Search results (tags) for: "featured buyer"

Featured Buyer: Julie Chesler of Vain and Vapid

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:35:00 -0000

This week's esteemed Featured Buyer is blogger, style maven and designer Julie Chesler of Vain and Vapid. Julie is always on target with her style insights and manages to make both high and low fashion easily accessible to any casual fashionista. Without further ado, here's Julie!

I started Vain and Vapid after exiling myself to a foreign country where assimilating with the locals was not going as well as I had hoped. I design clothes, I sew clothes and I send them back to my homeland. When I am not doing any of those things, I read about clothes and shoes, I look at pictures of clothes and shoes, I buy clothes and shoes and the only time I take a break from the clothes and the shoes is to hit up a happy hour every now and again. Come on, the label is called Vain and Vapid, not insightful and well-balanced.

I love Etsy: first of all, because we are both from Brooklyn, and second because of all the lovely things made by the lovely hands of some very lovely people. To me, the things I buy on Etsy are just as luxurious as any Balenciaga bag, or maybe even more so: While a Balenciaga bag may be made by some very overworked migrant worker in some remote factory, something you buy on Etsy is made by a possibly overworked, likely college-educated person who puts their whole heart and soul into each and every piece they make. Plus, it's always a great feeling to support and encourage young designers, and who doesn't want to feel great?

I am not a lover of fall and am always sad to see the summer go, but clothing and jewelry and lovely things can reconcile me to anything. I chose some of the following pieces because they are cute, fashion-forward and perfect for fall. Others are just lovely and inspiring to me, but they can all go together and be a piece of your chic puzzle. The other thing that can reconcile me to anything? ...Cake.

no. 201 Fifi wears Proenza Schouler by fifilapin

The best dressed girl on Etsy is hands down Fifi Lapin, working that Proenza Schouler constable hat. I am beyond jealous of her wardrobe, particularly because she owns virtually every piece of the Luella spring '08 collection.

Cake Topper Capele by katetowers

I love capelets, and this one has such a beautiful mix of vintage fabrics and lace. This mixed with a vintage rock tee would be my perfect going out outfit. I'm not sure how cake is involved, but it can't hurt.

Cowl Neck w/ Inverted Pleat by orangenyc

I love drama in the back. Add some tights and a cardigan to this and I could wear it all fall and winter long.

LEILA African wax high waisted skater skirt w/ Swarovski crystal buttons by Cocottecouture

One of my favorite designers on Etsy is Cocotte Couture. I love the shape and cut of this skirt, and the African print is one of my favorite details.

Sterling Bike Necklace by cravejewelrydesign

I am a huge fan of aptly named Crave Jewelry, and it was almost impossible for me to narrow down to one specific item. I finally chose this bicycle necklace in memory of my stolen blue bicycle. :(

The Frances Tote by madebyhank

This bag has so many beautiful details, I have lost count. I love the use of recycled materials and the embroidery on the handle is absolutely lovely. Great job, Hank.

Leather and Feather Headband by mothlove

The feather headbands by Moth Love are so pretty, and are a really good alternative to the fascinator—if you're not a fascinator sort of girl. The jersey dresses in her shop are also super pretty, with lots of drama in the back. The whole shop has a lovely 1920s feel to it which is just beautiful...

NEW YORK - Fine Art Photograph 10x10 from the on the Globe series by buckscountyframes

I love this print by Bucks County Frames because I love maps of every kind. My husband thinks I am really strange because I am one of those weird people that actually looks through all the maps in the back of the in-flight magazine every single time we fly, but that is really the pot calling the kettle black.

Customized business cards or calling cards by seventyandsunny

I just ordered some custom made hang tags for my shop from Alyson and I can't wait to receive them. She did a great job with the artwork and layout. They are so cute and suit my summer and fall collection perfectly.

Anais Gymnasium Girl Top by zorya

This top is simple but one of those things you would want to wear all the time in a thousand different ways. It is inspired by a school uniform, and I am all about school uniforms.

Kahlua - Coffee Sweet Almonds and Vanilla - scrumptious organic soap by CrowleyManor

Two more of my favorite things united, beauty products and alcohol. Plus, it's organic— yay!

Sweet Nikki Cupcake by FatDaddyBakeShop

OMG, you can buy cake on Etsy! For real, they will send you a jar of cake. Awesome? Yes!

For more of Julie's fashion insights, check out her amazing blog, Vain and Vapid. Also, check out our past fashion coverage and Featured Buyers!

Featured Buyer: Leanne Marshall of Project Runway

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:52:00 -0000

Leanne Marshall, aka Leanimal on Etsy, is living the dream: she's currently a contestant on the highly rated television show—and fashion phenomenon—Project Runway. Each week, lovers of fashion and craftsmanship watch in wonder as a new challenge surfaces, and the sheer ingenuity of the show's designers is put to the test. We recently got in touch with Leanne to find out her favorite pieces on Etsy, as well as to hear about her experience on Project Runway.

I'm Leanne and I run a small independent clothing line of my own formerly known as Leanimal, but now I'm just going by my name Leanne Marshall. No more animal! ;)

I knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer since I was 12 years old and I dabbled in designing my ballet costumes. I ended up going to FIDM in San Francisco and getting a degree in fashion design, but after graduating I took a detour and worked as a graphic designer for five years. I was able to quit my day job as a graphic designer and do the clothing line full-time thanks to success on Etsy.

I currently live and work in Portland, Oregon and do my clothing line full-time—or more than full-time. It's like my child, and it's not 9-5; it's my life! I do it all myself at the moment, but I'm hoping to expand and have hired help soon. At the end of the day, it's wonderful just to be able to do what I love and make a living at it.

