Favorite Etsy Shop: Feral Goat

There's no question that I have a soft spot for the Midwest. I love the cornfields that dot the landscape, sparkling lakes, the way life crawls at a slower pace, deep dish pizza, and my sweet husband that I snatched up all the way out here in Baltimore. Being a girl from Indiana, I light up when America's heartland is mentioned. When I found Feral Goat's etsy shop, I was smitten.

Katie Scully's photography immediately takes me back to the greatness of the Windy City and it's outlying areas. Here she catches the vastness of Lake Michigan.




I romanticize the frigid winters now that I don't have to deal with them on a regular basis. This photograph makes me crave a brutally cold afternoon, followed by a mug of hot cocoa.



And the grittiness of the "L". How I love it so.

Written by Monica of Sugar Paperie

Favorite Seller: Fabric Worm

One of the nice things about being part of BEST is that I occasionally slip my collar and leash and try out something entirely different from what I normally work on. When I decide to escape into fabric, I head straight to Etsy to the lair of The Fabric Worm.

A Fabric Worm is a person who is devoted to fabric, although "addicted to fabric" might be a better way of describing it for most of us. With so many options, and with new styles of fabric arriving on what seems to be an almost daily basis, The Fabric Worm is right there to help us indulge our passions. In my case, I buy small quantities of what I hope is excruciatingly hip fabric to cover little books that I make. Fat quarters and half-yard, color-coordinated groupings, are perfect for me. I can sin without the guilt of having spent too much money.

My real reason for loving The Fabric Worm, however, has nothing to do with the actual fabric. I genuinely like the woman who owns the shop. She has the customer service and shipping angles completely refined, and she's genuinely nice in the bargain. Take this recent convo between the two of us:

Amadison (regarding listing xxx): Help! What is a "jughandle" fat quarter? I feel so stupid.

Fabric Worm: Ha Ha!! Jughandle is just the name that the designer called that color combination:) Hee Hee! Certainly no need to feel stupid:) That's so great that your notebooks sold so quickly! Yay!

So for incredible, brand-new fabrics, great customer service, all interlaced with a sense of humor, I'd recommend that you head for the Fabric Worm. Here, by the way,is a piece of Heather Ross's "Mendocino" collection in the colorpath she calls "Jughandle." It's actually plum.

Post written by Anne.

My New Favorite Shirt

... was handmade in Baltimore!

I finally got myself something for a change at Pile of Craft. The only trouble I had was deciding which one of these beautiful pieces from Red Prairie Press to get. Because you know I want them all!


Blue Lace Ladies Cap Sleeve Tee


Folk Garden Tunic in Plum

I chose the first one with the Queen Anne's Lace print. I love how delicate and feminine it is. But see, my birthday is around the corner and I'm feeling pretty confident that if I drop enough hints, my husband will be giving Rachel a call soon for more of her beautiful tees!

Favorite Shop: Iviva Embroiders

IvivaEmbroiders is my newest favorite etsy shop. From artist books to small snippets of life on tiny fabric scraps, IvivaEmbroiders creates personal portraits through poetry and drawing.


Embroidered Art Book

The nature of the medium is intimate. Her process of embroidering each envelope, fabric scrap, napkin, and other various common items marries her hand and heart forever to this item. The text she creates appears as her own handwriting rather than some styled font. Each piece represents a thought held so close that through selling it, setting it free, she is breathing life into the hands of the audience; transferring ownership of tiny sorrows and joys.


Handstitched Art Book

Each piece represents a secret that seems to be, at the heart of it, a universal human experience. All of us can relate to these struggles and successes in love and loss, and yet, the work commands a certain pregnant silence.

Written by Nancy

Favorite Shop: Oktak

Frame Purse

Oktak was founded by Aki, a Tokyoite living in the heart of Manhattan, NYC.


2 Compartment Pouch

Aki studied handbag design & construction at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She makes funky handbags, coin purses and sunglasses cases that are fun and colorful.


Plastic Frame Clutch

I really like her unque way of attaching the closures, clasps and handles to her work.

Written by Jen of Yummy & Company

Favorite Shop: Estate Sale

One of the great things about wearing handmade is that you don't find yourself wearing the same thing everyone else got at the mall. Great vintage finds can add to your unique look, too, and I like checking out Etsy sellers for vintage.

One of my favorite vintage clothes shops is Estate Sale.

I can see myself in so many of her tops, skirts, and shoes. I am currently eyeing this top, which would make me feel like I was getting ready to pose for my 8th grade school picture, but in a good way.



I also love this pleated skirt. I can picture wearing it out at night with sandals, or with a t-shirt and flip flops to the Farmer's Market.



Anja, the one behind Estate Sale writes, "I truly love vintage items and have been addicted to going to thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales and garage sales for years, ever since I was a kid. This shop was set up to find homes for some of these neat treasures, because not everyone has the time or patience to seek out these goods."

Finally, I am crazy about these shoes, which make me think of jelly shoes. They would be great for work for the hot days of summer.

Favorite Shops: Imagination Kids

I don't have kids, but when I go over friends' houses that do, I notice that so many kids' toys are these bright, sharp plastic eyesores.

So now that I'm shopping for my new nephew, I'm way more attracted to handmade toys from natural materials like the ones in Erin's Imagination Kids shop.

For example, I love the Wooden Bunny Family. The hill comes apart in 3 pieces and can be restacked in different shapes. Not only are her toys cute, but they all have fun moving components like that.

Erin, the crafter of these toys says, "I’m a stay at home mom of two little kids and until about 3 months ago the only experience I had with woodworking was the CD holder I made in 7th grade shop class. One day after watching my then 10 month old put every single toy we owned in his mouth it occurred to me I really didn’t truly know how safe those toys were.

So on a whim I decided to make my own toys!

Purple Wooden Helicopter

I bought a scroll saw on Craigslist and got to work. After flooding my own home with all sorts of toys, my husband advised me that maybe it was time to make toys for children other than our own. Thus Imagination Kids was born.

Wooden Fire Stacker

I do all the cutting, sanding, dyeing, and finishing while my kids perform all the product testing."

Check out her shop for more cute wooden toys!

Favorite Shops: TracyChong

Other B.E.S.T. members have blogged here about their love for art made from paper cutouts, and now it's my turn. I am a big fan of the pop-up cards in tracychong's Etsy shop.

First of all, I love the sweet design and fresh colors in this Chain of Hearts card.



Tracy says of her art, "Many years ago, my cousin introduced me to the art of origamic architecture (pop-ups) by Masahiro Chatani. I was fascinated by how a single piece of paper could transform into a beautiful three dimensional object with just a series of cuts and folds. Today, I design my own pop-up cards and it is even more rewarding to see a design in my mind, and with the same cuts and folds, have it come to life from a blank sheet of card."

Her Welcoming Spring card is gorgeous too--this is the kind of card I would buy for someone else but then wind up keeping for myself because I just love that picket fence!



Finally, here's a masculine yet mushy I Love U card in brown and cream.



You don't need to wait for Valentine's Day to give one of these beautiful cards.

Favorite Shop: Mogwaii

"Cluck and Food Pillow"

Sara Campbell, the genius behind the Etsy shop Mogwaii, creates the most stunning pieces with pure wool. Her pillows, French Press cozies, and creatures all have simple and elegant compositions that are often nature inspired. There is also something about her work that somehow seems pure. This all comes to us from a rugged island in north west Scotland. Isn't it great how Etsy can make talent so far away so accessible?

"Leaf Design"

"Custom Wedding Quilt"

"Lavina the Hebridean Hen"