To say I’m a huge fan of Etsy is an understatement. For years, whenever my family wants to get me a Christmas or birthday present, I archly point them to one of my curated Etsy lists. I can’t think of a time in recent memory when I didn’t buy a wedding gift from the site. Confession: I actually had to delete the app from my phone so I wouldn’t keep favoriting things.
the invite and the mini tarts
Theresa (far right) chatting to Helen, Managing Director at Etsy – photo by Devika Bilimoria
Wendy June – photo by Devika Bilimoria
What is Etsy? It’s an online markeplace for handmade goods. Imagine if the Rose St. Artists’ Market was online all day, every day, except with thousands of craftmakers all over the world, all instantly at your fingertrips. (Dangerous to the ol’ credit card, indeed.)
But sometimes, looking at pretty pictures online isn’t enough. That’s why the Australia team linked up with homewares store West Elm (another favourite of mine) for a special Etsy pop-up shop.
Imagine: select Etsy sellers come to life so you can fondle their wares! And free cake from Burch & Purchese! And a DJ! I knew the trip to Chapel St. would be worth it.
The dolled-up Burch & Purchese gals hand out mini tarts
And lo, here are the shops whose wares I got to fondle:
- WendyJune – ceramics/illustration
- Koa by Kaitlin – carved stoneware
- Miss Poppy Design – stationery, watercolours
- Georgie Cummings – designs/accessories
- PIRDY – jewellery and homewares
- Treehorn Design – wooden objects
- spin spin – screenprinted fabric, homewares
- Little Lumberjack by Jen Yani – timber homewares
the bustling crowds
It was a fantastic way to see some Melbourne-based Etsy sellers that I had either only seen online, or hadn’t yet heard of. I loved everything I saw. How could I not? Everyone was so talented!
Georgie Cummins – photo by Devika Bilimoria
I’d be remiss if I finished up without a shout-out to my Melbourne friends who have Etsy stores. There’s Amandine, with her laser-cut wooden jewelry at Smiling Pebble; BrewSmith home-brewing kits, by my friends Adrian & Carolyn; and watercolours from former Melburnian Megan at U.S.-based shop HandCraftedByMeg (which, like many Etsy stores worldwide, now ships to Australia).
Pirdy – photo by Devika Bilimoria
One last confession: during the making of this post, I bought a friend a Golden Snitch bookmark. I couldn’t help myself. Everything on Etsy is addictively cute — and knowing you’re supporting an individual who made it themselves? Well, that just makes it all the easier to press ‘buy’.
-Theresa
