you get 310 pages, and there is definitely something in there you will like. Personally, I love the idea of this kitchen soap from spottedcowsoaps that's designed to get rid of everything from garden dirt to onion and garlic smells. Fresh brewed coffee? Yes, please. You can make garlic soup and smell like a latte afterwords. WIN.

Oh man, the area in my kitchen devoted to spices is out of control. There are jars everywhere, falling over, rolling around, and the cinnamon is always hiding behind the mustard seeds, and I can't find either of them. If this sounds like your kitchen, go look at Purposedesign's store and get yourself organized. Spices included!

And finally, never forget to say thanks. I love letterpress, and Littlepretty's shop is full of original, beautiful, letterpress cards such as this one. Full disclosure: LP is a buddy of mine, but I really do love her cards. I bought the monster cards and the owl cards earlier this year. A couple months ago my husband and I got carried away playing Rockband way too loud, and way too late. Our poor new neighbors had to ask us to quiet down so they could get some sleep. The next day I gave them one of LP's owl cards with an apology, and they invited us over to a vegan dinner that same week. Her cards are so pretty, they'll make up for any social blunder! They might even get you a free vegan dinner!

And now, a recipe! VeganYumYum's Jellied Cranberry Sauce!

Further Resources
More Holiday Recipes from VYY:

Homemade Vegetable Broth
Miniature Napoleons With Eggplant Creme
Candied Lime Sweet Potatoes
Easy Tarte aux Pommes
Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Tart
Petits Fours
Artichokes With Sundried Tomato and Marjoram Stuffing
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Cream Cheese Filling
How to Buy and Prep Brussels Sprouts

Check out VeganYumYum for more of Lolo's delicious recipes and great food photography (and tips!).

Looking to do more shopping? Want more Thanksgiving content? Look no further!

Holiday Parties and Decorating Gift Guide | Thanksgiving | Home Decor | Featured Buyer series

Modish: Coming Together at the Table | Cooking | Veganism

Fresh Shops: jillrosenwald

2008-10-23T11:22:00-05:00

Ceramicist JillRosenwald's beautiful works have been all the rage on the blogosphere as of late. Her gorgeous lamps, bowls and vases are the picture of muted palettes and graphic beauty.

This Fresh Shop may be brand new to Etsy, but she's an accomplished artist who has already sold her art around the world. Etsy gives her a new venue to sell her handmade prototypes — very fresh items indeed!

Can you tell us a little about the people behind jillrosenwald?
We started our business too many years ago to imagine... I was right out of college and started by selling handmade clay earrings in Soho. (Ha ha!) After that it was door-to-door, to stores, making cold sales calls, and then to the American Craft Council shows, gift shows in New York and selling for over ten years to the top American retailers. By then it was the pottery work — go to www.jillrosenwald.com to see more. We had our work in hundreds of great shops — Barneys in New York and JAPAN! ABC Carpet and Home, Saks, Neimans — lots of groovy shops!

We downsized a few years ago to focus on our lamps — and my licensing biz —another long story! Today we are located in a smaller location around the corner from our old place. We have just renovated to provide our locals and the Etsy watchers with beautiful custom made pottery.

What inspires you as a creative person?
When we moved into the new space I was instantly provided with the impetus to create this very cool new work that so definitely veers off from the very busy work that made our reputation. I also started to design forms that were less influenced by functionality and more directed by sculptural notions. The forms inspired the cleaner lines of the new patterns that have far more white space and show off the lines of the form...The whole thing seems to beg for itself. I think that that tells you a lot about who we are and what we do

How do you like Etsy so far? What are your favorite features of the site?
When we first set up shop on the site, we started to look around and were instantly smitten with the Storque videos, particularly the one of Julia Pott, which told me about her amazing work and drew me to her wonderful animation. "My First Crush" — j'adore her! Then I explored further and really got sucked in — the muralist Maya Hayuk, Built by Wendy, the frenchwoman who makes the petit fours jewelry (lepinkchocolat) — love love!

Then once the shop went up, I was instantly taken with "Who Hearts Me" — I mean, how great is that feature? My numbers grow every day, and I think people are watching my work here and I have this huge reach. People can see what we make right after it comes out of the kiln! Exciting! Incredible! And for someone who has been making work seriously for a long time, this is a great thing, this internet world, right? AND! It is great to get attention, period! I was uncertain of Etsy in the beginning, as I have my own site, but the exposure from Etsy is amazing. I am a huge admirer and I cannot stop talking about it to everyone. I think they might be tired of it, but occasionally you find someone who says, "Oh Etsy...I love Etsy!" So thank you for the venue!

Anything else you'd like to add is also welcome!
Check out more of my work at www.jillrosenwald.com.

