Bird + Seed

Beautiful Bicycle Treasury

I've been a member of Etsy [as in lusting over stuff and buying lovely stuff] for 5 years.  5 years ago nearly to this date I made my first Etsy purchase.  It was a pair of Sulu Design earrings [holla!].  And in all this time, I've never made a treasury list.  Until now.  BIKE STUFF!  Because from where I'm standing, there are plenty of shirts and prints and cards and mugs with bikes on them on Etsy... but not nearly enough biking supplies.  Seriously, I want some super crafty-makey person to rig up great bike lights.  Or gear-hauling accessories.  Or sweet bells.  Or skirt guards.  Just a thought.  That being said, all these things above are wonderful.  Some of them I don't think would withstand Boston potholes... but I'm sure someone has a commute flat and smooth enough that a crate held on with a bungie cord won't cause brain-numbing levels of rattles.  Still, it's wonderful to look at these lovelies and dream.

Whole-Wide World

There is an empty wall in our bedroom above Damon's dresser that has been begging for a print for a while.  I've been thinking about it, but summer months don't inspire me to nest.  Or buy homey things.  Or work up a sweat hammering in nails.  But this week Damon expressed a desire to get something to put there.  [What's this?  A decorating idea?  I'm usually the one who swoops in and decorates] And he wants an old-timey nautical map.  Hmmm... Our bedroom has a green rug, pillow & quilt sewn by me in neutral greens, browns and beige.  Embroidered posters by me that feature green, trees, birds, leaves, etc.  Prints with trees.  Tree hooks hanging my jewelry.  And green boxes on shelves stashing mementos of our past lives.  Needless to say I kinda balked at the nautical map idea.  He already has a globe on a stand in the living room.  What more kind of maps do you need?  We're not exactly globetrotters either.  In the past year we've been to... Canada.  But then again, I have so many damned birds all over the apartment, he should have a map or two if he wants it.  But old-timey may not be the right thing.  Considering it would go with nothing.  

So, eager to uphold the peace and well, let's face it, scanning Etsy isn't really a chore, I found a few maps and have collected them here.  The criteria being a) tasteful b) accurate-ish...within artistic limits [it's shocking how many aren't!] c) not old or fussy looking d) fun to look at without seeming like our bedroom is a third grade classroom and ideally e) greenish in hue to match the rest of the bedroom.  And just in case you want some comparison, behold the real thing.

So here's what I've found:

1- Modern Old World Style Map from Screen Eggs & Ham

Such a shame.  The colors and style are great.  But the errors are just too much.  It goes beyond 'Old World' and artistic variation and into the realm of o.O?

2 - Countries of the World by SuisseMiss

I had to look this up, but I was pretty sure 257 was high.  Even considering disputed regions [South Ossetia] and our latest brand-spanking new country of South Sudan, we don't approach this number.  And Antartica?  Come on.  But this other map from SuisseMiss looks nice.  I just don't like how some country's names are bigger than others.  

3- Typographic & Watercolor map by Design Ahoy

Really beautiful.  Stylish, relevant.  Granted Africa & Europe look a little smooshed. But with shipping the price is 205$.  Kinda 100$ more than my upper ceiling.  Damn.

4- Travel the World Map by Finka Studio

This one is looking pretty good.  Comes in green.  Good price.  Throws in a little 'Connie yellow' a the top.  Thoughts?

5- Love One Another by Persimmon and Pink

Loved this one when it popped up on the search page.  Totally nice for a bedroom.  A positive message that also goes with the other quote on our wall 'Your choices can change the world.'  But then I clicked and went uhoh.  The print is Jesus-y.  Not that there's anything wrong with that if it's your thing.  It's just very much not my thing.  My thing being a secular humanist thing.  Which is just a wordy way of saying atheist who thinks people are swell and can do great things by/for their own selves.

And that's kinda it.  Have you found any nice worldly looking prints lately?  I only scanned Etsy.  There are other lovely resources I have yet to dive into.  Sigh.  Now if only he wanted a bird on the wall this would have been much much easier.

