Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.
Athens, Georgia, known for its enormous college and crazed football fans, also has an engaging artist community. One market is not enough to contain them all. Athens Farmers Market, in Athens, and Oconee Farmers Market, in nearby Watkinsville, feature fresh produce, and handmade goods from March to November each year.
Do you know the way to San Jose? This week’s Shop Local post is coming at you from sunny San Jose, California.
The Sharma Designs shop is full of funky jewelry that is refined enough to go just about anywhere! She has a wide selection of painted wood earrings and earrings made from vintage lucite, as well as jewelry crafted from various other materials. While this selection could easily be distracting, the Sharma Designs aesthetic brings a great consistency to the entire shop.
This fabric tea cup, by Atelier Usagi’s Quilt, would make a whimsical touch to a mantel or coffee table. Fill it with pens or paper clips. Store sweetener packets inside and serve it with your afternoon tea.
Acrylic rings are HOT and these are some of the very best I’ve seen anywhere! PoppyJoy‘s rings are colorful – with beautiful patterns and prints. At just $3.99 a piece, you can treat yourself to a little bling without breaking the bank. Love that! Poppy also has a bulk option to purchase larger quantities of rings at a discount. They would make outrageous & affordable party favors for a bridal shower or ladies brunch.
At only 18 years old, and an Etsy member since only January, Poppy – with over 200 sales – has a promising craft career in front of her!
Amy from Bandamy Boutique creates hand-knit bags & purses. The purse pictured above is knit from a wool and alpaca blend and features an antique brass kisslock snap frame. Such a luxurious place to keep a bit of change and a lip balm!
Today’s Shop Local post hails from balmy Tampa, Florida – and goes to show that retirement has reached the handmade & art communities of the state!
I’m totally digging this original art by Anika Easter. Combining wood, paint, and other media, these works jump off the wall. Her art appears to be conceptualized in the state between dreaming and waking. She says, “Sometimes I’ll dream up this incredible painting and when I wake up it slips out of my mind. Apparently I have a very creative subconscious. My goal is to prove it exists.”
This week my tip came from Jean, from 3squares. Through twitter, Jean suggested her home town of Raleigh – and after one look at some of the shops, I was all too happy to oblige!
The necklace above is some of Jean’s handiwork. Her designs are inspired by another love in her life: food. This pendant is ceramic with kiwi-colored glaze. Her shop is very eclectic and, while that can sometimes be a bit distracting, her aesthetic is very consistent. She works in many media to create her jewelry, including metal, fabric, glass, and ceramics.
So then Jean suggested that I check out Allover Art.
And it was by sheer force of will that I did not buy these earrings right on the spot. Ruth Jones is the talent behind this fabulous shop! Each piece is a hand-painted little work of art. Ruth is also a more traditional fine artist but loves the idea of creating tiny pieces that people carry with them throughout the day instead of being hung on a wall to be admired at a distance.
Jogi Originals is a brand-new shop with loads of potential. I love how the details on this bag are delightly off-center! There are tucks in the body of the bag and, just above them, a bit of the lining fabric peeks out in its only little set of tucks.
Finally, I couldn’t resist the Xtreme poses that accompanied these hand printed yoga pants. Who doesn’t want to be comfy & pretty? Whether you wear these for their intended purpose or simple around the house, you’ll look great doing it. Find more limited-edition, screen-printed goodies at ahpeele.
This week’s Shop Local features the beautiful countryside of Suffolk, England. While a geographical search on Etsy didn’t reveal a lot of crafters, it did reveal some real eye candy! I loved the three shops below and think you will too. And if you can’t get enough of Suffolk, check out the Suffolk Craft Society for more fine crafters creating modern art with traditional techniques.