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

Featured Etsy Team: Boston Handmade

2008-10-08T14:00:00-05:00

Each week we feature a Local or Global Etsy Team that catches our eye. Boston Handmade has always been a great resource: not only within the group, but also to other Teams. We're in awe of the work they have done to promote buying handmade! They are always sharing skills, knowledge and enthusiasm... and for this, Boston Handmade, we salute you! (Insert trumpet solo)

Can you tell us a bit about your Etsy Team? What's the glue that holds your team together - location, craft, etc.?

Boston Handmade is a locally based team with members located throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The group was founded in March 2007 by Jessica Burko (aka ReclaimedToYou). Burko’s interest in developing the group was to gather local Boston area artists, craftspeople, and artisans who were actively engaged in selling their handmade work on Etsy. Gathering like minded, independent, creative people to work together towards reaching their common professional and artistic goals was the original driving force behind Boston Handmade and continues to be the focus of the group.

[Boston Handmade Photography Workshop]

What does your Team do to help each other?

Our group originally came together to lend support, share information, and promote the handmade life utilizing our wide diversity of skills and experiences. Members of Boston Handmade lead skill-share workshops, share supplies through swapping events, carpool to shows and team gatherings, and no one hesitates to post art, crafting, supply, advice or questions to our email list. The biggest help we each provide to one another is being available and active in the group.

[Boston Handmade Knitting Workshop]

How does your Team promote Etsy and each other's shops?

We have a blog featuring each member of the group with links to individual shops, and a link to search for Boston Handmade Team items on Etsy. All members of our group regularly contribute articles to the Team blog, and we publish new content seven days a week, sometimes more than once a day. We also post a list of individual blogs maintained by our members, and our blog address is linked from Team member sites. Additionally, we produce several Team-only shows during which we tell everyone all about Etsy and happily distribute Etsy promo items.

[Boston Handmade's Marketplace! Sponsored by Etsy!]

Tell us a bit about a current or past Team event or promotion.

Our biggest event to date was this summer's Boston Handmade Marketplace held in June in Somerville, MA. We had enough space at this show site to include all Team members who were able to attend, and we were thrilled to have room to invite other Etsy sellers from Massachusetts. The show had live music, twenty-eight exhibitors, and was a fantastic day for all of us!

Does your Team have an exciting promotion, event or announcement to share?

On Sunday, October 12 (10am-4pm) we will be exhibiting as a group at the Boston's South End Open Market. There will be more than 25 members of Boston Handmade showing and selling original one-of-a-kind and limited edition works in textiles, wood, ceramics, paper, jewelry, photography, fine art, and more! We are so thrilled to be able to present our work together like this in such a well known and prominent venue.

Many thanks to Jessica and the Boston Team for working so hard together! Did their story inspire you to join an Etsy Team? Check out our informative Teams section for all the info you need!

Etsy in the Press: September So Far

2008-09-18T16:06:00-05:00

So far, so good. September has been all about movement and style.

By movement, I mean the Handmade movement that we are all participants in. The New York Times recently had a feature about Faythe Levine, author of Handmade Nation, and director of the new documentary, "Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design". The article focuses on her experiences in the handmade world, and references Etsy as a major component.

Another movement that's been gaining traction lately is a phenomenon called crowdsourcing. The term was coined by WIRED magazine Editor Jeff Howe, author of Crowdsourcing: Why the Power of the Crowd Is Driving the Future of Business. Crowdsourcing describes the process by which the power of the many can be leveraged to accomplish feats that were once the province of the specialized few. We had the pleasure of meeting Jeff when he came to Etsy to film a video about crowdsourcing for the newly launched Small Biz Project on wired.com. According to Jeff, Etsy is the manifestation of the passion of our community. We couldn't agree more.

And by style, I mean style. Shop.org gave Etsy props for our merchandising style, focusing on our innovative shopping tools, and declaring us the top merchandising site of 2008 during their Annual Summit. Thanks! The Georgia Straight of Vancouver, Canada featured an in depth discussion of styles and trends on Etsy. It includes the thoughts from Etsians from multiple nations and continents! Other trends are in the news as well, such as Obama-themed items in this piece from the Boston Globe. Or, the abundance of great vintage items mentioned in the Jetson Green.

For more Etsy in the Press, go here!

Etsy Teams Digest: What's New for Teams?

2008-08-08T17:17:00-05:00

The Etsy Teams program has surpassed 15,000 members this summer, and we couldn't be more pleased about the growth and activity the Etsy Teams are up to these days.

