Today is November! And because it’s November two very important things are happening in my life:
1. Christmas music is playing throughout my days morning, noon, and night from here until January 1. I’m so excited. It’s just glorious.
2. I have officially starting my holiday shopping! Eeeeeee! If there’s one thing I love more than anything else it’s shopping for Christmas. There is something so satisfying about buying gifts for other people. Don’t you think?
This year, I’ve decided to do something different. I’m declaring this year a “Handmade Holiday”. Not in the “I’m making all my gifts kind of way” (I may try my hand at a few gifts, although DIY projects and I only go so far), but instead in the “I will only buy gifts for my family and friends from handmade shops” kind of way. And I’m really pumped about it. I think it’s going to be so, so good.
Here’s where I could use a little help…
I’m not the biggest online shopper. I’ve bought from etsy a couple of times– shops that I mostly heard about from word of mouth. Since starting my holiday present search, I’ve basically found myself just clicking, clicking, clicking through the pages and paaaages on Etsy which can be pretty tedious. There are a lot of great shops out there, but for every really good shop I find there are at least two mediocre shops (if not more, sadly).
Here are some of the good ones I’ve found:
And the following shops are those that I’ve bought from in the past– I can only say good things about all of these places and will definitely be going back for more this holiday season:
Anyways, help a friend out! I need to start my shopping now so that my gifts will arrive in time for CHRISTMAS! It would be awesome if you have a favorite handmade shop you could guide me to. Or do you have a friend with a shop? Or even better, maybe you have a shop yourself?! Let me know so I can take a look around!
Happy November, everyone! ‘TIS THE SEASON!!
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**UPDATE: THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all who linked to shops in the comments! Be sure to take a look– there are some AMAZING suggestions and I am so excited about them all! Happy handmade shopping, everyone!
I love this idea!! I’m trying to do the same thing as much as possible. My friend actually has an awesome shop you should check out. Its not handmade, but its all thrifted which I think is just as awesome. I have a discount code on my blog right now for 15% off. Its here: http://designsaltinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/10/shop-etsy-feet-on-floor-discount-code.html And of course I love iviebaby, but you have to be buying for a baby or toddler (plushies!)
THANK YOU! I’ve already visited the shop and put an adorable knit blanket into my cart! LOVE!
I wish Elizabeth still had iviemade running– I bought so many great things from her last year! And yes, Iviebaby is adorable–I love pretty much EVERYTHING. I just need a baby before I start buying things from that shop! ;)
Anna – Thank you for the free advertising! I have some new things and even a new style (crossbody bag), so please bookmark my shop(www.emmepurses.etsy.com), follow me on twitter (@emmepurses) or like me on facebook.(emme purses).
PS Love your blog!
SOMEone beat me to commenting on this. HellO, tech-savvy mom?
Additionally,
WHY ARE YOU LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC SO SOON WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU. Day after Thanksgiving. Always.
Sorry I have no ideas to contribute and instead I just yelled at you. Saawwwwyyy.
Yell all you want. You CANT STOP ME.
One month is not nearly enough time for me and Mariah Carey Merry Christmas. DUH.
awesome. I love this. This year I had the hair brained idea to make matching pajamas for my _entire_ family. We’ll see how far I get. That’s 53 pairs of pants. oi. And one big ol’ waste of flannel if they don’t get done!
But I have a friend with a fabulous jewelry shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MarcellaLeone?page=1
I hope you have so much fun picking just the right gifts for everyone!
Oh, wow. Your friend’s stuff is gorgeous! I have my eye on some pink ombre earrings. Those ones are SO FUN.
Thanks so much for the link! :)
I’ve thought about doing that this year. The only problem is that my parents don’t really get into handmade stuff. Every time I go out on a limb and get my dad something “different” he always takes it back to the store, so I just get him a gift card to Lowe’s anymore. My mom likes gift cards, too. The problem is that some people in my family don’t really know each other, so it makes it difficult to shop gifts for them. :-/
Everybody loves a little jewelry, right?
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PoppyandFern
http://www.etsy.com/shop/elephantine?page=2 — I bought the fine dash ring from here, and I absolutely love it!
and for cute prints/signs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OhDierLiving
Hopefully I’ll be opening my shop up soon and can add my link to this list ;)
Happy shopping!
Mel
Oh! Love them all. The signs are so amazing! I want the “ho ho ho” one for my own house for Christmas!
I’ll definitely be adding things from these shops to my gift list.
Thank you so much, Mel!
Thanks, Mel for adding my shop to the list!
Happy shopping, Anna. It seems you have a good bit of amazing handmade things to choose from! :) From a maker, I thank you for declaring this a handmade holiday. I hope you find everything you are looking for! And, keep that Christmas music playing, it is by all accounts the most wonderful time of the year!
