Search results (tags) for: "collectables"

The Wit and Wonder of Art Dolls

2008-10-09T13:51:00Z

We are so happy to present this collection of art dolls, fresh from the newly minted Dolls and Miniatures category. This collection showcases the variety, craftsmanship and style that art dolls can achieve. These are collector pieces at their best!

Search for Items Tagged "Art Doll" | Browse the Dolls and Miniatures Category

Etsy Finds: Love It and Leave It

2008-09-25T09:51:00Z

Sometimes to really love a city you have to leave it. New York's history as an art capital is long and venerated, oddball and full of fits and explosions. This volatility and excitement is what has drawn generations of artists from Europe and the Midwest, to try their hand at causing one of those infamous art world fits. But in a city where you can't rent a studio the size of a watercolor set for less than what Damien Hirst sells his smallest dot drawings (Sotheby's estimate: $60,000!) it might be time for those artists to head home. But, before you pack up and head back to the future art capitals of Richmond, Kansas City, Montreal, Mexico City, Berlin or Detroit (where I'm fairly sure you can rent an entire block for the cost of a Manhattan lunch), make sure you take something to remind you of the city you loved and left.

Brownstone Neighborhood

This print captures the crowded, hectic energy of a city constantly reinventing itself. By sweetbabu, $33.

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Three Brothers ORIGINAL

A more stoic and European cityscape, this painting nonetheless has the light hand of a city dweller always on the move. By artquirk, $70.

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Crowded - Original Art

What it must look like from a 24th floor window in Midtown. Vertigo and awe is a heady combination. By lisachow, $75.

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2312 Lyndale Ave., Original Watercolor

This watercolor slows down to notice the quirky beauty of a single door. By patchofsky, $30.

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City Buildings

I think of the Metropolitan Museum's rooftop when I look at this deceptively controlled painting by MaeveW. It has the landscape of the Upper West Side and the brash color scheme of a Miro I just saw down in the Modern wing. By MaeveW, $192.

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city building print

The cramped homeyness of this tenement hearkens to the New York my grandfather grew up in. By missbrigette, $20.

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large NYC print

Here the city is both contemporary and a fantasy of the past, a living city constantly reworking the myths of its artistic forebears. By matteart, $60.

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Little Boxes...Original Illustration

The subdued color and element of collage in this picture show you that even in the busiest of cities one can carve out a place of one's own. By michelemaule, $40.

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In the cit

In the end, New York has always been a winter town, so maybe stick around for one more year. You never know, the next sensation could be right around that crowded, loud, city corner you can't help but to love. By shelbyhealey, $20.

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Looking for more Art Finds? Try these links:

Art Showcase | Art Collectors' Gift Guide | Items tagged "original cityscape"

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Etsy Teams Digest: Local Teams!

2008-09-19T11:00:00Z

Support your Local Etsy Team by checking out some of these upcoming events! Location based Etsy Teams are sellers and buyers who team up based on where they live to encourage their local communities to buy handmade! These dynamic groups of Etsy members are passionate about educating their friends and neighbors about their craft, meeting and networking with other crafty people where they live.

Here's a glimpse of what some Teams are up to in this month. If you're interested in finding a Team where you live, you can check out our list of existing Etsy Teams, learn how to join or start your own!

The CT Etsy Team will be holding their Shake 'n' Bake Indie Craft Fair on October 4, 2008. The show will feature over a dozen Etsy Sellers including soapers, crafters, jewelers, vintage clothing sellers and more. This creative Team has paired up with Trash American Style, a mobile purveyor of fine quality records, LP's, and other hard to find musical goodies for the event, and will also boast a bake sale! All the vendors will be baking delicious treats as a fundraiser. 50% of the money we earn will be donated to Escape to the Arts, a local YMCA community art program located in Danbury, Connecticut. For more information on this wonderful, active Team, check out their Team blog!
As the Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective continues to grow, they are at the important stage of organizing their group to provide the best support and networking possible. Since the temperatures remain extremely hot in the Arizona desert, it's been a great time of year for the Crafty Burritos to get fully prepped for the Holiday Season. They're gearing up for the First Friday Art walk in October, where they'll be spreading the word about Etsy and their Team.
All the details have been set in place for the Uber Crafters of North Central Worcester County's first Holly-Day Craft Fair! Mark your calendar for November 29, 2008 and bring a canned good to help those in need in the community. The Uber Crafters are a small and fairly new Team, located just outside Boston, and they're excited to get together for this holiday selling event. For more information on this Team's inaugural show, check their Facebook blog or member EttiandOttisAdornment's blog.
The NC Triangle Team has had quite a month! Check out their recent featured Team article here in the Storque, and they were also recently featured in the local News & Observer in North Carolina. On Saturday, September 27, 2008 a member is holding a Fall Boutique Open House, where 13 members will be selling their wares! Sellers include VintageScraps, KarensSoaps, BellaMiaDesigns, Scatterbox, SydneyAustinDesigns, FadedBlues, PhroggyDee, CinnamonSpice, Vintage2Creations, TrashyBroad, JessiJeanJewelry, BibsBurpsAndMore, and RippasCustomSilver. Visit their Team blog for more information.
Fifty-four shops will be participating in the European Street Team's upcoming Secret Santa game. To learn more about this International Team, check their Team blog.

