Search results (tags) for: "dolls"

Guest Curator: The Long Thread

2009-12-09T16:37:00-05:00

Ellen Luckett Baker lives with her husband and two daughters in Atlanta. A self-taught sewer, Ellen found creative inspiration and began to sew when her older daughter was born seven years ago. She is the author of The Long Thread, where she can be found sewing, crafting, and making things with her children. Her sewing patterns have been featured in several publications, and she is currently working on a sewing book for Chronicle Books to be published in 2011.

Good things come in small packages. There's something special about tiny objects — like a secret that you can slide into your pocket. I'll always remember the magic I felt as a child watching the little
ballerina twirl inside my music box. I recall the wee wooden doll that my great-uncle painted by hand, the miniature chalet with rotating figures, and the small, brightly-colored Christmas ornaments. My mother spent a lot of time working on my dollhouse — weaving a rug of felt, painting miniature plates, and taking me on frequent trips to the magical world of the dollhouse shop. It seems that my childhood
memories are filled with tiny treasures.

Share the magic of the miniature this holiday season with these little gifts and holiday decorations. Each of these objects can fit in the palm of your hand and would be easy to ship to friends across the country or around the world...or you could just slip one into your pocket.

This bear is under 4" tall and handmade in Spain. Migu the Bear would make a perfect stocking stuffer or gift for anyone who likes tiny cute things. (And who doesn't?) By knittingdreams, $22.50.

The Little Red Door features itty-bitty ceramics perfect for adding whimsy to a desk or mantel. $11.

Look out! The gnomes are loose again. This little fellow is less than 3" tall. Naturally, I love everything in this shop. By allthingssmall, $18.

Everyone needs a miniature winter village, don't they? Start your collection with this vintage Christmas Putz house made from sturdy paper. A collection of these would make a great centerpiece for the
holiday table or sideboard. From efinegifts, $16.95.

Slip this calendar into your pocket and keep track of your busy schedule with this silkscreened 2010 calendar with hand-lettered pages. By jenhewett, $13.

Celebrate the season retro-style with these vintage snowman cupcake toppers. From bostonbaglady, $5.50.

This pair of wintry wooden dolls would make a nice decoration or stocking stuffer. By goosegrease, $18.

Little things mean a lot. These Forget-Me-Not Earrings offer a sweet sentiment. By Bijoutiful, $36.

Baby shoes definitely top the list of tiny cute things. These holiday baby booties from Out of the Box are hand-stitched of wool for size 3-6 months. By outofthebox, $24.

Baa la la la la. This ceramic ornament would add character to any tree. By mudpuppy, $16.

I love the graphic hand-painted face on this 3" tall Japanese matryoshka-style doll from Stefanie Style. A sweet little gift for young and old alike. By stefaniexu, $9.50.

Smaller is better with this tiny hand-embroidered ornament or pendant. By SeaPinks, $17.

You couldn't complete a list of tiny things without mentioning The Small Object. The Good Wood Magnet Set would make a nice stocking stuffer for kids and adults. By thesmallobject, $8.

If this teddy bear doesn't make you say "Awww" then you are heartless. This tiny guy from Martha's Makes is under 2" small. By marthasmakes, $32.

This holiday season, spend time with your friends and family and cherish the little things. Happy Holidays!

Looking for past Guest Curators? Check out our archive!

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

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T15:45:00-05:00

"Illusion is the first of all pleasures." - Oscar Wilde

This week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere has experimental fall and winter couture, colorful psychedelic portraits to open your mind and challenge your eye, transitional wallpaper for when you can't decide on a pattern, lady photographers banding together to form an inspirational travel collective, and apocalyptic dollhouse miniatures to captivate your imagination.

Read on!

Calling all psychedelia fanatics: Abdul Mati Klarwein has your number. Known as "the most famous unknown artist," Klarwein's surreal portrait style brings to mind Magic Eye autostereograms (in the best way possible). [Via Lady Lavona's Cabinet of Curiosities]

These collages are a visual bonanza of couture creations. (Yeah, I said bonanza!) Fall and winter fashion never looked so good. Check out A View To for all of the illustrious credits.

I'm in love with Lene Toni Kjeld's transitional wallpaper collections. According to d*s, "Danish Designer Lene has created a capsule collection of patterns that can be used together to softly transition one print to another seamlessly within a room." Practical, aesthetically pleasing, and evocative of fading wallpaper and abandoned houses? Sign me up! [Via design*sponge]

The MarfaTrip project warms my heart. Thirteen lady photographers from around the United States have banded together to travel across the country as a photography collective.The MarfaTrip blog details their journey through photos and text. Amazing and inspiring! [Via For Me, For You]

James Casbere's work is utterly captivating. These apocalyptic visions of flooded buildings and neglected sites are actually detailed miniature models (dollhouse scale) of what actual locations might look like after, say, a natural disaster. Very creepy, very cool. [Via Blood Milk]

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Camera Obscura: Jan Svankmajer's Alice in Wonderland

2009-07-08T19:00:00-05:00

“Alice thought to herself, ‘Now you will see a film made for children. Perhaps. But I nearly forgot: you must close your eyes. Otherwise, you won’t see anything.’” — Jan Svankmajer’s Alice

When I was in college in Arizona, a friend of a friend had a screening of some films he had rented through the mail from Facets. Many years before that I had seen A Clockwork Orange (1971), Pink Floyd The Wall (1982), and other films that opened my eyes to the power of cinema. But it wasn't until this screening in a small apartment in Flagstaff that I understood cinema as an art form. That evening, we watched the classic film, Mystery of Picasso (1956), and a contemporary work by Jan Svankmajer called Alice (1988).

Svankmajer's surreal retelling of the Alice in Wonderland story was like nothing I had seen before. Part stop motion animation, part live action, this fantastical film was a dark alchemy of poetic beauty and sorcerer's brew.

Art doll by dollings, $55.

What I love most about the work of Svankmajer — and that of his proteges, The Brothers Quay — is the use of ephemera and curiosities to animate their tales. Antiquated-looking toys, doll parts, skeleton keys, bones, and taxidermy infuse these surreal visions with an other worldly darkness that I personally find uncanny and riveting.

I am constantly on the lookout for unusual pieces that are dark and mysterious. Etsy's Cabinet of Curiosities Team has an amazing array of shops that feature curios of the past. Whether it be old porcelain dolls or Victorian taxidermy, you can find everything you need for your own fantastical stop motion animation.

Odds and Ends Skeleton Key Trio by missemilygene, $45.

Old Sarah by Bella's Atelier, $2,000.

What are the best Alice in Wonderland inspired items you've seen on Etsy? Leave a link in the comments below.

Browse Items Tagged "100 Years Old" on Etsy | Alice DVD from First Run Features

Check out Etsy's Cabinet of Curiosities Team

Etsy Finds Decor: Family Matters

2009-06-21T10:00:00-05:00

This weekend's Get the Look: Decor is inspired by the playful home of the Hanson family of San Diego, California. Amy Hanson has decorated every corner of her home with handmade items that have significance to her family of five. She has created thoughtful vignettes using her amazing collections of handmade and vintage dolls, houses, numbers, artwork and more, and she has done it all on a budget. Amy has many favorite thrift shops and flea markets that she frequents, and she does a significant amount of her shopping on Etsy as well. Amy also has a beautiful crafting studio where her family spends time together making handmade gifts for one another and their home.

Besides decorating her beautiful home and spending time with her family, Amy runs Sweet Sweet Life, a lifestyle blog where she shares her favorite vintage and handmade finds, as well as crafting ideas that are perfect for children and families. She also has two Etsy shops where she sells her artwork (muffinsabound.etsy.com) and jewelry (bebeandyaya.etsy.com).

Visit Amy on flickr to view more photos of her charming home. Check out the Etsy Finds below for creative decorating ideas that will add a meaningful touch to the place you call home.

Decorative Touches

Amy has a series of letters and numbers displayed throughout her home that represent the names and number of family members in the Hanson household.

Vintage Wooden Alphabet Blocks

From junkculture, $22.

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M, The Letter

By kelsyhenke, $12.

