Handmade Directory: Handbags/Purses

Ahhh...handbags and purses...one major addiction for many people! Here are some great handmade items to help you get your fix. Find more on Etsy and Artfire!







Want your shop featured in the directory? Email me!

-Suzanne

Fabulous Finds: Wristlet for I-Phones, Cameras by janinekingdesigns

One of my favorite Etsy sellers is JanineKingDesigns. This wonderful shop features high quality handbags, laptop bags, wristlets and more. Last year, I made my first purchase from this shop and was pleasantly surprised by the quality and detail.

These little wristlets are heavily padded and extremely well crafted. They are the perfect size for the little cameras that are so popular and are also a great size for the IPhone or ITouch.

Available in a variety of fabrics, these products are a must have for us technology junkies!

My New "Black Bag!"

Yesterday, I received an awesome Etsy find made by Black Bags. This handbag is incredibly well-made. It is clear a lot of care went into making this handbag and it is adorable! To see more of this artists great items, visit her Etsy Shop HERE.


-Suzanne

Etsy Artist Feature: A Window into Whimsy

Showin' some love for one of my Etsy West Michigan peeps! Search "etsywmi team" on Etsy.com to find more great Michigan made items.

1. What is your shop name and what do you sell?

A Window into Whimsy is my shop name, and I make purses, key fobs, lanyards and other accessories for everyday, along with some mixed media art using paper, mat board and my sewing machine. :)

2. What is your shop URL?
www.awindowintowhimsy.etsy.com

3. What is your blog URL?

www.awindowintowhimsy.blogspot.com

4. When did you start selling on Etsy?

April of 08. I knew of Etsy for a while… just never spent any real time there. After I did, well, it was all over, I was hooked, lol.

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?

I love that Etsy gives every person the opportunity to sell their hand made wares… with no discrimination. I think it sparks creativity and inspiration.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you create?

I have a fabric obsession. No, seriously… it’s pretty bad. ;) But that is my favorite part… picking that perfect fabric and making into something useful.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?

Oh goodness… that actually changes on a daily basis, lol. ;) There are certain fabrics I love so much that I just like to look at the purse I just made, lol. But really… I suppose it would have to be my family tree and mixed media pieces, because they are ‘mine’ from start to finish.

8. What teams do you belong to?

Etsy West Michigan

9. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?

Carry on at Craft Shows. ;) I love talking about the markets I do on other days, and talking to potential customers one on one. I’m just a people person. ;)

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?

Oh Goodness. That could get to be a dangerously long list, lol. But I love http://thedreamygiraffe.etsy.com There is not a single piece I would not love to own!

11. What do you do in your spare time?

Um… sew. Seriously.

12. What blogs do you follow?

Another long list! Since I am at a stay at home mom with a business that requires me to sit alone for hours, blogs are my link to sanity during the day. :) I love www.joyshope.com and www.octamom.com (no, it’s definitely NOT by that lady who had 8 babies, believe me!).

13. Do you have anything else you would like to share?

Just that I love what I do, and I love that I have the opportunity to do it!

Handmade Artist Directory

Welcome to the Handmade Artist Directory!

Looking for quality handcrafted items? Find them HERE (http://www.blisscandles.com/HandmadeDirectory.htm) or by clicking on the links below. If you would like to be considered for the directory, please comment on this post with your Etsy, Artfire, or Web address.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MAIN HANDMADE DIRECTORY PAGE
MAIN HANDMADE PAGE
MAIN WEB PAGE

~~Categories~~

Baby Items
Bakery/Food
Bath & Body
Beads/Handmade Supplies
Candles & Holders
Children's Clothing & Toys
Clothing - Adult
Fabric Creations
Fine Art - Paintings
Fine Art - Misc
Garden
Glass
Handbags/Purses
Home Decor
Jewelry
Knitted Items/Yarn/Wool
Metal & Wood
Pet Items
Photography
Pottery
Primitives
Scrapbooking/Paper
Teas, Herbs & Spices
Wedding & Special Occasions

More to Come!

Featured Etsy Blogger Artist: DesignbyNora

This active Etsy Bloggers Team member, DesignbyNora, features adorable stud earrings, handbags, and an array of miscellaneous items. Stop into her shop at http://designbynora.etsy.com and get a jump start on Spring with these wonderful pics! Featuring free shipping on an assortment of items :)

Check out these bright little star earrings .... just perfect for Summer and Fourth of July!

What a pretty little purse to go with those dainty spring dresses.....

These pretty little earrings would go beautifully with bridesmaid dresses in Springtime!

Fabulous Find: Donna Striped Rachelle Handbag

Fabulous Find: Donna Striped Rachelle Handbag

I was hunting around for some great EtsyBloggers finds and found this wonderful handbag/purse by TiLT Creations. And...the bonus is that there are matching accessories available! Here is the description for the great find:

"This larger purse is perfect for people who need to carry just a little more than the basics everyday. It closes with a zipper and has a flap that snaps shut. The main fabric is is a bold striped outdoor fabric. The flap and straps are both made from tan ultrasuede. Hiding under the flap is the same material as the blue scroll cotton lining. Decorating the flap is a wooden button. The bottom of the bag is seamless so there will be less stress from the things you carry. The roomy interior is fully lined and has both an open pocket and back wall zippered pocket."