As for Project Runway, this was my second time auditioning. I auditioned for season 4 as a last minute decision and I made it past the first cut, but ultimately I didn't make it and I don't think I was ready for it then. The second time was the charm, and I was without a doubt a much stronger designer. I had been making clothes constantly in the last year. I think I made well over 200 garments that I then sold to boutiques or in my Etsy shop. Some days I would make up to three dresses in one day! So, I definitely felt much more prepared and confident in my technical as well as design skills.

Once I found out I had made it I was beyond thrilled! And of course it was so much harder than I could ever be prepared for! I'm used to working alone in my studio apartment all day long. It's just me, my sewing machine and a closet that is overflowing outward with fabric! This environment was the complete opposite with the cameras, the crazy personalities and all the drama! But it was the experience of a lifetime, without a doubt, and I made some great friends while I was there, too.

Here are some of my favorites on Etsy:

I love these hats so much! And I have had the pleasure of doing a show with Liza here in Portland and she's a great gal! Her work is fantastic. By lizarietz, $39.

I love the innocence of these pictures and the color palette is superb! And who doesn't love a tree-hugger?! By belleandboo, $68.

I bought this picture for my boyfriend for Christmas, and marked it as a favorite. Well, the boyfriend read my favorites and surprised me with one of my own before I gave him his. So now we have lovely matching pictures on our walls! By ulmer, $25.

Because, well this wallet is just plain awesome. And hilarious! I can just imagine laughing every time I have to reach into my wallet. I have to get my hands on it! By freckleface, $35.

I have so many pieces of clothing in my studio and never enough space to hold it. I can't think of anything better to hang all of my clothes on! What a nice rack! By luxfordst, $45.

Functional and cute! This little robot will liven up any party! By Artsy, $62.

I'm in desperate need of a better bag for biking. This one is the perfect size and it's adorable! I love the design. By katedurkin, $62.

I love this style and the sense of humor! A wonderful artist! By pepperminte, $11.50.

This pin is too cute! You can change her outfits to complement yours. It's brilliant! By yaelfran, $25.

Beautiful picks, Leanne! For previous Featured Buyer articles, just click here.

Featured Buyer: Amanda Kingloff of Parents Magazine

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:38:00 -0000

We have a special Featured Buyer this week: Amanda Kingloff, Lifestyle Director at Parents magazine. She edits all of the crafty content for the magazine—everything from Halloween costumes to rainy day activities. Amanda also writes weekly for the Parents blog, GoodyBlog where she generally shares kid-friendly craft ideas. She lives in Brooklyn, NY and has a niece and nephew that serve as the perfect test market for her crafty brainstorms.

My first occupational incarnation was that of a gallery assistant (endearingly nicknamed a "gallerina"). I had gone to art school with all hopes of being a “working” artist, so I figured I’d learn the behind-the-scenes biz in order to figure out my direct path to the walls of a gallery. And now, ten years later, I am the Arts & Crafts Editor at Parents Magazine. Ok, officially, my title is Lifestyle Director, but translated, that means I develop all D.I.Y. content for the magazine. So I’d like to believe that I am, in fact, a working artist—perhaps a bit different than I had planned, but an artist at work nonetheless. I’ve made it to the printed page with the wonders of chenille stems and glitter rather than to the walls with oil paintings and photographs. And I’m happy.

Having worked in galleries (and landing that employee discount) and collected many artist friends through the years, my walls have become a personal art museum of sorts. I tend to believe that what hangs on our walls is very often (if not always) a reflection of ourselves—our aesthetic, our beliefs, and sometimes, our autobiographies. I am constantly rearranging my art—I move my bedroom pieces to the living room and I incessantly change out photos and vintage flash cards in my favorite glass-to-glass float frames.

These days, art in the age of mechanical reproduction (clearly I had to read the Walter Benjamin essay in art school) is way more affordable, and therefore can be impermanent. And no doubt, Etsy is the one-stop shop for adorable, creative, inventive, and eclectic everything—including wall décor.

I’ve curated a little exhibition, so to speak, of some fantastic stand-outs. And check it out…every piece here will fit in a 9x12-inch frame…so buy one frame (or two), and change it up! Change is good, so they say.

I love this patchwork giraffe by BoutikiHut; the patterns and colors work so unexpectedly well together.

While I’m on the collage trend, this beautiful peacock caught my eye. It is made completely of magazine clippings. All of the prints by artandphilanthropy are fashioned from recycled papers.

I totally love this idea—silhouette portraits of your children (and you, if you so choose). You can select from over twenty pre-existing designs, which can include pets, adult figures, tutus, and tree swings, or you can send a photo to lepapierdesigns for a totally custom print.

Isn’t it impossible to walk across a hopscotch board without jumping into the squares? Keep the nostalgia alive in this very cool, moody photo by buckscountyframes.

Is there a child that exists without an innate love of all things cupcake? (We at Parents magazine simply can’t get enough of them! Check out Goodyblog for proof!) How cute would this print by calobee be hanging next to the boy version?

Take advantage of the wall as disciplinarian…frame a few of these by johnwgolden to keep the kids in line.

This image by 3LambsGraphics is just so sweet, I couldn’t resist!

Here is a perfect example of how you can have artwork look and feel so handmade and original in this drawing by kikiandpolly.

So the moral of my story is to not be afraid of art or feel that every choice you make is the absolute and final one. Kids love variety and will learn and observe something new from every item you hang in their environment. Yes, hammering a nail in the wall can feel like a big commitment, but perhaps now you’re inspired to really change it up when it’s time to deck your walls.