It's been a busy summer for SFEtsy, the Street Team for Etsy sellers in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to showcasing one another through team Treasuries, the SF Team has started holding regular meetings at the Craft Gym in San Francisco. They shared Etsy's table at the Renegade Craft Faire, and held their first Handcrafter's Faire at the end of July. The Handcrafter's Faire featured work from Etsy sellers AttainingCreativity, TreasuresByTina, BFBeads, EXDesigns, JeynReyn, TwoTurnips, panopoly, LindaDavisDesigns, HairPetals, faerierebecca, and ChristinaWilliams. They hope to hold another Faire in November to help spread the word about Etsy.
Local Massachusetts Etsy Team, Boston Handmade, has been gearing up for their fourth and final Boston Handmade Artisan Fair of the 2008 season on Thursday, August 7th, 5-8pm. Ten members of Boston Handmade showed their art and craft as part of the JP First Thursdays monthly art stroll sponsored by the Jamaica Plain Centre/South Main Streets. The event featured live music and handmade work by StonehouseStudio, NancyRosetta, ElizabethBrennick, Glamourpuss, JHillDesign, AmyOlsonJewelry, ReclaimedToYou, Knight27, and VintageByCrystal. Check out their Flickr photo set to see photos from past shows.
To coincide with Grandparents' Day on Sept. 7th, the Wild, Wise, Witty Grandmamas team has voted Meals on Wheels as their benefit organization for September. They all decided that Meals on Wheels helps the largest number of seniors all over America and the basic human need is friendship and a good meal.
The Hampton Roads Artisans Street Team had its first face-to-face meeting at a Starbucks in Chesapeake, Virginia. Six Etsy sellers were present (pictured below). They will be getting together a team show on December 13 and also plan to adopt a local charity.

[Photo from JKCreativeDesigns at the first Hampton Roads Street Team meeting]

The Plush Team, comprised of over 50 plush designers from around the world, is excited to announce its participation in the upcoming 6th annual Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. Boasting over 200 vendors, the Renegade Craft Fair will highlight some of the most cutting edge crafters from the United States and all over the world. The event will be held September 13 + 14 from 12pm - 10pm along Division St. between Damen & Hermitage in Wicker Park. Don't miss it!
To celebrate the Seattle Etsy Team, EtsyRAIN's, first birthday on August 1st, the team from the Emerald City has been busy promoting EtsyRAIN and Etsy at all of the shows around Seattle, finding new members and thinking up new ways to celebrate their success as a team. Upcoming events include a collaborative space that will feature 7 EtsyRAIN members at Showcase Tacoma — a fantastic art show held August 8 & 9th. Happy Birthday EtsyRAIN!
EtsyPittsburgh has been all about motivation this summer! Members have been super busy teaming up to vend at events like the city’s unique nomadic indie craft fair I Made It! Market, spearheaded by team member zippull. By getting together at fairs and markets to root each other on and to share spaces, tents, supplies, advice, and laughs, Team Pittsburgh has established a supportive crafting community in the Steel City! To find out more about the team, its recent goings on, and why you should join, visit their Team blog. See some of their fabulous creations in the team’s Flickr pool.
EEAT was formed just last month, and currently has about 20 members. The team is based on a love of FOOD! Any Etsy seller that sells edibles is welcome to join. On August 11 at 6pm EST in the Virtual labs, Team EEAT is having a Bake Sale! This will coordinate with Craft Night, and is a great way to see what Etsy's Edibles have to offer! Come and see great food, ask questions, and buy now for the Holidays! Most of the team stores will be having huge sales that night! For more information, see the Team blog.

[Members of Etsy Dallas at their PhotoParty. Photo by Carrie Partch]

Lampwork Etc. Street Team (LEST) is using their monthly team challenge to give back to the communities around them. Their Challenge Committee leader, NValentineStudio, wanted to do something more than the everyday challenge dealing with colors, or the seasons, or even glass-specific. She came up with the idea of "Just Give", which is their team challenge for the month of August. It's a simple idea: certain members have elected to donate a portion of their Etsy sales to the charity of their choice. They've challenged each other to "Just Give" to an organization whose mission they believe in, and are using their Etsy shops to do just that.
It is design time for the team members of CGGE as they hold their August Glass Challenge. CGGE members are submitting works in stained, fused, lamp worked and mosaic glass mediums using "summer" as their inspiration. The CGGE challenge ends at midnight on August 25th and all entries will be posted on Flickr. They would like to know what you think and are asking all Etsy members to take a look and vote for your favorite. The winner will be featured on CGGE's web site. CGGE is a global team and was formed in March 2007 to provide a creative and supportive environment for all glass artists. They continually support member shops and Etsy and are available to answer questions about glass on their daily message thread "Talking Techniques and Materials with the CGGE".

