Better Living Through Etsy
I’ve been pretty much at home for the past few months, and I have devoted a lot of that time to improving my living environment. I’ve gotten much more into cooking, I fell in love with a stationary bike and devoted a lot fo time to that, and I’ve been working on organizing and decorating the house I’ve lived in for two years now, but still haven’t gotten around to… a few things. Sidenote: I don’t ever think a house is “done,” partly because I am an earth sign who always looks for opportunities for improvement, and also because as you live in a space, things change! I have reorganized every closet in this house during quarantine, and I might do it again!
I’ve been using this time of improvement and organization to support small businesses, particularly through Etsy. Sure, I’ve gone to Target and The Container Store, but for some niche things, or things that are more personal and special, Etsy is a fantastic resource. I have 2/3 fewer jobs since the pandemic, and I have a lot of empathy for people who are unexpectedly losing revenue streams, and I like that through Etsy I can get what I want AND support an entrepreneur. Also, most Etsy sellers use USPS, so I get something special that I want, I’m supporting a small business, AND I’m supporting the postal service. Everyone wins.
As mentioned last week, in my old life, when I left the house in the morning, I made tea in a Yeti tumbler. Now I’m just moving from my bedroom to the couch, so I’ve been using regular old mugs. i’m very particular about mugs, as I think we should all be. I need the right handle size and a large enough capacity and it always helps to have a nice picture or design on them. One of my favorites is a mug from Disneyland with the Haunted Mansion wallpaper on it (it seems like it’s not available anymore, at least online, but it’s pictured here). Then I bought a novelty mug on Etsy and found out my new favorite mug is just a plain old design that I guess you buy in bulk to print your own art on? Regular mugs tend to be 11oz, but some sellers have taller ones that are 15oz and are the PERFECT size. The handle is big, the capacity is perfect, and you can find all kinds of mugs that amazing makers are creating and have them ALL in YOUR cabinet! Here are the four I’ve acquired so far.
One thing I really dislike about official merch is when it’s ruined by blatant advertising. I saw a mug at Home Goods the other day that had the Pawnee City crest on it, but on the other side it had the Parks and Recreation logo. Totally ruined the vibe! I like merch that’s subtle. If you know, you know. That’s why I love this Rose Apothecary mug from FeroniArt. It could be something I got at a small town apothecary! Or it could be an homage to Schitt’s Creek. It all depends on who’s looking. When in doubt: Keep it subtle, keep it niche, always sell mugs in the 15oz size.
The mug next to it I found while I was looking for something else, and immediately added it to my cart. The Society of Strong Women Mug by Five15 is just *chef’s kiss*. I loved the design and I loved that it came in 15oz, but it was the small text on the back that made my buy immediately:
PERFECTION. Part of the shop’s proceeds go to nonprofits, the packaging it ships in is all eco friendly, and they have lots of other great designs in the shop. It looks like Five15 is on vacation right now, but I will definitely be purchasing more from them in the future.
Up next we have a mug featuring the chalkboard from the episode of Derry Girls where the Protestant boys come and the kids are tasked with listing the similarities and differences between Catholics and Protestants. They can only come up with differences, some of my faves being “distance between the eyes” and “Catholics like JFK” which has been erased and corrected to “Catholics LOVE JFK.” Again, props to seller CloothDSignArt for their subtle work.
In total I spent about $40. Love a barg.
The cactus mug is from Counter Couture, who was having a major sale. Initially I came to their shop just wanting some towels, but I ended up getting LOTS of towels, this mug, and a tee shirt.
But life isn’t all about mugs. Sometimes drinks are cold! And Etsy seller DizzlePop has just the solution. Their drink cozies are the perfect size and weight (they work on multiple sizes, aren’t too thick, and can be washed), and they have great fabric choices. I have ordered a lot of these, because I use one just about every day AND they make great gifts. If you don’t believe me, believe my grandma, who has sent me multiple pictures of her Starbucks iced tea with her DizzlePop cozy on it and tells me how much she loves it. I tend to use these on iced drinks that sweat, and they fit on both trenta and venti Starbucks cups, as well as the reusable plastic tumblers Starbucks sells at the register.
I’ve really upped my cross stitch game while in lockdown. I have been stitching for about eight years, but it was only a few months ago I stopped stitching in hand. I would just hold my fabric while I worked on it, and now I’m not only into Q-snaps (I got these Michael’s brand ones, they’re great), I have a frame (found here) and grime guards (NOT great fabric selection out there, but I finally found some I liked from So What I Craft), and needle minders. How did I LIVE before needle minders?? Truly a life changing upgrade. I got these two from Snarky Crafter Designs, and here are links to both the octopus and resting stitch face. The bookmark pattern I’m working on is from Plastic Little Covers, who is behind ALL of my favorite cross stitch patterns. And, because Aida Bands are hard to find, the fabric I’m using is ALSO from Etsy, specifically this listing.
The last Etsy find I’m obsessed with is this shelf for my bike gear. I had no idea people were making special shelves to hold their shoes and towels and wipes and who knows what else, but a quick Etsy search led me right down the rabbit hole. You could certainly make one of these yourself, but I liked the idea of 1) Not doing that, 2) Supporting a craftsperson and their business and 3) Not making this myself (this is important enough to be mentioned twice). The one I got was a custom order of an existing shelf, and the listing and the seller are no longer on Etsy, but if you do a search for “Peloton Shelf” you will get plenty of other great options. My shelf isn’t on the wall yet, so here’s a mockup of it on my kitchen table. I’m going to add a little succulent and maybe a place to store my socks, but for now here’s what i’ve got:
The canister in the cubby on the left is a regular old Clorox wipe container, with the label torn off and a bunch of washi tape covering the container. A very easy trick to make it look more designed and less like a shelf at Target.
The next time you need… anything, take a look at what’s on Etsy. Support small businesses, the post office, and yourself. Is “Better Living Through Etsy” a slogan? It should be.
