If you’re like most of us, your available time to peruse the latest handmade finds online is limited. Fortunately you can count on some cool sites to dig through the newest artisan goodies and present them in a way that makes browsing them quick and fun. The trick is finding and keeping up with the ones that discover the pieces that you think are stunning, then marking or following them so you don’t miss out on any great new work.
First and foremost on your list should of course be tryhandmade. TH isn’t new, but this site is still second to none in finding and presenting the most interesting and innovative handmade work, so don’t forget to mark it. There are many ways to be sure you don’t miss out on newest posts; the most popular are via facebook, rss feed, email or that old standby, bookmarking. Some people also keep a linked list on their blog of their favorite handmade sites to flip through when they can, which also allows them to share them with others.
There are some new or reworked sites that you also might find worth a second look and perhaps a mark. Craftgawker has recently changed focus to accept only work posted on blogs or other editorial sites and no longer has listings from handmade venues with work for sale. This has changed the flavor of the pieces presented and makes it a bit more difficult if you happen to see something you’d like to purchase. But it’s still worth a follow since it’s updated with new work frequently and you’re bound to see something you love.
Etsy has changed their member-curated treasuries, now called Treasury East, to ensure a constant supply of the themed mini galleries we all love to create. It’s now easier than ever to flip through the latest treasuries, then check out the ones that catch your eye. Etsy Treasuries no longer expire, so if you find yourself with a lot of time on your hands you now have 2000+ pages of collections to click through. Please comment below if you get through them all!
ByHandGallery (of which I am a publisher) is now artist focused, presenting mini galleries of new work by different artists several times daily. Artists are selected based on consistent quality of work and appealing photography, so you can get a quick overview of the best handmade shops easily. Tags at the bottom of each page allow you to shop quickly by item or color.
My latest publishing project is called Indie Artisans, a curated handmade site featuring the work of independent artists irrespective of venue. The jury committee combs through available artisan work online and selects the best pieces based on quality and fit with the current theme of the page. Resident artisans are joined by a rotating selection of guest artists to create an ever-changing gallery of theme based work.
What’s your favorite handmade site? Please share it below!
Beverly Rustica
Beverly Rustica is General Publisher of Indie Artisans, and Boardwalk Artisans, juried, themed collections of artisan work. Find her at BeachyRustica Practical Art for Beach & Cabinyou might also like...
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Not surprised to find BeachyRustica immersed in yet another publishing project for handmade artisans. I AM surprised to see my wild pink bracelet at the top of this article. And delighted to be featured next to PattyMara's amazing Clan Mother. Thank you so much!! Try Handmade is a great source of information and a terrific resource to find the best of handmade. xocheryl
What a wonderful feature. Thank you!
Thank you BeachyRustica for bringing attention to IndieArtisans!! Try Handmade is always full of good stuff from the best artisans on the planet:-)