Shop Handmade

By now, I think most people have at least heard of Etsy.  The handmade marketplace is certainly growing and it’s amazing to see all the creative talent there is out there.  I read some interesting facts about Etsy and it's growth here on the Flourishing Abode.

Picking out the perfect gift for someone is something I really enjoy and today I wanted to take the time to remind you all to consider buying handmade for all your gift giving this holiday season. It’s almost impossible not to find that perfect gift for someone on Etsy.   
I got to thinking.  Pinterest and Etsy would go great hand-in-hand for holiday shopping.  Just about everyone you know is on Pinterest, right?  Why not ask your friends and family to create a pin board wish list and Etsy is the perfect place to start.  Etsy is full of beautiful photos and if pinned correctly, it’s linked right to the place to buy it and the price is listed right there on the pin.
Are you new to Etsy or are you interested in exploring new shops? Here is a list of some of my favorite shops on Etsy.

The Merriweather Council
I was just introduced to this shop recently through April Starr of Flourishing Abode. How could I have missed such a wonderful place? She has all sorts of brightly colored and fun embroidered necklaces! These aren't your grandmother's embroideries! She makes necklaces, personalized wall art and Christmas ornaments.  I can’t wait to own one for myself!

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Flourish Cafe
April Starr has to be one of my all time top fav people of this decade! She runs a fabulous blog called the Flourishing Abode, she's the owner of this great Etsy store and she contributes her awesome knowledge all over the internet these days. She has a blog definitely worth reading.

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Fabric Paper Glue
Here is another of my fav people, the cutest little pixie fashionista I've ever seen. Mandy of Fabric Paper Glue has such a great signature style that you can find in her shop or on her blog where you are sure to fall in love with her too. Any item in her shop would be a nice gift for the fashion forward gal in your life.

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Clockwork Universe
Follow me on Pinterest and it won’t take long to figure out that I’m so in love right now with vintage clocks. I’ve got a few favorites on my list from this shop, they’re all so handsome.  I don’t think I could ever pick just one.  Most of these are from the Soviet Union period.  I love this little bit from the seller’s profile, “The Clockwork Universe is a theory, established by Isaac Newton, as to the origins of the universe. A "clockwork universe" can be thought of as being a clock wound up by God and ticking along, as a perfect machine, with its gears governed by the laws of physics.”

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Happy Deliveries
Oh how I love Letterpress!  I especially love this shop’s story of it’s name.  These prints make great gifts for the hard to shop for person.  I bought a print from Happy Deliveries a while back for my pastor’s wife when she was pregnant.  It said, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”  Beautiful addition to a nursery, the print came quickly and packaged with great care.  I can’t wait to finally have one for myself.

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Bean Forest
Bean Forest has a crazy large selection of fun and quirky pins perfect for stocking stuffers or small gifts.  You may have a lot of fun reading through each of his hilarious pins and find yourself ordering a few for yourself.  I have many of his buttons and I’m always seeing more I want.  If you head over to his shop, reserve about an hour to read through and laugh at some pretty funny stuff.

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Catherine Marissa
What woman doesn’t like jewelry?  I love these dainty pieces in her shop and I would love to add them to my jewelry collection.  The selection in her shop makes it easy to pick out the perfect gift because any of these sweet pieces would work for dressing up or down.  You can’t go wrong in this shop!

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One Garnet Girl
If I ever get married again, I would love to have one of these rings as my engagement ring and wedding band.  After awhile, all engagement rings look the same but you can’t beat a one of a kind handmade wedding set.  How special would that be?  I have my eye on a set in particular and maybe one day I’ll be wearing it.  Bonus: All her items are always shipped to you for free!

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Monster Gallery
Now here’s a little something for the guys.  I’m sure one of these movie posters is your guy’s favorite film.  Mine personally is Pee-Wee, I bought that print for my boys room.  I also love all the Wes Anderson prints.  Definitely a unique addition to the man cave.

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Free Forged
A couple years ago, I bought the little black coal earrings pictured above and they quickly became my favorite pair.  They went with everything, but one day I lost one.  I emailed the seller to tell her how heartbroken I was to lose it and if she would considered making me another.  She was more than happy to and even offered to give it to me for free with the purchase of another item in her shop.  Now that is excellent customer service!  I still wear these earrings quite often.  They are so beautiful!

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I hope you’ve found a new favorite shop or two and maybe I was able to give you some ideas for gifts, too.  Who are some of your favorite shops?  Found anything interesting on Etsy lately?  Or perhaps you’ve got your own Etsy shop you’d like to share?
Feel free to share the Shop Handmade graphic on your site or blog and pin away!  Please remember to credit me for the work. ;)