Some of my very favorite Etsy shops

As many of you know already, I am completely obsessed with Etsy. Easily accessible handmade items of all kinds right at my fingertips? Yes, please! On the search for unique, safe, quality clothes and toys for Keats, Etsy has been my sanctuary where I "favorite" far more than I'll ever be able to buy or even fit into our apartment. Stuffed animal foxes, hand-dyed onesies, wooden playsets, stuffed and felted eggplants, framed beetles and butterflies, spastic burp cloths, whimsical artwork, miniature bowling pins, the list literally goes on and on. The more I search through Etsy, the more I pine for a sewing machine of my own and a really big box of fluff. Having a PayPal account is more than worth the wealth of choices offered, even if just to get ideas on things I can make myself.

A definite favorite, with her affinity for foxes, is the Sleepy King shop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sleepyking?page=1

Her plushies are nearly flat, making them

a welcome addition to the shelf before Keats is old enough to play with them. Foxes, raccoons, rabbits, and acorns, this shop is decidedly following the woodsy trend

spreading through shops nearly everywhere which is, of course, fantastic with the plethora of foxes to choose from!

Although, I have to admit, my eye is more fixed on a certain raccoon that I just may have to buy myself as it's the last one of the series and I'm

not likely to see its likes again. So here I go, I'm buying it. A bit of style, a bit of whimsy, a lot

of color, all for just $16.00.

It's true, Etsy prices tend to add up once you look at your cart, so I tend to limit myself to one or two items per month. This practice seems to enhance the whole experience for me. Each item is special and thought over carefully before buying, unlike several impulse buys that I've come to regret from stores like Urban Outfitters. So even though I'm paying a bit more for whatever I'm getting than I would at, say, Babies R Us, I feel a whole lot better about the purchase. Not only are these handmade individually (not manufactured in China), most sellers I've found are mindful of the environment and use eco-friendly supplies for their wares. Buying a onesie that magically doesn't have the stench of phermaldehyde is absolutely glorious, let me tell you, and I think Keats will appreciate that (not to mention Birch, with all his allergies).I love Sleepy King's textures and use of colors. Don't you just want to feel everything in her shop? Her shop is always fun to look through and it feels pretty good knowing that you're buying something that was just made especially for you and your family.

Another favorite of mine is Laundry Monster!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/laundrymonster

She hand dyes all of her fabrics and uses 100% cotton cloth diapers for burp cloths. Laundry Monster has completely spoiled me when it comes to burp cloths. The Babies R Us plain

white ones or, worse, the Barbie or way-too-close-shot of Tigger burp cloths seem either boring or just grotesque after a quick glance at Laundry Monster's simple, colorful, and often just plain perfect burp cloths. How ridiculous is it to go off on a such a rant about burp cloths?

Pretty ridiculous, I'll readily admit, but seriously, these things are awesome. She turns something that is utilitarian (and

somewhat gross, once you think of its true

purpose) and turns it into something worthy

to be called art.

So many of the sellers on Etsy are parents themselves, so I feel confident that what they make will be safe for my children as well. Most

sellers are very good about posting warnings to parents about age-appropriateness, washing instructions, and often provide detailed lists of the supplies/fabrics they used in the making of each item.

To make a very long story, short (too late), I'm in love with Etsy. I have tons of shops as favorites and even more items as favorites (somewhere around 85 pages worth). If you're looking for something specific, odds are I have some idea where to find it on Etsy, or at the very least HOW TO find it. So let me know. I love an excuse to traverse the many facets of Etsy, especially once I've already spent my Etsy quota!