Support Etsy Teams by searching "Team", and to learn more about the Etsy Team program, please join us in our weekly round table workshops, held in the Virtual Labs each Thursday! You can also find information about Etsy Teams at http://team.etsy.com.

The Indie 5 Collective: A Video Collaboration

2008-08-29T14:55:00Z

Ali, Amy, and Julia have created their own YouTube channel called the Indie 5 Collective, and together they independently create videos!

They are posting helpful videos for Etsy sellers, such as this one about how to use social networking site Facebook to promote your Etsy shop. Sometimes the videos are just downright hilarious.

Ali broke it down and gave me the scoop on her collaborative project.

"A few months ago, I began making videos to promote my Etsy shop at Buttonhead.etsy.com. Each time I posted a new video, I received such a positive response from the community, and I started to realize the full potential for using video as a way to share knowledge and resources. Inspired by the many cool vlogging and artist collaboration channels on YouTube, I established the Indie 5 channel. We are an Etsy artist video collaboration show airing 5 days/week on YouTube. The channel is designed to highlight the crafting community, provide instruction and information to indiepreneuers, feature outstanding artists, and promote the ‘buy indie’ lifestyle.

We would very much like to expand our group of contributors, so we are now accepting video submissions. If anyone is interested in learning more on how to get involved, you can check us out.
The first week of the Indie 5 show brought us about 100 new subscribers and a ton of enthusiasm from the community. We really hope that everyone sees the show, gets involved, subscribes to the channel, and starts making their own videos."

Looking to make your own videos? Check out the Getting Started in Video series!

Etsy Finds: Lilliputian Picnic

2008-07-20T09:13:00Z

Etsy abounds with teeny, tiny treasures fit for fairy picnics and lilliputian palaces. I love 64tnt's bounty from the forest and the village bakery. Miniatures make great gifts for, say, your 10 year old who is obsessed with dollhouses...Or for adult fans of incredible mini art and collectibles.

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Handmade Kids Series | Special Kids Showcase | Baby Gift Guide | Children Gift Guide

Collectibles category: We've Reconsidered

2008-05-28T20:10:00Z

Hi there everyone, here's an update:

We have decided to put the creation of a Collectibles category on hold. We want to make sure that we find the best long-term solution for the items that would belong in such a category, as well as all of the items on Etsy. We are so sorry for the inconvenience, as we know some of you were looking forward to a Collectibles category. We thank everyone who has given their input on this via the forums, convo, and email.

Let's have a discussion in the Treehouse room of the Virtual Labs tomorrow, Thursday at 7PM Eastern U.S. time to brainstorm possible ideas. Again, thank you to everyone, and I will hopefully see you tomorrow!

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Here's the original text of the article:

Hello Etsians!

On Thursday, May 29 at 4PMish Eastern U.S. time, we will be adding Collectibles as a top-level category. We hope that makers of handmade collectibles will begin adding them to this new category as soon as it's live. We will also have a Showcase available for this category.

The Collectibles category is for handmade items, and is intended to include dolls and doll accoutrements, figurines, miniatures, plush animals, and other "toys" for adult collectors. As well, some items of non-functional home decoration, such as ornaments, or a tole-painted teakettle that is for decoration only, will fit into this category.

If there is currently another category that your item belongs in that you would prefer to keep listing in, you are welcome to do that! For example, some makers of art dolls may choose to remain in Art and some makers of amigurumi may choose to continue to list in Toys. Remember that at this time, a single listing may only be in one category.