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Let Me Count the Ways

By raedunn, $42.

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Cool Modern Art Concrete Number 5

From atouchofvintage, $28.

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Vintage Ceramic Letter F

From smallstudio, $4.

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Vintage Bright Red Letter Pair - PM

From 26olivestreet, $68.

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A Soft Place to Rest

Unique colorful pillows are an easy and comfortable way to add color and character to any room.

Window Panes Pillow Cover 20 inch

By meringuedesigns, $40.

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Ferris Wheel - Pillow Cover w/ Insert

By OIive, $38.

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Scrabble Family Pillow

By designlab443, $45.

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Red Cross Pillow w/ Hemp and Kapok

By enhabiten, $30.

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A Cozy Home

Every corner of Amy's home is filled with thoughtful vignettes displaying her many handmade and vintage treasures. I noticed a heartwarming house theme making an appearance throughout almost every collection.

Custom City Hoop--Your Dream House

By LittlePinkHouse, $85.

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Handcrafted Newberg Doll House

By RoyAltis, $425.

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House Rule No. 14 - I will shop at least ...

By wunderlust, $20.

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Little Red Heart - House of Love

By thelittlereddoor, $14.

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House Pillow, 'My Lovely Patio'

By LeiLiLaLoo, $39.

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Metal Doll House

From FluffyFlowersVintage, $60.

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German Wooden Building Blocks

From VintagefromCrystal, $35.

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House Lamp

By Hannahnunn, $75.

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An Interesting Collection

Among the eclectic mix of handmade and vintage treasures found on mantles, shelves and windowsills are tiny storage boxes, playful dishes, artwork, miniature figurines, nostalgic toys and tons of dolls.

Greta Doll I

By marysgranddaughter, $32.

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Vintage Winking Man and Woman Cups

From 5andDimeMemories, $15.

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Little Stumps

By littleseedlings, $25.

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Needle Felted Hawaaian Island Doll Ball

By asherjasper, $15.

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Rainbow Factory Duo

By PearsonMaron, $41.

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Flutter Paper Lantern

By SimpleSweetDesign, $30.

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Tomato Red Vintage Style Suitcases

By nanacompany, $28.

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Dollhouse Dolly with Lollipop

By SugarElf, $45.

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An Artist's Touch

Amy also has an amazing collection of folksy artwork and prints, which give each room a homey charm.

Guinea Hen Family

By VedaArts, $175.

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Julie.....Mixed Media Print

By ChristinaRomeo, $20.

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Original. Collette The White Rabbit.

By craftyfolk, $20.

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Curiouser

By JunkerJane, $16.

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The Cat and the Polka-Dot House III

By sarahogren, $42.

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Maatuska 2

By tsktsk, $15.

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Cloud...Original Painting

By 904EastMillerStreet, $55.

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Serene - original 8x10

By timssally, $60.

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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

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

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs: Paper Puppets With Crankbunny

2009-06-04T14:30:00-05:00

Why revel in your crafty ambitions alone? Come make paper puppets with us — whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world. Join us for our weekly Craft Night in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn. Craft Night occurs every Monday from 4-8 p.m. ET at 325 Gold Street, 3rd floor in Brooklyn, New York and in the Virtual Labs. Drop by our space in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. to craft with us. Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, meet new friends, and hang out.

Not in Brooklyn? Join us online for a live broadcast and demo from Craft Night in the Virtual Labs starting at 5 p.m. ET. Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is around the world (though we usually take some time to get settled and ready to go).

On Monday, June 8, the magnificent Norma Toraya of crankbunny, as well as author of the book Paper Puppet Palooza, will let us in on the secrets of the paper finger puppet trade. She will lead us through the ins and outs of bringing dapper unicycle-riding finger puppet Jacques Le Koolmaine to life. We will have copies of the puppet template printed out at the Etsy Labs. If you are joining us in the Virtual Labs, be sure to download a template here.

Just can't wait till Monday to learn how to make these puppets? Check out this week's How-Tuesday post for a sneak preview of the process.

If you are attending Craft Night virtually this week and would like to craft along with us, you'll need to gather a few supplies:

Scissors
Cutting knife
Glue
8 mini brads
1 plastic drinking straw
1/8 inch (3 mm) hole punch
3x3 inch (7.6 cm) piece of chipboard or cardboard (approximate in size)
Template printed onto very thick paper/card stock

Upcoming Craft Nights & Events at Etsy Labs:

6/7: Church of Craft meeting at the Etsy Labs (2-6 p.m.)

6/15: Summer crochet with Kim Kotary

6/22: Make lip balm with the Etsy Labs

6/29: Open Craft Night

Would you like to lead a Craft Night project? Send your ideas to labs@etsy.com with "Craft Night idea" as the subject line. Have you participated in Craft Night? Share your photos with the Etsy Labs Show and Tell Flickr group!

Want to learn more about the Labs? Check out our FAQs. Want to receive email updates? Join our Etsy Labs mailing list.

Will we see you Monday? Let us know in the comments.

How-Tuesday: Make a Paper Finger Puppet with Crankbunny

2009-06-02T15:45:00-05:00

Norma Toraya, a.k.a. crankbunny, is the queen of nostalgic paper crafts. Her new book, Paper Puppet Palooza, is a storybook how-to on making paper puppets and incorporating paper puppet techniques into your own existing work. It is a book for artists, crafty people, hobbyists, teachers, animators, parents, youngsters, puppeteers, rainy day victims, and those who are just into curious creative exploration. The main character in the book, Paul “Peppo” Palooza, guides the reader through each of the step-by-step illustrated projects with a cast of other imaginative paper puppet characters.

Paper Puppet Palooza also showcases various artists who incorporate book techniques into their own artwork, including Etsy artists Lindsey Carr, a.k.a. littlerobot, Sara Guindon, a.k.a. thepinpals, and Gwenaëlle Gobé, a.k.a. gounie.

Today crankbunny will show us how to make a paper finger puppet. Download the template here and get started!

Jacques Le Koolmaine loves the summer and riding his unicycle to various summer parties and beach picnics. He carries his picnic bounty in his basket, with a loaf of bread for sandwiches and bottles of refreshing beverages. He's always showing off and doing daring balancing tricks while on his way to his next summer adventure.

Jacques is a paper finger puppet you can cut out and put together easily. He has various moving joints and different ways of customizing for optimum fun.

Materials & Tools

Scissors
Cutting knife
Glue
8 mini brads
1 plastic drinking straw
1/8 inch (3 mm) hole punch
3x3 inch (7.6 cm) piece of Chipboard/cardboard (approximate in size)
Template printed onto very thick paper/card stock

Instructions

1. Transfer the template to thick paper. Carefully cut out all of the puppet pieces. Make sure to cut out the two finger holes, too!

2. Fold the SPACER piece in half and cut out the small dash triangle from it.

3. Cut with your cutting knife along the black line of the basket piece to create a simple way to slot your bread and bottle pieces into the basket.
4. Take the bicycle wheel (Part K) and trace it over the piece of cardboard. Cut the traced circle shape out of the cardboard. Roughly cut out an additional hole into this part so that it looks like an O. Glue this O shape to the back of your bicycle wheel (Part K) with some glue.

5. Use the paper punch to make the holes marked on all of the parts.

6. Match each hole by the letters (A to a, B to b). Place the lowercase-letter hole under the uppercase hole. Tightly join the matched pieces with a brad, with the exception of E & e and K & k. These joints should be stiff.

7. Join set parts E & e and K & k with a brad. Before fastening the back of the brad, slip the brad ends into the cutout wedge of the spacer. Spread and fasten the brad prongs against the spacer. Then remove the spacer so these joints are nice and loose.

8. Flip your paper puppet over. Cut a 3 inch (7.6 cm) piece of plastic drinking straw. Glue the straw to the back of the unicycle seat post. Allow to dry completely.

9. Your paper puppet is now complete and ready to play with. Put your pointing and middle finger through the back of the paper puppet holes. Use the rest of your fingers to grab onto the back straw gently for leverage while wheeling around town or your desk.

Puppet Possibilities

Make your own fun items for the basket: anything can be slotted into the paper basket! Cut out items that fit from magazines or draw out your own objects that you'd like to put in it.