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

Featured Buyer: TreeHugger Bonnie Alter

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:11:00 -0000

You feel the magnetic pull of your baby, right? But what about all the junk that gets drawn into your new family's orbit — disposable diapers, plastic toys that break almost as soon as you get them, heaps of clothing? Being kind to the earth is on most people's minds these days — new parents, grandparents and friends. We invited the good folks at TreeHugger.com to write about their favorite green baby items at Etsy for this week's special Featured Buyer. TreeHugger is an environmental web magazine featuring all things green and environmental, and contributor Bonnie Alter found some great items for the Handmade Kids series.

As the mother of an overgrown child, I love the chance to look at, admire, feel, touch and maybe buy baby clothes and toys. Perhaps some day I will even have a grandchild (don't tell my son that I said that!). While it is true that charity shops are a major resource for finding good recycled clothing and toys, Etsy also has handmade options. There are so many adorable things made out of recycled and reused products on the market. So here is one hopeful-grandmother-to-be's personal list of things she would choose for a wonderful gift.

There is something about soft floppy toys that makes my maternal instincts go all sentimental. This recycled and irresistible animal is Sam, made by pogoshop, who sports a blue striped wool pullover. He is made out of soft angora which is gentle to baby's cheek. By pogoshop, $30.

I love this Veggie Power shirt. The images are taken from '70s vintage towels. So cute. By kinchi, $20.

And to politicize them early: a Che Guevara t-shirt, to match daddy's tattered one. By youngpunks, $17.

Diaper bags used to be oversized horrible looking things, usually pink and white with ribbons and bows. Now there are chic bags, well designed and made out of interesting and sophisticated fabrics. (At last!) The hemp messenger bag is one that the husband could carry without embarrassment; made out of Romanian hemp, it has 9 pockets, of all sizes. By infusion, $120.

For the exhausted mother; these Sleep Angel pillows are just the answer: they are filled with lavender from Provence. Lavender smells so wonderful and is supposed to make you sleep better and deeper (how about just sleep?). By lapomme, $16.50.

Where to shop? I'm a Canadian but I'm living in England, so I used Shop Local to find sellers here. I was intrigued by the felt creations by eikumpel who is based in England. The Kumpel doll is a jolly looking red doll for boys or girls to hug. By eikumpel, $22.

As a Canadian, Shop Local Canada turned up rikrak, who caught my eye. She does a very chic bib (what!) quilted from vintage fabrics, and reversible as well. By rikrak, $21.

From Kingston, MadaboutColour sells hand-knit baby hats which are striped and brightly-coloured. By MadAboutColour, $22.

There are the most adorable cotton diapers around now, unlike the old days when they came in white only. The diaper above is made of bamboo and is adjustable in size. By GreenWayBabywear, $14.75.

Only the best for your little one: these hand crocheted wash cloths /baby wipes are made with 100% certified organic cotton and free from dyes and other chemicals, and they come in sage and cream colours. By Knittles $9.

Combining necessity and a bit of fun, these fabric nursing pads are wash and wear. They are a fashion statement, as well as being soft and made of natural antibacterial bamboo and organic cottons. By southernbellesandbow, $4.

Walking versus driving with the little one? Walking wins out for so many good environmental reasons. I was a confirmed stroller mother and pushed it all over the city, day and night. However many new mothers (and fathers) are using slings now, especially for newborns. If your back can take it, there are a lot of benefits: free hands, close to your heart and so comfie for sleeping infants. The solid coloured organic cotton sack comes in a range of soft colours. By slingsandsacks, $70.

TreeHugger has compiled a pretty extensive guide to "How to Green Your Baby", which is a good source of information and starting place for mothers and fathers considering the green route for their children's upbringing. It outlines hot topics such as diapers, breast or bottle, toys, furniture and wipes.

Bonnie Alter is a Canadian living in the UK who writes for www.treehugger.com. Her interests are gardens, design, fashion and culture which she writes about on a daily basis. London and all of England is a real hive of activity and creativity when it comes to green products and issues. For her, "It's a delight and privilege to try and pass on these ideas to interested readers in North America and elsewhere."

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

Starlet of Customer Appreciation: beeczarcardsandgifts

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:30:00 -0000

As a shopper on Etsy, Mari-Claire aka beeczarcardsandgifts has become well known for her dedication to the "Customer Appreciation" photo — that photo a buyer can upload to accompany feedback on a purchase. In honor of an enhancement we're making to the feature, we invited her to share her thoughts on some of her Customer Appreciation photos. We know she had a tough time picking which of her favorite shops to highlight — she is a loyal return customer to many!

I truly feel that Customer Appreciation is the best way to support and encourage fellow artists. It physically shows just how valuable and important the work is to the customer who now owns it. It's more than just a positive feedback or a thank you, but a visual acknowledgment to the seller of just how much the work means to the buyers themselves. It's a morale booster for everyone involved. Also, showing that work in the feedback column may encourage future buyers to look further at a shop they have recently come across. They will be impressed that someone took the time to take a picture of the item as an extra thank you.

More than anyone else from whom I have been fortunate enough to buy, none compares to DownToTheWireDesigns and the number of purchases I've made from his shop. There is an excellent reason for this, too. His work is exceptional. Each piece is a real treasure: well crafted and well designed. So right from my earliest purchases, I was compelled to post Customer Appreciation pictures to display the beauty of that work. I try to capture the essence of each piece and its intricacies.

I sometimes use natural lighting in my pictures to best highlight the items I'm wearing. Perhaps the most dramatic of these is this photo, which also suits the grand nature of the necklace itself.

