Time for a little take five action from the fabulous never-ending supply of beautiful Etsy shops! I’ve included a bonus find in a 6th shop in today’s round up below for your added pleasure. :)
Julie Pollen in Montreal creates things you imagine in your dreams, her brooches are extremely tempting and make me want to spend money I don’t have. Will you just have a look at them and tell me they’re not totally charming?
If you love retro prints that are fresh and vibrant then I invite you to visit Kristina Miletieva’s shop for a variety of 8 x 8 prints that she designs – perfect for the retro kitchen, don’t you think?
Some try to resist the trend, the doily seems to continue onward! Here’s an example of a doily done right at And Furthermore in Portland, Oregon. These clocks are unique and fun and ok, a little bit grandma but we love our grandmother’s so there’s no harm in a little kitsch.
Zelaya is a family owned shop in San Salvador and they have me drooling over their bags, these are perfect for sunny days! I love the creamy white and all of the hand sewn details and those gorgeous wooden handles. These are so lovely for that coastal vacation!
These contemporary felt flowers have me drooling from A Alicia Handmade Accessories in London. You can add them to anything you wish and you can even order a custom piece in colors of your choice. This seller clearly has good taste. Wow.
And the bonus find this week is over at Threefold handmade paper goods in Seattle. I love these wishbone cards!
(images linked to their sources above)
Pulling together my etsy finds for the week is always such a highlight for me. I’m both touched and humbled by the amount of talent out there. Crafting has always been such a huge part of my life but over the past few month it’s taken the back seat as other things jumped in and took the wheel. You know how that goes. My goal is to make time for balance over the months ahead because I made a promise to myself back on January 1st to schedule more time to MAKE and CREATE things — physical things that exist offline – ones that I will hand to my children someday as my mother handed to me. I’ll talk more about this below, but first let’s look at some of the lovely creators I’ve curated for you this week. I’m in love with this week’s etsy artists. I think you’ll be too.
The mixed media art of Natasha Morton in Scotland, who happened to be up on the etsy main page today as I mumbled “darn it” under my breath since I wanted to show her work here for a few weeks now. That’s what I get for snoozing on this. Well, if you didn’t already see Natasha’s work on Etsy today, you can bookmark her store now. It’s so, so pretty — the art she makes — it’s truly from the heart.
Second on my list of sweet little etsy must-shops are these mixed media paintings turned into prints by Carving My Initials (don’t you love the name?). This is where serene colors mix with nature and urban landscapes for a somewhat floating feeling…
Janet Hill Studio has such beautiful prints of her paintings and best part, they are only $10! There’s nothing quite like owning an original, but when money is tight a print will do just fine. Janet’s work is feminine and holds ones attention as there are so many details to examine in each of her works. I appreciate her focus on fashion and the home and love how she seems to incorporate flowers as often as she can. Charming!
Fabric Farrago is another fave of mine this week because Jamieson has the best fabric covered thumbtacks around! I also like her fun new embroidered hoops that she’ll customize just for you. I quite like this idea for hoops, especially for a craft room or kid’s space! How cute would these be in a stationery shop — I imagine them above a card display spelling out “u send me” or something. I think the fact that Jamieson is a teacher by day shines through in her work, don’t you?
Beaky in England is nesting doll heaven for fans of the kitschy cute matroska doll. Totes, lavender sachets, pillows… this mother of two is one busy and talented lady!
Now to continue my little story from above… did you know that both my mother and aunt were painters? My mother was trained as a floral designer but did many oil paintings (as a hobby) when I was a little girl, mostly still life with her focus on flowers. She also sewed constantly, from making clothes to everything else in the home that included drapes, shower curtains, you name it. She also taught these skills to me along with wallpaper, faux finishing, stencils, wreath making, all sorts of arts and crafts. My aunt, her sister, was an award-winning fine artist and art teacher, who lived in South America for some time, then Russia, Austria, Spain and she attended and later taught at the Holbæk Slots Ladegård in Denmark until settling in Newcastle, Maine where she taught art at a nearby waldorf school (I’m hoping to send my future child to a waldorf school, we’ll see — they’re quite expensive, but I’d really love to). She spoke fluent Russian, Spanish and of course English and loved ceramics, fashion photography, eastern religion and children which she unfortunately was not able to have. Her children were her students and though she passed away suddenly, my fondest memories as a child are of the things my mom and her sister made for me, from paintings to embroidered wall art, handmade board games, wooden doll houses, there was a lot of love in everything which instilled in my heart a deep appreciation of arts & crafts at a very early age. My mother is alive and well and when I call her we talk about crafting and decorating for a good part of our conversation.