Fold up your paper puppet and include it in summer time party invitations! Jacques is perfect for birthday parties, family gatherings at parks, or any invite you want to add some pizazz to. (Yes, I actually used the word "pizazz.") The puppet will fit in a standard size A7 5x7" inch (12.7x17.8 cm) greeting card envelope.

Replace the rider's head with a photo of a friend's head (and then make fun of them)! Cut out a photo or do some Photoshop-Inkjet printing wizardry and attach the head on with glue. Just make sure the head is around the same size, or it might look a little funny. I went with the Mona Lisa!

Need more of a paper puppet fix? We do, too. Join crankbunny for our weekly Craft Night next Monday, June 8th in our online multi-user chat room, the Virtual Labs or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn!

More crafty project downloads can be found in our How-Tuesday series on the Etsy blog! And did you know that you can buy Supplies on Etsy?

Handmade Kids: Wooden Toys and Classic Looks

2009-05-12T16:46:00-05:00

I love children's items that withstand the test of time. A handmade quilt, a classic vintage storybook, sturdy wooden toy — these are a few of my favorite things. In fact, I have quite a few stored in my parents' attic waiting to spring to life again once I have kids!

In my opinion, kids dressed like little old-fashioned dolls is the way to go (at least until they're old enough to complain). In addition to toys and items for the nursery, you can find formal children's clothing for events like weddings and christenings. I'm keeping an eye out for antique kids' clothes too.

My inspiration? I had a vintage suitcase filled with my mother's dolls as a kid; they had intricate doll clothing that my great-grandmother had made. They're still somewhere in our attic...What's your favorite childhood item? Leave it in the comments below!

Children's Category | Vintage Toys

Check out the special Kids & Toys Showcase!

Fresh Shops: Misako Mimoko

2009-05-07T17:30:00-05:00

I'm a girl called Eva, a.k.a. misakomimoko, who lives, works and dreams in Barcelona, a crowded, small Spanish city near the sea. Luckily, my neighborhood is very quiet, with a lot of green. It's much like a little Mediterranean village. My workplace is at home, and sometimes I like to take a break and handcraft a little. I sew while sitting down on my old chair near a balcony surrounded by flowers, green trees and birds singing, or while watching TV. When it's sunny, I go sewing by the little hill that is close to my place.

My personal handcraft history starts while studying Fine Arts. I was very interested in crafts and naïve art, and I used to work with recycled materials and fabrics. I began sewing again, as I did during my early school days.

I had been working as a multimedia designer for almost ten years, until a year ago when I participated in an amigurumi workshop arranged by a lovely little shop called Duduá. I just needed to take a break from computers and go back to my old likings. Then I got in touch with handmade craft blogs and the DIY movement, and I met other crafters who shared the same interests as me — Emedermarta, La Aranya Tecla, Delolast, La Ballena Elena...it was fantastic!

I have completely fallen for vintage toys and illustrations, so I create my little rag dolls, trying my best to retrieve all the happiness, humor and good vibes from that time. My boyfriend Gabriel Corbera is an illustrator who loves old comics, and he's constantly introducing all kind of cute and funny classic characters that always inspire me a lot. I think my love for vintage culture has grown as a reaction to a city terribly mad about design and new technologies, which is losing its own identity and roots.

It was my friend Emedemarta who introduced me to this gorgeous handmade marketplace on Etsy, and she drove me to start my own shop. This amazing community is constantly surprising me — there are a lot of promotional opportunities and facilities available to showcase your work worldwide without spending money. I think it's important help to small crafters avoiding middlemen.

How can be Etsy a more international site? Maybe giving the option to choose other country currencies, translating the site into other languages and perhaps adding Europe, and the rest of the continents, as an option in the shipping list menu. I don't know if it's a great solution, but certainly it could help.

Shop Local Barcelona | Fresh Shops Series | Etsy International

Kids and Toys Showcase

Below you'll find items from other talented Etsians who hail from Barcelona!

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: March 26, 2009

2009-03-26T13:40:00-05:00

"To whom does design address itself: to the greatest number, to the specialist of an enlightened matter, to a privileged social class? Design addresses itself to the need." - Charles Eames

This week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere is jam packed with design, so a quote from the father of modern design seemed only too appropriate. Prepare yourself for sequins and fall fashion, brilliant and compelling packaging, the simple symmetry of nature as interpreted in fabric patterns, the beauty of a well-organized collection, and geometric compositions played out on canvas. Forethought produces beauty!

Read on!

Do you have a soft spot for smart design? Then you'll probably adore The Lovely Package. This design blog is dedicated to product packaging that's as covetable as the objects contained within. Very cool stuff! [Via Unruly Things]

I know spring is coming, but I'm already thinking about fall clothes. (I can't help it! I love tights, boots, and all the affectations of cold weather!) Matthew Williamson's fall '09 collection makes my day. The sequins, the silhouettes, the pants: sign me up!

Neville Trickett of Saint Verde has a beautiful blog and an inspiring home. This ingenious comparison of succulent close-ups and fabric details makes my love for plants soar. So beautiful! [Thanks to shavingkitsupplies for the links!]

I can't get enough of the Organized Collection flickr pool. As a rabid collector, this inspires me to go home, make orderly displays of my trinkets and submit, submit, submit! The photos above come from hellojenuine, Snail Forest, sassiline, and Lari Washburn. [Via Aesthetic Outburst]

I love the geometry and line work of Spanish company SuTurno. Their website is stop-motion cuteness! [Via Oh Joy!]

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Etsy Finds: Needle in a Haystack

2009-03-23T10:13:00-05:00

Embroidery isn't what it used to be. While I love the more traditional instances of the craft, I've grown to admire those who can take a seemingly basic technique and creatively transform it into a different medium. Each of the finds below incorporate embroidery in an artful way that made me look twice. If you like my picks and are looking for more needlecraft, search for Items on Etsy tagged embroidery.

Handmade Pin With Free Stitch Work

By danitashop, $32.

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Original Embroidered Collage 5 x 7 - Dreamer

By selflesh, $25.

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LINEN TUNIC with mustard wool stitching

By pamelatang, $82.

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An Old Pair of Scissors. embroidered drawing

By lapommestories, $35.

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Custom Little City Hoop--Your Dream House

By LittlePinkHouse, $80.

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Lilac and Sunshine Cone Sculpture

By SecretSnowbird, $35.

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Hello Critter

By MelissaSue, $65.

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marge's cottage

By mummysam, $65.

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Red Hair Black Comb Hand Embroidered Wall Plaque

By Samskiart, $40.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Artistic Endeavors | Guest Curators | Trends | Search for Items Tagged "Embroidery"

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Etsy Finds: Emerging Artists You Ought to Know

2009-03-05T10:19:00-05:00

I fancied myself a curator this week and put together a collection of art from some of the newest sellers on Etsy. If you have wine and cheese nearby, feel free to sip and snack while you stroll through my virtual gallery opening. Check out the rest of the Artistic Endeavors series (and our Art Gift Guides!) for more curated art selections.

Nicky Arnstein

Portrait of a dashing fellow by pathamou, $30.

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Mini Paper Mache 010

Creatures by Kawasaki artist mumbreeze, $25.

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Built to Spill show poster

Screenprinted Built to Spill concert posters by theclearancesale, $35.

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painting

Navajo inspired works by nightwoodny, $40.

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Infanta holding a bunny. Ceramic sculpture, bell

Sculptures that ring by Berlin artist yalonetski, $50.

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Rolling Contrivance by Merijn Hos

Limited edition, letterpressed print, a collaboration between Dutch illustrator Merijn Hos and Australian printmakers Wilkintie, $60.

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We Are Not Two We Are One screen print by Christopher Bettig

Inspired by the band, The Kinks, and their song entitled "Strangers". By Chris Bettig aka themountainlabel, $40.

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Green Electric Company

Original watercolors by Colt J Bowden aka nourishingflourish, $50.

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one,two,tee

Handpainted shirts by aitchmade, $65.