I am so down with this…I did the same thing last year! I find it impossible to make them all, but I love supporting others. But I should totally have our crafty bloggers’ night before Christmas and we can make a few!
I can’t recommend any shops, but I’ve been nagging my sister to get hers opened. She is über talented.
What does she make Clair? Does she knit?
My friend Melissa makes really interesting geometric jewelry: http://www.etsy.com/shop/littlepancakes
Bonus – she’s local!
Omg this shop is awesome. I love her stuff! And the arrows are so in right now!
(also, the pencils are so fun!)
I love this idea! I’m inspired to follow your lead! I can’t wait to check out all those great shops you listed.
Here are some Etsy shops that I love:
Beautiful simple jewelry: Petitor http://www.etsy.com/shop/petitor
Cookie Cutter Bags: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CookieCutterKeepers (this one is my friend’s and she actually doesn’t have any posted right now but they are adorable handsewn bags to keep all your cookie cutters in!)
Adorable scarves & bags: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OohBabyInfinity
Elisabeth Ashlie jewelry: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElisabethAshlie
Book iPhone chargers! http://www.etsy.com/shop/RichNeeleyDesigns
That’s all I’ve got for now!
Amazing!! Thank you Laura!! So helpful! :)
That is a really good idea for Christmas presents! I’ve bought bangles from here before and they’re fantastic: http://www.etsy.com/shop/GypsyLane
Yay! Thank you. And yes, they are beautiful!
I’m here for the list! Because I’m the SAME WAY when I get on Etsy. I usually get too overwhelmed and just end up Xing out. I’m going to favorite this page and keep it handy for the holiday season!
Friend! It’s me. Your friend! I have a pal (a Syracuse alum!) who makes the most delicous everything. Her website is redprairiepress.bigcartel.com. Her alphabet series is TO DIE FOR. http://redprairiepress.bigcartel.com/product/a-the-high-five-8×10-archival-print
Good news, she loves to dance, and she’ll be at my wedding too. xo
FRIEND. LOVE THIS.
{and YOU.}
Thanks for the mention!!!!!! :)
Love your handmade gifts only approach! I would LOVE to do that next year. (Can’t do it this year b/c I’ve already bought a few gifts.)
I’m going to keep this page up for a while to check some of the etsy shops you and the commenters have mentioned.
I absolutely love this idea! your recommendations and all the comments are giving me some great gift ideas.
I just ordered a knit cowl from knits & knots: http://knits_and_knots.storenvy.com/ (bonus points that she is a teacher!)
I just went and clicked through all of your picks and they are all SO GOOD.
Thanks Anna!
This is such a great idea! I should try to incorporate more handmade, local items into my gift giving this year too. Etsy sometimes overwhelms me though. I’ll be sure to check in on everyone’s recommendations for ideas!
My friend from Alabama just quit her day job to pursue her shop full time. She does some fun stationery and art prints but my favorite thing from her shop is the state/country string art. Check it out! http://www.etsy.com/shop/fishandlinedesign
Good luck with your shopping!
I LOVE her stuff!! Congrats to her on going for her dream! That’s awesome and her work is SO SO great.
I’m so excited about all the wonderful shops I’m hearing about. YAY.
Hey just stumbled upon your blog and I am always excited to meet other Boston area bloggers. I live up on the north shore. I also am aiming to buy most my gifts from handmade shops or fair trade (I think there is a ten thousand villages in Boston somewhere they are like homemade because they are a fair trade shop). I have been searching etsy and am doing a gift guide in a couple of weeks. I am going to start following you and am excited to read more!
Oh, yes! I think there’s one in Brookline– I remember seeing it when I lived over there. I’ll have to look it up. Thanks for the suggestion, Allison! And I’m glad you found my blog! :)
Noticed my link didn’t work. In case you are interested I blog at http://whateverthecircumstances.com/
I LOVE this idea! There are a bunch of christmasy craft fairs coming up in December- I always get a ton of presents at those.
The Bizarre Bazaar is always fun: http://bazaarbizarre.org/boston/2012-winter-fair/
And I’ve been shopping at the Harvard Square one since I was tiny: http://www.harvardsquareholidayfair.com/
I feel like there are a couple others, but those two are definitely favorites. They always put me in a Christmasy frame of mind. Hooray for that!
YAY for Boston craft fairs! Handmade and local? It doesn’t get much better than that.
Thanks for the info! I’m going to mark my calendar! :-D
I LOVE this idea! I also love one canoe two I have bought a few things from them & I would definitely again. I also really like knot & bow (http://www.etsy.com/shop/knotandbow) for stuff to wrap the gifts! xo L