Another seller I've shopped with several times is SarahsSky. Her shop has a unique style of stained glass jewelry that I'm personally drawn to and truly admire for its exciting designs and colors as well as its craftsmanship.
This particular piece grabbed my eye and I was thrilled to get it along with a lovely special heart pendant during one of her sales — an extra bonus I was only too happy to also display in my photo for her feedback.

As for the photo itself, I decided to have a bit of fun and be more playful, using bright colors and designs to collage the images together and match the joy of the pieces themselves.

Extra tip: beeczarcardsandgifts suggests that customers experiment with Photoshop (or Gimp — a free online photo application) to get creative with their Customer Appreciation photos.

Another seller from whom I've bought several items is Experimetal. In this case, it was for an excellent cause — protesting the harp seal cull (read more about Experimetal's work for this cause here). This is a cause that many people, including myself, feel strongly about. This photo was an opportunity to shine a light on a serious cause as well as the piece itself, both of which I was thrilled to take part in displaying and sharing.

I was initially motivated to take Customer Appreciation pictures because I wanted to thank sellers I had come to know on a more personal and friendly level through the Etsy Forums, chat rooms and convos; people that had taken the time to be helpful, thoughtful and genuinely kind to me. The Etsy community has always been very special in that way. It's a community that supports its fellow artisans and their work.

As soon as I began to take photos for those items, I felt I wanted to honor each and every seller I shopped with. Thus began a long tradition of Customer Appreciation pictures dating back to January of 2007. Another really big motivating factor was my involvement with the online photo sharing site Flickr. In fact, my very first Customer Appreciation picture was also part one of my self portraits for an ongoing Etsy Forum weekly tradition called Self Portrait Thursday (read more about this Community Project here). This tradition now dates back to November of 2007, and I've been with this Flickr group since its inception. Also, I started a project on Flickr with a few other Etsy sellers called 365 Days. The idea behind it being to post a self-portrait each day of the year. This gave me an excellent opportunity to show off all the items I've bought on Etsy and use those photos for my Customer Appreciation pictures. That way, they served a dual purpose and gave extra exposure to the items, sellers and to Etsy as well.

Many of the the sellers have asked me if they could use the photos in their own promotions in their shops and on their personal blogs and websites. That has made it even more personally rewarding. I feel I've helped fellow artists get their work seen by a larger audience that might not have seen it before. That alone is worth it to me.

Want to learn more about photography? Check out our how-tos, as well as this profile on Self Portrait Thursday!

Featured Buyer: Jenn of Minor Details with Picks for the Family Friendly Home

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:13:00 -0000

We have a special Featured Buyer this week: Jennifer Ward aka minordetails, the owner, blogger, Imagination Agent and Creative Director of Minor Details Design, a children’s interior consulting firm focusing on commercial, residential, and recreational spaces. Jennifer also writes a daily blog about design for children by the same name, is a contributor for the online children's magazine LMNOP, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 4-year-old daughter.

I attended Parson's School of Design for Interior Architecture and then had a daughter. Getting tired of the freelance world, I set my sights on the Creative Agency called The Apartment. It was here where I learned a great deal about running a creative business and the moxie it would take. With my daughter Parker as my main source of inspiration, Minor Details was born in early 2007.

I have a very minimal and clean approach to my design, with a flare for vintage and bargains. My personal style is very comfortable. Most days you'll find me in my Converse shoes, white t-shirt, jeans and hair pulled back. My true passion lies in creating space. For parents, I want to show them that you can set the footprint for your home to include your children and not sacrifice aesthetic or design.

I'm really influenced by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. It's an educational approach that can easily fall into your home, playground or any place a child thrives. The Reggio Emilia approach to teaching young children puts the natural development of children, as well as the close relationships that they share with their environment, at the center of its philosophy.

I love this Bird on Elephant Sculpture! This would make for such a sweet baby shower or newborn gift to get the parents excited about little pieces of art in their child's room. By bunnywithatoolbelt, $45.

The Cretaceous Dinosaur Shadow Puppets are just what any kid needs to stimulate imagination and fantasy play. Get a flashlight and a tent in the living room and you've got instant creative play. By orangemoontoys, $30.

One of my favorite Etsy shops is modmomfurniture, as all of her pieces are truly wonderful. The one that stands out the most to me is the Sammy Toy Box. But that's just me....I'm a modern minimalist at heart! By modmomfurniture, $375.

The By Order of the Management posters are just what any child's wall needs. By johnwgolden, $20.

The Waldorf Playstands are one of my absolute favorites. In fact, I just put one in a playspace for a little girl. I turned it into a fruit stand. These playstands can take on many uses! By palumba, $309.99.

I think that these bird prints would complement any nursery wall very well! By jaimers, $18.

This Wear Me dress is such a fun piece. It's made with just the right mix-match fabric to remain delicate but fun at the same time. Beautiful! By hautechocolategirl, $87.50

The Fancy Folding Furniture Set makes for a wonderful indoor or outdoor table for children. Easy to clean up and simple to put away. By chalkydoodles, $115.

Zaragardner's Pirate Punk set can turn any kid (or adult) into a pirate in seconds. I like that you get two colors for the price of one, as the patch and mustache are reversible. By zaragardner, $12.

I really like the idea of customizing your items. Take for instance the Animal Pull Toys from hiccupdecor. These toys are just right for little hands and are a product of your choosing. By hiccupdecor, $20.

I'm a sucker for vintage toys.

Take for instance this red vintage cash register from bluebellbazaar.

I just missed this vintage child's sand pail over at kelleystreetvintage!

I could also be happy with anything from whiteelephantvintage. Especially the globes!