Absolute Etsy Faves

I buy something from Etsy [at least one something, often more] every month.  Clothes, accessories, home decor, presents, craft supplies.  And overall I have been very satisfied with what I've gotten.  But somethings have been just leaps and bounds the best and I feel the need to do a shout-out to all those outstanding sellers that have crafted things that I absolutely love and have become a part of me, my home and my life.  And also, I have heard from several friends that they like Etsy, but feel overwhelmed by the sheer size and number of options.  So if you feel that way too, here are some great sellers who make great products that will surely please you.  And I've broken it up into 3 categories [although there are several things I'm omitting here... like soap, supplies, vintage items]: Clothes, Accessories & Home Decor.

I've bought several shirts from MaryInk and I love them all.  This top from Thimble & Acorn is easily my favorite- the color is just tops and it's so flattering.   I saved up and waited for a sale from Little Houses to buy this wool jacket.  The style and craftsmenship is unbeatable.  Also- I would like to say that Peeko Apparal just provided me with one of my new favorite tops as well. 

This gold leaf necklace from Contrary gives me the most compliments, hands down, of any of my other jewelry.  Alas, ModYarn is no longer on Etsy, but the cowl she made me is something that I wear all winter long.  These leaf earings from ESDesigns  are my favorite posts.  Plus, I've given my mom a present from her nearly every mother's day or birthday.  Nearly 25% of my earring collection [which is pretty extensive] is populated by SuluDesign.  I own 4-5 of her earrings and I've given a few as gifts.  Plus, she's just a stand-out gal. I use my DrikaB purse everyday.  I keep it in my Timbuk2 and it holds my phone/wallet, which would otherwise get lost.  Damon gave me my black pleated Ninu bag, and I wear it nearly everytime we go out.  I love the long shoulder strap.   

Etsy loves AshleyG, and so do I.  This print continues to delight me.  I want pretty much everything from UnCommon.  We love our clock though, so it's enough for now.  I gave Damon these candles [from ByDan] as a present for him before we were living together.  Now they're like a present for me.  So beautiful.

So that's it for now.  My list of the best of the best.  Do you have any stellar Etsy products you can reccomend?  I'm always willing to buy more fun things [ahem, I mean, support independent crafty people...]

No New Plastic Challenge

Did you see this on Re-Nest?  I love a good challenge.  We've been really trying to curtail our plastic use around here anyway.  We bought even more reusable bags for the bulk section.  We have saved more jars for putting things in.  We recycled a huge lump of plastic bags.  I realize that this is not feasible for everyone, or for all the time- but I think I can genuinly not buy plastic for a month.  Scratch that- the present I want to get Damon for his birthday has plastic.  And I have searched high and low for a hair product that is natural- so I won't give that up.  And we're going to buy a indoor composter.  Ok, so that's really it.  But as for the rest?  Homemade yogurt.  Deli-cut cheese wrapped in paper.  Jars filled with lotion [our bulk aisle doesn't just have grains and granolas- but laundry detergent, soaps, lotions and shampoo!]  Anyone want to take this month-long challenge with me?     

Etsy Love: Homey Things for October

Every once in a while I like to share a curated list of things I'm totally digging on Etsy.  I mean, I want something a least semi-productive to come out of those countless hours I spend exploring the site [if you consider a blog post as productive].  In this edition I'm sharing some great things for your home that I fell in love with over the past few weeks.  Enjoy!

Paradise Hill Designs | Oh Little Rabbit | Dimmalimm | My House Party | Ceramics by Michiko Shimada | Monkey & Squirrel 

Friday Faves: What I'm Digging on Etsy This Month

<3  Mini goals chalkboard   <3  There is much to be done print  <3  Yellow silk dress  <3  Flowers & Cream Dress  <3  Red print clutch  <3  Upcycled tote  <3  Navy Jumper  <3  Asymmetrical Dress  <3

Antiquing

I have lived in Cambridge for four years now and today was the first time I went to the Cambridge Antique Market.  Why have I waited so long?  Maybe that's a good thing though... there is so.  much.  stuff.  Imagine five stories full to the brim with antiques and vintage wares... in the basement there is a vintage bike shop too [swoon].  What's interesting about the market is that each seller has a small space [a booth] which they rent from the market and can fill with whatever they chose.  Each item is priced by the seller and marked with their booth number- but all sales are rung up by the market managers downstairs- the sellers don't even have to be there.  Some people's booths are wonderfully arranged and cultivated.  These look like museums, with artful objects and a cohesive theme.  And other are more like a pile of whatever the person found interesting all in a jumble.  You can look for hours.  And I almost did... an hour an a half.  And this is what I got:

A cute Masonware tin tray.  It's in perfect condition and was only 15$.  This is going to be so much fun for serving food & drinks at parties- like say my housewarming party- which I need to start thinking about.

