Storque articles: Etc

Keep it Weird: The Canon

2009-11-06T15:27:00-05:00

In the discipline of art history, there is a rich legacy of challenging social norms aesthetically. I think the iconic heavyweights of the Pop Art or Renaissance movements would wholly approve of the off-center homages on Etsy. Looking for inspiration? This week's Keep it Weird is a crash course in the masters, redux.

Reinvent visual culture with Frida Kahlo Uterus Plushie by VulvaLoveLovely, Marshmallow Amoeba Face Andy Print by brettisagirl, and Mondrian Miniature Origami Shoes by origamispirit. Check out the Related Items below for more quirky chef d'oeuvres.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Frida on Etsy | Art Category

Vote! Which Thanksgiving Item Would Get You in the Kitchen?

2009-11-03T12:30:00-05:00

We asked our readers to nominate their favorite items for hosting family meals for the holidays. Now it's your turn to vote!

Next Monday we'll announce the winner, which, along with some of the other top picks, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide and here on the Etsy blog. Show your favorite sellers some love and get out the vote!

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ

VintageConfections is Sweeter Than Candy & Wins the Vote!

2009-11-02T10:30:00-05:00

Did you overindulge this weekend? Or are you still dipping into your kids' Halloween stash?

Get ready for some more, my sugar-fiend friends! We have a candy-coated winner from last week's poll: VintageConfections with her Jupita Caramel Espresso Truffles. Thank you to everyone who voted in this sweets-themed round. Make sure to check out the winner, along with some of the top picks shown below, in the Members' Choice Gift Guide.

Get Involved in the Next Round

For next week's round, we'll be taking your suggestions for the best holiday cards on Etsy. So dive into the Paper Goods Category and paste a link to your favorite in the comments below. (If you're a seller nominating one of your own items, please just nominate one — even if you have more than one shop!)

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ

Keep it Weird: Three-Ring Circus

2009-10-30T17:19:00-05:00

Walking around the streets of New York tends to feel like a circus regardless; on Halloween, this is merely more apparent. The lurking figure in the distance who sends fear into the hearts of children and adults alike is not the headless zombie mother-in-law, but rather the colorful, bouncing, grinning fool of carnivals and spectacles. This week's Keep it Weird performs daredevil stunts in creativity and acrobatic feats of art. Try searching "sideshow" to discover more gloriously freakish attractions.

Step right up with Hot Pink Zebra Polka Dotted Ruffle Top by toxicvision, Gin Sing Twins Print by doctorpinky, and Cotton Candy Baby by avitable. Check out the Related Items below for more carnie surrealism.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Etsy Clowns | Circus Art

About Us: Neelam Hasni a.k.a. Neelam12

2009-10-30T13:30:00-05:00

Neelam, a.k.a. Neelam12, is our web analytics guru. Neelam dives into the numbers and helps us make sense of what is happening with site traffic and activity on Etsy.com. She works on the Marketing Team and is a relatively new hire at Etsy, having starting in the spring of 2009. Let's welcome her to the fold!

Fun Facts:

She's a Jersey girl. She recently decided to move to New York City, and it was cute how shocked she was by Manhattan rental prices and the lack of space you get for your money.
Neelam is the third youngest of four sisters, and one of her sisters is her roommate.
SarahSays wants to be her BFF. They had met each other a number of times randomly before Neelam started working at Etsy. It is their destiny.
Mike B says both of her parents are renowned archaeologists.
She once seriously considered being a secret service agent after watching Rene Russo in the movie In the Line of Fire.
She loves watching I Love Lucy reruns.
Nizzi claims that she definitely had some Britney songs in her music selection for Etsy's 4th birthday party.
Anda has two words: "frat girl."
Michelle thought it was awesome that Neelam shouted the seller's name "VulvaLoveLovely" loudly enough for everyone to hear in an all-company meeting the other day.
Danielle loves how Neelam says something really important or crazy but in the most "yeah whatever" kind of way.
Adam stressed how much she loves shopping, and Christina notes that she admitted to fantasizing about having a sugar daddy to escort her on shopping binges. Anda added that Neelam, Ian, and Matt all stalk gilt.com obsessively. Christina then gets her to do a fashion show for the Marketing Team.
Adam has observed how she'll cut a piece of pizza in half, pretend like she's only going to eat that half, and then eat the whole thing. Mike B is also suspicious of her coy eating habits: "She's been bringing in healthy lunches since we moved to this office. Like a plastic container with two slices of turkey and a cucumber..." Then she'll be the first to rip into the package of Double Stuf Oreos.
Bernadette recalls the time Neelam said to her, surprised, "I didn't know Sweeney was an Irish name!" Mike B made it The Quote of the Week.
She had a funny realization moment when she figured out that "decor8" is pronounced "decorate" and not "decor...eight."
Nizzi adds that Neelam lives near Magnolia Bakery and has been known to bring cupcakes in on request.
Ian from Etsy Hacks did a little research and according to Wikipedia, "Neelam" means "sapphire."
Nizzi is always trying to get Neelam to speak Gujrati with her so they can have their own secret Etsy language that nobody else at the office would understand, but she's too polite for that.
Christina says Neelam has a major crush on Anderson Cooper... and the guy from Mad Men.
Adam says she loves pop culture and celebrity trash. But, she was trying to tell him something about Jon Stewart and couldn't remember his name. She was grasping for it, "You know, he's a comedian, he has his own show...?"
Whether or not she's a "fancy dresser" is under debate. Vanessa recalls Anda being surprised when Neelam wore jeans one day, because she seems like she's dressier than that. But Nizzi says that for some reason, we're not good enough for her to wear high heels to work, but she puts them on when she goes to meet her former Bloomingdales colleagues.
Her hardest day at work was when she was working in Macy's one summer in college and had to work all day in the gift wrap department without any training on wrapping gifts.

