Etsy Valentine Features!

♥ Disclaimer:I won't lie, this is a long post - but I promise it's filled with tons of love! ♥

I love Valentine's day! I know it's a "hallmark-holiday", but it doesn't bother me; I just don't do Valentine's in the typical spend-a-fortune hallmark way! I think the best way is handmade, it's from the heart. But if you don't really have the artsy side in you, why not buy handmade? Not only will you be supporting a artist who puts tons of love into their work - you'll also be "spiting" the whole hallmark companies! This was you can enjoy Valentine's, but not nessecarly support the commerical side of it, and at the same time, still give a loved one some goodies!

Psss...if you click on the images, it will bring you to the listing :)

First off is this lovely Sweet Cherry beaded bracelet from Ulixis aka Amanda. I love the quartz that she used and I'm a sucker for opal, and I can only imagine how lovely those beads are in person! She has used a cute little heart clasp as well to finish the piece off! Not only is this lovely jewerly artist from Canada - put she's also my old school friend! We shared a bus seat for 4 years! So definitly check her out! :)


Next up, is a art print Love is everything, by Etsy artist dazeychic, aka Shelli. I love her work, her store is just too cute! I think my next "print" purchase is going to be from her...now I only need to think of a place to put it...hmmm. What I love most about this, is that it's a mixed media painting - mixed media is always so interesting! It's made from ink, pencil, paper - and coffee! (how original!) - and then pulled all together digitally! The text in the pice, all you need is love, reminds me of the move Across the Universe; which I became obsessed with when it came out (downloading all the beatles songs, and memorizing them by heart - even learning how to play some on guitar).


Here we have a Sterling Silver Artisian Handforged Ring by JuliaCatherine at Etsy. Not only is her work beautiful, but she is a very lovely person (I've spent many hours procrastinating in the chat rooms with her...I was procrastinating, she most likely wasn't hee hee). I love this ring due to it's abstract nature - it's so original, and you know that no one else will have the same one - even if you asked her to remake it for whatever reason; there's no way to reproduce it excatly. It's so modern and very chic. I know I'm not one for huge rocks and bumps on my fingers, catching onto everything I come into contact with - the design of this ring is so smooth, and in a good way, minimalistic. JuliaCatherine also ships her pieces is pretty little boxes, wrapped in ribbon - now who wants to recieve a present in the mail!?


Now for the good old fashioned Valentine card - seriously! Earmark, aka Bridgette and Mike, has created a beautiful card, with a nice retro / vintage feel to it, Sassy. I just love the whole feel to this card - it's just so cutesy and old fashioned. Earmark's store has so many great stationary pieces, including (a favourite of mine), their Hoot Journal, which is composed interiorly of 100% recycled papers!


Another cute card, is The parts of my Heart, by armatodesign, aka Amy Barker-Armato. This lovely letterpress card takes the anatomical portions of the heart, and gives them a emotional function. For example, in one artery, desire enters, and another portion longs for you when you're gone. This card is perfect for the science geek, but equally romantic for all the other non-science loves. The fact that this card is letterpress adds so much to it - letterpress artists always produce such pretty pieces...Angie wants to learn letterpress now...



I know a lot of boys and men often resort to "smelly" stuff as gifts - since honestly, you can't go wrong! Here I have Pomegrante Shea Butter Soap by BL Soaps. It's such a lovely, red-burgandy color! Now, I love pomegranates, so that's why I decided tho feature this soap in particular, it just sounds like it would smell so delicious and fresh! But if pomegrants aren't your thing, BL Soaps carries another soap, Vixen Shea Butter Soap, which is more pink-ish (if you're looking for a more traditional Valentine colour), and is scented to sweet peas, with violets and raspberries!



I'm a huge fan of Charliemotel, aka Megan Tucker. She has so many cutesy pieces, that it's hard to just show one, but I will definitly mention other favourites! (I actually have magnets done by her in the mail on their way to me!!). I will be featuring her Somebody Love you valentines day card, which has a little rabbit and bird. I also really like her I like you. Valentine's print, and her Tea makes everything Better Stationary set! Megan draws her images, and them brings them into a digital program to colour them - her result: simply cute!

I found a new lovely wooden sculpture, Blue lovebirds tree, by gypsyandtwink. They were featured on Etsy's homepage (Still are as of this moment, in a lovely treasury, but it will probably be gone by the time you read this). I think it's a perfect gift for either a friend or a loved one. The patterned paper used is gorgous, and I love the blue / red combination. I really love her turquoise elephant with bird as well...I see an Etsy feature coming on!