And eight yellow & grey napkins.  I couldn't resist.  If you know me, I have a hard time passing up yellow.  There was the cutest enamel yellow bud vase too, but I passed it up only because my hands were full and I don't buy enough flowers to warrant another bud vase, the two I currently have spend much of their time empty.   

This was something I went there to buy.  An antique jar.  I have a large crock that fits my wooden spoons and plane zester and rubber spatulas, but for the smaller items I needed another container.  Behold, a home for the melon baller [why do I have this thing?] lemon zester, lemon juicer & thermometer probe.  I really want to take the boy- I just know he would love looking through all of the mess. 

And this nicely segues into the end of my May project for Growing a Green Heart.  My goal was to not buy anything new.  And this was very easy... for the first three weeks of the month.  As I was moving the prospect of buying things really disgusted me.  Putting your stuff into boxes and watching the pile of boxes take over your living room is a great cure against hording.  That and my growing abhorrence of consumerism.  Now, as I'm settling into a new place the nesting bug has bitten and I want to cute it up with things.  But at the same time I'm such a budget stickler and I don't even know what things I want that I doubt I'll get anything major.  Walking around the antique market really reinforced one of my core beliefs- most everything we already need has already been made.  Please excuse me while I expound upon this topic.

Have you ever seen new construction being built across from an abandoned property?  That really irks me.  Look at all the raw material there- use that building, or at least, tear it down and use it for parts.  And as for vintage things- there is so much left from previous generations that we could all outfit half of our homes with used wares- especially in the kitchen and the knick knacks that we all have the urge to pepper our walls and bookcases with.  I worry about what happens to the things I buy after I'm done with them, and that was the goal of this month- to not buy new things so I wouldn't worry- and if I needed to buy things, buy used things so I wasn't leaving such an indelible mark.  [I guess I always find the need to buy clothes, which I bought from consignment shops: here and here]  I had to go to the mall the other day to stock up at Sephora [why do all the products I use run dry all at once?] and weaving in and out of the crowds with their large purses and bulging shopping bags [that crowd was soooo not my crowd, what with their impeccable hair and too-expensive jeans... I was windblown and toting my dirty gym clothes and bike helmet] made me queasy and upset.  Do people think about the things they buy and the impact they have?  Sometimes I feel that conscientious thinking and purchasing is making real headway- and sometimes I don't.  Maybe in that crowd it hasn't made any inroads.   

Ok- so next month's goal I'm revising.  It was to reduce the amount of stuff I had and to recycle all my used things appropriately, but I already did that for the move.  Instead it will be to cultivate my green thumb.  By the end of June I will have containers lining my window sill and sneakily tucked on my fire escape.  I'll expand my repertoire from herbs to easy container vegetables:  chard, tomatoes... and maybe some houseplants and flowers for show.  A green heart starts with a leafy home.

Etsy Love: Clothes

Why would you ever want to purchase clothes from the mall when Etsy is chock-full of talented designers?  There are more and more beautiful pieces each day- I think I may never have to go to the mall again.  Like the dress above.  I've loved this dress for ages now.  If I ever have the money to spend almost 800$ on a dress this is what I'm going to buy.  And then I'd go to a spring ballet, because that is what this dress is for. 

The shirt I bought from Thimble and Acorn is now one of my favorites.  Next I'll have to buy one of her dresses.  But which one?  They're all so great.  Three quarter sleeves!

The details!  The poofiness!  The linen!  I love the playful style of this shirt, I wish I had one just like it as a little girl.  

I don't wear a lot of T-shirts, but I love my maryink.  This one might be next.  Plus it's organic cotton, so I'm sold.  Other great places for clothes and accessories?  Fray offers some great scarves- mine always gets me comments.  I own two Tomoko Tahara hats, this one looks awesome.  This Little Houses jacket should be coming in the mail soon.  I've swooned over her things for ages, but never mustered up the money for one.  I guess a small sale was all I needed.  Have you found any great Etsy clothes lately?