For summer, I gathered some beachy items, and they were some really cool unique things too found in little shops in Ventura and Carpenteria, CA where
my sister Annie and her husband live, but I never got a photo or piece of artwork for the center so it never felt quite finished or right to me, so I don't have a good photo to share of that one.
Here are some pics of my fall mantle...
Here is my white pumpkin (yay!), and a candle that my
sister gave me when she came to visit that makes the house smell like something amazing is baking in the oven!!
You can see the pot of little yellow mums that my
husband brought home to me one night...they made me so happy...beside them a little leaf-shaped bowl filled with autumn nature findings...acorns...feathers...pinecones...
This mantle feels just right. I ended up using
the same photo of my
husband's for the fall that I did for spring, because I had another of his in mind, but we haven't gotten around to printing and framing it, so I thought this one would do just fine. And I LOVE it. I feel joy every time I look at our fall mantle.
Just wait until you see what I have in store for my Christmas/Winter mantle. I can hardly wait!
But for now, a few things to inspire you...
Etsy is just full of amazing handmade things. When I browse around, I am awed by the creativity and beauty that can be found. And it is SO wonderful to know that each item has such a connection to its source--a person, out there somewhere, who has created it with their own two hands using their own unique creativity-- and how wonderful to have so many unique things created by artists all over the world at our fingertips!
I just recently joined a Treasury Team called
Selection Perfection on Etsy, having been invited by
ShelleAnne. A Treasury is an Etsy member-curated list, or more like a virtual display case of beautiful things found on Etsy, often related to a theme, and usually coordinated by color to look as beautiful as possible. Treasuries are often what appear on the front page of Etsy. To me it is a work of art in itself, and a really fun way to browse through and support other Etsians' shops. Being on a Treasury Team, those of us on the team curate a number of treasuries each month focusing on featuring each other to help one another gain more exposure. So far it has been a wonderful experience, and I am really excited to be part of a team and tap into the wonderful community that Etsy is. So needless to say, I have been doing a lot of browsing, and along the way, I have found so many amazing shops, and amazing items I want to share with you...
So...
I thought I'd put together two little collections of absolutely wonderful items to inspire you.
I've created one collection of Handmade Holiday Decor for your home. The other collection I've created is a Handmade Holiday Gift Guide.
I hope you will take some time to visit the shops from which these exquisite items come. Each artisan featured has an array of wonderful things even beyond what you see here. You can visit each shop by clicking on their shop name in the caption for each photo. You can see the listing for that particular item by clicking on the name of the item in the caption I have provided.
With these collections, I hope to inspire you to explore the world of handmade goods when you do some of your holiday shopping this year. You can find all of these items, and so much more by browsing on Etsy and in other handmade marketplaces. You may also visit holiday craft shows and locally owned shops around your town to find unique, artisan made gifts for your loved ones.
How wonderful and meaningful a handmade gift is.... How beautiful to decorate your home with something created by an artist. Just think how lovely your holiday could be...
A Collection of Handmade Holiday Decorations
Here are some beautiful things to help you deck the halls this season...
Just look at these beautiful
stockings... perfect for a wintery mantle... These and many other beautiful things can be found at
Tuuni.
I've already ordered myself a set of these ADORABLE
gift tags. Check out
Whimsypics shop, to find these and many other beautiful designs to help you make your packages special. I love the attention to detail on these, and can hardly wait to use them!!
Baby feet are the best. Keep those little toesies warm on Christmas morning with these sweet little
Mistletoe Booties by
BisonGirl. These would also make a fun gift for a baby you know! These booties were recently featured on the front page of Etsy!
Handmade Holiday Gift Guide
Here are some ideas for unique gifts for everyone on your list!
I've had my eyes on the awesome
InTouch Clutch for a while. You can find it at
DownstairsDesigns and it comes in many different fabric styles. What a great gift this would be for someone you know who loves to write, or travel...
Check out this awesome
men's t-shirt. It says "Ride Me" on the back and would make a great gift for the bike loving guy in your life. I think its so cool. You can get one at
OneGearClothing
These are the perfect earrings to celebrate winter...these beautiful
Silver Snowflake earrings, by
ShySiren would make a lovely gift for a friend or co-worker or even a special treat to buy yourself to wear to your holiday parties...
I love this shop,
Uzura. What lovely items can be found there.
This bag is one of my personal favorites, but be sure to check out this shop to find an array of beautiful and eco-friendly clothing and accessories to give your loved ones!
Look at this
great necktie! Who needs boring ties when you can get amazing screen printed ones like this and so many other cool designs at
Toybreaker. This one happens to be vegan too!
Help a friend or family member warm up on a cold wintery day with
this lovely cowl from
KittyDune. And its made with vegan-friendly yarn, in beautiful earthy colors...
Help your friend or sister beautify and protect her Ipod/Iphone with
a wonderful case like this one! Visit
Nimoo for this and other great Ipod/Iphone cases....
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