Etsy & the World Economic Forum
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 …
Handmade Confessional: Maiko Mitchem
We met Maiko Mitchem aka flurrsprite at Felt Club in LA. Nothing says holidays like bunny pirates! Since the Handmade Consortium launched the Buy Handmade Pledge (http://buyhandmade.org) last year, over 32,000 people have signed. Get involved in our video series of videos: share your Handmade Confessional …
Handmade Confessional: Eli Loves Ghosts
We met Eli Dlugach and his mom Sam at the LA Felt Club. Viva la next generation handmade! We made a series of videos with folks telling us why handmade is important to them. Share your Handmade Confessional with us. Click here to add your video response in Youtube. Find out more about the Handmade Consortium | …
Buy Handmade Pledge
Here we are. It's "Black Friday" again and we weren't waiting on line at the mall. There's something in the air and it's not muzak pumped throughout the florescent lit aisles of big box stores. It's been building across the world for some time now: a movement to bring together conscientious consumption and the joy …
A Message for Obama
Barack Obama had been "leading" on Etsy for a while! We've noticed so many artists and crafters pouring their hearts into handmade expressions of grassroots support. Over at flickr, folks are posting their homemade messages for Mr. President Elect. What's your flickr message to Obama? More …
The Sustainability of Vintage Suits
My husband and I both care deeply about the environment. He spends his days growing local organic produce which feeds our small Ontario town, and I spend mine de/reconstructing those beautiful old tweed and linen suits we all see in thrift stores, wish we had a use for, and inevitably leave on the rack. I take …
October Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this collection of items highlights only a few of the talented Etsy sellers offering items under the theme of "think pink." A portion of proceeds from each sale will be donated to various charities that contribute to breast cancer awareness and …
$700 Billion Bail Out Cramping Your Style?
Many folks are shuddering at the thought of gifting in the upcoming holidays and wondering how to manage. And while some families and friends are deciding to go without exchanging gifts, we here at Etsy want to urge those who will be shopping to consider supporting independent artists and crafters …
Election Time, Americans!
It's time to get our heads in the game and get out the vote. We've been noticing many election-related Etsy items cropping up from the grassroots of this here marketplace. Creativity is on the march! These handmade items will help you spread the message about your candidate — and many will help you alert your …
Etsian and Blogger Critically Injured in Plane Crash: Nienie Recovery Project
On Saturday, August 16, 2008, Stephanie Nielson was in a plane crash with her husband, Christian Nielson, and his flight instructor, Doug Kinneard, near St. Johns, Arizona. Doug Kinneard passed away soon after arriving at the Maricopa County Hospital. Christian and Stephanie remain in critical condition at …
Parents Teach Art, Part 2: Making it Happen
In my recent article Parents Teach Art I shared information about Duniway Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, and its award-winning, parent-led art program. Now I'll go into more detail about how to make a program like this work at your child's school. [Second grade "Paint and Poetry" lesson]The Art …
Parents Teach Art: A DIY Approach to Elementary School Art Education
Where I live, there are billboards all over town that simply say, "Art. Ask for More." At the bottom is a line of smaller print that says, "Are your kids getting enough?"As an artist and a mother of two, I feel fortunate that my kids attended a public elementary school with a thriving, well-established …
Earth Tones: Eco Ego Game for Kids, via Inhabitat
Videogames have huge educational potential — not only do they teach kids strategy but the content can be thought-provoking too. Take for example Eco Ego, a free online game that lets kids (and adults) roleplay a sweet little creature living in a tree stump. The goal is a Sims-like equilibrium with the …
One Woman's Road to Veganism
Why go vegan? For those of us who aren't vegan, the no-animal-product lifestyle can seem alternately inconvenient or utopian. We recently posted a profile of the Vegan Etsy Team, a group of Etsy sellers dedicated to promoting their goods and the benefits of vegan products. In this follow-up piece, team …
Handmade Kids: Eco-Friendly Gear for Toddler Boys
When we started brainstorming ideas for the Handmade Kids Series, there were two ideas that came through loud and clear: eco-friendly items and finds for little boys. There is so much cute stuff for girls, so we decided to share the love! cloud9designstudio, an Etsy seller with an eco-mission and a lil' boy …
