Apartment Therapy is hosting a competition during the month of February called Do It Now and the best entries will be posted on the Etsy Blog! The contest invites you to tackle one small DIY household project, whether it's building an organizer, painting a bureau, or rewiring your home theater.
Tantalizing shopping sprees will be the top prizes. Learn more about Do It Now by clicking here! -- Victoria
While opinions obviously differ, the whole country seems to be united in the excitement surrounding the Barack Obama inauguration.
Today on Etsy Thursday we're going to check out a few items that individuals have made to show their support for America's new president.
The first item, above, is an red and white striped Obama tank.
Instead of a standard t-shirt, you can wear this, show your support, and still stay girlie.
The most interesting thing about this tank is that it was created by penninah in Gottingen, Germany to wear to an Obama speech in Berlin, Germany last July. (She never wore it, so it's new.)
The whole world seems to be celebrating with us!
penninah only wants $12 for the shirt. A steal! Or steal her idea and make one for yourself!
Here's a necklace that makes a statement.
It's called the Barack Obama Memory Frame and it's 1.5" x 1.5", with one side containing an inauguration photo and the other side containing the number 44, for 44th president.
It's suspended from a 24 inch silver-tone chain. blinkphoto is selling it for $18.
Signed and numbered, this Obama Bag is one-of-a-kind and made out of leather, with a collage of the headlines from the day after the election.
It's pricey at $200, but it's a true collector's item.
12"x5", with removable strap and magnetic closure, it's the creation of ArmandoJavierDesign and his post says it will appear in the March issue of Ebony magazine.
Let your dog carry the message!
Nothing would be cuter than this Labs For Obama 2 1/4" badge/pin affixed to man's best friend's harness.
Even better, seller thedogcoatlady has individualized Obama buttons for Westies, Afgans, Cocker Spaniels, Dachshunds, Corgis, Pugs -- and I'll bet she'd make one for your breed or mutt if you say the word.
Best of all? They're only $1!
Above is a pretty-in-pink political statement that will keep you fashionable as well as socially aware.
It's the 3/4" Obama Girl Scrabble Tile Pendant Necklace that comes with a free 24" silver-plated ball chain which can be cut down to your desired length.
Bumblebeadzzz2007 is selling them for $6.75. That's a deal!
Matching Obama tees for you and your honey or BFF!
What we like about this tee is that it comes in both unisex and girls' styles from blackbirdtees.
This limited edition shirt is hand-illustrated in layers of vintage black and white ink, and printed on American Apparel 50/50 heather black tees. It's $23.
Goes with everything!
That's it for Etsy Thursday. While you're enjoying the re-runs of the We Are One Obama concert, don't forget to surf Etsy -- and make plans to open your own Etsy store.
Why not, you crafty princess? --Belissa
It's Thursday, the day we wander Etsy.com looking for the interesting and unusual among the handmade goods for sale there.
If you didn't already know, Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. There are over 2,000,000 items for sale by 200,000 sellers from around the world.
The variety and creativity of the merchandise is astounding! And generally very reasonably priced, as well.
Anyone can have an Etsy store, and sell handmade creations or found objects.
The Golden Leaves Earrings, above, a cluster of gold-plated leaves, are just $10 from TheSilverDog.
Above is a Sparkling Czech Pendant With Filigree Necklace in green, but you can choose from green, red, pink, blue, aqua, lime, black, or smokey amethyst and it will be made just for you.
Liliswan makes them for $32.
PoorRobin calls the piece above the Elves Took My Lunch Money Bracelet. I think it looks amazing the way she's combined leather and button stacks. Quirky and lovely, and $20.
I'm not sure what this Golden Yellow Glamorous Baroque Style Pendant Necklace is made of, but it's lovely as well. Applepieorder has hung it on a 20" silver-colored chain and is selling it for $24.50.
A locket opens so that you can put a tiny picture (your honey, your mom, your pet) inside, and this Candy Jade Locket from JuicieJulz is 1"x1" and hangs on an 18" chain.
The pink bead attached is a a deep bubblegum pink candy jade briolette. JuicieJulz has other styles, but this one is $22.
That's a wrap on Etsy Thursday. See you back here same time next week for more Etsy creations.
Meanwhile, get crafting! --Belissa
It's almost revolutionary to the world of artists, designers, crafters, and home sewers.
Now you can design your own fabric, anything you can dream up, and have it printed by Spoonflower.com for the reasonable price of $18 per yard, no minimum!
Your personal design is printed on quilting-weight cotton, your satisfaction is guaranteed, and the turnaround is fast. You can order a sample swatch for $5.
