EtsyMCR invites you to indulge in your creative community and enjoy an afternoon of masterclasses, workshops and hints and tips to make your business flourish in time for the festive season.
Be part of more and join in the fun with the interactive workshops, panel talks from local experts and small independent growing businesses and an opportunity to venture inside the creative, busy studios of Islington Mill.
We’ll cover topics such as selling wholesale and what shops want, instagrammable content to gain more engagement and how to get over overwhelm, and top tips to be more productive and motivated.
There’ll also be an opportunity to gain insights and info from Team Captain Emma from Etsy Headquarters on the changes and developments with the site.
We hope you leave with your heads bursting with ideas, your tummy full of treats made from local indies and your hands heavy with goodies.
Speakers confirmed:
The brilliant Katya Willems from Easy Insta Mcr will be sharing her wisdom on all things social media and being social.
Incredible stockists Lizzy from A Curious Collection, Karen from The Warren and Tim from Magma in an insightful panel discussion in what shops look for.
Arrive from 11am to register, pick up your exclusive goodie bag and chat to other EtsyMCR teamies before everything kicks off at 12pm on the dot!
Congratulations Aaron Cranfield for being our Member of the Month! You’ve been selected because you’re always an enthusiastic, active member on our Etsy Manchester Members Facebook group, and we also love seeing your smiley face at our monthly socials. Thank you for your continued engagement and involvement with our team!
Firstly, please introduce yourself! Where are you from, what are your hobbies? Who is Aaron Cranfield, of Cranfields Creations?!
My name is Aaron. I am 29 and run my little environmentally friendly and retro inspired business, Cranfields Creations, out of my flat in sunny Salford. I am the creator, maker, mover and shaker of my pop-culture cards and prints.
Alongside Etsy, I also work full-time in communications, so I guess you could say I am a part-time illustrator with a full-time passion. Running a small business and working full-time can be a struggle, so I must stay organised and on-top of my game. As an Aries, I have a strong personality and I am always determined to make things succeed.
What is your story so far, as an artist? And where would you like to see your artistic career going in the future?
I’ve always been creative and a maker of things, so when I had the opportunity to go to University and study Fine Art, I jumped at the chance. It was a life changer and the experience really opened my skillset to new and exciting things. Once I graduated, I worked in a few jobs, but never really had an outlet for my creative side, so I started Cranfields Creations to help express myself and get to know other creative people like me. I discovered Etsy Manchester a few months later: everyone has been incredibly supportive. It’s been great to see and help others going through their own Etsy journeys.
Since Cranfields Creations opened in January 2018, my “day job” has taken a significant and positive change… along with my drawing style. I’m lucky that my passion and daily routine are now so intrinsically linked. Over the next few years I would love to see my little business expand so I can move to reduce my work hours or even go self-employed full-time – what a dream!
We see loads of familiar faces (in the form of prints and greetings cards) available to purchase on your Etsy shop. Which famous people or characters have been your favourites to paint, and why?
I am a huge pop-culture fan, even ‘nostalgic’ pop-culture, and love to illustrate my favourite cult icons from it. I find it all so relatable for certain types of moods, relationships or occasions – it’s a reflection of us as humans so fits us all in some way! One fine example is my Ainsley Harriott illustration: his personality is just so resonant and iconic of the 90s that anyone can see its appeal. When I draw and think of my quotes, I try to capture that character in. I am currently working on a Britney Spears ‘circa 2007 meltdown’ design, which I think everyone can relate to!
One of my favourite illustrations is of Marsha P Johnson. She is one of the biggest icons of the gay rights movement and a prominent figure of the 1969 Stonewall riots. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I like to do my bit by paying homage to those who have led the way for the community by illustrating to educate and inspire others.
We get the feeling that you may enjoy watching a movie every now and then (all your incredibly accurate character artworks give that away a little bit!). Is it fair to say you’re a bit of a film buff? And if you had to play a role in a movie, which role would you play and why?
Now this is a cracking question! Unfortunately, I am one of those people who has a top 50 movie list, so yes, I would classify myself as a film buff! I don’t think I could whittle a role to play to just one, however, a few that come to mind are Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton – Terminator), Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver – Alien) and any of the cast of First Wives Club (Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton). I just admire the strong female spirit these characters possess and their bravery to rise to challenges, plus “You Don’t Own Me” is an absolute banger…
If your artworks could speak…what would they say about you?
