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WHAT CAN'T YOU BUY ON ETSY?

I have been really into the Through the Viewfinder photography technique that I have been sporting on my Etsy site.  I have a Holga toy camera, all plastic, all goodness but I was getting bored of the same old shots so I was on the hunt for another vintage camera.  On a lark I put 'camera' in my search in Etsy and I ended the new owner of this pretty baby:

It's from very cool Etsy seller Domestikate. I was hesitant to write about her because I have a bunch of things marked favorite and I didn't want them to be gone before I could snatch them up, but I can not keep a secret and when I find something great I have to blab about it (it's the publicist in me). Here's another treasure I have my eyeball on:

You can find Domestikate here.

In my delight that I found a camera on Etsy, I got to thinking about some other random things I have wanted for my studio.  One thing I have been really interested in is a Phrenology head, they have always fascinated me in a cool medical chic way not in I am so cool because I like really creepy things way.  I did find one, not exactly what I was looking for but at least I know there's hope that I may one day have my very own:

If you'd like the one above, or to see what other items CliptheWings has stop by here. I didn't find any trophies,  I mean do a search for 'trophy' and you get a bunch of wacky stuff and you'll know what I mean by wacky...So then I thought the next useless item on my less is a magnifying glass.  I didn't find anything that whet my whistle but I found this photo that made me smile:

Happy Etsy shopping!!!

WHY I LOVE ETSY, LET ME COUNT THE WAYS...

I love Etsy for so many reasons.  I love that it has given me an opportunity to make money being creative, okay, so I don't make money per se, it all goes back into supplies, but it gives me such a thrill that I don't think there is a drug that could match the feeling I get.  I try very hard to support my fellow Etsians and try to buy supplies and as much stuff as I can afford via Etsy. I love that people are selling tutorials as I love to learn how to make as much crap as possible.  I am going to showcase some of the items that I have on my wish list that should be on my 'I need right this moment' list, but since funds are sparse, I have to just dream....

I am a novice sewer, so any little projects that I attempt make me feel like I won the lottery.  I think this little project would be just the ticket to build my sewing acumen.

You can pick up your tute at Three Green Apples.  Catylouquilts has some gorgeous fabric at great prices and would work very well with the above project or you can get some of their patterns if you are feeling a little more daring:

CatyLouQuilts

My only problem with fabric though is figuring out which pattern I like enough to have one of my fave bloggers create my couture apron (I actually wear one everyday, not all day mind you...), I don't know if she is offering this service to everyone but she certainly has some little pretties in her shop if she doesn't...

Segue here...I have been wanting to get my hands on some bakers twine for some time now.  I didn't want the traditional red and white as it didn't  go with  labels I created (I have about a million labels so I have to wait until they need replenishing to re-do the color scheme) but I marked this seller as a favorite because she has the twine in chocolate and white and I like how she shot it (I am easily persuaded).  You can visit her shop Armelle Jewelry for some twine of your own, she has it in a variety of colors!!!

If you are in the market for unique custom boxes for your line, then you must swing on by the amazing (and might I add nicest?) peeps  at Pantry Press Inc.  This is their own version, but they can create a custom die for your project.  I am hoping one day to be able to afford their services.

You can see their cool store here.

Well, what are you waiting for?   There are supplies to be had and things to make and I must be going to the flea market to scout for ephemera to continue this little Etsy venture I have embarked on.....

CURIOUS DOODLES....

It's Sunday!  That means I spotlight on an Etsian that has made me smile.  I loved these when I found them and marked them as a fave.  They are so simple, cheeky and crafty, but in a very modern way, is that possible?  These are from the genius behind Curious Doodles, Lara Trimmell:

What makes these so special?  Maybe, I need to give you a close-up shot, these are all hand-embroidered cards, just brilliant!

If you would like a set you can swing by her little shop here...

SWEET....

This lovely piece is by artist (and might I add mastermind?) Tabitha Emma.  I asked her if we could get the 411 on her...

Tabitha Emma is a unique and innovative Australian label creating original, novelty bags and purses for the young at heart.

Designs are based heavily on childhood memories using cupcakes, ice creams and tea cups and other such evocative ideas for inspiration.