You could order enough for one pillow, one dress, or a line of handbags.
Plus, for sale at Spoonflower Fabric Shop on craft site Etsy.com are some of the Spoonflower fabric designs, or you could open your own Etsy store and sell your own fabric designs.
Truly imaginative, unusual fabric is hard to find at such a reasonable price, so Spoonflower is likely to be the next big thing for creative types.
If you've ever thought about becoming a professional Textile Designer, FIDM has programs in both Surface Design and Knit Design.--Belissa
It's Etsy Thursday, the day we highlight creative and unusual finds from the indie stores on Etsy.com.
Anyone can have a store on Etsy, and the majority of the goods are either hand-made by individuals or found at garage and estate sales and thrift shops.
We thought that after spending the last few weeks in the mall shopping for X-Mas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa, we'd get some retail relief by checking out what Etsy has to offer in the vintage department.
What we found was quite a peculiar mix of the curious and crazy!
Above is a vintage piece of jewelry described as a Floral Egg Vintage Pendant. It's smaller than it looks -- just 1 1/4" high -- but it's delightful and kitschy and something you'd only find in the past.
It's $12 from WhitebirdDesign and it comes on a 24" goldtone chain.
We know one thing -- this floral egg would make an outfit! What a conversation piece!
Above is a green and white 1940s Vintage Tablecloth in fairly good shape, size 52" x 64" oval. Fishlegs is selling it for $16 and it's definitely a one-of-a-kind find. Perfect for a summer tea or picnic.
These vintage Blue Glam Earrings are not something you're gonna find at Forever 21.
They're the traditional clip-on style that predates pierced ears.
Can't you see them with a simple white spring dress and espadrilles? OneBlessedMess is selling them for only $5.
O.K., we -- I -- am officially in love with this wacky Vintage Leaf Headpiece.
It's in such perfect condition for a vintage piece, and would make any girl look like a woodsy nymph.
The only question: where does one go looking like a woodsy nymph?
elizabethwrenvintage is selling this perfect specimen for $26 -- a total bargain when you think about trying to find something like it in this condition on your own. A true vintage treasure!
Just LOOK at these Yellow Frill Dishes! Are they not the sweetest things you've ever seen?
There are four and they measure 6" in diameter, perfect for a tiny spot of dessert or a tea cake. ricracandbuttons is selling the set for $36.50.
Not only that, but if yellow's not your thing, ricracandbuttons has a set of four Green Frilly Dishes for sale as well, for the same price.
Below are a mixed set of Pretty in Pink Vintage Buttons. Though they don't all match, they'd look great mixed-and-matched on a sweater or blouse, using all different hues and sizes of pink buttons.
Hey, and elizabethwrenvintage is selling them for only $5 -- far below the cost of modern buttons at the fabric store.
With today's wacky collection of items, it just goes to show, anything goes on Etsy! --Belissa
It's the holidays, and chances are you'll go visiting.
Maybe for a week, maybe for just one evening, but it's a good bet you'll be in someone else's cozy slice of home in the next few weeks.
When you go visiting, it's always nice to bring something, whether that be freshly baked cookies, a scented candle, or something to make your host or hostess's home more cozy, hospitable, and welcoming.
Miss Manners Tip: Never bring flowers to a party unless you bring something to put them in -- racing around looking for the right vase takes the hostess away from her hostessing duties. Muy mal!
Above is a folksy Red Poppy Vase you could bring if you fancied flowers as a hostess gift. It's a large vase, about 13" high x 6" wide, and will hold a whole bouquet of flowers. It's handmade by Station1528 who's selling it for $84. It's one-of-a-kind.
Anther vase -- this one for someone with more modern taste. It's made of metal with cutouts on the side.
They're made from scraps of metal from tractor seats. A guy (or girl!) could find scraps of metal, take a welding class, and have a home accessories business.
Flowers can be arranged to appear out of the tops or through the holes in the sides of this vase. Round plastic inserts inside the vases hold water.
They come in a number of sizes. This Sandstone Patina Flower Vase is 8 inches tall, but the color and size are all customizable by MichaelDanielMetal, the creator.
Many houses are seriously in need of clocks. If you know of one, this cool 1961/68 International Truck Hubcap Clock could really rock your host's world.
The clock is a 10" round International truck hubcap, with all the interesting dings and nicks that come with an original vintage piece. Talk about recycling!
The clock is made by 8milecreeekdesigns, is only $37, and runs on one AA battery.
Coasters are boring ... but necessary. Who wants moisture rings on their beloved coffee table?
