Search results (tags) for: "switzerland"

Etsy Finds: Destination Unknown

2009-11-19T12:00:00-05:00

Etsy is a place where great communities of the world connect and share their love for the handmade life. It seemed only fitting to highlight romance and unions inspired by four international locations for today's Etsy Finds. Whether your nuptial will be a destination wedding or local affair, these items are sure to add festive and sophisticated flourishes to any party. Find many diverse inspirations and styles in the Weddings Category and Etsy's Weddings and Celebrations gift guides.

French Kiss

Metro Gocco Folded Art Card

By twoguitars, $4.

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Coco Twirl Wedding Dress

By bellinabridal, $725.

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Eiffel Tower Charm Necklace

By ValentineStudios, $17.50.

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Midnight Premiere Hat

By itsthelittlethingsut, $65.

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Elegant Chalk Cloth Tags

By bluepearls, $8.

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Black Ivory Ruffle Bow Purse

By mojospastyle, $50.

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French Macaroon Cookies

By lemonadestandnyc, $10.

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Flamingo Sapphire/Diamond Ring

By singleBbeautiful, $1350.

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La Fiesta

Cactus- Yarnius Crochetius

By blazingneedles, $15.

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Owls Custom Color Papel Picado

By aymujer, $23.

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Pink Cascarones (Confetti Eggs)

By gracieseggies, $7.95.

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Mantilla Veil - White or Ivory

By Rohm, $285.

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Custom Wedded Bliss Sash

By icing101, $55.

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The Rosita Wedding Invitation

By inkylivie, $6.

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Terracotta Knitted Shawl

By crochetbutterfly, $60.

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Mini Bowls In Pelmet Tapis

By jillrosenwald, $40.

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Alpine Meadows

Woodland Blue Flower Hair Wreath

By thehoneycomb, $45.

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Matterhorn Print

By ArtByMarilyn, $11.

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The Jane Eyre Dress

From TangerineFlamingo, $132.

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Paper Love Cake Topper

By LoBoheme, $100.

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Midsummer Night's Faery Ring

By nanopod, $430.

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Custom Rustic Wedding Cones

By SunshineandRavioli, $2.50.

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German Cookies (six medium jars)

By dLischka, $39.

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German Dirndl Dress

By whatkidslike, $60.

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Asian Fusion

Taisho Tomesode Kimono

By KimonoNoKokoro, $40.

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Custom Bridesmaid Clutch

By DanicaDesigns, $68.

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Red Asian Floral Large Frame Clutch

By kailochic, $48.

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Kimiko Flat

By HydraHeart, $53.

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Ume (Plum Blossom)

By AtelierKanawa, $270.

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Kit Kat

By dolittledesign, $20.

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Cricket - Emblem of Courage Notes

By BambooVillagePress, $10.

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Cherry Blossom Bouquet Charm

By cherrycreek, $20.

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We'd love to see photos showing off the vintage or handmade aspects of your wedding! Submit images of your special day to the Etsy Handmade Weddings Flickr pool today! (And even if you're not married, the Flickr pool has tons of inspiring images to make your heart swell!)

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Etsy International Posts | Handmade Weddings Series | Gifts for the World Traveler

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Guest Curator: Fine Design with Swiss Miss

2009-06-10T17:00:00-05:00

This week’s Guest Curator is Tina Roth Eisenberg, the force behind swiss-miss.com, a design journal of infectious enthusiasm and inspiring finds. Tina, who refers to herself as a "Swiss designer gone NYC," started swissmiss in May of 2005 as a personal catalog of her daily discoveries. She currently stimulates the imagination of an average of 600,000 monthly visitors from all around the world. Her readers appreciate the wide range of design related topics, which span from graphic, furniture, and font design to illustration, architecture and designy, handmade gifts. Based in Brooklyn, swissmiss broadcasts with a European viewpoint and a love for clear, Swiss functional design. In addition to her blog, Tina runs her design studio (swissmiss studio) focusing on all things interactive. Yes, Tina loves the internet(s)!

