Small Business Saturday - Leather Feather

Suzy Stepmom is an avid reader. That makes sense, though, considering she's a retired Librarian. She doesn't just read books, she devours them. After my trip to the library, I would return with 1...maybe 2...books that I knew I could finish before the allotted 2 weeks had expired. Her bag? Filled to the brim and she can finish every single one of them...usually with time to spare. It's impressive. But also makes gift-buying for her difficult because what she loves is books, but I never know which ones she's read. So that leaves gift cards to Barnes & Noble or Joseph Beth for every. single. occasion. Snooze-fest. Where's the fun in that? And thus began my search for book-related gifts on Etsy.

What I settled on was this hand-tooled leather feather from Leather and Copper on Etsy. Although it's pictured as a bookmark, I'm sure it would be beautiful in any number of uses...from home decor to shadow boxes. But I, of course, purchased it with a certain book-lover in mind.

This beautiful and delicate feather is hand-cut, carved, stamped, dyed, and crafted by the owner of Leather and Copper, Chelsea. The natural coloring on the front and dyed saddle tan on the back and sides provides an interesting contrast in colors and gives depth to the piece. It's sealed with Super Sheen leather coat to protect it against dirt and the elements (and, of course, gives it a super shiny sheen). Best of all? The entire package smelled of leather when I opened it. I sat with my nose stuck in the box for a solid 2 minutes until I was high on leather.

The feather has a bit of thickness to it, although not much. It is not, however, perfectly flat. So, I wouldn't recommend sticking it in a book and leaving it for months and months, as this may result in a bit of a feather "shadow" on the pages. But for someone who burns through books like I burn through chocolate chip cookies, I think it's perfect. And what a delightful way to find your place when you return to the written adventures that await you!

The Bottom Line:
Etsy store: Leather and Copper
Owner: Chelsea
Feedback: 25 with 100% positive
Open since: May 30, 2010
Price: $25.00 + $3.00 for shipping
Shipping: Arrived about a week after ordering
Rating: Awesome

Small Business Saturday - What Every Christmas Tree Needs

As I mentioned last Saturday, creating an all-handmade Christmas for Neal was...challenging. His Amazon wish list included an extra computer monitor (his desk already looks like a flight tower at JFK), 5-toe shoes (I guess I could have gotten him some crocheted ones), and a BOSU ball. None of these were available on Etsy. Handmade Christmas taught me 2 things: you can't always get what you want and sometimes you get what you need (or what your wife falls in love with on an artist's Etsy site).

I found Rikki Little on the Saturday before Christmas by using Etsy's "Shop Local" feature. I put in the zip code for Lexington and waited to see what goodies popped up. Immediately, I fell in love with this:

The Lighter Side

From the thumbnail picture, I thought it was a Marine Christmas ornament and my first thought was, "If she makes them for Marines, I bet she can make one for the Army, too! Hooah!" But when I clicked on the thumbnail, I understood that it wasn't made with ACU fabric, but actually a very lovely tan and black fabric with a subtle pattern. I emailed her anyway. 

Through a series of messages (all of which were returned within 24 hours or less), we had a working design of a truly custom piece. A week later, she sent me these photos:

When I originally requested that she use the ACU pattern, I asked her if I needed to send an old uniform for her to use. She said that she wanted to check around first. Although ACU fabric is, apparently, available in craft stores (and frequently purchased to make those adorable ACU purses and diaper bags that abound on Etsy), she used the uniform jacket of a friend who had just returned from Afghanistan. He donated his uniform so that we could have this Christmas ornament to hang every November. It's a tiny detail that made a huge difference. 

This quilted ornament is extremely sturdy and the fabric is wrapped and bound tightly. I am not at all worried about storing it or moving it every time we are stationed somewhere new. And when you move every 3 years, you need sturdy stuff. I'm already thinking about next Christmas and doing something with a flag pattern. Rikki is easy to work with, very accommodating, and her prices are absolutely reasonable. There's a chance that before it's all said and done, we will end up with an entire collection of her quilted ornaments.

The Bottom Line:

Etsy Shop: The Lighter Side

Owner: Rikki Little

Feedback: 11 with 100% positive

Open since: January 25, 2010

Price: $15.00 plus $3.50 shipping

Shipping: Arrived in GA from KY within 4 days of her finishing the piece

Rating: Awesome

Small Business Saturday - The Toys We Remember

Upon further consideration, I think Fridays are full enough...with RED Friday sales and the inevitable invitation to lunch, I'm doing really good just to get the champagne opened at the end of the day...much less blog about it all. Saturdays are calmer...usually. This one happens to be accompanied by a steady drizzle and the promise of a pre-game nap later today. But first...some small business love.

I'm going to start with the Christmas gifts I handed out and follow up with Etsy artists I've been using for my business and our home. On my 101 list was to give everyone handmade gifts this past year for Christmas. Surprisingly (or maybe not), the hardest ones to shop for were Neal and my two tween nieces. My sister had been pinning handmade jewelry on Pinterest for months so the hardest part about that was narrowing it down. And my parents...well, I could give them twigs wrapped in twine and bacon and they would think it was the most clever idea ever.

So, let's start with the kiddos...because what they want more than anything is whatever is made in China. If it has lights, sirens, shoots marshmallows, or could cause bodily harm to one's sister, it's on the wish list. That doesn't exactly mesh with what's listed under "toys" on Etsy. Wooden trains, cloth ring stackers, stuffed bunny rabbits, felt food, and painted puzzles filled my page. None of these would fit the bill for 2 elementary school-age girls who play sports and computer games. On the brink of giving up and waving the white flag in the direction of Toys 'r Us, I stumbled upon this....

...a wooden catapult with 3 tiny bean bags...stringed so tightly that the first launch of a cat toy sent it flying across the room and into the office. Perfection. Neal and I enjoyed springing mice at the girls so much that we were actually a bit disappointed when it came time to pack it up and ship it off to the actual recipients.

This particular catapult was made with reclaimed wood in a solar-powered wood shop and is hand-sanded before it's finished off with non-toxic mineral oil. Mother Earth just called. She wants you to buy from these people. They also build wooden toys that move, buses, and people.

The bottom line:
Etsy shop: WoodToyShop (Portland, Oregon)
Feedback: 1079 with 100% positive
Price: $18.00 plus $4.95 shipping
Shipping: Arrived about a week after purchase, well-packaged for protection
Rating: Awesome