Be sure to cast your vote!
The Capitol Region Etsy Team (CREST) is having a trunk show at Polymer Clay Express at Artway in Damascus, MD (9890 Main Street, Damascus, MD 20872). It will be held on Saturday, September 6th, 2008 from 11 to 4PM, the same day as the Damascus Community Fair. Participating shops include: Pamlita11, SapphireChild, ButtonDivas, GetWiredDesigns, BoodlersBeads, Aycee, BellaRoseCreations, melissamemandesigns, Shelbyb, and GenerationsTieDye. They've been divvying up tasks including getting the word out, making raffle baskets, and flier production to make the show happen!
The Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective is not letting a sizzling hot summer slow them down. Membership continues to grow. Some veteran members hosted a recent "Very Etsy Sunday" event to give newbies one-on-one guidance to set up a successful Etsy store. Their encouragement is just the jump start that some newbies need to get their stores up and running. Offering a helping hand is second nature to most Burritos. Just a few weeks ago, a Burrito was in a car accident and was in immediate jeopardy of not completing a previously scheduled move before the month's end. A call went out and other Burritos she'd never met before leapt into action to help her complete the move on time. Now that's teamwork!
While the Spanish-speaking community is located in over twenty countries over the five contients, here on Etsy artists can come together and show to the world the passion of their culture. The history, folklore, social and political situations combine to create a unique style in art, crafts, and any handmade activity. If you want to join this group of Spanish speaking artists, check out the Etsy in Spanish Team.

You can sign up to receive emailings about Etsy Teams. Be sure to look for Team Tips on Mondays and the Featured Etsy Team on Wednesdays in the Storque each week! You can find more information, like how to join, guides for your Team and more, at team.etsy.com.

Etsy in the Press: Creative Ventures

2008-06-26T15:12:00-05:00

June has been buzzing with talk of crafty entrepreneurship. Where to begin? How about Sydney Stoyan's heart warming tale of her Etsy experience in the National Post? It is our favorite kind of story: buyer needs necklace, buyer finds Etsy, buyer meets seller, they start a friendship. Buyer goes on to form relationships with other sellers, and discovers the pleasure of the relationships and meaning that come from buying handmade. Describing her new found joy, she concludes by saying, "You simply cannot buy this kind of thing from Louis Vuitton."

The Wall Street Journal published a piece recently describing how online selling has opened new doors for artists who want to make a living from their passions. In a similar vein, Etsy features prominently in a cover story in the May issue of Entrepreneur's StartUps magazine. The article gives some good advice on pricing and marketing your creations online, as well as tips for real-world displays. It also provides insight on the relationship between art and commerce. The Boston Business Journal just ran a thoughtful story about the rise of Upcycling, a favorite practice of mine. The current issue of Crochet Today magazine has a great introductory piece about Etsy as well, featuring interviews with Matt and a few Etsy sellers. Express, an offshoot of the Washington Post, also ran a story detailing the challenges facing upstart handmade businesses. Steve Berger, CEO of the Craft & Hobby Association, was on ABC's Money Matters, talking about the recent boom in crafting (Americans spend $32 billion on craft supplies annually!). He spoke about what crafts are popular these days, and how the internet (and Etsy in particular) has influenced the recent growth and changed the crafting culture.

On the buyers' side of things, Etsy fan, Rob Walker, was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle, talking about his new book, Buying In (in which Etsy is mentioned). In the interview, he tells a short but amusing tale about a tie that he recently purchased on Etsy. Finally, the cultural media site artinfo.com recommends Etsy as a great place to begin collecting affordable art.

That's all for now, friends. Happy reading!

Etsy in Action: Upcoming Events June 27-July 3

2008-06-26T13:38:00-05:00

The summer is chock-full of handmade events. Here are a few of this week's finest...

Raleigh, NC: Saturday, June 28

The Rock & Shop Market is a great place to shop indoors on a hot day, grab a beer at the bar, listen to the bands, Red Collar and The Secret Theatre, and shop from 30 fantastic designers. For a sneak preview of what to expect, check out the Rock & Shop's Flickr page and the Rock & Shop Flickr group.

Tip: Arrive early, as the first 50 attendees will receive a free tote full of swag!

Boston, MA: Saturday, June 28

The Boston Handmade Market is an outdoor fair featuring work by more than 25 Massachusetts artists, craftspeople and artisans from the group, Boston Handmade, Etsy sellers all! The market will showcase handmade jewelry, clothing, accessories, housewares, art, photography, toys and sculpture. Go for the handmade goodies, stay for the live music, craft demonstrations, and more.

Petaluma, CA: Sunday, June 29

Out on the West Coast this weekend is the Craftaluma, Petaluma Craft Mafia’s signature craft show, with the goal "to provide a venue for those in the field of DIY arts and crafting... to educate, support and expose folks who are interested in pursuing the crafty life as an occupation or hobby...." and of course, to be "the greatest show on earth!" Hear hear!

