ThisNext Blog

If you’re crafty, this is a helluva a time to be craftin’ it. Like no other time in history has one person’s explorations of sewing, knitting, collage, jewelry making and beyond been as accessible to the masses as now.

Let’s be totally transparent here. I can’t make a darn thing. Which is why I can gush about crafty people even more. The talent that is out there is amazing, and I’m happy to support. Thanks to the web – be it via a boutique site, a personal portfolio or the monolithic Etsy – any Tom, Lisa or Harry can buy themselves truly unique handcrafted good from anywhere across the globe.

I just discovered Reckon’s Etsy Shop via BBlinks, and had to shopcast this his amazing Stevie Wonder screen print tee, which I’m dying to have made into a pillow.

My own shopcasting lead me on a fun search through the pages of ThisNext for recommended Etsy shops. One caveat of the new Craft Revolution is that there is a whole lot of stuff to choose from out there. Thanks to our always tasteful shopcasters, the best of Etsy has been plucked from the maylay and recommended just for you. Us, actually.

Here’s some of what I discovered.

Talented shopcaster Adorneya has her own Etsy shop to brag about, but she’s also taken the time to offer us some of her personal faves in her Handmade Bliss list. Since I’m obsessed with all things felt, I love Hairy Carry’s mod felt pillows, and Stacysaurus and Co’s fun felt children’s accessories stitched with cute dinosaurs (but come on…adults like dinosaurs too!)

Designer Danielle Maveal is quickly becoming the darling of not only ThisNext (her jewelry is recommended quite often) but of the fashion world in general with her iconic acrylic fake diamond rings, available at her Etsy shop. Haute Girl says Maveal’s fantastically fake diamonds are “the perfect substitute until i get the real one…”

If lux is what you’re loving, Abigal Percy’s gold and pearl jewelry is sure to tempt you. Her craftsmanship is truly remarkable. Says Pomegranita, “Simply designed, fantastic materials. I love the jewelry so much.”

On the other end of the spectrum, for $6, you can hardly pass up Tiger Lilly’s plastic rings inspired by Japanese textiles.

Miss Fifi of MisBehave Jewelry (who scouted Tiger Lilly’s jewelry) also has a great shopcast of Etsy designers, like The Black Apple – who makes delightful art, and also has an amazing blog.

And for frequent new discoveries, artist and uber blogger Michelle Caplan (who I gushed about back in June) has dedicated a large portion of her second blog, Creative Swoon, to highlighting Etsy designers and artists. Thanks to Michelle’s active support of the indie craft world, I have discovered designers like Rubyzaar, who make amazing leather goods like this red leather hip bag and Allyson Hill’s adorable car litter bags.

So many great discoveries – and I feel I’ve only scratched the tip of the Etsy iceberg!