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I hope you enjoyed my newbie art exhibit. Want to share your own favorites with the Etsy community? Hand pick your own collection of work in Etsy's Treasury!

Till next time,

Danielle

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Art Gift Guides | Artwork for Every Room Showcase

Artistic Endeavors Series | Guest Curators | Art Category | Fresh Shops

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

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: February 26, 2009

2009-02-26T14:40:00-05:00

“Treading the soil of the moon, palpitating its pebbles, tasting the panic and splendor of the event, feeling in the pit of one's stomach the separation from terra — these form the most romantic sensation an explorer has ever known." - Vladimir Nabokov

Another Thursday, another edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere. This week's theme is exploration, be it the Antarctic or the integration of shoulder pads into fashion. (Roll with me here...!) There's 1970s frilliness à la Altman's 3 Women, adorable antique dolls of the Lonely Doll lineage (and fashion icons, at that!), three dimensional papercuts that challenge the mind's eye and photos from a most unforgettable trip to the far reaches of the Earth.

Read on!

I have been fascinated by the journeys of adventurers past for as long as I can remember. The story of Dr. Frederick A. Cook (the first man to reach the North Pole) captivated me, especially when I lived near his dilapidated Brooklyn mansion. This collection of photos documents the First Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914) and originates from the State Library of New South Wales Collection on Flickr. It looks like an amazing (and harsh) trip! And look at those artificial looking penguins! Check out the entire photo set here.

It's official: the shoulder pad is back. The Fall 2009 shows were full of the linebacker silhouette, and I have to say that I'm not entirely opposed to the resurrection. Karen Walker and Marc Jacobs show it well, albeit in different ways. What's your take? [Via New York Magazine]

Peter Callesen's Papercut series was recently shown in New York. The 3D work is out of this world. [Via Miniature Rhino]

Lenci Dolls are a 1930s dream. I had never heard of them until just recently, though they looked oddly familiar. After a little research on the (adorable!) Lenci Dolls website, I realized that one of my favorite children's story book characters, Edith the Lonely Doll, belongs to the Lenci family! Make sure to check out the 1917 Mary and Gretel video for fairy tale doll cuteness. [Via Nothing is New and Fashion Forestry]

I've fallen in love with Iluchka's Fairy Pale line. It's totally delicate in a 3 Women, 1970s kind of way. Check out the site to see the models dance around. I love the staging of these photos! [Via Fashion Forestry]

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Handmade Portraits: Black-eyed Suzie

2009-02-19T17:00:00-05:00

YouTube | MP4 | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(music by Espers, animation by JuliaPott)

Canadian artist and writer Sarah Faber aka Blackeyedsuzie started making art dolls while she was living in the woods of Maine, unable to legally work in the States. Sarah tired of constantly being in her own head as she worked endlessly on her first novel, so she decided she needed to do something with her hands. She chose doll-making because she could build on her experiences as a young girl, helping her crafty mother make beautiful dolls. After buying some books Sarah started experimenting with polymer clay, and eventually paper clay.

Blackeyedsuzie's style was influenced by her love for Gothic novels, Victorian and Elizabethan costumes and Dame Darcy's comic Meat Cake. Her dolls are infused with the same elongated, wide-eyed traits as the characters of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton. However, Sarah's dolls have their own style: Victorian beauties with a dark side — card sharks, bourbon drinkers, albinos and vampires...

Sarah doesn't necessarily consider her dolls to be Gothic, although some are dark and contain elements of the supernatural or uncanny. She considers them to be "Victorian, with a certain edge." The dolls' descriptions tell tales of dire lives of Victorian England, but not without a certain playful wink.

Watch our other Handmade Video Portraits and subscribe to our Youtube Channel!

Steampunk and Noir Gift Guide | Art Doll Posts | Art Doll Category | Gothic Posts

The Cutest Item of Them All

2009-02-16T15:16:00-05:00

Cuteness reigns supreme! We did a fun Season of Love poll with 60 cuter-than-thou items and today we've got a winner.

Congratulations to dolittledesign whose lovey-dovey, teeny-weeny penguin chick pin made people swoon with its cuteness! Needlefelting + tiny + penguins = love. Check out the 21 items below for more of the top favorites, and look for some of these in the Gift Guides too. You can see all the voting results here.

This week's round of voting features some of the best in fabulous feathered, beaded items in honor of Mardi Gras. We want to know which item makes you want to party, so go VOTE HERE!

Want to get involved in the next round? Link us to luscious spa and beauty items that would make anyone glow. Make your suggestions in the comments below and you might find the item in the running!

More Voting posts | Gift Guides

There's No Place Like Here: Boudoir Queen

2009-02-04T18:00:00-05:00

YouTube | MP4 | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(music by Boolar, George McMurphy and his Orchestra, Etsy bumper by JuliaPott)

There's No Place Like Here...Welcome to our new video series, where creative types show us their unique spaces — infused with their aesthetic and filled with the treasures they collect.

BoudoirQueen is a shop that inspires the imagination, so we decided to step into Dawn Younger-Smith's world to see what inspires her. Dawn has lined her Austin, Texas showroom with her collection of all things 1920s: fringe, droopy lace, boudoir dolls, and utterly, breathlessly feminine clothing. Dawn got her start as a model for Steven Arnold, who helped Salvador Dalí with the creation and opening of Teatro Museo Dali in Figueras, Spain in the summer of 1976. She draws inspiration from many famous fashion designers such Paul Poiret and swears that had she been alive during his time, she would be wearing his glamorous garments.

BoudoirQueen originally started designing stage clothes, and her repertoire has expanded to fascinating roll call of famous musicians, actresses, and performers such as Courtney Love, Vanessa Paradis, Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris, Lisa Marie Presley, Cheynna Phillips, Tyra Banks, Lauren Hutten, Patty Griffin, Sarah Sophie Flicker...the list goes on.

Check out the items below for a taste of Dawn's aesthetic. To find more treasures, search for boudoir, flapper, and cloche in Vintage, and boudoir, flapper and cloche in Handmade. Let us know in the comments if you've incorporated a little boudoir fancy into your style or if you're "in deep." Not your thing? Then let us know if there's a style or era you're obsessed with!

Special thanks to Dawn's assistants, Jordan Grabow and Shannon Gottshall, her Loving husband, Mark Younger-Smith, and her entourage of simply marvelous models, Cali Sales, Cayse Binkly, Justine List, and Whitney Jardine.

Open your door to There's No Place Like Here! If you have a beautiful space (studio, home, or boutique), let us know. Add photos of your space or suggest photos to us through our new flickr pool. You never know, you might need to bust out the welcome wagon for the Etsy video crew!

Watch other Etsy videos | Season of Love posts | Get the Look series

My Top 10 Lovely Primitives

2009-01-27T19:00:00-05:00

True love can be quite a "primitive" urge! Here is my personal Top 10 List for Season of Love prims. Share your faves in the comments below!

1. Arrow 'Eros' with Star Wall Art

By gilhooly, $69.

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2. Miss Angel

By raggedraven, $24.

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3. Wordz from the Heart

By wordzoflife, $5.

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4. Felted Bird Head

By seeleyst, $26.

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5. Love Seeds Feedsack Pillow

By TomorrowsTreasures, $12.

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6. Primitive Wreath

By PrimitiveFolk, $15.

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7. Primitive Crow Love - Door Greeter For Valentines Day Doll

By artsycraftsyfolks, $25.

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8. Primitive Make-Do Pincushion Heart/Valentine Lady Brown Eyes

By digiliodesigns, $34.

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9. Primitive Shabby Valentine Heart Pantry Boxes in red, white, and pink

By thebrokenhouse, $24.98.

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10. Miniature Pink Bear with Rabbit a needle felted Ornament by maria pahls

By MRCROWSGARDEN, $39.99.

View Item | View Shop

See More Posts with Primitive Items | Search for "Primitive Valentine" | Valentine's Day Showcase

Vote on Sellers' Season of Love Items!