Don't go into child item overload. Keep a minimal approach. If you overwhelm a baby, toddler or child with too many things, they will lose focus and interest quickly. Leave the large kid items to their bedrooms, but share the rest of your home with them as well. Give them the bottom crisper drawer in the fridge, make desk space for them in your home office, make space on your lower bookcases for their books or toy bin and always keep the art supply bin well stocked. Also, getting items that serve multi-purposes is a nice way to maintain budget and creativity. For instance, get a low coffee table that the kids sit around and enjoy as well. Adaptability is key.

To find out more about Minor Details Design, go to www.minordetailsnyc.com or email info@minordetailsnyc.com. Look for their website this fall.

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

Featured Buyer: Susan Beal of West Coast Crafty

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:53:00 -0000

Susan Beal aka susanstars is a writer and crafter in Portland, OR. She wrote her first book, Super Crafty, with the ladies of the PDX Super Crafty collective, and her new jewelry-making book, Bead Simple, came out in March. She's also the new mama to an adorable two-month-old baby girl, Pearl. In the occasional moments that she's not baby-wrangling or crafting on deadline, Susan likes to drink coffee, browse cute handmade things on Etsy, and do her best to keep her West Coast Crafty blog updated.

I have always loved making crafty presents for friends and for my family, but I never realized just how busy I would get once my baby Pearl came along — and suddenly it's a lot easier to find lovely things for her, and my friends' babies, that other people have made! If you have a new mother and baby in your life to shop for, here are a few of my favorite handmade gift ideas to browse, and a few patterns with which to do your own crafting.

Since I'm in beautiful, crafty Portland, of course I had to spotlight a few fellow Oregonians. Ryan and Lucy aka berkleyillustration are at the top of my list. Ryan's whole well-dressed animal series is lovely, but I have a big soft spot for his Lady Squirrel print, which is one of my favorite things in Pearl's room.

I picked up PearlyGrey's Baby to Go set and it's been so handy! Pearl is wearing her pear onesie right now, actually...

Speaking of onesies, we have a couple of AntelopeBaby's bright-colored screen-printed ones and they are instant favorites.

I met another Portland crafter, DogGoneKnitting, at this month's Crafty Wonderland and I'm eyeing this super cute dress for Pearl a couple of years down the road.

Our friend bossanovababy gave us one of MyRedGumball's vintage-imagery bibs at our crafty shower. Awesome.

Way over in the other Portland (Maine), I love all the baby onesies and Ts by ferdinandhome, especially this cutie.

I am a huge fan of jekbot's colorful work — it's all gorgeous. This pop memory game would be a super fun gift for a big brother or sister when you're shopping for the new baby.

I also fell for this bright, glittery star mobile hand-folded by Stjarnkraft. She makes them in all different color combinations, but I especially love this assortment.

While you're choosing things for a baby's room, I think that a custom prayer flags banner by flederhaus (maybe spelling out his or her name in American Sign Language?) would be fantastic.

Probably the single most useful baby thing we have is a good swaddling blanket, and I just love the ones that ElephantEars makes.

...and the gorgeous, soft littlesnugglebunny blanket that our friend belleepoque chose for Pearl is perfect to layer right over it.

For taking the baby out and about, I love using a sling, and I just ordered this one from RaspberryBaby in grey — but she makes them in dozens of colors if you have a favorite in mind.

Finally, if you have plenty of time for crafting your own gifts (lucky!), how about picking up some patterns for a whole world of baby necessities from seweasypatterns? She offers lots of individual ones to choose from, plus this fantastic set of 25.

Further Resources:
West Coast Crafty
Craft Zine: Babies
Craft Zine: Kids
Soule Mama
Angry Chicken
All Buttoned Up
Shim and Sons

For more of Susan's wit and wisom, check out her blog and past Storque posts about her!

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

Featured Buyer: Sonya from I Can Has Cheezburger

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:28:00 -0000

This week's Featured Buyer is Sonya aka sonik aka Chiknburger from icanhascheezburger.com. You most likely would have come across ICHC via Lolcats, those ubiquitous kitties uttering broken sentiments about ur podcastz and hugz. An enthusiastic Etsy buyer, Sonya shares some srsly cute animal items for our Etsy Pets series.

O hai, Etsy! I'm Sonya, and I have been employed with I Can Has Cheezburger since November 2007, when I started as an intern after sending them my resume and asserting that I make "good coffee." Within several months, I had left my other job to work for ICHC full time: ICHC is staffed by brilliant and awesome people, and I really enjoy coming in to work — especially on Thai Thursday. To be able to earnestly say that about a job is incredible. Srsly.

For those unaware of the lolcat "phenomenon" (hi, Mom!), it involves the users of our site posting captions onto pictures of cats or other animals, usually in a grammatically-unsound and incredibly misspelled pidgin English known as "lolspeak." The results illustrate the thoughts of the photographed cat, whose English skills are comparable to those of an Earthbound alien using someone's shorthand text messages and chatlogs for a language manual.

I found both Etsy and ICHC through my love of all things artsy and/or internet, which must have started when my father nearly named me Galadriel in the mid 80s. Because I draw and sew, I occasionally scout Etsy for cloth or other craft supplies, but the real lure of it for me has always been in the finished pieces, whether those are artwork, clothing or jewelry. I replied to the email about doing an "Etsy Featured Buyer" spot on behalf of ICHC within minutes of receiving it, and then spent hours selecting the perfect "tracks" to an animal- and internet culture-themed Etsy mixtape. Here are some of my favourite things:

Apathy Bird Pouch by nerdbomber is my kind of coin pouch. Unsure if you should really go out and eat a twelve dollar lunch when you've already brought a sandwich from home in an attempt to save money? "Meh," says the "brown bird of apathy." What an enabler.

