Social Marketplace: The Buzzing Bustling Bazaar of Etsy

Molten River
Nuno Scarf by Andria Senini
www.katsarayarns.etsy.com

Traditional marketplaces bustle with social interactions between friendly competitors and customers. The virtual Etsy marketplace has captured some of that character with recent site changes such as circles and the new treasuries.

Now that Etsy has enabled a much wider range of work to appear in treasuries, artisans are less dependant on bloggers for promotional mention.  Members can now easily generate their own showcases to promote each other and themselves, and so I no longer feel as motivated to use this blog for highlighting undiscovered artisans since they can easily do that for themselves anytime they wish.

And so, my new direction for EtsyLounge will be a little more personal, featuring my treasuries and including occasional personal reflections about the artisanal life. I hope readers will chime in with their own thoughts and experiences, share links to their own blogs or stores.

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

Haiti Relief: Compassion and Generosity on Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy

Moved by the horrendous disaster in Haiti earlier this week, Etsy artists have joined in the effort to raise funds for relief. The first two showcased items are being donated from my own stores, and many independent sellers are doing likewise. Other sellers are participating in group efforts such as HeartsforHaiti. There are beautiful creations in all categories and at all price ranges to be found on Etsy's search pages, using the search term "Haiti" or "Haiti relief." We can all participate with our purchases and our donations. Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listings. Prices range from $6.50 to $45.00
From to left to bottom right, today's Etsy artists include: Piacere, Katsarayarns, mizumizu, botanicalbird, sweetbriars, myadobecottage, littlebirdcreations, amyjoavnet

Huge Scale: Enormity on Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy
Scale is about the size of things in relation to other things. In design, we primarily strive for balance, combining large, medium and small elements in pleasing proportions. But some rules are meant to be broken, right? Sometimes there is a place for bold, outsized proportions that draw attention, make a big statement and introduce a dose of panache and humor. Today I looked for Etsy artists who aren't afraid of big scale and pulled it off beautifully with these eight creations. Click on the pictures to see these listings and more from these artisans. Prices range from $24.00 to $499.99. From top left to bottom right, today's featured Etsy artists include: QuilJewelry, TianaCHE, calexandra, WinchesterPottery, pipertree, chicallure, drobart, couvert
~~HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY, AND ALL THE BEST IN 2010!~~

Gift Season: Window Shopping on Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy
Holiday gift shopping moves into high gear this year on November 27th. Shoppers will flock to malls and retail centers seeking the perfect gift for all on their list. Maneuvering through crowds hunting for unique items or bargains may have charm for some, but if you're like me, it can be a frustrating process that can lead to panic as the holiday draws near. Browsing through Etsy listings today makes it clear there is no easier or better marketplace to find fabulous gifts in all price ranges. Whether you seek extravagant edibles, keepsakes or wearables for those on your list, you will find truly special delights to put under the tree this season on Etsy's search pages. In my virtual window-shopping stroll this morning, these were just few creations that piqued my interest for people on my list. Click on the pictures to look more closely at these Etsy listings. Prices range from $12.00 to $68.00.
From top left to bottom right, today's featured artisans include: saraschalliol, mudpuppy, sugarcookiecouture, lottahelleberg, lemonbird, persimmonjewelry, ModernEraDesign, flyingpignc, jdotdesigns, GlazedOver, Beadz2Pleaz, MarciG

Sunday Gratitude: Colleen's Eye

This is about Colleen from KCRlehrstudio, who had been a frequent visitor and supporter of EtsyLounge and the talented artists of Etsy. The first photo is Colleen's beautiful necklace, the second is a scarf she purchased from me, and the third and fourth photos are among the superb pieces I found by spying on her favorites. As you can see, Colleen has exquisite taste :) not only in what she makes and sells, but in what she admires. OK, so I realize I am complimenting Colleen's fine taste in part for choosing my scarf, but that is where my personal gratitude comes in. I awoke today not planning to blog, but just felt a compulsion to express my appreciation of people like Colleen, who, along with several followers of this blog, have gone out of their way to participate in this effort to seek out excellence on Etsy, & raise awareness and support for handmade. Colleen, with her academic knowledge of the arts and her background teaching art to high schoolers, has a keen sense of how history and tradition carries through in art being produced today, and has written features for EtsyLounge (July 8th and August 6) If you'd like to see more remarkable things Colleen has created or has hearted, have a look through her personal favorites! *The pictures are linked directly to these Etsy stores, so click on them to see more from these artisans.

Fashion Trend: Black, Purple and Silver on Etsy

Handpicked on Etsy

Molto Bella! Italy's streets are full of black accented with purple and silver jewelry this season. Today I decided to indulge my girly-girl and do some window shopping, and these are a few of the handmade items I found on Etsy's search pages. Featuring both brand new shops and a few well-established ones, this showcase is proof that you do not need to drive to your nearest Nieman's to adorn yourself like an Italian woman. There's a shade of purple for everybody, from the blue-violet cool version to the warm violet hues. A few great black wardrobe pieces from indie Etsy designers that you can have fitted precisely to your body, accented with the color of the day plus some great jewelry -- what could be more flattering, elegant, timeless yet timely? Click on the pictures to go directly to these Etsy listings.Prices range from $40.00 to $165.00
From top left to bottom right, today's artisans include: heavymetallaundry, isabelamyo, FreiFashion, theGlassOnion, Fibernique, ModernEraDesign, PennyPearson, Luciabella1, masaoms, crochetbutterfly