As I am all grown up and writing this blog, seeing all the beautiful handmade works each day inspires me just the same — I love it. And I want to do more with my hands again too! I was once the home project/decorator crafty queen, known for this amongst my friends and family. Now I’m known as the writer and blogger — crafts are not the focus in my life currently. My resolve as the year continues is to make more and to continue to buy as much handmade as I can to show my support of others. I’m staying away from large department stores as much as I can, trying to reuse what I have, get creative with things, sell what I don’t use, etc. I want to contribute actively to the changes that we all as a global family need to make in order to contribute to the greater good. I always have, but this economy has encouraged us all to really think about how and where we are spending our money. I know a lot of you are feeling this way, the economy sucks, lots of you are drained, financially tapped, so let’s try to allow some of this inspiration that we’re finding online to influence our day-to-day life a little more… to make by hand something at least once a month or even to set aside an hour a week to do something creative. To look at everything in our homes and think, “How can I use this in a different way?” before storing it somewhere only to collect dust. More walk, less talk — make time, less whine.
Your thoughts? Are you making more lately? What changes have you made during this economic crunch?
(images linked to their sources above)
Etsy time! Etsy time! La la la la la! This week we have another featured seller offering a discount in her shop along with lots of other great finds. German mid century porcelain, vintage wares, beautiful illustrative art and quirky ceramics. I hope you enjoy my picks today!
Featured Seller: Coucou Madame
Neda at Coucou Madame collects and sells German vintage mid century porcelain that is hard to find here in America from companies like Arzberg, Seltmann, Hutschenreuther, AK (Kaiser), Edelstein (I own lots of these), Rosenthal, KPM (Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur), and many more! She is offering decor8 readers 10% off, enter “decor8 discount” in the notes to seller section and Neda will reply with a revised invoice. This offer is valid until April 7, 2009.
I discovered the Weather Girl Shop who is illustrator/artist Aimee Sicuro via Melissa Loves and immediately saved the link to include in today’s round up. I cannot take my eyes off of Aimee’s work – wow! What a strong, cohesive portfolio of work she has, I really like the ocean theme going on in lots of her drawings. I know I’ll be ordering from Aimee in the future, that’s a fact.
Hello Victory is a fun shop with vintage finds, I particularly like the anchor art because I’d paint it bright aqua, yellow, red, or maybe even white and use it in a boy’s bedroom or even in a summer house by the sea. It would also be fun to paint it and then add patterned fabric to the back to ‘peek’ through, don’t you think? Darling stuff here!
McCheeks Mayhem is based in Houston by way of Edinburgh and London where owner Carole Smith earned her degree and postgraduate in ceramics and spent five years running her own business making and designing lights and chandeliers sold in shops, museums and art galleries worldwide. Her one-of-a-kind ceramic shop consists of bowls, mugs and cups that are unique — both old-fashioned and edgy.
Great vintage finds and product shots over in the 26 Olive Street shop! Vintage labware, globes, metal bins and baskets, lots of fresh goodies that are new to you.
If you’ve missed previous Etsy Take Five Tuesdays no worries, you can catch up on your reading right here.
(images above linked to individual sellers listed)
Colorful mixed media collages, turquoise pottery, tin jewelry, soft nature photography, ruffled pillows that mimic fashion and sweetly made soft toys and pin cushions are what you can expect today. This week’s featured seller is California artist Liz Kalloch and she’s giving decor8 readers a lovely discount on her work… and I’ve decided to add a bonus seller so you have 6 artists and designers to enjoy. Let’s get started, share we?