Tabitha herself comes from the outskirts of Sydney. After being trained at the internationally renowned Whitehouse Institute of Design in Fashion, she became unintentionally unemployed....

Tabitha then decided to embrace the exciting international marketplace of the internet. Now she combines her love for all things sweet and delicious with her awesome design and sewing skills; thus presenting Tabitha Emma.

Besides Tabitha's  sense of humor and obvious talent, I love the idea of making happy art.  It seems that there's an upswing of happy art out there and people don't feel it necessary to be tortured to find their creative muse.  I love that she is inspired by things she loves like cupcakes, ice cream and tea cups!  I also love the aged backgrounds and her colors are divine...

You can find her at her Etsy shop Tabitha Emma, where I suggest that you go before the rest of the world catches on...

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?....

I know that many of you have Etsy shops or shop at Etsy.  I found something the other day that might delight both of your types, it called 'Etsy Tools', it's not affiliated with Etsy but inspired by it.  If you check out their site it gives you a running update of the Etsy top Sellers for each day and also gives those interested in shopping an idea of whom might be a good person to buy from.  I myself have yet to see my name on those big, beautiful graph bars, but I hope that one day, just one day, it may happen... For Etsy Sellers they also have the 'Heart-o-Matic' feature which will give you a list of all your store items, how many views and how many hearts!  You can check it out for yourself here.

I was wandering around the web looking as usual for something else, I think it was a Gocco tutorial and I came upon some sweet Etsy advice.  Here's some tips on tagging

Here's a creative way to style your photo's, sometimes you forget that you aren't the only seller on Etsy (it's easy to when your main concern is just trying to get the image in focus, let alone up on the site), but the people that actually take their time to style usually have some booming business.  This has some great styling tips...

For those of you that REALLY want to do your own styling thing, I know a lot of peeps are moving over to Big Cartel, where it actually looks like your very own site, no pre-imposed color schemes, etc.  If I would have known about them before I started on the uphill creative endeavor of the Bella Bella co. site I may have made the move myself, but I am completely vested now with both Etsy and my own site that a move for me wouldn't make sense. This is a Big Cartel site:

As you can see besides the url which is usually: www.yourname.bigcartel.com (like Etsy) the site looks like it's your very own!  Completely customizable.  PLUS you don't have to give them a fee for each sale. You can visit Big Cartel here.

Well, I hope this was informative for y'all, have a happy Tuesday!:)

I AM JUST CUCKOO FOR.....

Is it Sunday already? Geez, how the weekend just swooshes by.  This must mean that it is time for me to post some of my fave finds at Etsy that I wish I would have thought of and since I didn't now I want!

This is from Etsian 'Pretty Cheap' (she's not kidding, everything is priced to sell!).  These invites are killer:

She calls them 'Ransom Invites', I call them brilliant!  I think these would be really funny for our engagement party, but that's only because we are a little 'off'....If you would like your own invites be sure and stop by Pretty Cheap

Not content this week with just one fab find, I also found this that tickled my fancy:

This is a silk-screened paper cuckoo clock!  How smart is this idea?  How fun?  I think this would be great in a hipster kids room.  This is by Etsy seller Decoylab.  I have to get going, enough procrastination for me today, I have a pile of custom engagement and wedding requests that I have to start working on and I must try to force some creativeness to squeeze from my brain to delight all the future Mrs...

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE...

I noticed that my stats fall considerably on Sunday, so that must mean that no ones reading and I don't have to try hard to amuse anybody.  So I decided to amuse myself, yes, I did think about putting up a 'Gone fishin'' sign but that would be cheating because I am trying to keep my big 'ol resolution of updating the blog daily.  This category should be called, 'Shucks, why didn't I think of that?' but since I didn't I want to highlight people that did.  This is my first in a series of Sunday's post on Etsy items that are so wonderful that I wish I a) had one b) thought it up myself. 

The one above is from a very cool company out of Montreal called Purpose Design, it is a magnetic, test tube spice rack.  I know the test tubes aren't original and Dean + Deluca did this ages ago:

But Dean + Deluca's is $150 big ones! And it's not magnetic and who has the counter space?  I think theirs is for looking at where Purpose Designs, well they may actually cook...