I am constantly amazed at all of the creative talent posting unique and inventive products on Etsy. I keep thanking the technology gods for having made platforms like Etsy possible. There's nothing I love more than discovering a young new talent, posting one of their items on my blog and then, an hour later or so, seeing that they're sold out! I personally buy jewelry, prints, postcards, toys and kids' clothes on Etsy. In fact, whenever I need a unique gift for kids, Etsy is the source I turn to. Below are a few of my picks that I either own, have given to friends or that simply made me smile.

Bunny No. 1, 7 x 8 Fine Art Print

Etsy is one of my favorite destinations for affordable, unique art. Take Bunny No.1 by SharonMontrose, for example. How can you not fall in love with this little furry friend? $25.

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Live What You Love Letterpress Print in Black

I couldn't agree more: Live What You Love. By hijirik, $12.50.

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Rainbow Windowpanes Dress - Choose Your Size

The Rainbow Windowpanes Dress by AprilScott is one of my all time Etsy favorites. I bought it for my daughter last year, and it makes heads turn. In fact, I'd like it for myself. $40.

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Girliesaurus Rex Dinoroar Tail

There are days where I wish I could wear one of these Dinoroar Tails into a client meeting. I think they would make quite a statement. Oh, yes, our little Ella has one and fully approves. By MamasDoodles, $25.

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mini chalk mat and crayon play on the go

Anyone with little ones and a desire to eat out every now and then knows that the Dine.n.Doodle Fold.n.Go Art Folio is brilliant. By LilBDesigns, $11.

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Custom Letter Pillow --- all letters available

My readers know that I am a big typography lover. So, it comes as no surprise that these Crocheted Custom Letter Pillows get my two thumbs up! Anyone need an M? By lauraslefthook, $22.

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mini mustache on a stick. THE KID

Yes, we all need a mini mustache on a stick. Really. Hat tip to somethingshidinghere for such an ingenious product. $32.

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Large Nimbus Necklace

This Nimbus Necklace simply puts a smile on my face. By Joannarutter, $70.

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Fill-In-The-Blank Letterpress Invitation

Etsy is an amazing resource for beautifully designed and printed letterpress cards. Take this Fill-In-The-Blank Card, for example. Fun! By breadandbuttershop, $15.

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Raincloud Plush

Yes, I admit it, I have a thing for clouds. This Raincloud Plush by Ladysnail is hanging in Ella's room. It's one of my favorite pieces I've ever purchased on Etsy. $20.

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beret12

This beret has swissmiss written all over it. One day, I shall place an order. By dadaya, $108.

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Coin Pendant-One Franc

I have been considering paying tribute to the beautiful Swiss currency by purchasing one of these Coin Pendants by littlebrownhouse. $12.

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Thanks so much to Tina for showing off her favorite Etsy picks!

Looking for past Guest Curators? Check out our archive.

More Design Posts | Search for Items Tagged "Modern" | Etsy's Gift Guides

Shop Local: Switzerland with Iragrant

2009-05-29T09:45:00-05:00

It's time to put on your traveling pants, sit back and relax as Swiss Etsian Iragrant gives us a virtual tour of her homeland in this Shop Local installment. To Switzerland we go!

Welcome, bienvenue, willkommen, benvenuto to Switzerland. I’m Ira. Did you know that we have four national languages here? This beautiful country is very unique. One guide book said it’s a patchwork quilt country, and I’m very lucky to live here.

Neuchatel is the capital of Canton Neuchatel, a region where French is spoken. After I lived in Jakarta and London, this beautiful city felt like a fairytale place to me. Friendly people, fresh air, a beautiful lake, a castle, cobble stones and the charming sandstone elegance of medieval town — all the perfect ingredients to make your creativity and imagination run wild!

But Neuchatel is not all about medieval times. We are proud to refer to our place as Watch Valley. If you have a luxurious Swiss Watch, chances are it is made in this canton. Also, Le Corbusier, the father of Modern Architecture, was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, which is about half an hour from here. There he created a few of his early works, including the "Maison Blanche" which he built in 1912 for his parents.

The photo of me and my daughter above is taken in one of those beautiful streets in town, a popular square where I usually have my coffee rendezvous with friends while watching our kids play around us. Also in the picture, you can see the view of the Alps from my studio window in our apartment.