Dollhouse Scale Miniatures: Facts and Fancies

2009-01-07T13:29:00-05:00

Welcome to the world of collectible scale dollhouse miniatures. To someone who hasn’t discovered the wonder of a complete house in miniature, made as a scale model, the term “dollhouse” conjures up an image of a toy. However, a true to scale house and its contents is a work of art and a collector’s piece, not a toy. With Etsy's recent addition of a Dolls and Miniatures Category, we wanted to dive into the miniatures art form, as a companion post to Art Dolls: Facts and Fancies by ladyartisandolls.

If you look at a high quality photo of a masterfully created scale miniature room, you might not be able to tell it from a photo of a real life room! Such perfect creations are often housed in museums.

Mrs. James Ward Thorne, English Library of the Queen Anne Period, 1702-1750

No detail is missed: makers often install tiny working lights. When you turn off the exterior lights in your room and turn on the interior of the dollhouse, it creates a magical effect. Viewing the house through its windows this way, you feel like a giant looking into a house at night.

Dollhouse artists make tiny items in the same way — and often from the same materials — as their full size counterparts, including wood, glass, china, pottery, metal, fabric, etc. The miniature versions often cost more than their full size counterparts, due to the skill and time they take to make to painstakingly tiny scale. Artists sculpt food from durable materials, usually polymer clay, and plants and flowers from similar materials plus paper.

Some collectors refuse to even have dolls — scale figures, in reality — because they never quite look real or alive. Take a look at a friend or family member or someone sitting on a park bench — even if they try to sit perfectly still, they still make slight movements, such as breathing or blinking, and this effect cannot be captured by sculpted figures.

On the other hand, some people form entire collections of scale figures, including humans in costumes from every historic period or fantasy beings, i.e. fairies, witches, etc. These figures are typically made from porcelain in molds or sculpted individually from polymer clay. Occasionally other materials are used, e.g. air drying clay or carved from wood.

You don’t have to opt for an entire scale dollhouse; a single room in a diorama or a collection of individual items can give just as much pleasure if you're restricted by space or finances.

It is possible to create a moment in time in total accuracy using scale miniatures, and it’s a wonderful way to do historical research. Other possibilities for projects are modern, futuristic or fantasy settings.

Photo courtesy of http://www.dollhousecastle.com

Early European examples dating from the 17th century are usually in the form of a cabinet with shelves; these were called “baby houses“. Modern dollhouses have detailed exteriors as well as interiors; the term ’dollhouse’ also includes shops, cafes and bars. They are either open backed, which is the American fashion, or with hinged fronts, which are common in the United Kingdom. The hinged front design has the advantage of being able to be placed against a wall. Because these dollhouses are totally enclosed, they keep out dust more effectively. In the UK the term “doll's house” is used more than the American “dollhouse“.

Some collectors specialize in restoring old houses, often originally made as toys and in 1/16th scale. Modern collectors’ dollhouses can be built from scratch, from kits, bought assembled but not decorated or finished and ready to "move into."

Because these buildings and their contents are scale models with all measurements carefully taken and calculated to the chosen scale, a house can be furnished with items from different makers from around the world. Everything will be able to be used together — because of these shared standards — in the same way as furnishing and equipping a full size real home.

Mrs. James Ward Thorne, Pennsylvania Kitchen, 1752

Many people have difficulty with the calculation of scale. Here is a list of all the popular scales. For guidance I've included sizes for adult humans of 5 feet to 6 feet tall in each scale. The first term is the one used in the Etsy “scale dollhouse miniature” sub-category under the "Dolls and Miniatures" top level category.

One Inch -1/12th - 1” to the foot. Most popular and largest size. People 5” - 6”

Three Quarters Inch - 1/16th - ¾” to a foot. Usually older ‘toy’ houses. People 3 ¾” - 4 ½”

Half Inch - 1/24th - half scale (being half the size of the most popular 1/12th) ½” to a foot. People 2 ½” - 3”

Quarter Inch - 1/48th - quarter scale - ¼” to the foot. People 1 ¼” - 1 ½”

Micromini - 1/144th - 1/12th of an inch to a foot. These tiny houses can be used as 1/12th scale dollhouses to go into 1/12th scale dollhouses. People 5/12” - ½”

Metric conversion one inch = 24mm

Visit the blog of Etsy Miniatures in Dollhouse Scales Team (MIDS) for more info and inspiration! The MiniMakers' Team also has a wonderful flickr pool.

Further Resources about Scale Dollhouse Miniatures:
The International Guild Of Miniature Artisans
National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts
Etsy Team MIDS
Etsy Team MiniMakers

Dolls and Miniatures | Scale Dollhouse Miniatures | Dolls and Miniatures Posts

Art Dolls: Facts and Fancies

2008-12-29T15:40:00-05:00

“What is an art doll?” This is as loaded a question as “What is art?”

There’s no hard and fast definition to be found for an art doll. They can be made out of almost any medium or several different media. They come in various shapes, sizes, styles, and designs. They can be very realistic or abstract with barely anything recognizable on them. They can be human, humanoid, anthropomorphic, alien, fantasy, sci-fi, or just about anything in between. In this post, we'll explore the world of art dolls, in honor of the recently launched Dolls and Miniatures Category on Etsy. In Part 2 of this series, we will delve into miniatures with a post by BlueKittyMiniatures.

The two main defining points about art dolls that you will find consistently are:

1. An art doll is a work of art. The chosen form might be a doll but the piece is art and is intended to be treated and viewed as such.

2. Art dolls are not toys. Usually, an art doll is for display with little to no direct interaction but even art dolls designed to be interacted with (e.g., puppets, marionettes, jack-in-the-boxes, and automatons) are made for adult collectors and are not toys or usually even considered child friendly. Most people wouldn’t allow their children to play with a bronze sculpture or painting on the wall and art dolls fall into the same category.

Lulu by blackeyedsuzie

Scary Prim by DLMarian

Just as other art forms can be expressed through multiple media, art dolls can as well. Art dolls can be fully sculpted or partially sculpted from clay with soft bodies. They can be soft sculpture which involves very detailed sculpting of foam and fabric with a needle to make incredibly realistic features. They can be assemblage taking a combination of various materials and making a doll form out of them. They can even be altered dolls–consider Barbie, sculpted over, painted and turned into a wood nymph...to the point where you barely recognize her original form. But each of these media follows the same defining points of an art doll–they are works of art first and they are not toys to be played with by children.

Ophelia by BonnieLeeFonatine

One-of-a-kind (OOAK) is a phrase that shows up a lot in the art doll realm. It denotes something very specific for doll artists. A OOAK art doll should be an original doll (made from start to finish by the individual artist; from conception through design, sculpting, and finishing the piece) that will not be reproduced again.

Charlie Chaplin by AMCreatures

Further breakdown can take place within each media. There are such a variety of clays to use, from high-fire to air-dry and epoxy clays. Some porcelain dolls fall into the art doll category because they are individually made by the artist, rather than being mass-produced from a mold. Polymer clay, air-dry clays, two-part epoxy clays like Apoxie Sculpt, paperclays and papier mache are all used for sculpting either full-sculpts or partial sculpts with cloth bodies.

Angel Tree Topper by ElizabethBonura

Green Witch by rdirenna

Soft Sculpture includes using foam, batting, fabric and nylon to make highly detailed realistic figures. Like sculpting in clay, these figures are sculpted using a needle and without a cloth pattern. It also includes needlefelting which can make some amazingly life-like figures, as well. The key to recognizing soft sculpture is how well defined and how detailed the cloth sculpting is. A simple cloth doll with painted face, mitten hands, and rounded feet doesn’t fit into the soft sculpture definition, but a doll with a needle-sculpted face, individual fingers, and defined muscles is exactly what soft sculpture is about.

Freya by cottonwoolbabystudio

Assemblage dolls are much less traditional, cobbling together a variety of items from old doll parts to kitchen utensils to make a doll form that’s somewhat recognizable as such. Just about any item is game to be included in an assemblage doll. Their very nature makes them eco-friendly, upcycling and recycling items that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

The Way It Worked by lunaclaydesigns

Bavarian Apple Princess by crayonmonster

Altered dolls, not to be confused with repaints (which are commercial-made fashion dolls that have been stripped and painted in a new style, frequently including a new hairstyle), are another non-traditional type of art doll. For altered dolls, artists use commercial dolls (Barbies, Blythes, old toy dolls, cheap plastic dolls) and sculpt over them, remove and/or replace body parts, re-costume and just generally remake the doll into a completely new figure. Most of these dolls are so altered, it’s hard to recognize the original doll underneath. While the use of a pre-existing doll might traditionally disqualify these from being considered art dolls, it can’t be denied that they fit well within the defining points of art dolls–they are works of art in doll form and they are not toys to be played with.

