Great Gift Ideas - Etsy Edition

Today I wanted to share some great gift ideas that I have seen while browsing Etsy.  I just love finding unique gifts for the special people in my life and Etsy is a great place to do that.  Although, sometimes I end up finding more for myself! :)  Hope you find a few items to add to your wish list!  (*Just a note*- I am just sharing these purely for the joy of sharing.  I have no affiliations with these shops...the items shown are just things I have discovered and wanted to share with my readers.)

I have fallen in love with these mini terrariums.  https://www.etsy.com/listing/162152910/tear-drop-terrarium-kit-duo-collection?ref=favs_view_3   I am thinking that a group of three would look great hanging in my kitchen or office.  (LOVE that you can hang them so they don't take up counter/shelf space!)  I am partial to these teardrop shapes but the globes are great too and I think they would make a great gift for just about anyone.

These fun pencils from Earmark would be especially great for the teachers/writers in your life.  And you can stick with your favorite phrase or choose a variety of sayings...such a great way to personalize this little gift!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/62417609/pick-a-pencil-12-pack-makes-a-great-gift?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Here are a few gifts that would be great for a host/hostess:

The mustache trend is still going strong and these fun glasses would be perfect for a guy or girl and likely to bring about some lively conversation and laughter.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/84328113/mustache-drinking-glass-fun-drinking?ref=br_feed_37&br_feed_tlp=home-garden

 

How about this sweet, engraved butter knife... http://www.etsy.com/listing/88623484/spread-the-love-custom-hand-stamped?ref=listing-shop-header-0

 

And even though it is a butter knife, you could probably use it for soft cheeses along with this stunning, slate cheese board (which you can even write on...great for a party and selection of cheeses).  http://www.etsy.com/listing/116085440/slate-cheese-board-16-x-8-with-soapstone?ref=shop_home_feat

And these tea towels are just too lovely to ignore...such beautiful color and design.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/86364623/set-of-original-illustration-tea-towels?ref=listing-shop-header-2

For the ladies, who wouldn't enjoy a relaxing (and pretty) spa set.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/169441962/spa-gift-set-boxed-gift-set-bath-set?ref=listing-shop-header-2

There are a ton of wonderful photographers on Etsy and while art can be a very personal preference, if you know someone well enough you can probably find a piece that they will love.  This has been a favorite of mine for awhile now.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/86883979/30-off-sale-nature-decor-flower?ref=shop_home_active

 

 This little coin purse is so dainty and feminine...it reminds me of my grandma.  Perfect for women of all ages and something that she is not likely to already have.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/90772539/holliday-gift-under-30-lace-and-yellow?ref=shop_home_active

How about some ideas just for the special kids in your life...

I think this iceberg stacking toy would be lots of fun to add to any child's set of building blocks.  And you can pretty much guarantee that they will be the only one on the block who has it!  :)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/62727169/iceberg-stacking-toy-natural-wooden-toy?ref=favs_view_7

I have seen this next item, by Manzanita Kids, in person and kids ages 1-50 were getting down on the ground to play with it!  These sets are beautifully made and the building/playing possibilities are endless.  I think the castle would be a great gift for the knight lover!  And they even have a treehouse...so fun!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/106789966/building-toys-castle-towers-and-modular?ref=shop_home_active

 

 

Do you have a child who loves to dress up?  These masks would be a great addition to any dress up box.  I got my son the fox one for Halloween and he has played with a lot since then.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/73310320/wolf-mask?ref=favs_view_11

Can't forget the guys!
This keychain would be great for any dad, but especially perfect for the new dad.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/114405675/dad-keychain-in-copper-custom-hand?ref=tre-2725326806-4

If you have a guy who loves beer, these beer soaps make a unique gift. 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/115517392/beer-soap-set-of-3-gift-set-extra-dark?ref=tre-2725326518-13

And I have to end this post with a few, fun packaging ideas!

I love the chalkboard trend and these cards immediately caught my eye...such lovely design and sentiments.
 https://www.etsy.com/listing/167233539/assorted-boxed-set-of-8-christmas-cards?ref=shop_home_active&ga_search_query=boxed%2Bset

 

This feather wrapping paper is simply beautiful.   