Tips:

Start by adding your most recent listings to the Collectibles category, and then work backward in time.
Accurate tags help buyers find your items. While you are adding your items to the Collectibles category, take it as an opportunity to see if there is room for improvement of your tag choices. Check out our tagging tips for help.
If your items fit into multiple categories, consider adding some to one category, and some to another. This will give more exposure to your items. Over time, observe the number of views, hearts, and sales that your items get in one category vs. the other, and then make listing decisions accordingly.

Please join us in this forum thread as we flesh out the subcategories and sub-subcategories of Collectibles. Also, a big thank you to those who joined in this thread to help us develop the idea for a Collectibles category! We love you guys!

The Collectors: Weird Vintage Figurines

2008-05-15T13:48:00Z

Thank you to ScribbleNation for sharing your weird and wonderful collection of W. R. Berries with us! I've been obsessed with ceramic figurines myself lately (see my personal Top 10 here). You can find lots of good stuff in the vintage category (which you can now search directly through the new drop-down menu).

If you have a collection — especially vintage or handmade things — comment below or join us in this thread! Tag your video with "Etsy" and "collectors" Youtube.

My Top 10 Ceramic Figurines

2008-05-06T16:41:00Z

All this talk about Mother's Day has me reflecting on the tchotchke-collecting gene. I got it from my mom and she from her parents (both her mother and father had vastly different tastes). While pining away for my grandparents' house and all the long-gone the curios therein, I studied up on the art and science of collecting ceramic figurines. Here's my personal Top 10 List...

Old Standby:
therunnybunny has some classics that give you such a strong sense of nostalgia, it's almost hypnotizing (and this owl couple is only $15):

Vintage clowns are always there, peeking out at you around every corner of every vintage shop. They're old friends:

ModishVintage $14.75

Sensuality:
You wouldn't think you would find your sensuality-totem in a camel, and yet here we are...

DagaDesign $54.00

Abstraction:
I didn't even know what this one is supposed to be at first, because it is elemental.

nightlydeity $5

Slightly Primitive Precariousness:
Delicately, quietly...

Runningrabbitpottery $35

Functionality:
I need a fat lil piggybank. Yes, I do.

KelasBabyBoutique

At first I thought I'd put this mouse under the above category, but then realized its awkwardness is due to its function: ring-holder/extravagant mutant tail holder:

OliveVintage $8 (I'm buying this.)

Solice for your Desperation:

creativelo $14

Fear:
See also the bear at the top.

fruitflypie $14

Give me links to your favorite ceramic figurines in the comments below! Email to your tchotchke-addicted friends!

Where, oh where, are all my plushies going?

2008-02-15T19:00:00Z

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) is holding its annual Toy Fair in New York City February 17-20, 2008. This is a huge event for a huge industry, and we thought it would be a fitting time to post this interview from the Plush Team on Etsy. The Plush Team is a group of toy-makers who have banded together to spread the word about handmade toys and the following is their interview with a "patron of the toy arts," gmoss66, who has an incredible collection of plushies.

Perhaps this post could lead to an amazing series on people's collections!?! Post in the comments below if you collect toys, or anything else handmade for that matter.

moogancreations originally posted this on the Plushie Team's blog.

The Plush Team was contacted by email the other day. We received the most amazing images from an Etsy buyer, gmoss66, informing me of her love of Plush and her outstanding collection. I immediately asked if I could do an interview and she was kind enough to agree.

I hope you all enjoy the read and can recognize a few fellow Plush Team members work among Gretchen's collection.

How long have you been collecting handmade plush toys?
Collecting came naturally to me from the moment I was born. I was raised in a family that cherished toys and dolls and honored arts and crafts. My whole family — Mom, Dad, Sisters, Brother, Grandmother, Uncles and Aunts — all created art and/or created handmade toys, puppets, dolls, clothing, costumes, etc. The earliest handmade plush creation I can remember is a standard pillow-sized orange corduroy square bear that my Mom made me for Christmas when I was 3. He was my watching tv buddy. I think his name was Honey Bear.

Since I grew up receiving handmade plushies made especially for me and because I had selected/adopted so many OOAK plushies at art fairs and stores, plushies naturally had to be kept, cared for, displayed and stored carefully. At some point in my early childhood, I also started drawing pictures of them and creating little stories about each one. They became the source of my inspiration as a young artist. And then I my talent was discovered. I attended art classes and special art schools non-stop until I was an adult. The collecting has never stopped — I have to collect — I'm on a mission to capture the "spirit" of your creations for my own artistic expression.

