I’ve bought some stuff off of Etsy that I love. Etsy is HUGE for me because I love supporting artists and small businesses. I know a few of my friends that have Etsy as well, although I haven’t had the funds to support them directly, I know that they do amazing work.
But first, five of my fave Etsy shops that I have supported:
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Amanda Klimchuk
Muladhara Yoga: Amanda Klimchuk makes yoga clothing; amazing, functional and strong yoga clothing that will not fail you. This was my first purchase on Etsy, ever. Her shop was recommended to me by a close friend when I needed a new pair of yoga pants. I used my birthday money and have had those pants since. That was 3 years ago and they are still in perfect shape. I have had two kids, so my measurements didn’t quite line up with the sizing of a standard medium and Amanda was more than happy to oblige to my specialized measurements. Even though the pants are a little big in the waist now, they are still a favourite in my closet. I need to save up for another pair!
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Shanni
Plannermania: Shanni of Plannermania helped me to buy my first Filofax! She answered all of my questions about her preferences, what to look for on Ebay and how to spot a good deal. In the end, I bought one of her old planners and some dividers and stickers from her. It was life-changing to have a good organizational tool. Now I use it to plan blog posts, plan future Etsy patterns and keep my life in order. I have all of these random things to remember and I put it all in there. I think I would have given up on getting a planner if it wasn’t for her help. Now, Shanni mainly focuses on stickers but they are helpful and adorable. I love the ones that help me to plan finances, housework and workouts!
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Kenzie B.
Kenzie the Daydreamer: She did the logo for my blog that I also use on my shop! I can’t wait to get more done by her. She was a dream to work with (get it? hahaha). Seriously, she was amazing to work with. Kenzie asked all of the right questions to give me a drawing that was exactly what I needed. She even added in my cats and they look purrrfect! If you don’t need a logo, she could design something for you to put on address labels, cards, you name it. It is an email file that you could print on pretty much anything. 🙂 She also makes the CUTEST charms that I can’t wait to own someday. She specializes in cute “chibi” style pictures that remind me of drawings and cartoons I saw in Japan. Check her out!
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Shannon Michelle
CaliGirlGetsFit This is a shop I discovered in a roundabout sort of way. I do a fitness program called “BBG” or “Bikini Body Guide” by Kayla Itsines and it has a huge Instagram following. One of the girls that came up when I did a search for other BBG girls was Shannon, aka “CaliGirlGetsFit”. I started following her IG account, as did a bunch of other girls I work out with in Calgary. When she started her Etsy shop, everyone started buying her cute little bracelets; quick drying, great for sensitive skin, and with #fitspo charms on them, everyone was a fan. I finally bought one for myself, and one for a friend, with a charm that says “Sisters of The Heart” and a star charm…and now I am a huge fan, too! You can workout with it on and the charms make the happiest tinkling sound when you move. I believe they are made out of high-end swimsuit material (I hope I have that right!), so the bracelet doesn’t stay wet for long. Plus, they are surprisingly lightweight. I hope she keeps coming out with new charms because I am a fan. She was eternally patient while I ran custom options past her and came up with the perfect solutions in the sweetest possible way. I recommend buying from her!
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emilia
Gorimbaud Designs I was generously gifted some tarot cards by an Instagram friend ( I love that the internet can connect me to the world to make new friends!) and I needed something to keep them in. I was too lazy to sew up a case and I wasn’t happy with any of my own crochet designs. I needed something really special that I wouldn’t be able to make myself. I searched Etsy and found a quirky and wonderful shop called gorimbaud designs. They have the most beautiful designs! I saw one grey leather bag that I swooned over. Grey is my favourite neutral. The shop even pointed out one flaw in the, otherwise perfect, leather and that made it even more special to me. The bag came exactly as pictured and the soft leather makes me smile every time I pull out my cards. Gorimbaud Designs is taking a break right now to restock, but when they come back online I recommend checking out their stuff. The shop carries gorgeous charms and jewelry made of gemstones, as well. My card was signed “Enjoy the magic- Emilia and Vilma” even though the shop page only shows Emilia. You can also check out their gorgeous Instagram page if you are curious.
Honourable Mentions: Three shops I adore but haven’t personally ordered from. ( I really need to remedy that last bit).
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HookandFawn
Hook and Fawn I have known Michelle for a long time! By the time I had money to order from her shop, she didn’t need my support because her goods are expertly made and cute as everything. She has a very different style than my crochet goods and she is great at the things that she makes. I am always so proud of my talented friends! Michelle’s store, Hook and Fawn, is down right now as she is busy making new things whenever she has a spare moment from raising her two daughters, but make sure to check her out when she has more goods up on her shop!
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Emily Winfield Martin
The Black Apple I came across her book “The Black Apple’s Paper Doll Primer” in a Calgary store (that no longer exists :() and bought it on a whim. Every single page made my heart sing. The style of the drawings and the descriptions of the dolls in little lists of “likes and dislikes” was beyond perfect. I love lists! I love cute drawings of misfits and mythical cute creatures! I fell in love. I began to search out her other stuff and have fallen in love with her Etsy shop. I haven’t bought anything yet because I just can’t decide on what to buy. Too many good things. If you sew, I also recommend checking out her official site and seeing if she still has her fabric for sale that she designed. It is unique and amazing.
- The Ironic Knitster Hannah is the founder of this Etsy shop of cute knit hats. She is
a sweet, soft-spoken girl that is a part of my BBG Calgary group. I always look forward to seeing her at our group workouts. When she started her Etsy shop, it was one of the things that gave me the courage to start my own. If I didn’t have a million hats of my own design already made, I would buy one from her Etsy store.
All of these shops gave me the courage to start my own shop, Babbling Panda Yarns. It is very trendy to start your own business right now, and not a challenge I took lightly, so it took a lot of convincing from my family and friends to make the leap. Two years of encouragement (no exaggeration). Now that it is open, I am brimming over with ideas on what to add, how to expand, how to make it better. All of the shops above spark my creativity and imagination. Thank you to all of these shops (and all of the talent I have yet to discover) for sharing your talent and your products made with love! <3 You are all an inspiration.
You can check out my shop here: (BabblingPandaYarns) <—– favourite it if you want to know when I have added new items. 🙂
Are there other Etsy shops I should discover? Send me links below!!
What inspires you to create?
Who do you know that is an inspiration to you? Share it with me in comments.
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