Now let me introduces you with some talented Swiss Etsians...

irisschwarz from Zurich: "These stairs lead to my studio where I spend lots of my time. I love to be here, surrounded by drawings, flowers, brushes and some good old spirits."

joelinha from Aargau: "Although I live far away from anything we call a mountain, there are still a few spots around my village where I feel really Swiss. When I come home from the city, I love to walk around the forest; it's so calm and peaceful."

BurkhalterCouture from Geneva: "This picture on the left was taken last year at Hotel des Bergues.
I've been in the fashion industry since forever... first as a model, then I ended up as a fashion designer. The most important thing for me is to touch the materials. I feel that I'm a kind of architect of clothes. I just want to make the woman feel beautiful, and would like to share this good feeling with everybody."

swissfizz from Zug: "This photo was taken in our backyard garden overlooking our neighbor's house — the kindest neighbor you can ever imagine! The Swiss are surrounded by nature and history, and they grow up in their gardens. People say hello (gruezi) to strangers, we have 24/7 milk automats, casino is a theatre, and the Zug's lake is called a sea."

junyandmilo from Riniken: "This is me in front of Switzerland's oldest tree, a linden tree, which is almost 1000 years old. If you look closely on the left you can see two people walking under it, to give you a sense of scale. This linden stands on top of a small mountain and from there you have a breathtaking view over the neighboring hills. I live nearby, in a small village near Zurich. From my window you can see lush meadows and forests and hear the jingling of the bells of grazing cows. And with a total of four castles located in the area, you only have to hold your hand out in the air to catch some fairytale magic...a key ingredient in all of my creations."

Stefanie a.k.a. beyeler from Thun: "I moved here some years ago and feel very much at home. It‘s a wonderful place to live and the people are so warm and friendly.“

Bellesmademoiselles from La Neuveville: "My youngest daughter and I are standing on a snowy mountain with the beautiful Swiss Alps behind us. The fresh mountain air always clears my head and refreshes me. I usually come up with a few new designs and ideas after a trip there."

comfortablyblue from Emmental: "This photo was taken in our big garden in the Emmental. I love the nature and peace around me, the hills, the nearby river and the plants. I get a lot of inspiration from the colors of flowers, the sound of summer rain, quacking frogs or the smell of blooming apple trees..."

And of course, Swiss Etsians are also proud members of the European Street Team.

Shop Local in 2009 and meet your talented neighbors (shrink that carbon footprint too)! If you're a seller who lives somewhere interesting, post in the comments below or pitch to us with a screenshot of your Poster Sketch!

Shop Local Posts | Etsy International

Shop Local Switzerland | Shop Local in Your Area

Etsy Finds Vintage: Après-ski

2008-12-13T08:57:00-05:00

After an exhausting day of hitting the slopes — the quiet swishing through fresh fallen snow and relaxing rides up the ski lift — it's time for a well deserved winter's rest. How about a little après-ski, 1970's style? Let's adjourn to the ski lodge, fire up the hot tub and start the fondue prep! I'll pour the hot toddies if you hold the mugs! Here's to winter and ski culture, vintage style.

Orange Fondue Pot

This orange fondue pot is sure to set the mood. From peacockmodern, $18.

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retro Fondue Sticks with Colored Dots

Fondue sticks: check! The colored dots are a great touch. From MeadowbelleVintage, $15.

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Vintage Fondue Fondue

...But how do we make fondue? This book should help. From PineappleHouse, $3.

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Vibrant Vintage Orange Cups

"Who wants Baileys?" From RiverBazaar, $12.

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Multicolor Granny Afghan

Brr! I need to bundle up until the hot toddies start working. From BlendedSplendid, $12.

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Vintage Funky Green Soup and Crackers Mug

Chowder, anyone? From theturniptruck, $5.50.

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Mid Century Eames Vintage Ceramic Fish Plate

Let's just eat the Christmas cookies now. (Why not?) From heartsandstars, $8.

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vintage orange Fondue Pot/Chafing Stand/Forks

This party is hopping! Let's get out another fondue set. All the pieces are here! From buppins, $12.