This wistful pug in Pug Heart Print by rubenacker is in the mood for love. Wrinkly and despondent, the pug is sure to captivate the heart of anyone you bring over for a romantic dinner. This pug has your back. Pug 4 Life.

I've been a huge fan of girlsavage and her "feltidermied" jackalopes for ages, and this plaque featuring the Three Blind Mice is full of win. Mount it above your cat's food bowl to show that your pet has a discerning taste in interior decoration.

Though not particularly "cute" or "animal"-related, this awesome spicelab bar by purposedesign has been saved in my Etsy favorites for over a year. Owning it should make anyone feel like the most powerful alchemist-chef EVAR, and will entice even the lazy, microwave-inclined cook (i.e., me) to use spices other than salt.

Worst Use for a Time Machine Ever Tweet Wall Art by tinaseamonster

Ever since beginning to use Twitter, I've found my inner monologue documenting the day in 140-character segments. Now, instead of saving someone's Tweets as favorites, I can put them on my wall! Throw in a huge FailWhale decal and it'll be like having the whole intarwebs in your living room!

The "Perhaps for a picnic?" line in the description of these illustrated Bunny with Bicycle note cards by mpatrizio really got to me. Who turns down a picnic? Not me.

I'm a sucker for crocheted accessories, but this Olive Necklace by melissam4715 is amazing. Srsly. A little bit fancypants, a little bit totally adorable, this rockstar necklace will probably outshine every other item in your wardrobe.

Pirate LOLrus by MarieMeyer

Finally, teh LOLrus has found hiz bukkit — and it even has two fish inside ("for snacking on")! Full of teh awsum, and made from felt and socks. Buy one for every friend who is missing a LOLrus missing a bukkit.

Yarn Kitty T-shirt by boygirlparty

It's a drawing of a real life kittehloaf! With a ball of yarn! On a shirt! Extreme cuteness may cause dizziness and sudden headsplorts. Best of luck to Peechee, the cat-model who posed for the illustration.

As I and other coworkers have occasionally been known to send each other photos of where we would hide out after the zombie apocalypse, this Brains for Sale print by meladori was an obvious pick. Everything else in meladori's shop (which specializes in zombie bunnies!) is beautiful and cute and haunting as well.

Felt Hedgehog by TheHouseOfMouse

Who doesn't love hedgehogs? Everybody loves hedgehogs.

Ferdinand the Flying Love Monster by nimble

The perfect companion to a nice evening of eating foods made with cheddar cheese and watching too many episodes of CSI: Miami. And he'll even gaze at you adoringly! What if they made a CSI where the lead field agent was played by John Cusack from the 80s? Ferdinand the Love Monster has already gotten you the whole season. Srsly FTW.

Etsy is a wonderful resource both for artists and those interested in supporting handmade goods, and it's been a joy to highlight some of my longtime favorite Etsy sellers as well as new ones I discovered in writing this. ICHC loves you!

kthxbai,
the Burgers

See our past Featured Buyers. We love them too!

Featured Buyer: Tall Firs

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:02:00 -0000

This week's Featured Buyer is Dave Mies of the band Tall Firs. Tall Firs are a Brooklyn-spun band of three. Their roots, though joyous, often feel like punk ghosts in a dusty room at magic hour. Layers of folk and country ease you into the darkness with remarkable tenderness, but there is always hope in their songs. Like any band, they've taken their show on the road and know the pain and glory of being on tour. We thought they'd give a fresh perspective to our Gotta Travel On series.

You can find out more about the band at their website at TallFirs.org or check out their record label for tour info and CDs.

Dave, who does guitar/vocals in Tall Firs, answers a few interview questions and highlights his Etsy picks below.

Do you make anything crafty?
I've made our last two album covers. The first was a logo arranged out of the fallen needles from my wife's and my first Christmas tree, and the second was carved from a piece of cherry wood which was a gift from our friend Peter.

In addition, Ryan collects found photographs from all over the place ranging from graduations, to graduations from sanity. Technically, he didn't make them, but the art is in the tenacity and the hoarding.

How did you meet?
New York City, man! Just like any city, it works like a vacuum; sucks up detritus from all over and forms tightly knit clumps.

What was your weirdest place on tour or craziest story?
We stayed in an abandoned Ramada in Detroit once. Long story short, we spent most of the night chasing a runaway flying squirrel owned by our squatter hosts. I'm serious.

Where would you like to live (if not where you live now?)
Speaking only for myself, somewhere totally antithetical to New York. Nothin' but trees and breeze, I guess; only I like it here just fine for now.

What's your most cherished family item?
I have my great grandfather's railroad watch. I inherited it when my granddad died. If only it was as reliable as he was, damn thing hasn't told time for years.

What do men want?
That's easy, the same things women want: love, sex, protection, freedom, restraint, decadence, bigger dreams, better memories.

Figuring out what we really need is the tough one.

Aaron (the other guitar/vox) is on a street hockey league called The Unicorns. This print of a unicorn retching up a rainbow by nutandbee describes them effortlessly.

Pink skeleton lady's tank top by moresassvintage: it's so hot. Just imagine hot girl bullies in the Karate kid.

Crazy hippie guitar strap? Totally, man. Aaron and I pride ourselves on expressive guitar belts: it's the power tie of rock guitar. This one is by FatPatch.

Rad wooden pinball machine by DamonMcIntyre. It's a little pricey, but really neat. I thought Pinocchio was cool, but this thing works without magic.

