Search results (tags) for: "ceremonies"

Etsy Finds: An Affair to Remember

2009-07-20T12:00:00-05:00

I know I'm not the only one who has dreamed of her wedding since she was a wee one: what it would look like, where it would be, and don't even get me started on the dress. There are infinite settings in which to create a dream wedding, and pulling it off with panache doesn't have to be as difficult as everyone makes it sound (I for one have no plans for the word "bridezilla" in my future). Whether you are planning a traditional event or an alternative affair, Etsy is your place to find unique components to set the overall design, style, and ambiance of your big day. For additional wedding inspiration or to find the perfect wedding gift, shop our Wedding Attire, Wedding Decor, Invites and Favors, and Wedding Gift Ideas guides.

The Traditional Wedding

If it isn't broken, don't fix it, right? For decades, the traditional wedding has stayed timeless by highlighting classic style and tasteful elegance. Pull off your own traditional reception with handmade elements that will stand the test of time right along with those unforgettable memories.

THE SHALE WEDDING DRESS

By CustomBridal, $1800.

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Red Rose Ball Arrangement

By wreathartist, $25.

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Pressed Leaf Necklace Set

By abigailpercy, $340.

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White Feather Birdcage Bridal Hat

By satanica, $125.

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White Party Dress Cookies

By HolidayCandyLane, $54.

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Wedding Bouquet Charms

By cherrycreekcharms, $30.

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Custom Reception Table Markers

By kristlet, $92.50.

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Prom or bridal garter

By mollusa, $19.

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The Modern Wedding

If clean lines, modern design, and simple patterns call to you, a wedding affair with a modern twist sounds like just the ticket. Here are some ideas to bring your big event into the 21st century. Try browsing items listed under modern wedding to get inspired.

diamond engagement ring

By chrisparry, $150.

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100 Calendar Save-the-Date Cards

By maidavale, $332.

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COURTHOUSE

By katetowers, $254.

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Wedding Table Terrariums

By WarmCountryMeadows, $15.

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6 Groomsmen microfiber neckties

By toybreaker, $162.

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Penguin Cake Toppers

By bunnywithatoolbelt, $50.

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Swan Designs

By SophiaMcD, $230.

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Custom Silhouette Cufflinks

By lepapierstudio, $45.

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The Beach Wedding

Have you always imagined a barefoot wedding with salty breezes in your hair? We've got you covered from the seashell ring pillow all the way to the starfish garlands. For more beach inspiration, shop our Nautical Guide or try searching among our beach wedding listings.

Ring-Bearer Seashell

By AprilHilerDesigns, $10.

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Peach Orchard Wedding Dress

By junejulyseptember, $250.

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coral. wedding supports

By buddyandbean, $5.

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Beach Starfish Garland

By beachgrasscottage, $62.99.

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Nantucket Summer

By soychology, $18.

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sea goddess

By sweeteverythings, $27.

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Shabby Cottage Romantic Signs

By thebackporchshoppe, $39.95.

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White Beach Pebble

By sjengraving, $14.

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The Nature-Friendly Wedding

If mother nature will be the guest of honor at your wedding, Etsy can provide the flora and fauna elements you're looking for. Keeping the event environmentally-friendly is easy with sustainable linens, organic hors d'oeuvres, and upcycled centerpieces. For more rustic inspiration, check out the Woodland and Feathers Guide.

freshwater pearl bridal necklace

By violetdelight, $45.

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Birdie

By HeadCaseByG, $30.

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Set of 3 Wedding Signs

By Funkifolkart, $84.99.

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La Carmaux

By Makool, $820.

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faux bois ring

By ballandchain, $60.

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100 Bird Seed Heart Favors

By naturefavors, $59.95.

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Friendly Forest Escort Pencil

By littlebirdieboutique, $2.50.

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Crystal Mini Nest

By sweetdovedesigns, $14.

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The Alternative Wedding

Do you break the mold in everything you design? Your wedding should be no exception. Do away with tradition and create your own legacy with elements that incorporate bold colors, funky vintage, and a sense of humor. Looking for even more individuality? Contact your favorite Etsy artisans for custom items.

Silk Organza Dress

By georgegabrielle, $649.

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Blue Slushy Bow

By itsthelittlethingsut, $27.

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BLUE BIRDS WINGS Felted Bolero

By TianaCHE, $150.

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Wedding Band Alternative

By MissesBird, $22.