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/162180372/2-sheets-design-wrapping-paper-mint-with?ref=br_feed_23&br_feed_tlp=holidays

 

How fun is this personalized bag direct from the North Pole!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/167611242/personalised-christmas-stocking?ref=favs_view_3

 

 I bought these bags below last year, stamped in red, and found them to be great for packaging smaller gifts.  And I love that the recipient can reuse it...yeah for eco-friendly!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/85105654/christmas-gift-bags-cotton-drawstring?ref=shop_home_active

Do you shop Etsy?  I hope I have inspired you to take a look at some of these shops.  I will be posting more gift guides over the next week or two so stay tuned!

Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving and holiday season!

Gift Guide - Creative DIY Edition

If you are anything like me, you love to give others the gift of creativity.  There are so many unique, creative gifts for adults and children out there to choose from but here are a few of my personal favorites.

Bear Creek Design on Etsy has some adorable needle felting kits that would make for a wonderful introduction into this craft. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/87501408/diy-craft-kit-needle-felted-snowman?ref=shop_home_feat


There are lots of jewelry making kits out there but I thought that these two below were very unique (which I love) and I think they would make a great gift for a teen or adult.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/130090283/diy-kit-knit-bangle-personalize-and?ref=favs_view_3

https://www.etsy.com/listing/156670016/diy-kit-miniature-embroidery-hoop-with?ref=favs_view_5


Sewing is a useful skill and these craft kits make learning to sew fun!  I mean, really, who wouldn't want to make this adorable pig?!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/125043489/make-your-own-piglet-craft-kit-sewing?ref=listing-shop-header-1

And with the woodland animal trend and that oh so popular fox song (yes, you know the one), I think this adorable DIY pillow kit would be a huge hit this year.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/125043489/make-your-own-piglet-craft-kit-sewing?ref=listing-shop-header-1


Goose Grease offers these great paint-your-own peg doll kits.  This one below is a family set which would be fun to do as a family but they also have couple and ornament kits too.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/114415098/diy-wooden-peg-doll-craft-kit-make-it?ref=shop_home_active

For the urban farmer, I think this DIY cheese kit would be a fabulous gift!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/117406903/mini-diy-farmers-cheese-kit-3-batches?ref=favs_view_1

How about a unique guy gift...a beer making kit!
http://gifts.redenvelope.com/gifts/brooklyn-beer-making-kit-30118910?ref=HomeNoRef&q=kit&viewpos=5&trackingpgroup=productsearch

And for the tree lover or gardener...a bonsai kit.
http://gifts.redenvelope.com/gifts/bonsai-growing-kit-30111209?ref=HomeNoRef&q=bonsai&viewpos=2&trackingpgroup=productsearch

Now, how about a little gift for all you scrapbookers out there like me!  :)  Amazon has some great deals on one of my favorite albums, We R Memory Keepers.
http://www.amazon.com/We-Memory-Keepers-11-Inch-Leather/dp/B003W0TJDY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386649057&sr=8-1&keywords=we+r+memory+keepers+8+1+2+x+11

And you can score some amazing deals on scrapbooking goodies over at All Scrapbook Steals.com
Right now they have Crate Paper's Bundled Up and American Craft's Peppermint Express on sale for 40% off!  Plus you can get an extra 10% off your order by using the code TRYUS

If you (or someone you know) is interested in photography, I highly recommend the courses over at Creative Live which are currently all on sale.  They also have some business, music, and even Project Life courses too.  A few of my favorites that I have seen bits of when they were live are with photographers Ana Brandt, Sandy Puc, Kelly Brown, Lori Nordstrom, Jasmine Star, and Tamara Lackey. 

If you are looking for more unique gift ideas, you can check out my Etsy Gift Guide HERE.

Etsy Inspired Challenge #46

Who loves Etsy?! Me! Ever since I discovered Etsy through Ashley's Etsy Inspired Challenges I have been so inspired by all the talent on Etsy. And now as a part of the Design Team for the EIC and having my own shop, I am totally in love with it! I think I might do just about all my Christmas shopping on Etsy this year! :)

So are you ready to be inspired by a new shop?! Artistic Flair has fun, funky, and beautiful fused glass art pieces and jewelry! Her shop definitely has something for everyone! I love her Seattle at Night piece...yes I am a proud Washingtonian! :)

However, I was inspired by this piece:

As soon as I saw the cherry I knew I would be using my Unity Mix Up of Cuteness set...I just can't seem to put that set down lately! :)


So here is what I came up with:

Don't you just love the cherries and all the polka dots?! It's a little hard to tell in the picture but I used crystal effects on the cherries so up close they have a nice 3D shiny glass look to them.

