Memorial Day Sale

Sales and special promotions abound today on Etsy, and my shop is included. Today's promotions:


♥ 20% off all Shadowboxes


♥ Free Shipping on all Jewelry


♥ Buy One Get One Free on all Photography & Prints


Update: My Memorial Day sale has yielded one sale so far... my Sweet Honey in the Rock necklace has found a new home in Texas!

Vikings are the New Pirates

... but pirates are still pretty bad-ass. For proof, check out my Anne Bonny necklace, named for the baddest bitch to sail the seven seas.

However, I grudgingly admit that Jack Sparrow and his ilk must move over and make room for fearsome Norse warriors. I think Led Zeppelin summed it up best:

"We come from the land of the ice and snow,

From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.

The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,

To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming! "

You can really get into the spirit with a hand-forged Thor's Hammer necklace from WhiteHartForge. Smashingly authentic.

If you're willing to shell out the big bucks, you can rock out in true Viking style in a ceremonial Viking helm from TomBanwell. You can find more information on his off-Etsy website.

For your more delicate Viking side, Excely has a beautiful Viking ship necklace.

Even the kiddies can get in on the action with one of Blennox's Viking finger puppets or a Viking backpack from HerzensArt.

And if you want to display your Viking pride on your walls, check out this fantastic Viking ship print from DeLaRenaissance.

More pictures coming soon!

Images used with artists' permission.

"Everyone Should Have One"

This post was inspired by a recent Etsy purchase I made. I ordered a blue kaleidoscope pendant from BlossomArts, and it is beautiful. When leaving feedback, I felt compelled to mention that everyone should have one. Then I polled the Etc. forum folk to find out what other people think everyone should have one of. This is what they had to say:

weaselbunny says:
I had a custom scrabble necklace made of my Etsy avatar. I had visions of all Etsians wearing them at craft fairs and such so we could recognize eachother ;)http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11758217
Seller: BrownEyedPeas

stoopidgerl says:
Everyone needs a FatDaddy cupcake. ;o) YUM!!!!!!http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5235881
Seller: FatDaddyBakeShop

LoveMeKnotCreations says:
cause you just never know...http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11723242
Seller: DippyLuLu

AliciaBock says:
I have at least 10 of these headbands, to match every outfit http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10830600 I couldn't make it through the summer without them.
Seller: Nestlings

sproutonline says:
This soap seriously made my complexion infinitely, better! I will never use anything else!! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11499709
Seller: AromaticBodyOils

And finally,

fruition says:
Tooth chips-this totally made my teeth healthier and less sensitive it's not as harsh as regular tooth paste and it makes my teeth feel squeaky clean! http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10856675
Seller: RoseofSharonAcres

More pictures coming soon!

Images used with artists' permission.

The Owl Tree

I have been a long-time owl aficionado. These days it seems you can find owls perched in just about every retail location imaginable, and Etsy is certainly no exception. A plethora of owls are just waiting to fly home with you!

Get a set of four colorful owl gocco prints from KerryBeary.



SweetBabu's barn owl t-shirt reminds me of the awesome owl from The Labyrinth. SweetBabu's Julie says, "The only thing that comes to mind regarding owls is their global presence. From my home in the chilly Northwest to the tropics of Panama. How beautiful they all are! I also sell vintage owl decor regularly in my shared vintage etsy site: www.astelier.etsy.com."



The hammered silver owl earrings in MelanieFavreau's shop are a modern twist on a classic image.



1AEON's black and gold owl face tote is fierce!


Images used with the artists' permission.

Faux Lascaux

The beautiful cave paintings in Lascaux, France were discovered in 1940 by a group of teens. The paintings are believed to be around 16, 000 years old. Their discovery taught us that artistic expression is at the root of human civilization.

I found a couple great Etsy sellers with items reminiscent of the Lascaux cave paintings:

The first to catch my eye was AThousandHorse, with bold, primitive-style ink drawings of prancing horses.

I then fell in love with the work of MorrisPottery. Their covetable plates, bowls, and vases are emblazoned with totemic animal designs on stoneware that seems chipped from the walls of an ancient cave.

Images used with the artists' permission.

Custom Couture

I find it strangely satisfying to respond, "It's handmade" when people inquire about a piece I'm wearing. Since discovering the handmade mecca known as Etsy in 2007, I have stumbled upon enough fantastic jewelry makers, purse designers, tailors, seamstresses, and dressmakers to overhaul even the most discerning dandy's wardrobe.


MadeWithLoveByHannah features some very cool, fairy tale-inspired handprinted skirts. Some of the scenes include Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel. She also prints skirts with scherenschnitte, a traditional German paper-cutting technique.

MissBrache creates all kinds of clothes, but her most notable productions are her sexy, retro-inspired swimsuits. She custom-makes them according to measurements you send her.

For the menfolk, ToyBreaker hand-silkscreens neckties and accessories. I never thought neckties could be cool until I found this shop. They have a variety of tie materials to choose from (microfiber, silk, cotton) and dozens of edgy designs.

In the sea of purse sellers on Etsy, TheOtherSister stands out with her gorgeous botanical handbags, which look like bouquets of blossoms, and her geek-chic Bibliogirl line of surprisingly sexy leatherbound book-shaped purses.

JaneBonBon specializes in dresses and skirts for plus-sized women. She accepts custom measurements for some of her designs, including her sexy housewife-style red polkadot dress.

BotanicalBird's shop features beautiful, nature-inspired jewelry, like her intricate Scarab's Garden necklace.

And for the earthy types, EarthGarden creates handmade leather "elf boots," which resemble knee-high moccasins. You can choose from a variety of colors.

And the moral of the story is... whatever you're looking for, you can probably find it on Etsy. Not only will you have awesome stuff that no one else has, you'll also be supporting an indie business. Buy handmade!