Holiday Gift Guide Supporting Etsy Artists 2017

I'm a huge fan of artists and makers, well of course I am and I know that you are too! And there are so many talented people on Etsy that I admire and love. So I thought I would put together this Holiday Season Christmas Gift Guide (wishlist!) of potential gift ideas to inspire you to take a look and perhaps support some of your favourite artists and makers on Etsy when you do your gift shopping this year.

So in no particular order lets get started! Click on the thumbnail to see the art itself on Etsy and to learn more about the artists.

[There are some affiliate links in this blog post, so if you buy through them I do get a small amount of money at no extra cost to yourself, but it really does help. Thanks for your support!]

1. MirDinara - Castle

2. Viktoria Astrom - Warrior Hedgehog

3. Shop Miss Ella - Cat doll

4. Jane Ormes - Rabbit Freaking out

5. Emma Block - Alice Through the Looking Glass

6. Cathy Connolley - Hilltop Village

7. Viktoria Astrom - Stormy Seas 2

8. Emma Block- Lisbon Pink House

9. Lisa Congdon - Landscape Study

10. Shop Miss Ella - Cat Cushion

They are some of my current favourite artists and makers on Etsy, but I would love to hear who yours are as I love discovering new, talented artists and makers. So leave me a comment below with a link to who is on your Holiday Gift Guide wishlist this year.

Don't be afraid to list your own Etsy shop too if you have one!

Kim


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8 Etsy Finds For Christmas

If you were reading my blog a week or so ago, or following my Instagram feed, then you will have spotted that I got a bit excited about making some Christmas decoration. Well I've made one so far, progress is a bit slow *sigh*. But I have been having more success looking for Christmas decorations on Etsy* and I've collected together some of my favourite items for a bit of show and tell:




Aren't these just the cutest? It always blows me away what people make, *NEED* all of them!

So the above are:

1. Christmas Felt Bird Wreath from CuriousBloom*
2. Santa Claus Christmas Ornament from ModerationCorner*
3. Christmas Felted Snowman Christmas Decor from MyriamPowellDesigns*
4. Handmade bird Christmas ornament from PuffinPatchwork*
5. Advent Calender Antlers Wooden Reindeer from SlippinSouthern*
6. Reindeer Christmas Pillow cover from ThatDutchGirlPillows*
7. Wood Snowman Decor from TheRustyGoose*
8. Crochet snowflake garland from TheSnowflakeTree*

How are your Christmas preparations going? Have you got any Etsy* finds you would like to share? I would love to know!

Happy shopping.
Kim

[*Just so that you know some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links.]

In The Spotlight - LoShakerato Alberto's New Stamps

You guys are the greatest, thanks for all your lovely comments after my Halloween blog post, I'm glad you enjoyed it and took the time to leave a comment too. I did kind of launch you into it with no warning didn't I? Tee Hee!

Well no tall tales for you today but an introduction on my blog to the new stamps from the amazing LoShakerato Alberto*.

I'm sure a lot of you guys have already come across Alberto in your cardmaking travels. He is an AMAZING colourist and now he has started his own line of stamps too which I know the colouring fanatics amongst you are going to love!

This image and sentiment comes from a set called "On The Frame"* and you can find them in digital form in Alberto's Etsy Shop Shaky A Planet*.

It is a great stamp to colour, I do so love colouring faces and practising to get over my fear of colouring hair!

BIG thanks to Alberto for giving me an excuse to get some colouring practice in with these gorgeous new stamps!

You can find Alberto in several places, he has a blog, a Facebook page, an Instagram stream, and a Twitter feed so go link up with him in your favourite social media outlet.

Then go and checkout his lovely stamps, he is selling his digital stamps on Etsy* and has some clear stamps with L'Artictica Glo in Italy.

Thanks for popping in today.

Kim

[*The Esty links are all affiliated links, which means I get a small commission for referring you to Etsy, but it does not cost you or Alberto anything extra but it does help me to run my blog.]

Affiliate Programs And Etsy UK

I've been umming and ahhing about joining affiliate programs for a couple of years now, for a ton load of reasons that I won't go into here, but I have finally taken the plunge. Some of you might have already noticed that some of my blog posts now carry a 'There are affiliated links in this post' notice in the postscript.

If some of you aren't sure what affiliate programs are, they are a way for bloggers to generate income. So if I put an affiliated banner in my sidebar or an affiliated link in my blog post to a product and you click through and decide you love it and buy it, I get a small commission for referring you.

Well let's face it I've been sharing my favourite products with you for years, I mean that is what we do isn't it? We artists/crafters love sharing what we have been making and what we have been using. I've also been working for Design Teams for years too and part of that job is to link to the products we use. The only difference now is that for some of my links, those that are affiliated, I can get a little bit of money for doing it.

One of the programs I have signed up to is the new UK Etsy Affiliate program. I thought the Etsy Affiliate program is a great way to help support my blog and at same time support the wonderful people who make the most amazing handmade products.

So I'm excited to share with you some products I love from some fabulous Etsy shops, do go have a browse and share the love! It is a mix of paper, jewellery and geeky cuteness from three of my favourite Etsy shops run by people I know via blogging or in real life.

[Photo Credit: All photos belong to the makers, Kate Haines, Clair Rigby and Julie Kirk]

The geekery is from Kate Haines' shop Gallerie St Gery, the jewellery is from Clair Rigby's shop Obstinate Pursuit (she also sells jewellery-making tutorials) and the papery is from Julie Kirk's shop Julie Kirk. 

Oh and Julie is having a sale in her shop Julie Kirk at the moment, 15% off with the code EVERYLOSERWINS15 at checkout until 2pm (BST) tomorrow 20th June 2014.

I adore these items so I hope you enjoy them too!


I would love to know if you have any experience with affiliate programs or any thoughts about them so please do drop me a comment below.

Kim

[Just so that you know the product links are affiliated!]

Art Journal Sharing - On Your Bike!

I didn't think I was going to have a page to share with you today for my Art Journal Sharing post. My mojo has been so concentrated on articles and house moving that there seems to be no more room in my head for anything else.

Well that was what I thought until around 6pm last night when I had a sudden urge to throw some paint on a page in my A5 repurposed art journal and around 30 minutes later I had this double page spread done.

It is a bit random and mostly lead by the fact I wanted to use this acid green and some fluorescent pink paint.

As the pages progressed the picture of the old bicycles just caught my eye from other pages in this re-purposed flier so a 'Transport' and 'Cycling in London' theme grew.

I used to cycle in London, but not on a Penny Farthing oddly enough - I know, go figure! But there are people who do cycle around London on Penny Farthings. There is the Penny Farthing Club for a start and then I think you can spot a couple of Penny Farthings on the Tweed Run as well. 

I think that little double seater in the bottom right corner is more my style!

Thanks for popping round for my share this week.

Catch you later Journalators.

Kim