Do you have a favorite seller and/or toy?
I do not have a favorite seller or toy but I am drawn to plushies that have names and stories. In addition, to handmade I love characters/creatures from stories by authors or illustrators — Richard Scarry, Beatrix Potter, Maurice Sendak, Lewis Carroll and modern juxtapoz artists and japanese characters plush or vinyl — Tim Biskup, Takashi Murakami, Furyu Chebruska, Tokidoki, Gloomy Bear, Mountain Mountain, Hello Kitty/Sanrio, San-X, Manju, Mari Matsuo, Nyoco, Rilakkuma, Ugly Doll, Wanroom, etc. I also have a passion for vintage Dakin Dream Pets.

My current Etsian artists/stores that are in my collection include: MarmeeCraft, Elsita, MoonsCreations, FantasticToys, Plant and Animals, ChetDot, DetailsStore, CornflakeGirl, ThaiFabShop, Tiddlywinks, Blacklilypie, Keitosan, Reanee, and others.

Did you have a favorite plush doll as a child?
My most cherished toy is a handmade felt pocket mouse — I've had him since I was four. He is only two inches tall, completely clothed, has leather hands, feet and tail, thread whiskers and seed bead eyes. His name is Amos, he's perfect and I still have him. My dad and brother made him a two-story Tudor style "Mouse House" for a surprise Christmas present for me when I was 8. My mom and sisters made cute furniture and accessories. It was a huge surprise. It was truly a labor of love.

Why do you feel that supporting handmade goods is important?
I have a fear that if handmade is not bought and cherished artists/crafters will feel rejected and stop creating. Technology has eased my fear. Etsy has created or contributed a modern renaissance of handmade.

How where you first introduced to Etsy and the Plush Team?
I think I ran into Etsy when it first started from a link or banner on another artists site or an independent store — like Giant Robot. I've seen it grow. It's amazing — all the talent all over the world — at one source.
I saw something about Plush Team on Etsy Storque.

Is there anything else you'd like to add? Also since I have read that you will be a future Etsy seller yourself, feel free to describe a bit about yourself and your work.
Oh no, that's not a good thing to ask me — I tend to be a storyteller so I'm going to control myself and say "no."

My Esty store Shop66 is open. I sell supplies and vintage items for artists/crafters, my handmade miniature art and plushies, and typical things like pins, magnets, gift tags, etc. My work has two sides cute or bizarre. I try to stay on the cute side because I sell more but buyers have bought and loved my bizarre work too. The Etsy selling opportunity, all the Etsian art I've collected, and all the cool artists/crafters I met on Etsy has inspired me to create again — it's been seven years — I guess it's also the "itch."

For more about me visit my profile on Etsy and GMoss on MySpace.

Thanks so much to moogancreations and Shop66 for sharing with th Storque and for supporting homemade plush designers! Post in the comments below if you collect toys, or anything else handmade for that matter.

Etsy Team Spotlight: First Friday with the Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective

2007-11-01T21:06:00Z

The First Friday phenomenon is something I first experienced on a very small scale in Charlottesville, Virginia, a quaint little college town that likes to pretend it's a big, cultured city. I thought it was the neatest thing (and not just because many of the galleries would serve wine without carding my then-underage art-appreciating self). People of all ages to come out once a month and meet up, hob-knob around town and just be social, with great galleries and rotated museum collections as a somewhat glamorous backdrop. First Fridays can be a spectacular way of celebrating a community.

Many cities use First Fridays as a way to prevent urban decay, inviting the residents to areas of the city that aren't usually populated by so many people, especially on a weekend night, when many people are out at parties, bars, dinner (or anything else one does on a Friday night). Recently, I spent a weekend in Phoenix, and I got to experience their First Friday. There were the typical galleries open for new shows, at places like Modified and Trunk Space and there were gobs and gobs of people out, enjoying the perfect October evening weather, being seen as much as they were seeing. Artists representing themselves set up shop on street corners, and all sorts of performers tried to grab your attention with a broad range of gimmicks and costumes.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective, Phoenix's local Etsy Team, was all set up and ready to go at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater nearby. The Collective had definitely done their homework — the Etsy sellers who were vending all had great products and made contributions to the raffles that they planned on running every thirty minutes, they had great press in several publications and signage leading to the event. They cooperated and set up a beautiful range of handmade goods, including jewelry, handmade books, jewelry and puppets. Throughout the night, we spoke to many other local artists, and explained what Etsy is to those who didn't know, explaining not just what the site was about, but how it helps people plug into their local arts culture. After seeing this group of people dedicated to their craft and their businesses, I felt reassured that banding together for events like First Fridays and as strong Etsy Teams is vital to achieving success in a handmade business.

