Handmade Rocks

I can spend hours cruising around Etsy, amazed at the talented and creative people there are in the world. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Etsy, it is an online marketplace that offers only handmade, handcrafted items. Vintage items and supplies are also available. It is one of the fastest growing online marketplaces, and for good reason. Etsy is more than an online store - it is a community of artists and entrepreneurs. I opened my shop a little over a year ago, and I am continually amazed at how supportive other Etsians are - right away I was contacted by other sellers, many of them other jewelers, welcoming me, offering tips, help and support.

Just for fun, I went to Etsy and searched for a variety of items... you can find just about anything your heart would desire there -and it is all handmade.

Need a bed? No problem. How about this one, made by Attiladesign and handcrafted in Helsinki**:Or perhaps you would like to custom design your own wedding cake, like this one here at llkaygifts:

There are goodies to eat:

And things that look good enough to eat, but aren't edible, like this soap:

How about a handpainted silk dress:

Or a beautiful scarf:

Or something a little more off the wall, for that hard-to-buy-for friend (yes, those are tiny little handpainted ants) :

Or get in touch with your punk side:

Maybe some adorable booties for the friend who is expecting:

Or perhaps you want to predict your future with some custom made fortune cookies:

Maybe you are feeling a little racy, and want a handmade item for the bedroom? How about a pastie:

You can even do a search for artists who live near you. Here are two of my local favorites - Kill 'Em Dirty:

And RomanMcCall:

Well, you get the idea. Go ahead - stop by http://www.etsy.com/ and do a search for something, anything - I bet they have it. Handmade rocks.

**click on any picture to go to the seller's shop.