Check it out at: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15525791

-Suzanne

Featured Etsy Shop: Sun2Create

Featured Etsy Shop: Sun2Create

1.What is your shop name and what do you sell? Sun2Create
I sell throw pillow covers, market totes/handbags and weekender laundry bags. I am expanding my line of market totes and adding some small accessories such as zip pouches. I also have some wine bottle bags available in my shop.

2. What is your shop URL?
http://sun2create.etsy.com/

3. What is your blog URL?
http://themarygoround.blogspot.com/

4. When did you start selling on Etsy?
I had been on Etsy as a buyer for a couple of months but actually started stocking my store at the end of August, 2008.

5. What is your favorite thing about Etsy?
My favorite thing about Etsy is the sense of community. I have learned so much from other Etsy sellers. and I know that there is always a wealth of knowledge and experience available for me as a seller. This helps tremendously in giving new sellers the confidence to get started. There is also a lot of support and encouragement from Etsy members.

6. What is your favorite thing about what you sell?
I love fabric of all kinds. I love color and texture and pattern. I spend a lot of time looking for unique fabrics that I think would make a great pillow or bag. Throw pillows can very quickly and easily change the look of a room. I like being able to find that special fabric that will really pop in someone's decor.

7. What is your favorite item in your own shop and why?
Typically, my favorite thing is whatever I made last. I always love whatever I am working on. But, if I had to choose, it is probably my Lipstick Safari Bag. It is oversized and has long, comfortable straps. I was recently in New Orleans for the weekend and could certainly have used a bag like this for the all-day walking and shopping we did. And, the true-red and oatmeal-colored animal print is just one of the most fun fabrics I have ever used! I will definitely be making another one of these bags for myself.

8. What teams do you belong to?
I belong to the Design Style Guide Team, the Wild, Wise, Witty Grandmas Team, the Southeastern U.S. Team and Team Etsy Mississippi.

9. What is the most fun thing you do to promote your shop?
I have really started to enjoy my blog and I have made some blog friends, some Etsians, some non-Etsians. I like keeping up with their activities and lives through visiting their blogs. I do a weekly “Best Gifts on Etsy” feature on my blog and it is geared toward a different type of recipient each week. I also have been writing a monthly newsletter for those on my mailing list. I enjoy that as well.

10. What are some of your favorite finds by other sellers on Etsy?
A jewelry seller named Maddyanne has a bracelet I love called Jolie Bracelet.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16916308

I really love the artwork of Karenfieldsgallery such as her painting called Take Your Time.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16481041

And Pickleberries makes some very pretty fused glass earrings like these called Delicate Nosegay
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13582018

11. What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I play with my four-year-old grandson, cook, read and garden. And of course, browse fabric sites on the web.

12. What blogs do you follow?
I follow TimothyAdamDesigns blog. http://timothyadamdesigns.blogspot.com/
And PamperingBeki http://pamperingbeki.blogspot.com/

13. Do you have anything else you would like to share?
I would just like to say that selling my handmade items on Etsy has been a completely positive experience. The community is friendly and supportive, the array of talent there is amazing and the buyers I have dealt with have been wonderful! I love being a part of it all!

My Big Shopping Trip

I have been working incredibly hard these days so I decided to make a trip to a show that I have done for the last two years but couldn't afford this year ($265 booth fee and 10% of sales ... youch!). Beneath the Wreath is sponsored by the Grand Rapids Junior League and is a wonderful high end shopping event that is invite only -- in other words, they ask you if you would like to have a booth there.

I visited several favorites as well as some new ones and wanted to show off a couple of my new goodies! I encouraged both artists to join Etsy so if you like their websites, send them a note to give a little more encouragement :)

The very first (okay... after the toffee booth) item that I bought was a handbag. I'm not usually the type to buy handbags but the quality of these and the styles they had available were not only outstanding but styles I hadn't seen before. This wonderful artist, The Poppy Bag Co., has "an original line of custom-designed bags and accessories." The fabrics are beautiful and they have a bag design for everybody...even me! Plus they do handbag parties! Since it is dark and gloomy here in Michigan, my photo quality is not the best but here is the one I purchased. You can see more at http://thepoppybagco.typepad.com/. You can email them at thepoppybagco@allcom.net.

Then I had to make my annual trip to the Great Lakes Tea & Spice company. They have the most heavenly array of teas, spices, rubs, and gadgets! They have teas ranging from fruity to floral to herbal including black teas, white teas, green teas, and botanical blends. They also carry pure spices, spice blends, and some incredible rubs. My favorite rub, which they were out of already if that tells you anything, is the Teriyaki Ginger Rub. Talk about fabulous! I highly recommend checking out this wonderful vendor from Glen Arbor, Michigan. You can shop online at http://www.glteaandspice.com/. Here are photos of some of my goodies.

How wonderful would these things be in a basket with some Bliss Soybean Candles???

Happy Shopping! -Suzanne