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Hand Cut Kirigami Card

By EmerlyeArtsKirigami, $8.50.

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Vintage Stamp Cake Garland

By dsharp, $100.

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Electric Blue Towering Heels

From blissvintage, $22.

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Here come the brides notecard

By pdxbeth, $2.

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What's your favorite wedding genre? Leave it in the comments!

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Wedding Category | Wedding Gift Ideas | Wedding Sellers' Picks | Handmade Weddings

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Etsy Finds: Gifts for the Grad

2009-05-06T12:10:00-05:00

Graduations are a time to celebrate milestones and new beginnings. Each of the Finds below would make a special statement to the graduate in your life Show how proud you are of their accomplishments! Give a gift that will someday be a cherished memento of a hopeful moment in time. For more gift ideas with grads in mind, take a stroll through our Graduations Gift Guide.

Brief Bag

By 442McAdam, $300.

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Simple Graduation necklace in sterling silver topped with a pearl

By designsbycathy, $22.

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90degree POP UP Business Cards - set of 100 -

By FAHpopups, $65.

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Personalised Silver Money Clip

By chrisparry, $65.

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Ebony Compass Adventurer Cufflinks. Sterling Bezels

By sherrytruitt, $40.

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Woody Portfolio - Leather in Antique Brown

By moxieandoliver, $330.

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Topographical Error - seafloor contour map. Screenprinted microfiber necktie.

By toybreaker, $30.

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Camera Camera Case -Degicame No.68 (smoky fuchsia/smoky turquoise)

By hine, $54.

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Keepsake Necklace - Silver Square

By GemsByEm, $36.50.

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CUSTOM Vintage GREEN Typewriter Key Cufflinks by 19 Moons

By 19Moons, $35.

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Scholarly Pursuit Banner

By Earmark, $12.

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Petite 2009 Graduation Pendant Necklace Sterling Silver

By CharOuellette, $35.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

More Graduation Gift Ideas | Guest Curators | Trends | More Student Posts

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May Day! Obby Osses, Maypoles and Dancing Abound

2009-05-01T14:27:00-05:00

It's May Day!

May Day is the halfway point between spring equinox and summer solstice. In ancient times, May Day involved Pagan rituals to celebrate renewal, fertility and the coming of summer. The Obby-Oss festival, held in Padstow in Cornwall, is believed to be one of the oldest May Day gatherings. (You can check it out in the video above.) Revelers dance through the streets with black caped Osses (horses) who try to catch young maidens as they pass through town.

These days most people think of children dancing around the Maypole or morris dancing when they think of May Day. May baskets are also a popular May Day pastime. What do you do for May Day? Leave it in the comments!

View More Holiday Posts | More Spring Posts

Etsy World Tour: Get Your New Years Squirt Gun Ready & Thai One On

2009-04-13T15:01:00-05:00

With Thailand in the news right now, we turned to EasternlyYours, an Etsy shop run by three Thai women. During this time of protest and unrest, the Thai are still celebrating their New Year holiday. EasternlyYours told us that even though there "are protests and violence in certain areas of Bangkok right now, people still celebrate and go to the temple in other parts of Bangkok." Here's more about this special holiday, where people brandish squirt guns instead of firearms.

“Sawasdee Pee Mai!” This is how you say “Happy New Year” in Thai. We celebrate our New Year on April 13 each year. It is huge here in Thailand – something like Christmas in western countries. April 13, 14 and 15 are official public holidays.

No matter where you live, you go home to your family and celebrate the New Year together. There are ceremonies at the temple for those who are Buddhist. This includes offering food, flowers (usually Lotus), candles, and incense sticks to the monks.

There are parades and possessions organized by local communities all over the country.

There are also Miss Songkran contests. Communities will organize a parade of vehicles decorated with lots and lots of flowers with a Miss Songkran candidate sitting in the middle of the flowers.
The Songkran Festival (sometimes called the Water Festival) is celebrated during the Thai New Year. What a sensible festival because April is the hottest month of the year! We just cannot wait to get wet and cool! Traditionally the water used is scented mostly by adding real jasmine flowers. The water is then poured gently on the other person to give him or her a blessing. If the person is older, like your parents, you pour the water on their hands.

Nowadays, the Songkran Festival is celebrated in a rougher – some would say a more fun way. Young people and those young at heart love it. You may throw water on anyone and they are not supposed to get upset!

