St. Paddy's Day: Wear Green from Etsy!

Handpicked on Etsy

Saint Patrick's Day is March 17th, a festival originally associated with the color blue. In the 17th Century, the shamrock, which was supposedly employed by Saint Patrick as a teaching tool to explain the Holy Trinity, was adopted as the symbol of the holiday, and shamrock-green became the iconic color. What began in the middle ages as a religious holiday honouring St. Paddy, evolved into a day of feast and gradually became a day of revelry, parades, beer drinking and, throughout the Irish diaspora, a salute to Celtic roots and culture. In modern day America, our custom is to wear the touch of green or suffer the penalty of getting pinched. Inspired by the "wearing of the green" tradition, today I searched on Etsy for adornments in this hue, and found these accessories in a variety of media that would be wonderful additions to a wardrobe and will always come in handy for Saint Patrick's Day. Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listings. Prices range from $12.00 to $228.00

From top left to bottom right, today's featured artisans include: twoknit, gurlygirl, KnotOriginal, JurgitaMi, Bijouxdart, cocon, amityjoy, galit

Synesthesia & Musical Inspiration on Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy

If you hear a sound and concomitantly sense a color, you have a rare condition known as synesthesia. An example might be the musical note middle C provoking you to envision the color red. Such perceptions are involuntary physical responses to auditory stimuli versus examples of conscious response to sensory input. For whatever reason, the word synesthesia popped into my mind today and led me to wonder what I'd find searching it on Etsy. While I only came upon one artist who has the unusual phsysical syndrome, I found others who were intellectually inspired by a specific piece of music and applied their response in their creations. Working in various media, today's featured artists tell a musical story in these pieces. Click on the pictures to go directly to each listing and discover which piece of music inspired these creations! Prices range from $11.11 to $430.00.

From top left to bottom right, today's featured artists include: wschweizer, bjwcreative, AncaNY, debrasoriginals, wifflestudios, InvisibleFountain, Rodiegear, 3crows, klaart, debrasoriginals

Beetles: Insect Fascination on Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy: Scarab beetles in ancient Eqypt symbolized the transformation of life, and became an iconic motif for artifacts including amulets, talismans and jewelry. Nowadays, the word "beetle" is more frequently associated with the famed rock band, The Beatles, or with the "bug" auto by Volkswagon, than with the insect. Living, crawling weavils and everyday beetles are typically dismissed as mere pests in modern life, but artisans have long recognized intriguing manifestations of color and form displayed in this class of insects. Today I searched for examples of beetle-inspired creations on Etsy and came across these lovely examples of jewelry and pictorial artwork. Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listings. Prices range from $14.00 to $48.00.

From top left to bottom row, today's featured artists include: aquakej, enchantedbeas, banastrudel, redfoxjewelry, tarabrisbine, sugarandfig, honeybeeceramics, mietoile

The Handmade Pledge: Ethics & a Buyer's Viewpoint

Handpicked on Etsy by Plumberry

Indie versus mass produced: The issue has been much debated on the Etsy forums, and I'm among the many who would love to see the Etsy administration re-affirm its core value by either banning mass-market goods that are unaltered by the artisan, or by creating a separate category for factory-made, just as they've done for vintage. What inspired me today was a convo from a buyer who's been a fan of my shops, and who got so frustrated when she was shopping on Etsy the other day that she stopped searching and created a treasury to show her support of true indie design, showcasing the items featured here today. Then, she went to the forums and posted about what it means to a buyer to be able to trust in Etsy's "handmade pledge." Here's that thread: Buyer Beef

Debates aside, I was very flattered to be included in Plumberry's treasury, among these other talented Etsy sellers. Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listings. Prices range from $10.00 to $500.00

From top left to bottom right, today's featured artists include: jingjingdesign, Ellita, TwoSecrets, pompompurses, triciahoke, arianemariane, fuzzystuff, babinka1981, ModernEraDesign, daintythings, blackberrypatch, KatsaraYarns

Quest for Success on Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy
Newcomers to Etsy are showcased today, artists whose talent has yet to be fully recognized and rewarded. Despite obvious skill and quality workmanship, these sellers have made very few or, in some cases, zero sales. When seaching through Pounce for extraordinary work, it can be challenging not to give up after the 5th or 6th page of search results, but a little extra patience today led me to these diverse finds. This blog was born last year of my desire to raise the bar on Etsy, so I hope this mention will bring these largely undiscovered sellers some encouragement and, better yet, a few more visitors and buzz to their Etsy stores. Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listing. Prices $40.50 to $245.00.
From left to right, today's featured artisans include: mintonsparks, mikandnora, LillyLan, vbdesigns, TwoSecrets, fix8ion

Valentine's Day Part 2: Unisex Gifts to Share with Dudes from Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy

Affordable pleasures that work for either gender are today's theme. Valentine's Day is about friendship, romance, shared love and admiration. What could be more fun than to share a cool handcrafted treasure with your honey? All of today's showcased pieces are surprisingly affordable, so you needn't break the bank to indulge in something unique for your special valentine. Using their chosen materials in clever ways to optimize both budget and artistry, these designers achieve a modern, organic aesthetic in these pieces. Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listings. Prices range from $9.99 to $45.00.

From top left to bottom right, today's featured artisans include: makethisyourown, BlackDaisyDesigns, paintedmetal, TheBishopNine, mofei, sewluytionsbyamo, TheBishopNine, thebeadedlily