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!