www.ladybugblog.com | Images courtesy of the respective Etsy shops mentioned in this post via www.etsy.com.

Have you discovered Etsy? It’s been around since 2005 and has over 45 million items for sale. I enjoy shopping on Etsy because it’s like visiting the world’s largest arts and crafts boutique from wherever you have an internet connection. Here are the top 5 reasons why I like to shop on Etsy:

1. Unique and beautifully handcrafted items.
2. Wide selection of shops, from jewelry to auto accessories – and nearly everything in between.
3. Customized and personalized gifts.
4. Supporting small businesses in the United States and around the world.
5. Convenient shopping and shipped right to you.

If you have shopped on Etsy, I’m sure you’ll agree that it is a treasure trove of handcrafted items. Some Etsy shops also sell vintage items that are not considered “handcrafted”. For an item to be considered vintage it must be at least 20 years old. I found a great little vintage purse for Dapper Days at Disneyland through a shop on Etsy. Another treasure I found for Dapper Days was a felt fascinator with veil and bow that was handmade and shipped from Poland. You can read more about Dapper Days in my blog post here and on the official website.

Dapper Day – March 2015: I found my vintage handbag and felt fascinator hat on Etsy! Fascinator image courtesy of KagiKagi shop on Etsy.com. Photo credit: Lloyd (www.ladybugblog.com)

Wide selection of shops

Shopping on Etsy is a great place to find accessories for your outfits, especially jewelry. Some of the pieces I have found are for when I Disneybound. For those of you not familiar with Disneybounding, the simple definition is creating and wearing an outfit out of contemporary fashion that is “inspired by” a Disney character, ride, land, theme park, etc. Typically, outfits are color-coordinated in some way because the color palette of many Disney characters is iconic. The art of Disneybounding has gained in popularity over the past few years among Disney fans of all ages and genders. Recently, actor John Stamos was seen around the Walt Disney World resort in some fabulous Disneybounds (a.k.a. DBs) with his girlfriend. Disneybounding could be its own blog post!

Let’s get back to this post’s topic – shopping on Etsy! I have found some great jewelry for outfits, including Disneybounds, on Etsy. From a bejeweled bird (Tiki Room) to some pumpkin earrings (Cinderella) and even a very subtle Halloween bracelet (Nightmare Before Christmas).

You can also find practical items on Etsy like a “Clean/Dirty” magnet for your dishwasher or a handmade jewelry roll and accessory bag for when you travel.

Parrot necklace from FishesGiveKisses Etsy shop; Jewelry roll & cosmetics bag from CherylThimbleFingers Etsy shop; Clean/Dirty magnet from OnesofLove Etsy shop; Pumpkin earrings from TheFamilyJewelsWI Etsy shop; and Nightmare Before Christmas Sally inspired bracelet from Brillasol Etsy shop. All images courtesy of the respective shops mentioned on Etsy.com.

Customized and personalized gifts

Need a custom-made gift? Etsy will help you with that too! One of my favorites is a personalized baptism sign that I purchased through Etsy and then put in a simple frame from Michaels. Gift giving doesn’t need to be expensive – it’s the thought that counts and handmade, personalized gifts are truly thoughtful in my opinion.

Personalized baptism art makes a wonderful gifts! Image courtesy of SayitinStyleArt Etsy shop.

Convenient shopping and shipped right to you

How does Etsy work for shoppers? First, visit the home page and start exploring. The search function is pretty thorough and it will help if you have a specific item you’re looking for and/or enter in some specific key words. The search window will often have a window that opens under it with suggested searches to guide you as well. You can search for items as well as for stores. Click on a search result and review the thumbnail pictures. Find something you like? You can make it a favorite by clicking on the little heart icon. You can also mark specific shops as favorites. I highly suggest marking favorites so you can find these items again later.

If you decide to buy something, you’ll be prompted to create a free account. By setting up an account, you’ll have a full history of your purchases, your reviews, and your favorites. Making your purchase and checking out is straightforward. Within a few days, your purchase will arrive direct to you. After you receive your items, you will be encouraged to leave a review. There are some privacy settings that you’ll want to check and set as you would like. Since Etsy is considered a form of social media, even shoppers can gain “followers” if your page is set up for people to see your browsing history. Since the focus of this post is shopping on Etsy, if you want to know more about selling on Etsy be sure to visit the official Etsy site for information and guidelines.

Supporting small businesses:

One of the things I love about shopping on Etsy is that I am supporting small businesses in my hometown, my state, throughout the United States, and across the globe. The fascinator hat I bought for Dapper Days? It came from Poland! I have several shops that are marked as favorites in my Etsy account, but my all-time favorite is one called “Enchanted Type” by a talented graphic artist named Elaina.

A Day at Disneyland with fellow Disney Bloggers! Casey Starnes (www.disneylanddaily.com), Elaina Seebald (www.enchantedtype.com), and Krista Ames-Cook (www.ladybugblog.com). | Photo Credit: Disney PhotoPass photographer (October 2015).

“Enchanted Type” features printable wall art and stationery. Elaina’s designs are often Disney-inspired, but her shop has a wide variety of offerings including some featuring her favorite breed of dogs – Pugs. I met Elaina through a Disney Bloggers Facebook group and we had the pleasure of spending a day at Disneyland together in 2015. Since then, Elaina has turned her attention more from blogging to creating her artwork and sharing it with all of us on her Etsy shop, and sometimes at craft fairs in the Southern California area.

What I like about Elaina’s work, is she offers items that are download digital versions as well as printed items on fine-quality papers. You can check out samples of her work on Etsy and through her website. If you sign up for her “Adventure Club” you’ll receive complimentary art to download at home several times throughout the year. I have a couple of wall art pieces from Enchanted Type hanging up in my home.

Enchanted Type designs are inspired by the stories from your childhood, updated for the dreamers of today. Find more inspiration on enchantedtype.com. Images shown are examples of the fabulous artwork by Elaina at the EnchantedType Etsy shop. Images courtesy of Elaina Seebald via Etsy.com.

Unique and beautifully handcrafted items

The #1 reason I enjoy shopping on Etsy is the wide-range of unique and beautifully handcrafted items that are available. What will you find on Etsy? The possibilities are endless! It’s time to go shopping!

What are your favorite shops on Etsy? After you’ve explored Etsy for yourself, I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments…

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”