If you have to use coasters, they might as well double as art.
These Record Letterpress Coasters are hand-made on a letter-press machine, and they'll last through several events, according to SarahParrott825, who makes them herself.
And no two are exactly, exactly alike!
She's selling 8 handmade coasters for $12, and they come packaged in a brown craft box & tied with green grosgrain ribbon. What a festive hostess gift!
We've all seen photo coasters, but these Custom Photo Coasters are strictly gourmet.
They're customized with YOUR photos that you send to theperfectgiftshop, a girl who attaches them to travertine, a stone material.
Here is how she describes her coasters:
"Pictures can be in black/white, sepia, or in color.
I will crop your e-mailed pictures to 4 x4.
Since travertine is a natural material, there will be small holes and crevices on the surface that add charm to the coasters.
The surface is sealed with three coats of sealer.
Each coaster is backed with four thick felt circles to protect your furniture."
They're pricey, at $18, but a lot of work goes into making them.
Any host or hostess would be blown away by a coaster featuring a pic of her pet, her house, or her favorite performer!
They aren't just for grandchildren anymore!
If you're interested in home accessories, and making a home cozy and warm, or wild and wacky, you might be a great candidate to become an Interior Designer.
Check FIDM's program to see if Interior Design is where you belong!
Well, this wraps up Etsy Thursday on Fashion Club Daily.
I hope I've inspired you to take your own creativity in hand and either make your own host/hostess gifts this holiday season or buy them from the indie vendors of Etsy.com.--Belissa
It's Thursday, and that's the day we highlight handmade goods from Etsy.com, a site where anyone can have a store of their own and creativity abounds.
This week we were inspired to focus on "calling cards," what might otherwise be called "business cards" if you had a business.
But these are purely to convey your personal information, and show off your personality as you do it.
And they come in so handy around holiday time, when we meet so many people at various soirees, don't you know. (Soiree is French for some sort of social gathering.)
A calling card can be anything you want it to be, give as much or as little information as you please, and there are lots of choices on Etsy.
We couldn't help starting with this personal calling card, above, because it's so beautifully vintage. Quelle fantastique!
EnfinLaViola makes them, $10 for 20 cards, and she's based in Belgium. How exotique!
I love these BIG NAME CARDS because they're just so simple, sophisticated, and they make your name so easy to remember.
They'd be perfect for me, because I have an odd name.
They're available in green, red, peach, chocolate, blue, and orange, or a combo!
30 cards go for $10, but if you'd like a larger quantity PeonyPaperie will be happy to work with you.
I had to highlight these -- it's such a cool idea. Matchbook Cards!
I do have cards, and they're always going all over the place. Plus, no card case needed!
Storybymia will make you 18 cards (six in each of three matchbooks) for $25. If that's pricey, 50 non-matchbook cards are $25.
If you have lots of information, you might need a double-sided card -- whether rectangular or round. But these round cards are the bomb, aren't they? candicenkatiesart makes them, 36 cards for $11.
You don't have to be someone's mom to need a fabulous calling card with all your phone, fax, and email info!
The way I see it, these blank eye cards are kind of the opposite of calling cards. Totally useful!
Instead of having someone write their name on a scrap of paper that falls to the bottom of your purse, you have they write their name and info on this little card, and you put it back in its case so you don't lose it.
How practical!
This version is by PressaRussa and comes in a set of 12 letterpress cards and a coordinating pouch for $17.50.
That rounds up Etsy Thursday. If you go to Etsy.com right now and order some calling cards of your own, you might have them in time for all those holiday festivities.
On the other hand, perhaps this week's Etsy post has given you the
oomph to go to the computer or drawing pad and develop cards of your
own design! Get busy, all you future Graphic Artists & Designers! --Belissa
In honor of the film Beverly Hills Chihuahua, opening soon, I've decided to highlight Etsy sellers who create clothes for dogs. Did I say I have four rescued Chihuahuas?
The creators of the film, Disney, is staging an event where moviegoers can bring their Chihuahuas all dressed up. Fun!
Here is some of the stuff they could wear to an event, or anywhere.
Below is a Brick Red Knit Heart Sweater created by BrightLight, ridiculously inexpensive at $14. Any Chi owner would know that a hand-knit sweater like this would sell for several times more in a pet boutique.
I wish I had the t-shirt below for one of my little ones to wear at the party. Bad2TheBone is selling this Queen Tank for only $12!
The Doggie Shrug below was created by YarnPaintings, who only began knitting four years ago when her mom was diagnosed with cancer. She knitted when accompanying her mother to her doctor's appointments. Four years later she's already making her own patterns!