So, in case you haven't heard yet...this week's prize is a fused glass guitar pendant from Artistic Flair AND the Unity stamp set Love in the Air! A big thank you to Artistic Flair and Unity for offering up these fabulous prizes...and keep your eyes peeled for more Unity goodies in the future! :)

If you have never played in an Etsy Inspired challenge before, it is really easy and fun to do...check out THIS POST for all the details.

Now, since this post is getting a little long I am going to link you to Ashley's blog HERE so you can check out all the details about our upcoming EIC BOGO event next Saturday, August 1st. But basically for each new friend you get to play in the challenge next week, you will receive an entry for a chance to win a fabulous prize from Paper Makeup Stamps!

Okay, so if you have made it this far...thank you!!! I would love, love, love it if you could pop on over to Etsy and give my shop a little boost in the VOTER as it has been nominated this week as one of the fresh, new shops!

And don't forget to check out my wonderful teammates...I am sure their projects will knock your socks off!

• Ashley (Link your projects up here)
  
• De
• Emily
• Heather
• Jackie
• Jacquie (July Guest Designer)
• Joy
• Kristen
• Lee
• Shannon
• Tiffany
• Tonya
• Vickilyn (July Guest Designer)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Etsy Inspired Birthday Blog Hop!

Hello all! Are you enjoying the blog hop so far?! Hopefully you are joining me from Ryann's fabulous blog...if not, start the blog hop at Ashley's blog so you don't miss any of the great projects! And you don't want to miss out on your chance to win some amazing prizes either! :) Some of the prizes include fabulous products from Scor-Pal, a gift certificate to Softpencil, a Unity stamp or two, and a few other surprises as well!

For this week's Etsy Inspired Challenge we have a real treat for you! You can choose ANY Etsy shop you like to find inspiration for your project. I can't wait to discover some of the shops that are your favorites! Once you pick your inspiration piece and create your project, just upload it to your blog and link it to the new Etsy Inspired Challenge Blog for your chance to win!

Although I don't wear much jewelry, I am always attracted to really great jewelry shops on Etsy. Some of the pieces are just so beautiful and unique! So this week my card was inspired by pieces in two of my favorite jewelry shops on Etsy. First, I was inspired by these pretty Honey earrings from Truly Enchanted. My second piece of inspiration came from this earthy Oak tree necklace from Lulu Bug Jewelry. And here is the card I created:


This is what I stamped on the inside of the card.

I just need to take a moment to say Thank You to Ashley for making me a part of this fabulous team! I so enjoy it, it is what led me to start my own Etsy shop, and all of my teammates are just the sweetest group of gals around! Love you all! :) I hope another year from now we will be celebrating another fun year of challenges and Etsy shops!
Okay, on with the fun!

Once you are done with the blog hop, make sure to find some time to join us over in our Papercraft Planet forum (around 11 am PST) for some chatting and more games and prizes!

Your next stop on the blog hop is the ever so talented Jami Bova!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Etsy Inspired Challenge #114

Hello all! Well, I have a weekend full of special time with my boys. Today we are relaxing at home...perfect for a Saturday, right?! And Saturdays are always a good time to do a little crafting too! So, this week for the Etsy Inspired Challenge we have another fabulous shop to spark your creativity. Happy Day Designs is a lovely jewelry shop with the most gorgeous color combinations...each piece is truly a work of art. I was inspired by these beautiful pieces.



I was immediately attracted to the green but when I saw that beautiful red in the shop too, I was inspired to create a Christmas card.

So simple but it still makes a statement, don't you think? I thought this design would make for a cute and simple gift box/bag too. The paper and ribbon are both American Crafts and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

I was also inspired to create a festive treasury on Etsy.

You can see these items up close along with the links to the fabulous Etsy shops that sell them by clicking HERE.

To play along in the Etsy Inspired Challenge:
~Go to the Happy Days Designs shop and pick an item to be inspired by
~Make any creation you'd like and post a link to your creation on the EtsyInspired blog
~Please include a link to the shop in your post~Challenge ends on Friday Nov 19, noon Pacific time

~If you upload to an online gallery please use keyword EIC114

I'm sure there will be some colorful creations in the gallery this week! Especially since you could win a lovely necklace from Happy Day Designs or a stamp from our sponsor, Whiff of Joy, by playing along in the challenge! See the Etsy Inspired Blog for all the details.