They put huge water containers at the back of a pick up truck and drive everywhere and throw water on anyone that comes in sight. Many people put huge blocks of ice in the containers too. Water guns are also present everywhere. So watch out! It is so fun and wild!! There is laughter everywhere. Check out these pictures because no word can describe how fun it is.

We would like to share some tips to those who plan to visit Thailand and join the Songkran Festival:

Be prepared and do not get upset when people throw water on you. If you do not want to get wet stay in your hotel.
Make sure that the clothes you are wearing are not new that the colors still run. Otherwise your body will be dyed with the colors of your clothes when all is wet.
Put your valuables like passport, wallet, and camera in two or three layers of plastic bags.
Wearing flip-flops is more practical than other kinds of shoes.
If you have a sexy body now it is time to show it off by wearing thin white T-shirt.

Get some feelings of the Thai New Year and the Songkran Festival from these Etsy items below.

Traditional Thai women wear flowers on their hair during ceremonies or festivals. Add jasmine into your water for lovely fresh smell. If you cannot find real jasmine, a few drops of jasmine scented water or perfume will also be lovely. This super fun vehicle would be great for throwing water. Send a card to wish someone a happy Thai New Year!

About the Authors:
EasternlyYours are three Thai woman who live in Bangkok and all work full time. Thipha works for the purchasing section of a Thai-Japanese joint venture construction company. Somsri is a high school social studies teacher. And Wan is a procurement officer at a Thai-Japanese engineering company. We get together in the evenings and weekends, whenever we can, to sew stuff for sale on Etsy. We love Etsy and our creative hobby! We dream that one day we will be confident enough to leave our full-time job and work full time sewing!

Further Resources:
The best website to read regarding the event is
http://www.songkran.net/en/index.php
All pictures are from:
www.songkran.net
www.tourismthailand.org

Etsy World Tour | More Posts about Asia| Shop Local Thailand

Etsy World Tour: Seijin-shiki, Japanese Coming of Age Day

2009-01-12T10:51:00-05:00

Happy Seijin-shiki! Today is Japanese Coming-of-Age Day. Each year, Seijin-shiki is held in the morning on the second Monday in January. The local Japanese city and prefect offices invite all those who will reach twenty years old during the current school year to celebrate their passage into adulthood. They give speeches, throw a party, and sometimes give small presents. After attending the ceremony, these young adults usually gather in groups and go to parties or go out drinking to celebrate the passage into adulthood.

Here's a photo of me during my Seijin-shiki.

The present day Seijin-Shiki has its roots in “Seinen Matsuri”, the youth festival held in Saitama prefecture. It was first practiced post World War II to encourage young people to have hope for bright futures despite the shrinking feeling and depression after the loss of the war. The Japanese government was inspired by this festival and appointed January 15th (the past official day of Seijin-Shiki) as a holiday celebrating young adults and their willingness to persevere.

Today, in the city on the day of Seijin-Shiki, you see many women wearing long sleeve Kimono called “Furi-sode”, meaning swinging sleeves. Men wear Mon-tuki Hakama, the Kimono of his family crest, and Hakama worn over Kimono, which is tied at the waist and falls to the ankles.

Some of them inherit the Kimonos from their parents or grandparents, but the majority rent full sets of formal Kimono for this ceremony since it is costly to purchase one. Only some of them or their parents are capable of dressing in Kimonos due to the intricacies involved in putting one on, so most go to beauty salons to get their hair set and to be dressed properly in Kimono.

This Kimono video features the Furisode (long sleeve) Kimono for Seijin-shiki.

Today I'm making the traditional ornamental hairpin called Tsumami Kanzashi for Seijin-shiki, such as this Cherry Blossoms Ornamental Hairpin at the right.

The history of Kanzashi (ornamental hairpin) goes back 3000 years in Japan. In the prehistorical Joumon era (approximately. 1000 B.C. to 300 A.D.) it was believed that a supernatural power inhabited this thin stick. People wore it as a charm against evil and this became the beginning of Kanzashi.

[photo by d'n'c from flickr]

Further Resources:
In this video, I fold pre-made Obi sash for Seijin-shiki.
In this video, I dress myself in Seijin-shiki kimono and tie pre-made Obi sash.

Want more related posts?

Etsy World Tour | AtelierKanawa's posts

It Was the Night Before Christmas...

