etsy

Doiliez fabric in Robin's Egg from Swanky Swell

The decorating style over the past few recession-racked years have been all about slapping on a coat of paint, wallpapering, reupholstering – basically any way of prettying up the less-than-perfect without breaking the bank. Here's hoping the new year brings more prosperity than the past one, but let's also hope that the upcycling, DIY mentality that's been prevalent stays put.

Handmade Ho Down

If the thought of holiday shopping makes you want to gulp down a big drink or forsake the mall forever (or both), we've got the event for you. Etsy, the web's marketplace for everything handmade, is coming to SF for their first ever Bay Area Handmade Ho Down. Over 55 handmade and vintage vendors will be on there to help you check off that holiday gift list in record time. But what separates this from all the other holiday craft fairs that are a dime a dozen this time of year?

Etsy seller WoodHollowCrafts via Regretsy

In yesterday's post we ruminated on the joys of crafting, so it seems only fitting today to look at its more shameful side. Yes, as Henry van Dyke said "the great woods would be very quiet if no birds sang but those who sang best", but there are some birds that should perhaps be put out of their misery. Case in point, the handmade objects found at Regretsy.

The Autumn Sampler pack ($3.50 for five tester vials) from L'Aromatica is a steal for seasonal scents.

Photography courtesy of L'Aromatica Fragrance Collection

Lucky for us, a slew of beauty products come into our lives each week. Some we’ve discovered during our all-too-frequent San Francisco shopping missions, while others have come to us from both local sources and those farther afield. Some are splurge items available at major stores, and others are downright steals available on etsy.

So away we go with seven of our current beauty obsessions:

Flock home

It's easy to get swallowed up into the fantastic source that is Etsy; with so many shops and new items posted all the time, you can end up spending hours searching through pages upon pages of owl-themed tea towels (or what have you)  until you find the gem you were looking for. To make the process a little easier, here are a few local sellers whose work we love, so next time you can go right to the good stuff...

One of the best features about Etsy, the popular website that lets you buy and sell all things handmade, is the different ways to explore the site.  You can shop by color, by editors' picks, or by my personal favorite, locally.  Through Etsy, I discovered Kate Durkin.  A San Francisco artist who creates playful home items such as original works of art, pillows and tote bags, all under $65.

Courtesy of Hannah Stouffer

Local illustrator Hannah Stouffer, daughter of wildlife documentarian Marty Stouffer, finds inspiration in a “grand array” (also the name of her online Etsy shop) of pop-culture emblems, which are neatly disorganized into graphic mash-ups emblazoned on everything from posters to pillows.