And be sure to visit the rest of the Design Team to see their Etsy Inspired projects!

* Angie (November Guest Designer)

• Ashley


• De


• Emily B


• Emily N


• Joy


• Kerry


• Savannah


• Stephanie


• Virginia

Enjoy your weekend!

Etsy Inspired Challenge #100 - Let's Celebrate!

Welcome friends and new visitors! I'm glad you've stopped by to celebrate the 100th Etsy Inspired Challenge with me. I so enjoy being a part of this team and sharing my Etsy Inspired projects with you all every week. Since this week marks the 100th challenge we have all sorts of inspiration and prizes for you to enjoy! With sponsors like Unity Stamp Company, Lawn Fawn, May Arts, Limelight Papercrafts, Soft Pencil Designs, and Charleston Scrapbooking you are going to want to be sure to visit each of the Design Team members' blogs and check out the Etsy Inspired blog for all the details on how to play along in the challenge this week.

First things first...our featured Etsy shop this week, Cathy Walters, is sure to have a pendant that will inspire you. I love that her pendants are double sided so that you can use whichever side fits your mood or outfit better. :) And if you play along in the challenge this week, you could win the pendant of your choice! One of my personal favorites is the Make a Wish pendant. Wouldn't this make a great birthday gift?!



And here is my birthday project...feel free to click on the layout for a closer look.

This layout documents my oldest son's 7th birthday celebration. I love the fun patterned paper and cupcake stickers from Creative Imaginations Studio 101 birthday line. And of course I used some American Crafts thickers for the title and wish sentiment.

In addition to a pendant from Cathy Walter's shop, another person who plays along in the challenge this week could win a fabulous grand prize filled with all sorts of crafting goodies. So be sure to take some time this week to visit Cathy Walters, find an item that inspires you, create an Etsy Inspired project of your own and link it up to the Etsy Inspired blog by Friday at noon PST for your chance to win.

Now, you can also increase your chances of winning a prize by visiting each Design Team members blog and leaving a comment. We each have a great item from one of our sponsors to give away. Want to know what you could win by leaving a comment here?! :) How about Unity's fabulous Donna Downey Inspired stamp! Let me know what inspires you! I will announce the winner here on my blog Satuday, August 14th.

After you leave your comment here, head on over to these lovely ladies for more prizes and inspiration. Have fun!

• Ashley
• De
• Emily B
• Emily N
• Joy
• Julie (August Guest Designer)
• Kerry
• Savannah
• Stephanie
• Virginia

Thankful for You - Etsy Inspired Challenge #66

Hello my wonderful blogging friends! Have I told you lately how thankful I am for you?! :) I am feeling the Christmas spirit and can't wait for my first grader to be on winter break! Back in November I was feeling really good about having half my Christmas shopping done but now with two weeks left I realize I haven't gotten much more done since then...ACK!

Okay, onto this week's Etsy Inspired Challenge. I am positive you are going to love the featured Etsy shop, Marmar - Mark Poulin Enamel Jewelry. I mean how can you not fall in love with these adorable creatures!



Now, I know Thanksgiving is over but December is still a time to be thankful right?! This cute squirrel inspired me to get out some of my fall themed Reminisce papers and create a thankful for you card as well as a simple place card.















I love being on the Etsy Inspired Design Team but sometimes I wish I could have a chance to win these great prizes our Etsy shops and Sponsors give out! :) This week there will be two winners. One person will win this fabulous Mother Daughter Rabbit necklace set. And another person will win 3 digi's of their choice from our wonderful sponsor this week, The Character Cafe!

So, what are you waiting for?! Head on over to Marmar to find some inspiration and then create a project of your own. Post it on your blog or other online gallery and then link it up to the Etsy Inspired Blog by Friday, December 18th at noon. If you have never played in an Etsy Inspired Challenge before, you can click HERE for extra details.

And be sure to pay a visit to my fabulous Design Team buddies too!

• Ashley
• De
• Emily
• Heather
• Jackie
• Joy
• Kelly (December Guest Designer)
• Lee
• Shannon
• Tiffany

And we have a special guest joining us from the Character Cafe Design Team too...Lola!

Have a great weekend everyone!