This handmade wooden guitar stand by Ltnwoodworks would improve the look of my living room dramatically. Instruments look cool, the stands usually don't.

Purple Pie Man, man! This is the only French beatnik the old shortcake ever knew. I don't collect vintage toys myself, but if I did this dude would be "shortlisted." Found in trunkofprettys' shop.

Not sure if this dress is my girl's style, but holy smokes, these vintage rags will surely draw stares. Found in BlackandBrown's shop.

Looking for past Featured Buyers? Check out our archive! We've interviewed other musicians like Leslie Hall of Leslie and the LY's, John F. from They Might Be Giants, Lavender Diamond...The list goes on! Also, check out our other music related content here.

Gotta Travel On | Travel Showcase | Featured Buyer

Featured Buyer: Jake Nickell from Threadless

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:14:00 -0000

This week's Featured Buyer is Jake Nickell of t-shirt site Threadless.com. Wait — "t-shirt site" does not do it justice! Threadless is made up of a vibrant community of designers and people who love their original work. The concept: post your original t-shirt design and people vote on it. Pay off: Threadless produces and sells the best designs — by popular vote. There's a beauty in constraints — take one t-shirt, one fabric color, and one designer's creativity — and the resulting catalog is pretty astounding. We invited Jake to share his keen eye for good design with us and to talk a little about the allure of the t.

Before the 1940's, tee shirts were underwear. Now they are pretty much the core piece of upper-body arm-hiding clothing in everyone's wardrobe (well, especially guys.) When starting Threadless in 2000, we thought printing on tees made for a nice, simple way to display what you're about to anyone who cared to look at you. We set up a system for artists to submit their art, members of the site to rate it and we print the highest scoring designs, selling them from the site. In 2007 alone we received over 100 submissions a day, paid artists over $1.2 million dollars and printed about 400 designs.

That is a lot of unprinted designs. There are so many talented artists out there creating amazing tee shirt art. A ton of it can be found on Etsy. There are a lot of folks here that either print their own work, print small batches with local shops or even hand decorate tees. It's the perfect spot to find original art in tee shirt form.

Lets get started...

Slow Loris Shirts is a good story to get things rolling. Back in 2002, Jessica Lynch submitted a design to Threadless that was chosen for print. She has been printing shirts on her own since '97 and currently continues to do so out of her home on an island off of Washington. Her Etsy shop is slowshirts. My favorite thing about Slow Shirts are the test prints, like the one shown above.

Next up: enferno. This 18 year old from Utah taught himself how to screen print, designing and printing all of his tees himself. He has put together some really interesting designs. I'm impressed.

I think timberps has been mentioned before in the Etsy spotlight, but there is some serious talent there. The print quality looks super soft and nice and the designs translate really well to tees, such as the corporate machine featured.

These tees by troubletease make me smile. They consist mostly of these huge, trippy, fine-lined designs with crazy-colored gradients. They are hilarious. I especially like the they've been following me since I was little shirt.

I must admit I have a bit of a thing for really odd, somewhat creepy tee designs that make people think "WTF?". When I saw this shirt by TrillPress, it was right up my alley. There is a nice black on black unisex version, too. Gross.

Sticking with the odd theme a bit, this Hotel Hell shirt by Luchaworkshop rules, too.

CubistLiterature has a different take on what a tee shirt design should look like. I especially like the handwritten text tees and the sweet teeth tees. Some of the appliqué stuff is pretty awesome, too.

This is a bit off topic, but tinymeat (who sells various products like wallets and ipod cases) works with a lot of tee shirt artists on creating graphics for their products, some of which submit to Threadless. Some pretty cool stuff is available from them, like this Dinoclasm wallet!

In May, we started creating limited edition, screen-printed art prints. We work with a range of small printers in Chicago. Dan Grzeca is one of the guys we work with on creating this prints, and his Etsy shop jetsah is filled with some AMAZING prints, like this Low poster. Check it out.

To close things off, I'd like to give a little nod to all the Threadless bloggers with Etsy shops. Check them out, they make a lot more than just tee designs.

Thanks for having me, Etsy!

Are you a t-shirt hound? Leave a link to your favorite t-shirt artist in the comments! And check out the rest of our previous Featured Buyers!

Featured Buyer: John F. from They Might Be Giants

Wed, 28 May 2008 16:01:00 -0000

This week we have a very special treat for music fans and hip parents the world over: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants is our special Featured Buyer in honor of Father's Day. They Might Be Giants, an art rock band specializing in nasally-delivery, catchy lyrics and accordion-accompanied tunes, holds strong as college radio favorites. Interestingly, John and John have segued their career into creating children's music, and recently, worked on a children's book with Marcel Dzama. Public radio listeners may also be keen on their dial-a-song project. We find their creativity to be boundless and so we voted them the coolest dads ever. Read on for John F's favorites from the Etsy marketplace.

John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants here. Recently I was hanging out with my friend Flora, who is turning four in a few weeks, and she saw my photograph on the cover of a magazine. She asked me why I looked unhappy. I told her I wasn't unhappy, I just was making my "artist face." Then I opened my email, and saw I was invited to selected a bunch of artist-made products in honor of Father's Day for Etsy, a website my family wholeheartedly supports. So now I ask for you to do your part for Dad and all your artist-faced friends and get some of these recommended gifts available right here, right now on the one and only Etsy.

Squirrel Greeting Card by ArtByMarilyn. Perfect for your nature lovin' dad. An interesting piece of art with a simple but touching story behind it, reproduced on a card for a highly reasonable, and highly specific price of $1.52.

