Fattie Approved Etsy Shops

I had a rather relaxing, if busy and eventful (if those are even possible all at the same time) weekend. I actually played Christmas carols on both Friday and Saturday; both outside.  It was COLD both times but exhilarating.  Brass just sounds amazing outside!

The horn is COLD but the tunes are hopping

Shopping was a key component on Sunday and while it was a calm experience I did hear from one cashier at a crafts store, “Wow you guys are smiling?  Everyone so far has been a bit more…harried!”  Yes, Adam D and I were enjoying ourselves and not running amok with time constraints, budget concerns and gift-buying lists hanging over our heads while we tried to navigate tight aisles stuffed with other shoppers and merchandise glaring down from all sides screaming in flashing, festive lights “BUY OUR CRAP!”

But I think one of the main reasons we were calm and able to just poke around enjoy things is that we’re done with any holiday gift buying that we hoped to do; and most of it was done on-line.  I’m a HUGE fan of Amazon.com, Etsy.com (a great boon for those looking for a hand-made craft done by amazingly skilled artisans running their own businesses), and other on-line stores offering discounts, coupons and free shipping to its customers.  As such, I’ve been doing most of my gift buying (year round) using on-line options.

Mostly, though, I’ve been loving Etsy.com.  It is a site which gathers many crafty-folks all in one place to vend their wares. It begs for browsing and you could conceivably get lost for days exploring what is available for sale.  There is everything from jewelry to antiques to clothing to knickknacks to toys to furniture and more; most available to customize!

So in the spirit of sharing, I’m going to point out a few of my favorite stores in Etsy which have proven either fully Fat Friendly or at the least easy to communicate with. I am not getting any remuneration for promoting these folks; I’ve just done business with them and was pleased with the outcome and feel every good turn deserves another!

Please share any other stores (or even your own!) in the comments below.  What other sites have you grinning from the deals or the wonderful customer service?

Jewelry, Ornaments

Goes wonderfully with my orange and earth-toned outfits!

The Chains of Andra Cassidy: Chain mail jewelry and holiday ornaments.

I just purchased this pendant and these earrings, which were a custom order to match the pendant, from this chain-mail artist.  You can see me sporting both in the image to the  right!

I’m DROOLING over this holiday ornament. Her work is just stunning.  The prices aren’t low but neither is the quality.  This shop is run by my best friend from high school.

Special Promo: Share one of her items with your friends on Facebook and receive a coupon code good for a one time 15% discount off of your purchase!

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PearlsStory: Freshwater pearl jewelry, free shipping. Commenter TropicalChrome has a pair of their earrings and is absolutely delighted.

I have already been drawn to this Orange Baroque Freshwater Pearl necklace. Looks like it would be a fabulous addition to my usual lovely fall color-schemes!

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WeeSparrow: Unique jewelry with free shipping, she lengthened a necklace for commenter TropicalChrome and she loves it and wears it regularly.

These dragonfly earrings look absolutely adorable.

Clothing

Has already proven itself at a fall wedding!

BlackRabbitNYC: Independent fashion designer who takes custom orders for all sizes.

I bought this dress in brown and red back in 2009 and still have a warm glow from the transaction.

The conversations for making the custom item were frequent and kind and the end product was lovely. It did take a while to make and ship but since I never specified a time-restraint it was fine.  Her willingness to work with me as a regular human being, simply with larger measurements, was a breath of fresh air and comes highly recommended!

Unfortunately she does not appear to have many items listed in her shop right now but indicates that she can be contacted for custom orders.

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Vigilante Laboratories: Custom clothing with the tag line: “We make clothing in ALL SIZES and are plus size and petite friendly. All items are GUARANTEED TO FIT; see the Policy Page for more information.” Recommended by a co-worker.

This coat looks amazing! Though the price is more than a bit high.

Vintage:

BirdSongStudio: Ornaments, signs, jewelry with a vintage look.

I bought this sign for my Aunt in 2009 and she loved it.  The sign was cute, the transaction was simple, the price was great.

Foodstuffs:

Fusion Sweets: Marshmallows and caramels and, as per commenter TropicalChrome “OMG they’re good.”  I can already tell that those Peppermint Berlingots have caught my eye!!

Furniture:

TheLoreStore: Tables decoupaged with “horribly tacky romance novel covers” as per the crafter!   They look like fun projects and great pieces to start a conversation!!

You can request a custom item which opens the possibilities to a whole realm of interesting flat-surface items adorned with book art you’ll be happy to smirk at.

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So what other great stores have you come across?  Do you have your own to share?  I might form one of my own for next year to begin selling my crochet creations but we’ll see how that goes.