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1960s If you can walk-you can ski book

Gotta nurse those bruises! Let's read up on better skiing form for another day on the slopes. From thevintageholicfrog, $8.

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Looking for more vintage Finds? Try these Etsy links:

Vintage Category | Vintage Showcase | More Vintage Posts

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Etsy & the World Economic Forum

2008-12-04T15:37:00-05:00

The World Economic Forum nominated Etsy as one of their 2009 Technology Pioneers. Etsy's founder Rob Kalin will be traveling to Davos, Switzerland to represent our community and to voice Etsy's mission at the January meeting.

About the World Economic Forum:

"The World Economic Forum is an independent, international organization incorporated as a Swiss not-for-profit foundation. We are striving towards a world-class corporate governance system where values are as important a basis as rules. Our motto is ‘entrepreneurship in the global public interest’. We believe that economic progress without social development is not sustainable, while social development without economic progress is not feasible.

Our vision for the World Economic Forum is threefold. It aims to be: the foremost organization which builds and energizes leading global communities; the creative force shaping global, regional and industry strategies; the catalyst of choice for its communities when undertaking global initiatives to improve the state the world."

We are very excited to have the chance to talk to world leaders about independent entrepreneurship and how the internet can have a supporting role. In the run-up to the meeting, the WEF invited each nominee to answer the same questions about their businesses and the roles they play in socially conscious economic development. We wanted to share Rob's video message with the community here, as we feel strongly that Etsy's vision remain true to the handmade movement during these economic times, and especially during the holiday shopping season. You can see more 2009 Technology Pioneers' videos here.

Thank you to our community for making this all happen!

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: October 23, 2008

2008-10-23T15:00:00-05:00

Eccentrics make the world go 'round. If not for the "out there" thoughts of a certain courageous and wacky brand of individual, a lot of great ideas would never come to fruition. With that in mind, always make sure to give new ideas a chance, or you could miss out on something really special. (Yes, I've been reading the inspirational blog mentioned below. You'll love it, too! Trust me.)

This week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere is all inspirational messages, pagan ritual, Iowa (!), honeycomb and interiors. Onward!

Bohemia in midtown: Yes, it once was. This profile shows the artists that are desperately holding on to rent-controlled studio apartments above New York's famed Carnegie Hall. Many have lived in the building for 50+ years, and have built their own universes, like concert pianist Donald Shirley, shown above. Pretty amazing. [Via New York Magazine]

Looking for some inspiration? Do it the post-modern way and get it via Tumblr. New Resolution's many short, boxed quotes are totally refreshing. [Via design is mine]

Photographer Estelle Hanania's "Demoniac Babble" series profiles the ancient folk tradition of the "silvesterklause" in Switzerland, wherein local men get "dressed in wild, demonic outfits. They roam the landscapes from farm to farm, singing, drinking to celebrate the winter to come, and to frighten the bad spirits away." Their costumes are unlike anything I've ever seen — totally earthy and spooky. Pagan rituals, I love you!

Artist Hilary Berseth's sculptures are more than a little interactive — in fact, I'd call them collaborative. You see, he does part of the work, then bees do the rest. The resulting beeswax sculptures are the very picture of delicious. Check out the slideshow at New York Magazine. [Via For Me, For You]

Klas Fahlen's illustrations are pretty cute. [Via Design For Mankind]

A recent trip to my homeland (Iowa!) revealed a new book on my state's history. As a teen, amateur photographer Everett W. Kuntz spent his days taking photos of Ridgeway and its residents — so much so that he earned the nickname "Scoop." However, he didn't have the money to print said photos, and forgot about them after going to college. It was only sixty years later, as he lay on his deathbed, that he remembered the negatives. This virtual time capsule is "Sunday Afternoon on the Porch: Reflections of a Small Town in Iowa, 1939-1942," and the photos are incredible. Read the article here. [Via New York Times]

The Art of the Display photo pool on Flickr has many treasures waiting for you. This particular display comes came of ATLITW. Don't you just love the chairs? [Via PoppyTalk]

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!