The Shrug is a bargain at $20! If YarnPaintings can do it, so can you!
Some people like to dress their little dogs in dresses, and I must confess that I have done it myself, with misgivings. However, the Minnie Dress below, by preciouspupsboutique, is pretty hard to resist. It has an applique of Disney's Minnie Mouse on the bodice, and comes with a matching bow and pink leash. And can you believe it's only $12.50?
The creator of this dress did a fabulous job, and I bet you could do the same.
What pooch wouldn't want to party in the Pooch Pizazz collar? Created by bagsandmorebypam, it's great for pets who hate wearing clothes, because it's not constricting in any way. Pam did a great job!
Here's something for the boys: Even a guy dog would be party-appropriate in this Yellow Recycled Cashmere Dog Sweater with Green Trim. It's by kippyandco and it's $35, which is actually quite reasonable for a cashmere dog sweater (they tend to get super-expensive.)
It would be worth a trip to Goodwill or Salvation Army to pick up an old cashmere sweater and turn it into something that would look great on your (or someone else's) dog!
And, in case you're wondering, four Chihuahuas is far too many! --Belissa
It's Etsy Thursday, the day we showcase handmade items for sale on Etsy.com. Anyone can open a store on Etsy, where you can sell handmade or found items.
This time we decided to showcase the creativity candle-crafters have put into their work.
The first object we're showing off, above, is not a candle, but it is candle-related. It's a Multi-Colored Sea Glass Votive Holder made out of recycled glass by SeaFindDesigns. They glow while the candle is burning, and they're $38.
Below is something really creative. Someone found a vintage teacup and turned it into a Vintage Teacup Vanilla Scented Soy Candle, and it's only $12 from ZuzusPetalsCreations. What a lovely gift this would make!
Another cool idea you could "cook up" at home are these Soy Candles - Highly Scented - Vegan by ajscountrycottage. Average burn time is 60+ hours, and they're made with clean-burning soy wax and lead-free cotton wicks. They're $7.95, with lots of scent choices.
The votive holder below, Pink Cherubs Crystal Votive, by nuyoricangreetings, has been decorated with cherubs and crystals in pink, gray, and peach. It's a simple project to make, and it's being sold for $15.
The last item below is something I've never seen before. It's a gel candle, which the seller, jotaysgel, claims will burn 2 to 3 times longer than a wax candle, and will give off more scent. Because of the clarity of the gel, it gives off more than 40% more luminescence than regular paraffin wax.
This is a 10 oz Red Rose Gel Candle with a red glass rose embedded in the candle. It's $12. But think of all the possibilities -- all the non-flammable objects you could embed in a gel candle. What a fun project to do!
Candle-making was always great fun in our family. Why did we ever stop doing it? Probably because there was no Etsy.
Well, now it's your turn! Get creative! --Belissa
It's Etsy Thursday, the day when we highlight handmade or found items for sale on Etsy.com.
Etsy is a great site not only to sell or find handmade jewelry, clothing, and more, it's a great site to buy and sell vintage items. And buying vintage is earth-friendly, because it's recycling!
If you're a great thrift- or yard-sale- shopper, you might want to open an Etsy store and sell the things you've gathered in your travels.
For instance, RemainsToBeSeen is selling this Vintage '40s Leopard Swing Fur Muff Purse for $50. If you're a savvy shopper, you can find cool things like this at estate sales, garage sales, yard sales, and thrift stores for a song, then turn them around for a few extra bucks.
Etsy seller Valeriellen is offering this Vintage Sears Tower Box Camera for only $12. It's not only a cool object to display on a shelf at a great price, it also might still take interesting pictures on film -- remember film?
VintageNotionsLady is selling this Vintage 1979 McCall's 6849 Pattern For Hat and Belt Accessories for only $4. Someone crafty -- you or a friend -- could have a blast making the hats and belts from this pattern.
Hey, then you could sell them on Etsy!
What a bargain, and a bit of clever thrifting!
Alleycatsvintage is offering this super-hip Vintage 1960s Hand-Loomed Dark Madras Shirtwaist Dress in size 36B for $28. It looks like it still includes the matching belt.
Perfect for back-to-school!
Etsy seller Bruklars is featuring this Black Swirl Vintage Millinery Hat for $39. It would go great with an LBD (Little Black Dress.)
Etsy.com's Vintage section goes to show that even if you don't sew, knit, crochet, draw, or paint anything, your great eye for style can bring you extra cash.
You can start with the garage sales in your neighborhood this weekend! --Belissa