Corin by crackedmoon

Earth Day Barbie by littlebitwired

So what is an art doll? Essentially, it’s an original work of art in a doll form used, as more traditional art is, to express something the artist wants to express — an emotion, a political statement, a thought or series of thoughts. The reasons for creating art dolls are varied and can’t be pinned down or limited anymore than this: Why does an artist create?

Further Resources:
The Original Doll Artist Council of America: http://www.odaca.org
National Institute of American Doll Artists: http://www.niada.org
Texas Association of Original Doll Artists: http://www.taoda.org
The Professional Doll Makers Art Guild: http://www.artdollguild.net

Art Dolls | EGADS - Etsy Guild for Art Dolls and Such | Dolls and Miniatures Category

Handmade Portraits: Woodmouse

2008-12-05T13:18:00-05:00

YouTube | MP4 | blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

(music by Lineland, Jukeboxer)

Toymaker Amber Dusick aka woodmouse has her wood shop in her garage in downtown Los Angeles. After the birth of her son, this one time farm girl from Wisconsin became nostalgic for the toys from her past: simple, natural toys that would inspire creativity and imaginative play, made from materials that wouldn't stick around in a landfill for thousands of years.

After years of silversmithing, throwing pottery and drawing with pen and ink, Amber finally found her medium in wood. Using sustainably harvested woods, non toxic paints and beeswax along with her wood burning tool, Amber was able to transfer the look and feel of her previous pen and ink drawings to wooden toys.

See more posts about the CPSIA issue!

Woodmouse, founder of the Natural Kids Team, is an ardent advocate of sustainable toys. The materials used are all natural and her toys are 100% compostable. Her imagery is reminiscent of of a child's crayon drawing come to life in wood.

Amber, like other Etsy toy makers and sellers of children's items, is fearful that as a sole proprietor she will not be able to afford the stricter regulations of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA); the cost of testing and certification is likely beyond her means. She told Etsy, “I'd be more than happy to have each of my toys tested, if it wasn't so cost prohibitive. It is the COST involved in testing that will shut us down, it isn't that anyone refuses to have their work tested." The CPSC recently proposed a 1 year delay of required testing and certification, in part because of artisans were able to get their voices heard. But this means we need to use the coming year to write to our Congresspeople. Click here to see the latest on the CPSIA & find out what you can do to prevent artisans from being put out of business.

Handmade Video Portraits | More on the Natural Kids Team

Handmade Kids Series | Baby Gift Guide | Children's Gift Guide

My Top 10 Decor: Giving Thanks for Primitives

2008-11-04T14:17:00-05:00

Here are our picks for the Top 10 Primitives with Autumnal flavor!

Vintage Spoon "Turkey Time" Ornaments by ohmybuttons.
Find more holiday ornaments.
Primitive Pumpkins by MariePattersonStudio.
Find more primitive pumpkins.
Felt Acorn Candle Mat by KeepsakeKorner.
Find some candles to go with it.
Thanksgiving Pilgrim Dolls by DollyDepot.
Find more primitive dolls.
Needle felted Acorns by truLuxe.
Find more items with acorns.
Scoop Sconces by Sawdusty.
Find more colonial primitives.
Primitive Crow Pie by hotprims.
Find more primitive pie!
Family Home sign by familyattic.
Find more primitive signs.
Make your own Jake the Turkey with this pattern by thegoodewife!
Find more holiday patterns made by Etsy sellers.
Crochet Centerpiece by RSSDesignsInFiber.
Find more crocheted holiday items.

Primitives Gift Guide | Entertaining and Decor Gift Guide
Items tagged "Primitives" | Holidays Category

Find more Primitives posts on the Etsy Blog.

Got an idea for a Top 10 List? Send us your picks through our pitch form!

My Top 10 Waldorf Toys

2008-11-03T15:15:00-05:00

Natural Kids Team Teammates FaerieRebecca and waldorfmama collaborated with Etsy admin Vanessa to find some of the best healthy toys for creative play.

1. 12 Month Subscription-Play Dough of the Month Club by DoSiDough

Find more play dough on Etsy.

2. Gnome Home Needle Felted Play Mat by chimera

Find more woodland-themed toys.

3. Collecting Strawberries Needle Felted Tapestry by crazymommaproduction

Find more toys with strawberries.

4. Caterpillar in a Leaf by zuzuspetal

Find more caterpillar toys.

5. Hootie Gang (Wooden Owl Toys) by mamakopp

Find more wooden toys.

6. Harvest Queen by WonderwulAnnette

Find more needle felted toys.
Learn how to make a needle felted turkey on Thursday, November 6th, live in the Virtual Labs. Sellers winsomehollow & littleloveblue will be hosting the event, which is free and open to anyone to attend (you just need to be logged into Etsy to use the Virtual Labs). Join us in the Treehouse room at 7pm (Eastern time). Please help us spread the word by blogging about it!

7. Sandro, Waldorf-inspired Toddler Doll by blossombabies

Find more Waldorf baby dolls.

8. Sunflower with Bird, Needle Felted Set by TheSingingBird

Find more toys with birds.

9. Purple Bird Bag Stitching Kit by lovealittle

See these blog posts with ideas for children's kits.

10. Beautiful Purple Dragonfly Fairy Doll by Unwaveringfaith

Find more fairy toys.

Search words for finding Waldorf items on Etsy:
Waldorf, Steiner, naturalkids team

Find more Gift Ideas:
Children's Gift Guide

And, since lots of people seem to ask...
Just what *is* Waldorf?
Waldorf education was developed in Germany by a philosopher named Rudolf Steiner. He envisioned a holistic education that met the child and worked to support and nurture the child. He and Maria Montessori were contemporaries, both working in the aftermath of WWI and dealing with so many damaged German and Italian children. Steiner based the early years of his educational philosophy on the realms of fantasy and play, putting off formal learning until the age of seven, where Montessori focused on teaching children to be self-reliant and learning practical skills. The hallmarks of Waldorf toys are natural materials, minimalistic features, and open-ended playthings that inspire the imagination.

See this adorable Waldorf article by the Natural Kids Team. So many cute customer appreciation pictures of kids with their favorite toys, it's guaranteed to make you squeal!

Sellers, the Holiday: Kids & Toys Showcase goes on sale on Thursday, November 6th, 2008!

Dolls and Miniatures Category Showcase!

2008-10-15T15:00:00-05:00

We are happy to announce we are starting to roll out the Dolls and Miniatures Category Showcase today! If you missed it, we announced the launch of the new Dolls and Miniatures Category earlier this month. Shoppers on the prowl for items with artistic inventiveness should definitely check out the new category, and starting tomorrow, shoppers will be able to see the corresponding Showcase too, for sellers' top picks from their own shops.

If you're a seller and want to purchase a spot in the Dolls and Miniatures Category Showcase, slots go on sale today and will go live October 16, 2008 at 12:00am Eastern Time. Click here.

What is this Showcase thing? For a general introduction to Showcase, read Matt's Storque article 13.5 Questions about the Showcase, and for deeper thoughts on figuring out if Showcase is right for you, see Beth's Showcase Deconstructed article.

The Wit and Wonder of Art Dolls

2008-10-09T13:51:00-05:00

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

Tech Update: Dolls and Miniatures Category Coming Soon!

2008-10-06T18:41:00-05:00

UPDATE: Sellers, please start adding your items to the new category at 6pm ET! For your reference, we have made a PDF with all the sub-categories and sub-sub-categories. You can download the PDF file here.