Are one of these events near you? Tell us what's happening in your area by leaving a comment below. Better yet, why not show us? Share your photos at the Etsy in Action flickr pool.

Check out the related items for a sampling of the vendors representing at Boston Handmade Market and the Rock & Shop Market.

Etsy Design Face-Off Part III Back with a Vengeance: The Votes Have Been Tallied

2008-06-18T12:14:00-05:00

We received some amazing Etsy logo designs as part of the Etsy Design Face-Off. The Etsy Community voted and the ballots have been run through our special vote tallying machine.

If you missed out on the Face-Off, check out the Competitions & Opportunities Featured Column within the Storque for more info.

Congratulations to argylewhale.etsy.com! The community has decided that design #1 is the supreme champion of Etsy Logos!

Design #1 by argylewhale

The Etsy Labs has printed a limited edition run of bandannas with her design, which are now available in the EtsyLabs shop. The community also expressed so much interest in the designs of JuliaPott and somethingshidinghere that we decided to print their designs on Etsy Merch as well.

Check out the shop for some amazing JuliaPott tote bags as well as Etsy stationary sets with the designs of somethingshidinghere.

Design #2 by JuliaPott

Design #5 by somethingshidinghere

Thank you so much to the Etsy Community and our featured designers for all their hard work and input. You are helping the Etsy Labs create a more diverse style of merchandise to offer to everyone interested in spreading the handmade love that is Etsy.

See posts in the Competitions & Opportunities series.

Etsy Design Face-Off: Part III Back with a Vengeance

2008-06-10T16:25:00-05:00

UPDATE:
Voting will be ending on Wednesday June 11 at 7pm Eastern time (that's tomorrow, folks!)

The Etsy Labs has noticed your requests for a more diverse style of promo merchandise and have created the Etsy Design Face-Off with the intention to involve you, our beloved Etsy community, in the design process of our new line of Etsy goodies.

The Etsy Admin have hand-selected three designers that are already doing an awesome job on the site. We asked them to create up to three new Etsy branded designs, and now it's up to you to decide whose Etsy Design will reign supreme! Just cast your vote for your favorite new Etsy Logo Design in the comments below.

The voting will be open until Wednesday, June 11, and the design selected by the community's vote will be screenprinted at the Labs and featured in an exclusive limited edition run of merchandise for sale in the official Etsy merch shop. This month's contenders will also have their designs featured on hundreds of Etsy promos that will be available at the Renegade Craft Fair on June 14th & 15th. Stop by and visit the Etsy booth to talk with admin and get some of your very own!

Let's Meet The Contenders:

This month's competitors are strong, established designers with a large bag of skills. With all artists weighing in at over 50 sales each, this match up is going to be a very exciting race!

On the Purple & Green platform we have argylewhale, hailing from right outside the Boston, Massachusetts area. She has been a member of Etsy since October of 2007 and has already sold over 81 items! You may have also seen her work at lazerbeanz where she collaborates on projects with her talented husband.

On the Green & Gold platform we have juliapott , hailing from the East end of London. She is a fairly new member of the Etsy community, joining in February of 2008 and has already sold over 51 items!

On the Pink & Blue platform we have somethingshidinghere, hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They have been a member of Etsy since May of 2007 and have already sold over 723 items!

Let's check out the designs!

Be sure to click on the designs below to view the full image, then cast your vote in the comments section by copying and pasting the following text:

My favorite design is (#_)!

#1 (argylewhale)

#2 (juliapott)

#3 (juliapott)

#4 (juliapott)

#5 (somethingshidinghere)

#6 (somethingshidinghere)

#7 (somethingshidinghere)

If you'd like to discuss the Face-Off or your favorite designs, please do so in the dedicated Face-Off Forum discussion. Please try to leave the Storque commenting for voting only. Leave your vote below!

Etsy Teams Digest: Super Events!

2008-05-21T15:51:00-05:00

With over 12,000 members and new Etsy Teams forming daily, there is always something going on with the Teams. This is just a little taste of all the events they're planning and running now. For more information from Etsy Teams, join the Teams Mailing list!