Too bad Neelam didn't rerun this Halloween costume at last night's office party!

Obvioulsy, Neelam developed her poise and professionalism at a very young age.

Etsy has had quite a growth spurt, and we have the awkward pictures to prove it. We've been posting a series of About Us pieces to help you get to know the Etsy admin. You've seen the admin badge, and maybe you're a bit curious about the person behind it! For more on Etsy's mission and about the company, please see our About page. (The link is in the little blue footer of every Etsy page.)

Some of Neelam's favorites below...

Vote! Which Candy-Themed Item Gives You a Sugar High?

2009-10-27T10:11:00-05:00

We asked our readers to nominate their favorite candy-themed items, and now, my sweet-toothed friends, it's up to you to pick a winner!

Remember when you and your siblings would come home after trick-or-treating? I want to know what candy you'd swap and what you'd swap for. Post in the comments below! Nom nom nom!

On Monday we'll announce the winner of this vote, which, along with some of the top picks, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide and here on the Etsy blog. Show your favorite sellers some love and get out the vote!

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ

SeaPinks Wins the Vote for Your Favorite Autumn Decor

2009-10-26T10:30:00-05:00

We asked our readers to nominate their favorite autumn decor on Etsy. You voted, and now we've got a winner! Congratulations to SeaPinks whose Flora and Fauna Decorative Pumpkin is a superb example of the handmade touches that make a house a home.

SeaPinks, along with some of the top favorites shown below, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide and here on the Etsy blog.

Get Involved in the Next Round

For next week's round, we want your nomination for an item related to food, kitchenware, table decor and settings — anything that can be used for Thanksgiving meals and family time for the coming holiday. Post a link to an item in the comments below. (If you're a seller nominating one of your own items, please just one item — even if you have multiple shops).

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ

Keep it Weird: Bone Thugs

2009-10-23T16:20:00-05:00

With Halloween a week away and Dia de los Muertos swiftly following, there's no better time to celebrate the internal structure of our bodies. When I come back from the dead, I hope I'll be pop and locking my fleshless limbs 'til they grind to a nice soft powder. The skulls and skeletons on Etsy must have drunk some rancid milk in a past life, because they keep it funky fresh from the clavicles to the phalanges. Did you cast your vote in the Dia de los Muertos poll last week? Find the festive results here.

Flex your joints with Leopard Cheesecake sculpture by Jtnee, Skeleton Christmas Cards by Devilchef1, and Spine Unisex Top by HMSlatex. Check out the Related Items below for more cranial craziness.

More Keep it Weird Posts | Skeleton Sculptures | Dia de los Muertos on Etsy

Vote! What is Your Favorite Autumn Decor?

2009-10-20T16:04:00-05:00

We want to know which item gets you in the mood for food — I mean, for the fall holidays. A plush pumpkin on the stoop or a fall wreath on the door, a quaint quilted table runner or a cornucopia of acorns, find all this and more in this week's community vote.

Every week we ask our readers to nominate items for this series in the comments of the Monday blog post. Next Monday we'll also announce the winner of this poll, which, along with some of the top picks, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide and here on the Etsy blog. Show your favorite sellers some love and get out the vote!

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ | Woodland and Feathers Guide

MisNopalesArt Wins the Dia de los Muertos Vote

2009-10-19T11:00:00-05:00

We asked our readers to nominate their favorite Dia de los Muertos items and asked you to vote. We're happy to announce that MisNopalesArt's Ice Cream Calavera limited edition gocco print has nabbed the award this week. It was a close one, with LilygraceOriginals' skull earrings coming in a close second. Playful, vivacious skeletons graced the Voter for one of my favorite polls of the year.

MisNopalesArt, along with some of the top picks, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide. Congratulations to all who participated!

Get Involved in the Next Round

For next week's round, we'll have a theme near and dear to my heart: CANDY! Post a link to your nomination in the comments. If you're a seller, please nominate only one of your items, even if you have more than one shop.

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ | Shop Local Mexico