[the following was originally posted on 9/30/08]
We're happy to announce that on Monday, October 6, 2008, at 6:00 PM (Eastern U.S. time), we'll be adding a new top-level category called Dolls and Miniatures. Etsy sellers who create these items have long wanted a top-level category for their goods. In general, determining when a new top-level category is needed requires research and thought. We considered whether the items can/cannot fit well into an existing category, whether there will be overlap with another category, how broad (or narrow) the market may be for the items, among other issues. This all took time, and we appreciate your patience while we examined all the angles.

The insightful feedback provided by the Etsy community also helped inform our decisions. An Etsy seller suggested the name "Dolls and Miniatures", and many Etsy sellers helped to develop the subcategories for this new category. Types of items in the category will include: art dolls, plush, amigurumi, doll clothing and accessories, dollhouses and dollhouse miniatures.

For Sellers: Adding Your Items to the Dolls and Miniatures Category

If you've been listing your dolls, miniatures or similar items in the Toys category, you may choose to list in Dolls and Miniatures or Toys, depending on which category best suits your target market. Many items may be appropriate for both adults and children. If this is the case for your items, please pick the category in which you feel your items fit best, or you may opt to list some items in each of these categories.

After 6:00 PM EST on Monday, October 6, you will be able to add your items to the new category, subcategories, and sub-subcategories. To switch an existing listing to the new Dolls and Miniatures category, follow these steps:

When logged in to your account, go to Your Etsy, and click "edit" next to an item.
Click "edit" next to the tags at the bottom of the preview page. You'll go to Page 2 of the listing/editing process.
Choose Dolls and Miniatures from the drop-down menu.
Take a look at the related tags that appear. Click any tags that accurately describe your item; this adds your item to those subcategories. If you already have the maximum 14 tags (including the category) in this listing, you may want to delete some of your tags so that you can add the appropriate related tags to place your item correctly in the subcategories and sub-subcategories for Dolls and Miniatures. TIP: You can browse in the Dolls and Miniatures category to check out the subcategories and sub-subcategories that are best for your item.
When you're done editing your tags, click "Last" at the bottom of the page, and you'll go to Page 5 of the listing/editing process. Click "Finish" and the item will appear in the category shortly.*

As the new category will be empty when it is first created, we hope that everyone who is able will begin adding items the evening of Monday, October 6, so that we can fill up the Dolls and Miniatures category as quickly as possible!

As with all the other top-level categories on Etsy, we will be creating a Category Showcase for Dolls and Miniatures. The Dolls and Miniatures Category Showcase will launch at a later date (not on October 6). Keep an eye on The Storque for more information about how and when you can purchase a spot.

Thank you so much to the many sellers who helped develop the ideas for this category. We appreciate your interest and patience. If you would like to learn more about how to suggest a new category or subcategory, please read Seller How-to: Making Category Suggestions.

We've closed commenting on this post so that we can follow your discussion on the forums. Please visit us in the forums to help us flesh out the ideas for subcategories and sub-subcategories for the Dolls and Miniatures category!

* As noted at the top of the page in the final step of listing/editing an item, it can take up to 24 hours for an item to appear in categories and subcategories.

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Etsy World Tour: Paper Dolls in Japan

2008-08-15T15:11:00-05:00

I met Chisako Higashiya, aka Japanesepaperdoll, at a Thanksgiving dinner she hosted during my first year living in Japan. As far as I know, she was the only person in the area with an oven big enough to cook a turkey—and a heart big enough to invite thirty foreign teachers into her home to celebrate a North American holiday. But this generosity should come as no surprise to the hundreds of students who have worked with her over the years. They know Chisako has spent nearly a decade teaching classes in English on how to make washi ningyo, elaborate dolls constructed entirely out of handmade Japanese paper, giving foreigners living in Japan the rare opportunity to learn this traditional Japanese craft.

[Chisako, teaching a class in her studio]

Chisako's interest in sharing Japanese culture began even before she knew how to make paper dolls, back when she was a music teacher in Seki, a small city in central Japan. She was teaching a student from the United States, a man who spent part of his lessons asking questions about Japanese culture. "I understood what it was like to see Japanese culture through a foreigner's eyes then," she says. He was interested and wanted to learn more, but classes in traditional Japanese crafts like ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) and shodo (calligraphy) were expensive and typically taught entirely in Japanese. Chisako wanted to help, but at the time, music was the only subject she was qualified to teach.

[Washi ningyo on display in Chisako's studio]

That changed a few years later when she saw a handmade washi ningyo at a friend's house. "I saw the doll and I thought, 'I want to make that,'" she says. After apprenticing with an elderly paper doll teacher, Chisako passed the test to become a certified washi ningyo teacher and set up a small doll studio in the attic of her house. Remembering her conversations with the American student, she decided to teach her classes in English and charge only a nominal fee, giving interested foreigners the chance to learn a traditional Japanese craft.

[A doll I made in Chisako's class]

I had the same reaction as Chisako the first time I saw a doll made by one of her students: "I want to make that." Washi ningyo (washi is handmade Japanese paper, "ningyo" means "doll") are beautiful and a little eerie: faceless, three-dimensional dolls wearing ornate kimonos and upswept hairstyles, often fashioned after geishas, historical figures or characters from kabuki theater. Once known as anesama ningyo ("big sister dolls") because they were usually made by the eldest sister in the family, dolls of this type have been made by women in Japan for hundreds of years, but are not seen very often these days.

[Washi at a store in Mino, Japan]

The paper is what defines each doll; it can be bright and crisp or muted and soft as cotton, shimmering or rough. Chisako buys the washi for her dolls at big paper shops in Nagoya and Tokyo, but she also finds it in nearby Mino, a rural town known since the eighth century for its paper-making, a place where you can still spot people bleaching mulberry fibers by hand in the cold river. For several years, she and some students even constructed doll-adorned paper lanterns to enter in Mino's annual washi lantern festival.

[Doll lantern made by Chisako and her students]

In addition to a kimono and obi, each doll has its own special under robe, accessories and hair adornments, so Chisako spends her weekdays cutting paper to size in preparation for the weekend classes, usually for about three hours a day and sometimes up to six. Students range from absolute craft beginners to washi ningyo masters, so she offers two different dolls each month—one simple enough to be completed by a novice in a few hours, the other challenging enough to keep a pro busy for up to two days. (She keeps a guest bedroom at the ready for these dedicated students.)

Flat Maiko Doll eBook by Japanesepaperdoll.

After starting a Yahoo group to keep her students posted on class schedules, Chisako began receiving emails from crafters around the world asking for instructions for making washi ningyo. "I am in Japan, they are in Canada—I didn't know what to do!" she says. Then a friend suggested she write an instructional e-book, which she could sell along with doll-making kits. So she wrote one e-book, then another, and now has buyers throughout Asia and North America.

[Chisako at a local exhibition of her dolls]

For Chisako, who has not traveled much outside Japan, it's exhilarating to think about how many of her dolls are out in the world. Whether sent home as gifts or carried back in students' suitcases, washi ningyo made in her classroom have been globe-trotting for years. "It makes me happy to know my dolls are traveling," she says. Through the pictures and updates she receives from former students, she gets to see the world—with washi ningyo as her ambassadors.

To read more posts in the Etsy World Tour series, click here.

Etsy Finds: coccoondesigns

2008-07-22T10:19:00-05:00

Big eyed scrapper to save your heart is a creation by artist Karna aka cocoondesigns. Like several of Karna's little creatures, his stomach contains a stone from Lake Michigan for good wishes and is upcycled from old sweaters. He is pretty unique, although some of Karna's patterns are duplicated as custom orders, but even those made from a pattern promise to be a little different based on the materials available. Personally, I don't know what I like best: his rotund posture, or his inner-tube which he allegedly uses to save the faint of heart.

Karna's surreal stitched tree scenes make my mind wander into all sorts of fun fantasies. I think of hobbit holes and David the Gnome. The big eyes and eyelids on many of her characters make me think of the illustrations by Robin James in the Serendipity children's book series. I'm reminded of the stitched floppiness portrayed in the characters from the 80s animated movie Wizards, while the trees in her landscapes remind me of those seen in Hayao Miyazaki's animated films: Totoro and Castle in the Sky. I think of the mystical album covers of the band YES painted by Roger Dean in the '70s. Yet Karna's creatures and landscapes are as real as the exploded comic landscapes of Sarah Sze or the puppets in Jim Henson's Dark Crystal. Despite all these connections, cocoondesigns still has managed to assemble all her creations using her own unique voice which is probably why her work is going to be featured in an upcoming group show called "Creatures" at Ghetto Gloss gallery in L.A. this coming September.