Seattle's Team EtsyRain is really gathering steam! They just held their first big team craft show and have many other upcoming Team events planned! Check out more photos of the event here.
Kick off the summer season with Etsy Dallas! Bring your appetite, creativity, and support for local artists and get ready for a day full of handmade food, music, and fun! The 1st Etsy Dallas Beer-B-Q will boast over 30 local artists and crafters selling their handmade goods. Customers can enjoy grilled food, cold beer and live music! The first lucky 25 in will receive a goody bag. The event will feature a free Make & Take booth for all ages. Everyone can explore their creative side, and experience the joy of handmaking! (All unused supplies will be donated to a local children’s charity.) For more information, check the Etsy Dallas blog.
Boston Handmade is preparing for a huge outdoor show that is all about Etsy! The Boston Handmade Marketplace is an outdoor fair celebrating all things handmade and Massachusetts artists, craftspeople and artisans associated with Boston Handmade and other Etsy sellers in New England. Over 20 artists, artisans, and craftspeople will be showing and selling. Also, there will be live music, craft demonstrations, and more!! Check BostonHandmade.org for details. Registered exhibitors at the Boston Handmade Marketplace include AmyBurhoe, AmyOlsonJewelry, BlueAlvarez, DesignsByLulubelle, ElizabethBrennickDesigns, FernAnimals, FraskeDesigns, Glamourpuss, Knight27, LBranchD, LittleWishes, LuckyMonkey, MadeInLowell, mck254, muchachaK, Nancyrosetta, Pogibabies, ReclaimedToYou, SeaGlassThings, StonehouseStudio, TheHoleThing, TwigsAndHeather, and TwoGuitars.

The do - it - yourselfers of the Connecticut Etsy Street Team are proud to present their second event: The Connecticut Etsy Team Jewelry Spectacular on June 7! Over 25 jewelry artists, and accessory designers from all over the state (all from Etsy!) will attend. Also featured will be special guest, Anne Mitchell, MD, promoting breast cancer awareness and prevention. The team is offering one free jewelry item to the first 200 people through the doors. For more info on this event check out the show's website. The CT Team is also looking forward to meeting with Bethela soon for an informal Q & A kinda luncheon. The CT Team is always looking for new members - if you'd like to become a part of this little crafty family, check their profile page!
On April 26th, the Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective took part in the first-ever Phoenix Indie Craftorama at the Duck and Decanter in central Phoenix. This event was different because it focused on the 7 major craft collectives in Phoenix. Organized by Kathy Cano-Murillo, from CraftyChica.com, it brought together music, food, book-signings, raffles, demos, make-and-take projects, and more than 40 artists from all over the valley!
Etsy Hempsters fosters a community that shares and supports each other in their work, promotes, educates about industrial hemp and advocates for political change in current laws in the United States, the only industrialized nation without this industrial crop. Their first team event is a donation drive where members will be donating hemp items to be sold to the Hemp Industries Association. All proceeds will be going to the HIA to further education, research, and development of the hemp industry. Support eco-friendly alternatives, support independent artists, support Etsy Hempsters.

The EtsyBABY team is excited to be hosting Special Events & Promotions to be held on Etsy, including Customer Appreciation Week, & Seasonal Promotions. Look for EtsyBaby Baby Showers over the next few months! In April,
EtsyBABY held a Mother's Day Give A-Way. The promotion was a huge success and one very lucky client walked away with a gorgeous gift basket!
EtsyGreetings just completed a successful and fun collaboration with JET and EtsyFAST. Members from all three teams designed items with a wedding theme. Mission Soldier Support is a new effort for EtsyGreetings. Member CapturedTimeBooks is coordinating a collection of blank, handmade greeting cards to send to US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for their personal use. EtsyGreetings is in the process of a membership renewal - having been active for over one year, this is an opportunity for shops to renew their membership, update their information with the team, and respond to a few survey questions.
The EtsyKnitters Team is running a month-long Wedding-themed challenge. Members are encouraged to post wedding related items to Etsy.com, and more than 20 EtsyKnitters are participating. Check their blog for more information.

Hearts Born of Love and Consciousness Team is actively recruiting members to join in and spread the word about Etsy by making, wearing and selling heart pins from scraps of fabric. We have begun pollinating with jewelry, photography, and stationary - our bees are meeting soon! If you want to be part of a young team that brainstorms about non-traditional marketing ideas please consider joining.
The Fashion, Design and Lifestyle Team unites like-minded enthusiastic artistic people, who are passionate about style, fashion, life and good taste in every step of their daily lives. For their first team project, the Team chose to an introduction to Etsy “society" through a virtual “debutante” ball. Members are busy working on items for the debutante ball, including invitations, clothing, jewelry, gifts, paintings, and anything else imaginable, united by a common color scheme and the debutante ball theme. All of the items will be pulled together on June 1st for the team launch and the virtual “party.”
Etsymetal members are pleased to announce tutorials at the Etsymetal blog. Search for 'tutorial' on their blog to find them all. Etsymetal members have fun and try out new ideas for the monthly challenges. The April theme was insects and the May theme was cold connections with a spring feel. Look at photos of our monthly theme pieces in the Etsymetal flickr group.

