EtsyGreetings Street Team

Street teams are a type of community on etsy that enable sellers to network, share ideas and market themselves. I hadn't joined any until recently when I decided it would be nice to get to know some of the other sellers on etsy. I joined two street teams, etsymoms and etsygreetings. Etsygreetings seems to be an active, supportive community of sellers who focus on greeting cards, tags, invitations, etc. You can see the wares of team members by searching "etsygreetings" on the etsy front page. I did just that a couple of days ago and found some delicious paper goods. As a way of introducing myself to the team, I decided to do a feature on some of my faves. What's that, you say? I'm advertising for my competitors on my blog? Of course I am, you know how selfless I am. I am a giver, a kind and sharing soul. Actually, I'm a realist. Any traffic to etsy or etsygreetings team members is good for the entire community. We also all have our own niche, our own style, and this can't really be duplicated.

Here are five of my current favorite items found using the search term "etsygreetings." Be sure to check out their shops, as they have many more lovely things to offer. Try to take the time to do your own search as well. There are loads and loads of creative paper goods to be found.




This set of Rustic Chic Thank You Cards by waisze designs would make a great gift for yourself or a friend. They're simple, elegant and eco-friendly, as well as being handmade. The cards are left blank on the inside for your personal message. There are three cards with white envelopes in the set.




Some people, my sister-in-law included, are terrified of clowns. I don't get it. My grandfather was a clown and my sister and I were clowns for Halloween on several occasions. I'm quite sure none of us are evil or from outer space. Anyway, these gift tags are awesome and should be used on gifts for people who have no fear of clowns, or elephants, ladders or tricycles, for that matter. This set of "Vintage Clipart Circus Tags" from firefly notes includes six tags (You can view all six tags by clicking on the fist link.). They come with some cute polka dot ribbon attached.




"A Little Bird on a Branch" from Steph Jacobson uses a variety of materials and techniques to convey a "Happy Birthday" to your loved one. The bird, tree and wording are all stamped, while the bird is chalked and the leaves are bits of folded, textured paper. The border of the card is machine stitched. I always enjoy work that uses different textures.




This "Give a HOOT" gift tag set from Get Happy features one of my favorite animals: owls. The tags are made from heavy card stock and hand stamped with the phrase "GIVE A HOOT" and an owl. There are eight tags in the set and each one comes with waxed thread attached for tying or hanging. These could be used for scrapbooking, gifts or cardmaking.




This "mommy and baby boy" blank notecard is a gift in and of itself. Kelly at Happy Days Studio hand draws and paints each card individually. She is willing to customize the painting and the message. I think these are absolutely beautiful and would make a lovely keepsake for a mother-to-be.

Lust

Pronunciation: \ˈləst\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German lust pleasure and perhaps to Latin lascivus wanton
Date: before 12th century
1 obsolete a: pleasure, delight b: personal inclination : wish
2: usu. intense or unbridled sexual desire : lasciviousness
3 a: an intense longing : craving [a lust to succeed] b: enthusiasm, eagerness [admired his lust for life] (from Merriam-Webster.com)

"Of all the worldly passions, lust is the most intense. All other worldly passions seem to follow in its train." ---Buddha

“The Bible and several other self help or enlightenment books cite the Seven Deadly Sins. They are: pride, greed, lust, envy, wrath, sloth, and gluttony. That pretty much covers everything that we do, that is sinful... or fun for that matter.” ---Dave Mustaine

A few items I can't get off of my mind lately....





Isn't this baby quilt divine? No, I'm not pregnant. I'd just like to make this for someone special! The listing is for a kit to make this quilt. All of the pieces are cut and ready to go. Since that is the most tedious part for me, the rest should be a breeze. Be sure to check out Amy Smart's shop, Bits and Bobs, on etsy. She also has a fun blog, Diary of a Quilter, that I have been following for a few weeks.




I can across this woodburning/painting the other day and was struck by how unique and beautifully simple it is. Apparently, there's a whole art form out there that I didn't know about. Shocking, I know. It's called pyrography (sounds like it should be in the lust category, doesn't it?) and is finished off with casein paint. Check out The Haunted Hollow Tree (my mother-in-law is going to love that name) shop on etsy for prints and more original pyrography (I'm probably going to try to work this word into conversation several times today).




I love the simple elegance of this sterling silver mobius bracelet. The seller will oxidize or antique it for you, but I think it's perfect just the way it is. Check out her shop, Riverside Jewelry, for plenty of other lust-worthy things.

Brennan and I are off to Ohio again today. In a weak moment, my mom was able to convince me to go on my nephew's school trip to the zoo with him. I'm sure we'll have fun, but it's going to be a lot of driving and a lot of loud second grader's!

Mother's Day Gift Guide-Part Three (We're almost there.)

We're over the halfway mark now. One more installment to go and this Mother's Day Gift Guide will be finished. Check out these sellers if you are looking for some great gift ideas. Handmade is the way to go! Also, make sure you check out the shameless self-promotion I indulged in at the bottom of the post!

Mother's Day Gift Guide-Part Three



I know, I know. I'm evil. You're all drooling, I'm sure. This "Triple Chocolate Heaven" cupcake is VEGAN. That's right! VEGAN. And it and many other vegan delights are available at the cupcake mint. I have a feeling that they might remove any skepticism you might have about veganism.



There is tons of fun stuff in the Sweet Rice vintage shop, but this "Orange Ceramic Planter" really pops! It's clearly from the 1970s (you can help mom take a walk down memory lane) and has a cool splatter glaze. Just think, you can support etsy and recycle!



Mmmm...This guide is beginning to make me hungry. Clearly this can't be eaten, but it reminds me of fresh blueberries on top of a delicious pancake with maple syrup.... Anyway, this is actually a body scrub, but the folks (yes, I said "folks") over at Madeline Bea Soap Co. say it smells just like fresh blueberries and provides many of the same benefits. Besides that, the labels look all country store and vintagey, which is always fun.



My sister-in-law Michelle has a thing for large bags. I think it's one part aesthetics and another part necessity. I mean the girl carries apples around with her. Anyway, if she were a mother (and she will be someday soon), this would be the perfect Mother's Day gift for her. This XL Hobo Bag from retrofied is made from a neato Amy Butler pattern and is lined with corduroy. Now that I think about it, perhaps Ben should buy this for Michelle in anticipation of her becoming a mother some day!



Here we go with the trees again. I can't help myself. I'm a tree person. This is an original pen and ink drawing, but is an affordable gift because it is an ACEO (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) and is about the size of a trading card. I think this is an awesome way to collect a variety of limited edition or original artwork without breaking the bank. Besides, you get to support the art community, in this case tamara garvey illustration.

Shameless Self-Promotion:

Don't say I didn't warn you. Here are some recently listed items in the shop, one of which has already sold. Yay!