[Character sketches via cocoondesign's flickr]

From a child's perspective, coming from a child-at-heart, Karna's creatures are for the imaginative. The same way a child will imagine a narrative for any coveted thing, it is easy to imagine a magical narrative for each one of Karna's creatures. One can imagine both a narrative that not only tells the story of the creature, but also the story of the process by which each creature or landscape came to be, after all, even stuffed things deserve a creation myth. Each stitch, or each piece of sweater or plaid, becomes part of the patchwork story that brings every unique item to life.

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

Quit Your Day Job: GeekCentralStation

2008-07-21T13:40:00-05:00

Sammi, of GeekCentralStation, was paying the bills working a day job in the restaurant industry and was faced daily with less than happy customers. She always dreamed of being able to support herself on her own, and after a period of time spent saving as much "cushion" money as she could, decided to take the plunge after setting up shop on Etsy for merely a couple of weeks. After 6 months, she is still supporting herself and getting by doing what she loves. Sammi continues to learn the ins and outs of running her own self-supporting business. I just know you will enjoy this candid and honest interview where she talks about the highs and lows of taking the plunge.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
Well, it was always a hopeful dream, but I never expected to actually be able to do it. Being responsible for myself in that way was a little scary, but the idea was always floating around in my head.

How long were you selling on Etsy and working your day job before deciding you were ready to switch over to Etsy full time?
I only started selling on Etsy for a couple of weeks before I decided to quit my job — I wasn’t sure if I was financially ready for it, but I was definitely prepared for it mentally!

What made you decide to quit your day job?
I had wanted to quit for a long time, due to personal problems with management at the restaurant I worked at, but I think the idea of being able to sell on Etsy gave me the push I needed to take that next step and actually quit. If I didn’t have that idea, however vague it was at the time, I wouldn’t have been able to take that leap.

How did you know you were ready to take the plunge?
I didn’t really know — sometimes I’m not even sure that I did the smartest thing, although I am convinced it was the right thing. I was just confident that I was making something people wanted. I spend so much time on these little characters I make, and I couldn’t imagine that other people wouldn’t think that they were great, too.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time before taking the plunge?
When I was working, I saved as much money as I could possibly manage. I didn’t really intend for it to be my business start up money (I was dreaming of a down-payment on a house), and I didn’t have anything like a budget planned out. It was a little willy nilly over here until I realized that I was really running my own business, and I needed to get everything together—buying in bulk, making standardized packaging, making personal mailing labels, that sort of thing. I could definitely have been better prepared, but I didn’t really consider this a “business” or a “real job” for a long time.

What goals have you set for your Etsy business in the next few months and year?
I would like to try and build up some inventory and go to craft fairs. I would love to meet people face-to-face, and have them be able to hold and touch my little characters. I have a super great customer base of regulars, and I would like to expand that base. I love making custom characters for people.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business?
I like to use LiveJournal to connect with fans — I get to see what everyone’s reaction is to a new creation in a non-business, no pressure environment. I have gotten a few sales through it, though! I also have a blog that I use to show my work, and I share my thoughts behind each creation, and I think people really like that laid-back atmosphere and behind-the-scenes insights. I think the blogging world is a great place to get noticed, and if people like what you do enough they will share it with their friends, which is also a great way to be promoted!

How's it going so far? Are you getting by?
I am getting by — I have to say though, this is not a business for money-nervous people! I get really stressed out when I don’t make a lot of sales, and sometimes that puts a downer on things. I just have to keep reminding myself that doing anything you really like is going to require some sacrifices, and sometimes being financially secure is one of those sacrifices.

Can you walk us through what a typical workday might entail now that you have quit your day job?

I usually make a run to the post office in the early morning to send out my packages.
I respond to any e-mails and convos, try and think up something clever and witty to put on my blog (yeah right!), and then get to work.
I have a whiteboard set up with my weekly goals on it, and so I get to work on whatever needs to be done.
If my hands hurt from crocheting too much, I will make the clothes and accessories for a while.
I also have to find time to play with my two little kitties, or they start eating my yarn!

My boyfriend is also an integral part of my little business, so after he gets home from work he starts in on the things I can’t do, like paint. He can’t sew to save his life though, so he will pin something up, I will sew it, give it back to him, he’ll paint it, give it back to me, and we work back and forth like that almost all night. It’s definitely not a 9-5 job — more like a 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. job!

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job?
Basically just the freedom — if I want to meet someone for lunch, I can just go. I only have to answer to myself, and after working for some crazy bosses, that’s a nice rest. I can also set up my own working routine — if I want to work non-stop for 5 hours and then take a break, I can. I don’t have to follow a schedule. And I love being able to interact with my customers — they are so nice and friendly, nothing like the majority of the people I used to serve! Oh yeah, and wearing pajamas and slippers all day. That’s probably the best part.

What piece of advice would you give someone thinking about taking the plunge to sell full time on Etsy?
Even if you think you are ready, have enough money saved up to pay the bills for at least 3 months. Realize that it’s going to be fun, but it is going to be a lot of work. I work 7 days a week, sometimes all day long, even though it may not feel like it since I’m at home all day. Be prepared for the worst scenario (i.e. no sales), but be ready to not get bogged down or depressed. Above all, love what you do and have confidence in your craft! If you give a lot of love to a project, customers can tell.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks Etsy! Everyone who works, sells, and buys from Etsy are the greatest co-workers anyone could ask for. Thanks for giving all of us an opportunity to change the world, one handmade craft at a time.

Thanks to GeekCentralStation for sharing her story of success with us! Check out the gallery below to see some of Sammi's adorable creations. Your can browse our previous Quit Your Day Job posts for more stories and advice from sellers who are taking the plunge!

Etsy Finds: Lilliputian Picnic

2008-07-20T09:13:00-05:00

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

Etsy Finds: Friends

2008-04-24T08:13:00-05:00

I recently was "found" by an old friend from my hometown (she walked by the Etsy table at Brooklyn Flea and recognized me.) While I was writing this Find and wracking my brain for an intro paragraph, I remembered the whole incident and then realized that today was her birthday. Which I remember only because I have a weird memory for numbers and birthdays...and April 24th happens to also be the birthday of two previous neighbors of mine, three other childhood buddies, one of my cousins and my first pet cat (Buttons, R.I.P).

In honor of being found by my friend, and today being the most popular day I know of for birthdays ever, I give you an assortment of adorable little wooden friends I found on Etsy....

Amaryllis, Zinnia and Mrs. Sky ... Mother and 2 Daughters Tiny Dolls

Too perfect and sweet. Amaryllis Sky probably pinches poor Zinnia when mom's not watching. By DawnAliceDesigns, $20.

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Jacinda

It was so hard to choose just one of the dolls in PinCarnations' shop. I spent a half hour just reading all the individual stories that they've concocted for each piece. $11.

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Little Friend Necklace

A little friend necklace. I love it's teeny gold flower hat. By nofireworks, $7.

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Wooden painted dolls - mother and two girls - mothers day gift

Hmm, these are a good idea for Mother's Day! By lovemonkey, $18.

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Peg Wood and daughter Cyprus little people

Peg Wood looks like she stepped out of a moody wooden classic film or a Lifetime special on the challenges of being an armless doll (and single mom). By WhittleWorld, $8.50.

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Unique Miniature Doll named Oslo

Wise and soulful-looking doll by kitchendolls, $22.

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Handpainted Wooden Doll

This poor doll is the only one left in relentlesstoil's shop. All her friends are off in the world having adventures. Aw, she needs you. $8.

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four friends

Recent Fresh Shop tenfingerworkshop has some of the cutest wooden friends on Etsy. $36.

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wooden dolls head

Or, you can always create your own wooden doll, starting with this head. By thesupplyshop, $4.

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