I am a huge fan of Yellena James (and have posted about her before), but have yet to buy any of her prints, because I just can’t decide which I like best! Now she has a new calendar available ($24), and even though I already bought a calendar for next year, I had to snag one. It looks amazing and I can’t wait to see it in person!
Filed under: etsy finds, gift guides | Tags: airplane, art, belt buckle, canvas, cardigan, cufflink, dvd, etsy, font, mad men, mustache, pajamas, popcorn
Belt buckles can be pretty neat, and this one is no exception. Multi-Font Belt Buckle, steeltoestudios on Etsy, $45
A nice cardigan is a safe bet (and I happen to think they look great on guys). Merino Cardigan, J.Crew, $39.99
What guy doesn’t like airplanes? Simple artwork to make a stylish space. Flying Higher Canvases, teaforbini at Etsy, $48
My parents have given my sister and I pajamas on Christmas Eve every single year of my life, so of course I think they’re a great gift! Boland Plaid Flannel Sleep Pants, J.Crew, $19.99
My dad is really hard to shop for. I always get him something last-minute because I just can’t come up with any good ideas. Luckily, my mom saw this popcorn popper on The Today Show this week, and it’s perfect for him. It’s an easy alternative to the electric popcorn popper that you just stick in the microwave and then in the dishwasher. For someone that tends to eat popcorn at least three times a week, I’m sure my dad will love it. Microwave Popper, Sur La Table, $20
Guys tend to think mustaches are awesome, while girls think they’re funny, so these glasses are sure to be a hit with everyone at his next shindig. Set of 4 Mustache Pint Glasses, BreadandBadger at Etsy, $55
All guys who watch Mad Men love it, and that’s just a fact, so you can’t go wrong with this under the tree. Other good choices might be: The Family Guy, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dexter, and Entourage. Mad Men Season One, Amazon.com, $27.49
If I were a guy, I would wear these to work every day and stare at them during meetings at work. True Blue Bulls Eye Spirit Level Cufflinks, sherrytruitt at Etsy, $42
Need more ideas? This one at Design*Sponge is amazing (and informative)!
Filed under: decor, etsy finds | Tags: christmas, egg, ornament, pysanka, pysanky, tree, ukraine, ukrainian
Pysanka is the Ukrainian art of writing on raw eggs with hot wax using a stylus, or something similar, and then dipping them in a series of dyes. The symbols and colors used convey different meanings, such as joy and beauty for poppies, and fertility and health for the color green.
Last week I filled up my new Target-bought advent calendar with small ornaments so that each day I can hang a new one on my tree. I didn’t have a nice one for the large 25th day slot, so my mom gave me a pysanka ornament we had given my great-grandmother several years ago. It’s quite lovely, and now I am glad to have a special ornament that is representative of my heritage. (Coincidently, both my great-grandmother’s parents and my great-grandfather’s family left Ukraine at about the same time before the turn of the 20th century, and settled in North Dakota.)
Below are a few pysanky ornaments I found on Etsy:
By DandylionEggs, $30
By CarltonARTfactory, $15
By CarltonARTfactory, $35
By DragonflyTrail, $10 each
Update: Below is my fantastic little egg, by Char Thomas.
Filed under: accessories, art prints, etsy finds, gift guides, paper goods, textiles | Tags: 42, art, bookplate, christmas, earring, jewelry, moleskine, owl, photography, rabbit, stuffed, tree
Here are some more products I’ve seen on Etsy that might be good for someone on your shopping list. I hope to create some more specific “gift guide” type lists later on, but this will have to do in the interim.
Owl stuffed toys by katedurkin, $18.
Wood block photograph, no. 0089 by keriherer, $48
Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything earrings by pawandclawdesigns, $18
Tree moleskine (laser etched) by modofly, $36
White Rabbit art print by berkleyillustration, $15
Don’t Be a Blowhole bookplates by onegoodbumblebee, $8
Filed under: etsy finds, textiles | Tags: dachshund, dog, fabric, retro, stuffed, toy, vintage
What a great gift for a dog-lover? These dachshund stuffed toys are made by alice apple with vintage and retro fabrics. The set of the large and mini dogs are too cute!
Mini dog, $17; Large and mini set, $42
Filed under: accessories, art prints, etsy finds, fashion, gift guides | Tags: art, bird, christmas, cowl, embroidery, etsy finds, gift, jewelry, locket, painting, shopping, soap dish, whale
When my mom and I were driving around doing errands this weekend, to my surprise, she had a Christmas CD playing in the car. It was because there had been nothing good playing on the radio during her previous drive, but it struck me that Christmas is indeed coming very soon. I generally start shopping in November, buy a couple things, and then finish up in the final days before Christmas Eve. Hopefully this year I won’t cut things quite so close!
Below are a few of the items I’ve noticed on Etsy that I think might make good gifts.
Locket by MStevensonDesigns
Custom embroidered letter by ChezSucreChez
Cosette cowl by AllinStitches
True love necklace by trystbykerry
Whale soap dish by FoxAndClover
Birds on a wire painting (custom) by EarthArt
More to come, I’m sure!
(At least one of these will surely be going to my sister, who is the easiest person to shop for. I always end up buying her present first.)
Filed under: art prints, etsy finds | Tags: digital art, dinosaur, friend, ice cream, nursery rhyme, print
My longtime friend Adrian recently started a shop on Etsy, and she is currently offering 8×8 prints of her twists on traditional nursery rhymes. They’d be perfect for someone looking to add some creative artwork to a nursery or a child’s room! Adrian is a fantastic graphic designer, and very clever, as evidenced by this collection. Please check it out! $15
I have purchased from Marymee Studio in the past, and I’d love to add another piece of hers to my home. She adds great textures and colors to her ceramics, and the vase I bought was impeccable. Below are some of my current favorites from her shop, which cost between $22 and $35.
Filed under: designers, etsy finds, fashion | Tags: leanne marshall, project runway
How did I not know that my favorite Project Runway designer, Leanne Marshall, has a shop on Etsy? I mean, really? Her awesomeness has been right here all along? I can’t believe I’m so behind on this. Her wedding dress was perfection, and I sure hope she wins the show tonight. In the meantime, I’m checking out her Featured Buyer page on Etsy, and browsing her past sales, hoping something new will pop up soon.
I’ve been eyeing some prints by the extraordinary Yellena James (shop, blog) for a long time, and I think I’ll have to indulge in a couple very soon. I don’t think there are many words that could adequately describe her work, so I’ll steal one from Will Ferrell as James Lipton on SNL: scrumtrulescent. Both of these pieces are on my wish list.