The Bookbinding Etsy Team will be hosting a shop hop over at their team blog! Head over to find out how you can receive discounts at team shops! They are also looking forward to an upcoming Virtual Labs Trunk Show, which they plan on having at the end of May/beginning of June. Be sure to keep an eye out for the team blog entry that will give more details on how to take part in the fun!
EJA is holding a giveaway and we have fantastic handmade prizes for you to win! Visit the EJA website for more details!
The Lampwork Team (LEST) is holding a big promotion with Beads of Courage, a non-profit group that collects beads for children diagnosed with serious illnesses. Check out the challenge going through the end of the month on their website for more information. Purple hearts are the final beads the children are given once they beat the disease and are released from the hospital. Everyone is encouraged to come to the site and vote for their favorite heart. Various members of LEST have donated prizes to be given to the artists with the top three number of votes.

There are so many Etsy Teams and so many Team events happening! We're so thrilled with how active the Teams program is, and be sure to check your favorite Teams' profile pages to find their blogs and see what they're up to! For more information on Etsy Teams, check out this Frequently Asked Questions page, and check here to read all about May's Team Grant winners!

Etsy Finds: Amazing Dog Art

2008-04-28T14:30:00-05:00

It's pet week here at the Storque! Keep tabs on the Etsy Pets featured column for all the cute pet stuff you can handle. Pets, ahoy!

My very best friend in all the world is a Boston Terrier named Satchel. We've had so many fun times together, and the amazing dog art of Brian Rubenacker reminds me of all the laughs we've shared throughout the years. Check out his etsy shop at rubenacker.etsy.com. He paints all dogs, but is partial to Boston Terriers, and his work captures the personality of the breed so perfectly.

Here is a picture of my good buddy, Satchel, relaxing after a long day of chasing squirrels in the backyard.

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Etsy Teams Digest: Local Teams Bonanza

2008-04-04T16:56:00-05:00

With the Etsy Teams having just reached the milestone of having 10,000 members and over 250 Teams, you can imagine how much there is to report on! To make things a little more digestable, this month's Teams Digest is split into Local Teams and Global Teams. To get the scoop on Global Teams, check out the Global Teams Digest!

All the Teams have been busy bees, promoting their shops, their Teams and Etsy, this is just a short list of some of the Events and news bits from Local Etsy Teams:

Boston Handmade is one of Etsy's newest teams. Based in the Boston, MA area, Boston Handmade is a juried team and includes members located throughout the Commonwealth. To stay connected, the team has an active blog where all members contribute articles, photos, and announcements. The Boston Handmade blog is one location to find links to all team members' Etsy shops and personal blogs. This spring, members of Boston Handmade will be showing their handmade work in FOUR self-produced Artisan Fairs in Jamaica Plain, MA. This is the second season of the JP Artisan Fair, which is sponsored by JP Centre/South Main Streets and will be held during the neighborhood's monthly First Thursdays evenings of art, music, poetry, and outdoor performance. The dates of the Boston Handmade Artisan Fairs are Thursday, May 1, Thursday, June 5, Thursday, July 3, and Thursday, August 7, each evening from 6-8pm on the lawn of Curtis Hall located at 20 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA.

Photo by MuchachaK of Boston Handmade on Flickr

After a long and painful process of reorganizing and regrouping, the Indiana Etsy Street Team can proudly say it has made it to 100+ members. "It was a long time coming," says Kim of The Peach Martini. "After a few months of existence, the IN Crowd imploded and many of the original members walked away. Now we've got a strong blend of new and old members and have completely reorganized the layout. It's great!" The IN Crowd is made up of artisans who call Indiana home — from the shores of Lake Michigan to the Kentucky border — it's easy to see there truly is more than corn in Indiana! Any Hoosier on Etsy is welcome to inquire about membership – all contact information can be found on The IN Crowd Team Page.

The Connecticut Etsy Street Team is proud to announce it's first craft event, Craftastic! It will be held on Sunday, April 13th from 10 am to 4 pm at The Space. The Space is a great alternative venue that deals primarily with indie bands and cultural events throughout the New Haven area community. The are located on 295 Treadwell Street in Hamden, CT. The team is offering free goodybags to the first 150 people through the door. Every single item within the bag was donated by individual Etsy sellers as well as members of the NewNew York and Connecticut Team! Music will be provided by Fusion Sound DJ. There is also an on site cafe and vintage shop! So please come down and show your support for the Connecticut Etsy Street Team! Live in CT and interested in joining this fab team? Just convo Ms.KittyFantastico for more details! This way you too can take part in more great up and coming events!

The Made In Vermont Etsy Street Team is a new team started on March 8, 2008. We already have over sixty members and welcome other Vermont Etsy shop owners to join us. We have a chat forum donated and made for us by two of our members. Our committee members are working hard on projects to benefit the team. We have a group blog where members have been busily posting. You can visit our blog at http://vermontetsystreetteam.blogspot.com.

