Enter the Treasury, Etsy’s hidden gem. The Treasury is a Flash-based application that allows Etsy members (site registration is free) to create their own favorites lists and share them with everyone else. Etsy calls these volunteers “curators”, a very apropos title. A quick inspection of the Treasury immediately suggests a boutique experience: each item has been hand-selected by a caring, human editor. The results are stunning: the Treasury is a visual feast. Item photographs are sumptuous and artfully arranged. The Treasury is often organized around a color or theme, so selections relate beautifully to each other. It’s a pleasure to simply browse through the Treasury listings, realizing that the true treasure lies in the discovery of gorgeous items that would otherwise have been buried in the depths of the category pages.

The finest Treasuries are selected by the editorial staff at Etsy for promotion to the site’s home page, guaranteeing precious pageviews for the selected items. Many regard appearing on the front page of Etsy to be the highest honor for a shopowner and display “I made it to the front page on Etsy!” badges next to their featured items.

The next time you’re in the mood to browse through the best of the best of the handmade world, check out the Treasury on Etsy. You may find that you’ve uncovered something truly special.

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If you’d like to try this pattern, it’s available on my Etsy store for just $3! All digital patterns ship FREE of charge.

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Take advantage of this now so that you’ll have plenty of time to make these up for holiday gifts. They’re super quick and easy, so you’ll be able to stuff everyone’s stockings with time to spare.

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I’m especially proud of the “La Fleur” collection of brooches. The brooches are made from many layers of heavyweight art paper petals assembled by hand into a flower form. The vivid colors and charming patterns come together in a lovely collage of texture and shape. Each design is one of a kind.

I’m also offering the “La Bohème” collection of necklaces and earrings inspired by fairy tales, folkloric costume, the enchanted forest, the bohemian spirit and the romance of nature.

Thank you for taking a few minutes to check out my new shop! If you’d like more information about jewelry craft and upcoming collections, please follow me on Twitter as “leftbankshop“.

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# 5     Don’t trust labels and tags.

Like so many other things on the Internet, Etsy is an honor system. No one goes through and vets products before (or after) they are listed. Just because an item is marked “vintage”, “handmade” or “supplies” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is any (or all) of those things. Likewise, something tagged with “children” doesn’t mean it was made to any safety standard or should be given to small kids. Retain a healthy bit of skepticism when it comes to categorization; the labels are guides, not law.

# 4     Remember to read the fine print.

Etsy is inherently visual. We fall in love immediately with those gorgeous photos of items on the home page, but can fall out of love when the item arrives and looks nothing like what we imagined. Keep in mind that you’re buying the object, not the picture. That means taking the time to read all of the accompanying notes. How big is it? Looks can be deceiving. How will it ship? That gift box may not be included. How many do I get? What’s pictured may be a set, but the listing could be for a single item. Taking the time to read the seller’s notes can prevent surprises. If there are no notes or something is unclear, convo the seller or shop elsewhere.

# 3     Think about the total sale price before you get to the checkout.

No matter how excited you get looking at a listing, be sure that you think about your total cost before committing to buy. Some sellers include free shipping, but most do not. Be sure you look at shipping costs and terms. You’d hate to think that perfect gift will arrive in time for a special occasion, only to find out that it shipped ground and won’t be there until next week. Also, look for deals: some sellers offer discounts on shipping if you buy more than one item from their shop.

# 2      Take a few minutes to get to know the seller.

When you buy from an Etsy seller, keep in mind that you’re buying from the seller, not Etsy. Buying on Etsy is like buying at a craft fair or flea market; you can’t complain to the event company if an individual seller rips you off. The vast majority of Etsy sellers are reputable, and many go far above and beyond the customer service you’d expect from a retail store. But because you aren’t buying from a well-known retailer, it’s worth taking a few minutes to review feedback and ratings from other customers, look at how many past sales have been successfully transacted, and look at the seller’s other shops if they have them. This should give you a better picture of what the seller is like. Still not convinced? Check the forums or even hit Google to see if you can find more info. If this still doesn’t give you a feeling of trust, better move on.

and the #1 thing to remember….Always comparison shop!

My biggest shopping regret is always finding out that I could have gotten a better deal if I had done my homework. Avoid this buyer’s remorse by looking around for a bargain. Just because you think you’ve found that unique, one-of-a-kind item (especially when it comes to vintage items and supplies), it’s not worth abandoning your comparison shopping sense. Do a quick Etsy search to be sure that there aren’t other (better, cheaper) items out there that might meet your needs. Didn’t find anything? Maybe it’s worth Googling or looking through eBay. I’ve found both vintage items and supplies for less by simply comparison shopping.

Hope these tips help you become a more savvy Etsy buyer.

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Thanks to these media outlets and to all my supporters. I really appreciate it!

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Just finished writing up the pattern for Fielding the Mouse, my latest amigurumi pattern. He’d make a fun desk/cubicle buddy, and can’t avoid his destiny as a cat toy! Just stuff him with fiberfill and catnip, and let the games begin.

Pattern available on Etsy and Ravelry. Let me know what you think.

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