Does dad love his wine? winecorkcreations' Zen 3 Stone Wine Bottle Stopper (for a fin) adds a contemplative touch to Dad's grown-up time.

Dad bugged by beasts? Get him a can of EyeOfNewt's Beast Be Gone, a anti-fear of the dark spray! Just seven clams!

Words can not explain Ole' Crazy Eyes by ThingsThatBling. Just groove on him a while, and you'll understand. Just twelve bucks.

Perhaps your dad is a They Might Be Giants fan and wants a piece of memorabilia that is graphically arresting and reasonably priced? Check out They Might Be Giants/ Chopping Block party posters for a mere $30.

If you're traditional in your gifts, but your dad has a sense of humor that runs to the very loud side, may I suggest moesewco's Ugliest Tie in the World, for twenty smackers.

If you enjoy traditional gift giving, and your dad is into simulacra this tie themed tie is a must at $35.

Keeping with the simulacra theme, who wouldn't love a camera-shaped camera-case? Created by my pal hine. It's a steal at $38.

hine did an animated video for TMBG.

Turns any home into a faux shaux-place. It's very contemporary, but still very cool. Chandelier Vinyl Wall Decal, thirty five big ones, by BadassCustomDecals.

If your Dad is a warlock or a wizard and needs to upgrade his magic wand, why not this maple number by IsleOfAvalon for seventy-five bucks?

For the Dad who has everything but an incredibly beautiful, high-end mod coffee table. I humbly submit the Diversion Coffee Table by upcycler.

And finally, for the Dad who has everything but is nuts for full-functioning, oversized, mechanical dragonflies made of gold, may I introduce the coveted Anax Imperator Machina selling for a reasonable fifteen thousand American dollars...

JesseDanger made this video to reveal the inner workings of the dragonfly.

We gotta say, John picked some of the most intriguing items! You can see our other Featured Buyer posts here.

Father's Day Showcase | Gift Guide for Him | Father's Day Gift Guide | A Dude's Perspective

Featured Buyer: Abi Carlin from Kiki, The Magazine for Girls with Style and Substance

Wed, 21 May 2008 15:48:00 -0000

This week's featured buyer is Abi Carlin, creative editor at Kiki, a magazine for tween girls with style and substance. Kiki lets fashion be a lens through which girls can explore their creativity and develop a sense of self-expression. We love Kiki's message, and here are Abi's top Etsy picks for teens and tweens everywhere!

Teens and tweens are often bombarded with celebrity fashion and mass-produced clothes with little originality, but that’s where we come in! Here at Kiki, we want to help each reader develop a sense of style that reflects her own personality. We try to introduce our readers to unique, one of a kind, independent-minded designers, so that’s why we regularly turn to Etsy. Not only is Etsy the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind items, it’s also a great example of entrepreneurs from around the world coming together to showcase their talent and support the talent of others. That’s a mission we can get on board with!

So without further delay, here are my top picks for tweens!

In every issue of Kiki we leave a space blank so readers can create their own “inspiration page,” but sometimes one page just isn’t enough. If that’s the case, it’s a great idea to carry around a blank notebook because you never know when a rush of creativity might strike! I like the idea of taking something old and making it new again, so I especially love the repurposed vintage pattern on Theothersister’s notebook.

We featured this resin cupcake necklace with real sprinkles (that’s right, real sprinkles) by Lunaricsales in our spring issue, and it’s been one of the most popular items yet. It’s whimsical, fun, and looks good enough to eat!

This is by far the best camera camera case I’ve ever seen. I love the juxtaposition of new vs. old technology; placing a teeny tiny digital camera in an older-automatic-looking case. Unfortunately, they’re currently all sold out, so until Hine has more, perhaps her camera brooch will hold you over.

SmarmyPants makes the most delicious looking pincushions. I love absolutely everything about this one: the frosting, the sprinkles, the whipped cream, the striped strawberry on top, even the tiny hand stitches in matching thread.

Going “green” can be somewhat intimidating, but a great way to start is carrying a reusable lunch bag. This one by parischicboutique is great because it’s simple, chic, sophisticated, and eco-friendly. Who knew a lunch bag could be so many things? Visez Vert!

The artist behind vmdesigns was inspired by her own tween daughter when creating this quirky necklace, and it definitely shows. It’s creative, colorful, sparkly, and personalized. What more could a tween want?

These rings by soop just make me happy, and I’m sure they would do the same for any tween or teen out there. You can literally create a whole farm on your fingers.

Roselabiche creates designs with a balance between the “wow factor” and the everyday wear and tear on a garment. Her “Amelie” design definitely has the wow factor, and it’s hand sewn as well as machine washable, not to mention totally unique. It could quite possibly be the world’s best t-shirt!

No two of GuerillaEmbroidery’s hair-ties are ever alike. All are embroidered on 100% wool and finished with hand sewn details. If you love the design, but don’t have long hair, she also makes beautiful brooches. She definitely has something for everyone.

I love fabricfarrago’s thumbtacks covered in fabric, especially these sushi ones. They’re a great way to add some life to a boring bulletin board.

What’s not to love about PaisleyChainsaw’s necklace featuring a lego shark eating a Snickers bar? Not much, not much at all.

And finally, I think this vintage jacket from sunshinecitylassie’s store speaks for itself. It’s as though it was custom made for the magazine! I snatched this one up quickly, and we’re going to take turns wearing it in the office.

Hopefully one day, current Kiki readers will turn into future Etsy sellers!

If my picks left you wanting to know more about Kiki, cruise through our web site at www.kikimag.com. You can find out about our seven departments and more information on the overall concept of the magazine.

What do you think is a great item for teens and tweens? Leave it in the comments!