Photo by Staceyrebecca of the Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective on Flickr

The Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective of Phoenix is a busy bunch over the next few weeks! They'll be participating in First Fridays in Downtown Phoenix. On Sunday, April 27, from 10-4, Paper Studio is hosting Etsy artists in a parking lot show/sale at 520 E. Southern, Tempe (across from Tempe Public Library). Meet loads of talented artists, shop local, buy handmade!

Chicago Style Crafters meets monthly at local hot spots to discuss promotional ideas, business opportunities, Etsy, crafting and all the latest craft gossip. Their website contains all the latest details about crafting in and around Chicago. We also maintain a calendar of events and deadlines related to Chicago crafting, and routinely post our newest projects on Flickr group, Etsy Illinois Street Teams. We hold crafting challenges that feature Chicago in design or function and will be having a field trip the first weekend of May to visit the Kane County Fair on a supply finding expedition. We are also considering caravaning to participate in Art vs. Craft as a group. We'd love to have enough members sign up that we can make a miniature, handmade version of Michigan Avenue in Milwaukee.

Photo by JDStar of the Oklahoma Team on Flickr

On Sunday, May 18th Etsy Dallas will kick off the summer season with a festive trunk show at the home of one of its members, Larry, a.k.a. the Kessler Craftsman. Etsy Dallas’ first annual Beer-B-Q will boast over 20 local artists and crafters selling their handmade goods. Shop for jewelry, stationery, photography, bags, hair accessories, glass art, soap and bodycare, clothing, home décor, and so much more! Customers will also be greeted with the delicious smell of grilled meats and veggies, cold beer on tap, soda, and live music — all free to the public! The first lucky 25 customers will receive a goodie bag chock full of promo items and coupons. Etsy Dallas will also offer a Make-&-Take booth for all ages. Customers can explore their creative side for free and experience first-hand the joy of the handmade way! All unused supplies will be donated to a local children’s charity. So bring your appetite, your creativity, and your support for local artists and crafters, and get ready for a day full of handmade food, music, and fun with Etsy Dallas!

Members from the SFetsy team will be selling their handmade wares at the upcoming Bazaar Bizarre that will be happening as part of the 2008 Maker Faire. The event will take place Saturday May 3rd & Sunday May 4th at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. The Maker Faire celebrates the DIY movement by exhibiting works made by creative people ranging from crafters to scientists. Etsy stores that will be participating in the faire are: mediumstomasses, nouveaumotley, scabbyrobot. Click here for info on the Bazaar Bizarre & the Maker Faire.

The Local Etsy Teams are doing such a brilliant job getting together and getting things done! There are all sorts of new Etsy Teams forming daily all over, so be sure to check the list of Etsy Teams to see if there are any where you live, and browse the Etsy Teams Blog Ring to stay up to date on all the Teams' events!

Etsy on Your TV. And Your Computer. And in Print.

2007-12-17T14:30:00-05:00

Update:
Try to tune into the segment on Rachael Ray tomorrow December 18th! Online Shopping Ideas.

Let’s start with an update. In case you missed it, you can catch the news segments featuring Etsy sellers katinkapinka and gorgeousredhead on KEYE 42 CBS in Austin, Texas. Also, take a gander at Anne Holman talking about crafting on WTTE FOX 28 in Columbus, Ohio. Great job ladies! Out on the west coast, EyePopArt is featured on the HGTV show That's Clever! which airs on Friday, December 14.

Regina Lewis, otherwise known as, “Your advisor to the best online” has caught the Etsy bug. Not only did she mention us in not one, not two, but three of her recent blog posts, but she also talked Etsy up on a recent episode of The Today Show, and again on The Rachael Ray Show which airs on December 18.

Moving on(line), the folks at Babble.com made some great choices for their holiday gift guides, featuring Etsians in the handmade, green, and stocking-stuffer categories. SF Station, a local guide site in San Francisco, mentions us among their favorite holiday shopping options too. And they always manage to find fun stuff over at Apartment Therapy NY and Los Angeles, this time it’s felted bowls and photography. Chicagoist featured interviews with wickedpen and Up in the Air Somewhere, and decor8 by Holly Becker rolls on with her Take Five Tuesdays.

And in the printed word, we’ll start with today’s mention in USA Today, followed by several mentions in the Philadelphia City Paper’s Holiday Gift Guides, and continue with a lovely piece in The Capital Times of Madison, Wisconsin. There is also a very cute baby wearing a pdxbeanies creation in the January issue of Parents magazine. Also, check out stonesoupjewelry in the Boston Globe. Looking northward, you’ll find a piece on Etsy in the Calgary Herald. Both of these also have a thing or two to say about the handmade pledge as well.