Great Etsy Gifts for Under $25!

I haven't been working as much as I can on my personal crafts because of the upcoming holidays and how crazy our house has become since Thanksgiving. We have our oldest's second birthday coming up, a million fire department activities, Christmas Parties, Bake Sales... you name it... we got it!

So I started looking through Etsy to see some gifts I can get for my family, and I decided I would blog about great etsy gifts for under $25 and where you can find them.

I am going to start with a store I love personally, that I just made a purchase from for myself. TR Mack Studio not only has beautiful prints for sale, but also beautiful hand crafted glass pendants with his art. I am looking to purchase some more for myself, because no better time to shop for yourself but Christmas right?

Click on the picture to go directly to listing in TR Mack's shop. You will not be disappointed. By the way, this necklace will only run you $12 plus $3 for shipping, and you will have it within the week!

What to get for the sister or mother who already has everything? Pandora Charms! Because who doesn't have a pandora bracelet these days? Ok! I will admit, until last Christmas, I didn't. I begged and pleaded with my husband to get me one and there it was Christmas morning! But sometimes those charms are SO expensive! Well there are knock off's that are not only cheap, but come in other styles than Pandora actually offers, like this one, one I would love for my own bracelet, HINT HINT HONEY!


Not only is it nice, works with Pandora and Sterling Silver, it is only $15.99! Of course you have to pay for shipping but even with the $2.50 shipping that is still cheaper than most Pandora charms. Check out After Dark Designs for more charms and great deals!

What about for those family members that think they are Martha Stewart when it comes to decorating and hosting? The prim and proper house that is decorated to the nines when it comes to any holiday. I can bet you they do not have one of these!


I can bet you they do not have a hand made fabric banner! Not only is it re-usable for every season, but isn't it cute?? You can get a fabric banner for any holiday through Addie Bug's Fabric Banners. For only $15.00 plus $1.50 for shipping, you can have this hanging over or from your fire place this Christmas!

Celebrating a First Christmas for a new baby in your family? What better than to get a hand made and customized ornament for that little one? Check out Buttonwilloe's Etsy store to find the custom Holiday ornament for your special someone!

Etsy Sale!

I made my first sale on Etsy yesterday. I am beyond excited! While I made a total of $3.50 on it, it was still very exciting!

I just finished up a couple other projects also.... This one is my favorite out of them all though...

In the crafty frame of mind...

Lately, I haven't been in the cooking frame of mind, but rather the crafting frame of mine. Lots of little projects that I have started at once, and yesterday I finished a couple up while starting some more. I listed a few on etsy today, and I really feel like I am in the swerve of things, now I just need to actually build a base of people who follow my blog, store, twitter, and actually will promote and purchase the things I am putting all my hard work into.

It seems as though my husband is getting a little.... annoyed to put it nicely that I am putting so much time, money, and effort into the craft stuff, and I haven't seen a dime back yet. Heck I am starting to give things away to close friends. He hates it!

So anyways, I thought I would post a couple pictures of a couple things I wrapped up yesterday.

This is a little table top box that can really be used for anything from jewelry, to putting little treats in for your coffee table, or even use as a gift box to use for gifts.

A 3 ornament breast cancer awareness ribbon set, one says live, the others say love, and laugh. I made these for a family member who is currently kicking the hell out of breast cancer.

Santa Baby!

This was another little fun ornament I made, it is a little snow man, on a snowflake. I am planning on making a couple more of these.

I hope others like these too. I am looking to add more blogs to my blog roll, and try and get my blog out there more, so if you would like to link up, just comment or e-mail me!

Is it Summer yet?

I started working on a brightly colored paper mache box yesterday, and topped it off, and finished it up today, I am beyond proud of it to say the least though.
I think I am really starting to get the hang of working with cardstock on paper mache, wood, and other materials.

Here is my masterpiece!

It's All In The Pictures

I am coming to realize that on etsy, it isn't about the product, because frankly people sell some stupid stuff I would never in a million years pay for, but it sells. I figured out... it is all in the pictures.
The better you make your project look, the better pictures you get, the better the possibility you are actually going to sell one of your listings.

So today I scoured my house looking for some place that would be best to take my pictures and how to really "stage" the area. Yeah, stage... what am I, selling a house? LOL!

So here is what I turned out with... I added some before and afters to show how far I have really come!
I am sure that we can tell the before and after of these two.

But it really is amazing how much a change in lighting, standing the frame up and actually setting it up like it would be in a house makes a difference!



Again, it is no real issue telling the before from the after picture. The flash is not needed with the natural light, but also with the light accent, like it was really sitting on someones bed side table ready for jewelry or some other treat to be hid away in it before bed.




I was actually surprised at how different these two pictures turned out. Simple accents, including my infants penguin snowflake blanket helped me set the scene.





I am truly surprised how much I have been able to get done today, once my wonderful husband gets home from work I am going to get him to help me up into the attic so that I can take out our mini table top Christmas tree and I can start re-taking pictures of all my ornaments then re-list them like I am currently doing.
To check out each listing for the items above, simply click on the new photographs!

Etsy Stalk Sunday!

So, since my own crafting has been lacking, even though I sat down tonight and really started messing around with my Cricut Expressions. I am making a couple Christmas cards. I hope they turn out as good as they look in my head. But I have been looking through other peoples stores a lot lately because Christmas is coming.
So a couple of the awesome things I came across that I want, want to buy for someone else, or just think others may love for their holiday!
The Mothers Survival Kit, because we all need one of these. I saw this and thought it was the cutest idea out there. How completely cleaver, and I think every first time mother really does need this!
Also completely adorable. As a woman who does not wear a fancy engagement ring, or wedding band, this is something that I would totally buy to wear as an alternative.

I am all about custom Christmas Stockings. So when I saw these I was in love! Hmmm I need a stocking for our newest addition to the family, little Mr. Benjamin!

I would NEVER think about buying something like this, but it is such a great idea! Photo mats for inside your picture frames! Her store has all kinds, colors, styles, etc. Genius!

What a neat idea! Custom Christmas gift bags! Support your local etsy crafter and buy online instead of from your big stores!

But really, I could sit here all night long and do this, but instead I am going to go cuddle with my boys and make sure my sick husband is rested enough for work tomorrow.

Cricut Expressions

So my Cricut expressions was not supposed to be delivered until Monday November 16th, but it showed up yesterday and boy was I like a little kid in a candy store.

I took some pictures to make up for my lack of wanting to write. Currently the flu is going through my house, and has started to kick my ass too!


I only messed around with it a little because of the clear illness and lack of time in the house right now. I have been so unfocused on my crafts lately that I feel as though I am not going to sell any of my Christmas ornaments at all this year, which I am pretty bummed about. I put so much work and effort into all of them and because Etsy is a huge popularity contest, I cant sell anything.