Featured Seller
Liz Kalloch from Athena Dreams is offering decor8 readers a 20% off discount if you purchase anything in her etsy shop between now and March 31st. To receive this discount type “decor8 discount” in the notes to seller section upon check out and wait for Liz to send you a revised invoice before making payment. {website} {blog}
Isn’t this pottery stunning? Yes, yes, yes! Made in Arizona, it truly reflects the beauty of the American southwest. I’m especially loving the heart-shaped nesting bowls and the lotus plate. Red Hot Pottery is artist Christine Tenenholtz who, “keeps herself busy inventing new ways to play with clay, beads, the camera, the computer, learning to drum, bellydance, and speak Spanish”. What a lady! {blog}
This tin jewelry and art by Little Black Rabbit in Seattle is BEAUTIFUL. I can absolutely see this at a trendy retailer like Anthropologie selling for 3x the price. I also love her makeup bags and rings, gosh all of it — it’s very country/bohemian!
Jenny owns a little shop, Bubbletime, in Virginia where she creates soft things using fabric like plush toys and pin cushions. So cute, especially the softie globe and the beaded pin cushions shown above.
Au Fil De in France has such serene and magical photography. Béatrice has a way with the camera… there is so much femininity and grace in these… Sigh. {blog} {flickr}
And for my bonus find this week… If you love the ruffles you’ve been seeing on the runway, why not bring them home to create a cozy, girly nest with pillows by Hettle in Connecticut. Gorgeous and oh-so-tactile — just add cuddling!
(images above linked to their sources)
I’m so excited to show you my finds for Etsy Take Five Tuesdays today because not only do I know you’ll fancy them, but one of my favorite artists is offering decor8 readers a huge 20% discount 0ff of all original paintings in her shop. That’s right, originals! Plus I’ve selected another seller offering a special freebie with every order for the month of March. Ready to see this week’s faves?
I don’t believe in holding back so let’s reveal this week’s discount right away, shall we? Starting now, you can take 20% off of any work found in the Etsy shop of artist Jennifer Davis but act quickly because they’re all originals and once a piece is gone it’s gone for good. I collect her paintings so this is extreme temptation for me but I’m going to give you all first dibs. :) To receive 20% off please type “decor8 reader discount” in the notes section of your purchase and Jennifer will revise and send you a new invoice reflecting the discount. Enjoy! Offer good until March 17, 2009 only.
Art by Charmaine Olivia in San Francisco is a new favorite of mine. I just love her technique — a photographic print on vintage paper with acrylic paint. Really, really nice combo of my favorite things – acrylics, found papers, and photography. This has given me a few ideas for a possible crafting project of my own…
Miniature Rhino in Brooklyn is such a fun shop of curiosities! Collections here will have you dreaming up sneaky spy or nutty professor scenarios. Handmade books, hand stitched hearts bearing the name of you and yours, glass-corked vials filled with shelled, sea horses, and acorns… Swoon!
Chicago’s Earth Cadets create unique hand screen printed tote bags made out of recycled materials, “80% Ecotec™ – a blended cotton yarn produced from the excess fabric of newly made clothing – and 20% Bottle Bag material – material made from 100% recycled soda bottles. This unique manufacturing process saves land, energy and water.” Freebie: For the month of March enter “Free and Green” in the Message to Seller box during checkout and receive a free Earth Cadets screen printed, 100% organic flour sack towel!
And for the fifth pick today on my list, Daphne Cellophane in Portland, Oregon. Her bio is so cute I have to share it with you as is, “Daphne Cellophane lives in Portland Oregon where she spends her days studying the language of whales, thinking about time and space travel, and giving her cats English lessons. Sometimes she gets into fights with her sewing machine. She is happiest when she has a nice pen, a piece of paper, and a strong cup of tea.“
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this week’s picks! If you have an etsy shop and would like to offer decor8 readers a discount that will be featured in this column please contact holly at decor8blog dot com. Thank you!
(images linked to sources above)
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