NEW BEDFORD — Supporting local small businesses doesn’t have to only be by visiting a brick and mortar, Etsy allows shoppers to locate online businesses from specific cities and towns.
Simply go to Etsy.com, search for a product and on the left hand side, scroll down to “shop location” and type a place into the custom bar. Ouilla!
Launched in June 2005, Etsy is an e-commerce company that offers handmade items, vintage finds and craft supplies. Categories include jewelry, bags, clothing, home décor and furniture, toys, art and more.
On Dec. 31, 2018, Etsy announced it had hit a record-breaking 60 million items available in its marketplace.
From creative beeswax candles to upcycled lamps, and handcrafted hair accessories to magical candles — these are a few of the unique products being sold out of the New Bedford area.
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Creative beeswax candles
WhileInTheBatCave offers home décor for anyone’s “bat cave.” A majority of their Etsy products are low-cost 100% beeswax candles from colorful pumpkins, heart-shaped roses, skulls, bridal gowns and peonies.
“I’ve been sewing since I was about 8 years old, and quilting since I was about 15. It has always been one of my passions and one of my favorite past times,” wrote the artist on Etsy. “However, I love trying and learning about different types of crafts. I enjoy using my imagination to create unique pieces that are original and fun. Hopefully, you think so too!”
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The shop offers a lipstick print martini glass soy candle as well as a blue silk roses wreath with metallic bats accents and a steampunk digital art spiral scrapbook.
Tiny animal décor
TinyTaxidermyDesigns sells miniature animals that can be used as card holders for special occasions or wall decorations. (Don’t worry, they aren’t actual taxidermy.)
In her Etsy profile, Danielle Medeiros refers to herself as a scientist and a donut connoisseur with a creative passion for painting tiny animals and sending snapchats of her cat.
Items in Medeiros’ Etsy shop include all different types of painted animals to be used as card holders for party favors. There’s also a zoo animal wall hook, dinosaur wall décor for hanging masks or hats and animal holiday ornaments.
Upcycled Lamps
UpAllNight offers unique lamps that have been creatively upcycled from different materials or vintage objects to help light up any space. From a Budweiser nut dispenser to a guitar, these are only two of the several creative lamps available for purchase.
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According to Etsy, artist Kristin Branco is a 30-year-old mom of an 9-year-old girl who currently works in higher education but was missing out on being creative. She and her husband created the Etsy shop to sell her creations.
The shop also has a bunch of Christmas decorations such as gift décor, wreaths, door hangers and holiday signs. Check out the Elf entryway decoration upcycled from a fan blade.
Personalized cutting boards
StylesByShannen says that all her products and handmade with love as she offers custom engraved cutting boards, cheese platters, wooden ornaments and plant signs.
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“Marketer by trade, crafter at heart. Lover of all things creative and colorful,” writes Shannen, a Westport artist, on her Etsy profile. “I hope my stuff brings you just as much joy receiving it as it brought me making it.”
Cutting boards are premium solid walnut boards perfect for any gift. The board has a 4” paddle handle with a leather strap. There are three types of boards from 4-by-20 inches, 17-by-8-inches and 16-by-10.5 inches.
Handmade paintings
ChromaFusionDesigns sells original handmade paintings by New Bedford artist Matt Carreiro. Artwork includes a 12-inch-by-16-inch whale acrylic pour, wave abstract, Christmas gnomes and whale watercolor painting and custom gnome ornaments.
Carreiro is an art teacher at the Roosevelt Middle School.
Hair accessories
JLAccessory has numerous hair accessories such as bows and headbands available for purchase on Etsy. According the site, the goal is to offer beautiful, unique and well-made accessories.
“Hair bows have become my passion,” writes artist JleeJewels. “Being able to have anyone express themselves and what you believe in. Humbly show off what your proud of…Here I am years later still loving new creations and sewing.”
Products include a marine pin-up bow, camo dolly bow and headband, red patriot headband, leopard print and polka dot pin-up along with scarves, ankle bracelets and chokers.
Jlee also takes requests. “I felt honored to carry out an idea. Something that you can express yourself. Making a stamp or statement to the public of what you believe in without having to yell it out,” she writes on her page.
Surfboards with a tiny twist
SunshineShop74 hand-makes surfboards for 18-inch dolls. Fairhaven artist Kyra Yorston and her father build and design each board — all colorful with fun patterns and themes including one that is inspired by the Olympics.
The tiny surfboards are approximately 16 inches high and 5 inches wide, and they are water resistant but not waterproof. The boards can also be personalized with a name.
According to Etsy, 85 surfboards have already been sold.
Witchy candles and jewelry
KnottyWitchesInc has been popping up all over the SouthCoast at craft fairs and flea markets — most recently at The New Bedford Vocational High School on Sunday.
The Etsy shop features KnottyWitches’ magical soy candles such as End of the Rainbow, Gypsy Soul and Mermaid Dreams.
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The online shop also sells vegan hemp lotion, moisturizing face cream, moon and star earrings and a pink lady candle in a cocktail glass. The next pop-up will be at the Frosty Village Craft Fair In Plymouth on Friday, Dec. 3.
Holiday scented candles
Also speaking of candles, MockingbirdLaneDCo seems to know how to capture the smell of a “fun memory” in a jar. Made with 100% soy wax, the online shop has 7-ounce candles that smell like hot chocolate, a winter cabin, campfire s’mores and Christmas movie-watching.
There’s also a “love is love” PRIDE candle along with hand painted Christmas ornaments, pet bow ties and holiday car diffusers.
Creative masks
With an increase in COVID-19 cases in the New Bedford area, wearing a mask for protection may not be going away anytime soon. So why not treat yourself to a ConnieStitch design? Artist Constance Sauvé-Soares says on her Etsy profile that she enjoys knitting, crocheting, sewing and gardening.
According to the comments on Etsy, the masks are very well-made, great quality, good stitching and an overall good fit. The patterns are also intriguing such as the good morning rooster, a dragonfly lavender design and a Mardi Gras theme.
Sauvé-Soares also has custom-made throw pillows and berets, too.
Vintage-Retro-Repro
LilDeuce32 creates vintage-looking necklaces and ornaments upcycled from around the SouthCoast area. For example, her shark family necklace has sand from East Beach in Westport. Other items in her Etsy shop include ocean theme ornaments, earrings and charms.
The store also has an ocean splash shadow box for trinket storage, “beach girl” stamped metal bar bracelets and vintage style barrettes.
Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter: @ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Etsy small businesses in New Bedford area fun unique holiday gifts
