With the holidays around the corner, tis the time to start buying presents! Rather than getting something at the mall or Target for your friends and family, consider checking out the interwebs for places like Etsy and Copious that sell handmade goods. Not only are you getting something that’s most likely one-of-a-kind, but you’re supporting a small business. Good times!
Arts & Crafts fairs can be found all over the place during this time of year too, so be sure to see what’s going on around your town. Last week, the school I tutor at held their annual Arts & Gifts Fair so I headed on over to check out what the local vendors had to offer. I found a vast array of crafters selling handmade accessories, knitted/crocheted hats and scarves, and even some Betsey Johnson baubles for super cheapsies! But let’s focus on the stuff folks made with their bare hands, shall we?
Here are some of my favorite finds:
Lin Taylor:
Lin Taylor is a crafter based in the Sacramento area and she makes super cute headbands and pins made out of felt and yarn. I wanted to buy one of her headbands sooo badly, but I’m dumb and forgot to put my wallet into my purse before I left for work. AH! You can find Lin and her beautiful creations on Facebook and Instagram.
Fuss & Feathers:
Fuss & Feathers, also from Sacramento, had some gorgeous headbands with a couple of big flowers, scarves, and other little accessories, but I think the coolest thing they had were the little owl bags. I think they were marked as phone bags, but you could totally put some cash and your chapstick in there and be on your way out (given that you only need to take a few things with you). Darlene Seagraves, the lady behind Fuss & Feathers, was super helpful in letting me know about certain teams and whatnot on Etsy since I’m still pretty much a newb when it comes to selling my things on there. It’s nice to know the folks behind the products are super sweet too. 
You can find Fuss & Feathers on Etsy.
Wristy Business:
At every street or arts & crafts fair I’ve gone to, I always see a vendor selling upcycled silverware jewelry. But with Wristy Business, run by Marsha Gonslaves, I think the incorporation of wiring and shiny beads added more oomph than any other vendor I had ever seen with a similar aesthetic. I particularly liked the rings made out of forks and the bracelets made out of the ends of vintage utensils. For more information about Wristy Business, be sure to check out their website.
All Tangled:
I was drawn to All Tangled’s booth, which is run by a very sweet lady named Raquel, because it totally reminded me of all the things my great grandma used to crochet for my family when I was a kid. My great grandma’s name also happens to be Raquel. Coincidence? All Tangled’s inventory consisted of really cute and cozy looking gloves, scarves, and hats for both adults and babies, and booties (just for babies, not adults).
All Tangled’s site is currently under construction, but you can check out what Raquel has whipped up and also purchase items on their Facebook page.
Are there any small businesses that you particularly love on Etsy or elsewhere? I’d love to hear about it, so feel free to share!
Cheers,
Nina