2008-12-24T14:56:00-05:00

Christmas is almost here! What will be under the tree tomorrow morning? What exciting gifts (handmade, we hope!) wait to be opened? As we prepare to snuggle down for a warm winter's rest, take a moment to count your blessings and hold your friends and family close. From Etsy to you and yours: Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Holidays Category | Gift Guides | More Christmas Posts

Happy Hanukkah!

2008-12-21T14:15:00-05:00

Get out the menorah and get ready to light the candles, for Hanukkah starts today, December 21 at sundown. From Etsy to you and yours: Happy holidays and happy Hanukkah!

Holidays Category | Gift Guides | More Jewish Lifestyle Posts | Etsy Chai Team

Holiday Shopping Lists: Channukah aka Hanukkah

2008-12-02T14:46:00-05:00

Ready to spin the handmade dreidel and light up the menorah? A handmade twist to your holiday maybe just the thing — perhaps your family will get a kick out of this menorah made of ceramic shoes!? Etsy sellers are ready to help you prepare for your holiday traditions with Judaica items, finely crafted — in some cases, with a touch of humor and gelt bling. Enjoy!

Holidays Category | Gift Guides | More Jewish Lifestyle Posts | Etsy Chai Team

Etsy Pets: Pet Memorials

2008-07-09T12:30:00-05:00

My passion for clay has taken me down many roads in the 12 years I've been throwing. Most of my experience has been in creating functional pottery (dinnerware, vases, bowls, etc.), but every once in a while I would receive a request to make an funeral urn. Each time I sat at my wheel to make one I was flooded with ideas and inspiration; creating something so meaningful gave a deeper meaning to my work. When I would return to making functional-ware I would miss the satisfaction of creating something that was so much more than an object. So I decided to take it on full time. I love it. Etsy has given me the opportunity to directly connect with families looking for a one of a kind vessel with which to honor their loved ones. The Etsy community has responded well and I've learned so much about how we can celebrate and honor a person's life when they pass. I'd never heard of the blazing Viking funerals or having ashes cast into hundreds of resin pendants for everyone in attendance. My favorite idea for a send off was to have a bit of ash put into hundreds of helium balloons which are released for one last trip around the world.

Pet urns are my favorite to create because I usually hear so much about the pet. In most cases, “pet” just doesn't seem like the right word. "Soul mate" — those are the words I hear most often to describe this little life that has been right at their sides through good times and bad. I have two stories of families that recently lost pets that had been with them for 14 years.

The first came to me as an Alchemy request by fury716. This urn was so special because I was able to inscribe the cat's name on the bottom before it was fired in the kiln.

Fury716 writes,

“I adopted Genji. In 2004, we all moved to Japan. The military required us to get him re-vaccinated, despite my apprehensions. A few months later, we noticed a lump at the injection site. This was the start of two years of surgeries. Finally, in late June, we began palliative care…and I realized I would have to make some tough decisions. I decided I would want him cremated and that I would want a special container, not mass produced. I wanted warmth not seen in mass-produced items. And I wanted something unique too and having purchased all kinds of cool stuff on Etsy, I figured that would be a good place to start.

It was intuition about what shape and color was "right." As far as the conscious part of the selection process, I was drawn to the shape I chose because it reminded me of the details I had studied in college of churches and castles, spires and domes. The pieces had a substance, serenity and gravitas, a bit of monumentality to them. I found the right shape and I chose the cobalt glaze because I'm drawn to deep colors, and the cobalt is such an elegant and soothing color. It's a color I often see in the twilight skies here or in some of the colors of the sea of Japan. Additionally, one of the collars that Genji wore was orange (it was one of our favorite ones on him) and it would make a nice contrast when I set up his memorial.”

The second story that I have to share with you is one that I think of every time I sit to make pet urns. Fellow Etsy seller, DantesSpirit first contacted me to reserve an urn for her 14 and a half year old Akita, Dante. She knew the day was approaching that they would no long be together. Throughout this process we shared stories and pictures.

I could feel, even through an email, the love she had for Dante and what a special dog she was. A few days later I received a convo that read “I lost Dante-Inu yesterday morning. She decided she wanted to go then, and as usual, she did things her way.” My heart was heavy all day and it still brings tears to my eyes. She allowed me access to her live journal. The following passage is always with me as I throw. DantesSpirit writes: “I have a craving. One that will never, ever be satisfied. I want to scritch Dante's head, right between her ears. I want to do this so badly, that my fingers started twitching.”

I am a true Etsy addict and love to see “Etsy transactions” in my inbox, but for me it is always bittersweet.