Etsy can be overwhelming to sellers as it grows larger, and so networking with local people or people with a common interest is a natural way of learning the ropes and increasing chances of success. Even if you don't live in a place that has events like First Fridays, you can find a community of makers to celebrate all things handmade with on a regular basis in Etsy Teams. If you live where there is no team, you can form a team yourself or you can join one of the many, many global Etsy Teams and participate virtually. The Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective uses their team for support by helping each other set up shop, encouraging one another to list more pieces, giving pointers on photo techniques, doing critiques and providing helpful constructive criticism on tricky things like descriptions and tagging, and meeting up for supply swaps and to give each other fresh ideas and inspiration. They also do bigger group projects, like their First Fridays event, or making Etsy banners and generally promoting the site and getting press for their projects as a team.

My First Friday in Phoenix was just one night, but it manifested something really important to me: artists getting together to celebrate local art and culture. It made me proud that Etsy Teams are a part of that. Meeting and talking with the Arizona Crafty Burrito Collective and seeing what their strengths are as a team and how they support, encourage and help one another was totally inspiring, as it shows what strength there is in numbers.

Zoning out with Majestica

2007-10-23T20:11:00Z

Do you know what a zone is? Mixen Dixon lays it down for you in this short introductory video about the Majestica Collective, Etsy's first participants in our Visiting Artists Program. Over the course of the week Majestica will be teaching workshops on how to throw a foam party, make a sky guy, create your own reptilian costume and much, much more. Almost too much. Make sure you find your zone!

Majestica is:
Empire Empire, Ruffeo Hearts Lil' Snotty, and Mixen Dixon

List of Events....

Tues Oct 23
Things to do with a Blower Workshop — presented by Mixen Dixon
3:30pm
This will be an informative Online Workshop that will teach you three easy things to do with a common household shop-vac, including making your own Sky Guy, creating a low budget foam party, and a confetti canon.

Wed Oct 24
Cottage Industries: The Importance of the Handmade in a Globalized Economy
3:30pm
Taught by Ruffeo Hearts Lil' Snotty and Empire Empire , this will be an informative seminar based on the principles of handmade products, their effect on creativity, potential in the commercial world, and stories from people making a living making handmade goods.

Reptilian Transformation and Takeover
6:30pm
Come join the entire Majestica Crew at the Etsy Labs to create Spandex Reptilian Uniforms and perform a large-scale impromptu parade. The more people the better. The whole event will be filmed by Mixen Dixon and screened during the Friday movie night.

Thurs Oct 25
The Rug House
All day event
Majestica will create a livable house of salvaged rugs in a yet to be determined location. Once the house is built, Majestica will spend the night in the Rug House. The whole event will be filmed and screened on Friday night. Check the Magestica blog to find out where we will be so you can stop by and say hello.

Friday Oct 26
Trunk Show and Movie Screening
6-8pm
Come to the Etsy Labs to meet Majestica, have some drinks, browse and buy one-of-a-kind handmade objects created by EMPIREEMPIRE.ETSY.COM + RUFFEOHEARTSLILSNOTY.ETSY.COM + MIXENDIXON.ETSY.COM. The Portland Team will also be showing off their wares. We will also be screening documentaries of the aforementioned Reptilian Takeover and Rug House.

Sat Oct 27
Etsy Halloween Party
6pm-11pm
Etsy Labs will be hosting their first annual Halloween party. There will be Handmade Music Performances, a Rap-fashion performance with Nameless (Ruffeo from Ruffeo Hearts Lil' Snotty), an anti-fashion showcase of outstanding work by Empire Empire and Ruffeo Hearts Lil' Snotty, and Mixen Dixon will be performing their findings in a performance titled The Zones We Put Ourselves In 1.1 which will have powerpoint, a short film, a talk show and more.

RSVPing for the above events helps us foresee attendance and make adjustments, so please do! Please RSVP here.