They would say I am too much of a perfectionist, and I need to stop worrying about the detail. I used to spend a lot longer on a piece than I currently do, so I am getting better!
And finally, is there anything happening soon (such as markets, events, giveaways, celebrations, new product launches) that you’d love our readers to know about, and to add to their diaries?
I wouldn’t want to give too much away, but I have a new Christmas line coming out soon – full of more of my favourite cult Christmas villains and heroes. Plus, the new Cranfields Creations website will be launching shortly so you’ll be able to experience the full Aaron personality! You can keep up-to-date with me on my social media channels and as a bonus, get a behind the scenes glimpse of my way of working.
Check out Cranfields Creations on Facebook, follow Aaron’s work on Instagramand shop his personalised portraits and pop culture artworks over on Etsy.
Would you like to be our next Member of the Month, and be featured on our website and in our exclusive Team Newsletter? To be in with a chance, all you have to do is become an active EtsyMCR team member, in three easy steps:
3. Be ACTIVE! Ask questions, support other team members by answering their questions and joining in with conversations, share news & opportunities, tag @etsymcr on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts, and come along to our monthly Socials!
EtsyMCR teamie Mary Sonja Tudor chooses her fave Back to School, College or Uni goodies to make the new term a bit more fun!
Heya! I’m Mary, the owner, designer, maker and everything else over at Mary’s Jewellery Bakery! I’ve always had a love for cake and cats, but I’ve only started displaying it through my crafts earlier this year. I like to work with resin, polymer clay and dollhouse furniture to create unusual and kawaii jewellery, inspired by the Harajuku fashion.
Among many other things, I also love stationery! When this month’s gift guide’s theme came up, I just had to get involved! Here are my top picks for amazing Back to School gifts for kids, teens, university students and anyone who is stationery crazy!
The most important thing as a student is to stay on track! Keep track of your daily tasks with ByNikomi’s planners – a great way to bee organized! 🙂Don’t forget to be kind to yourself, though! A great way of combining both, the Need to Do – Nice to Do notepad from TheMoonlitPress allows for an easy way of treating yourself every so often.Often overlooked and yet so important, a soon-to-be favourite cup is one of the first items you’ll reach for in the morning! Whether it’s filled with coffee or tea, this warm autumn design from BetulSalmanArt is bound to start your day with a hefty dose of beauty. (It’s also perfect for drinking home-made pumpkin spice lattes! *sips*)For those with a serious sweet tooth, ReconsideredRetro’s hand-drawn notebooks will make a nostalgia-filled gift!An ideal way to make sure you never lose your pens again, this strappy pen holder from PumpkinAndPeas is perfect for any A5 sized notebook!“But how will I carry all these amazing goodies?!”, I telepathically hear you say. In one of giflynndesign’s custom hand-painted backpacks, of course! They also make being away from your pets a little easier. 🙂 And for days when a couple notepads and a pen will suffice? Stand out with LocalHotelParking’s art collage tote bags! Always carry around a little positivity with personalized pencils from WinniesWorldOfWonder – also a great way to ensure your pencils don’t mysteriously go missing…Keep your room as cosy and stress-free as possible with an adorable print from MantraAndMoon! Or, if your life is all about sugar, surround yourself with not one, not two, but a set of THREE kawaii food prints from the Pastel Goth Princess, SophieMayde!
Meet the latest winner of Etsy Manchester’s Member of the Month, Rebecca Bibby, aka Gizzys Gifts (and find out who Gizzy is!)
Congratulations Rebecca Bibby for being this month’s Member of the Month! You’ve been selected because we always see you supporting all of our EtsyMCR members on our Etsy Manchester Members Facebook group, and you also regularly attend our monthly socials, so we’d love to thank you for your continued engagement and involvement with our team!
Firstly, please introduce yourself! Where are you from, what are your hobbies? Who IS Gizzys Gifts?!
My name is Becky and I’m originally from Bristol but I moved to Manchester just over ten years ago. With blue hair… at the minute… I live with our four crazy guinea pigs and fiancé, and love them in that order exactly.
Becky sporting her new blue ‘do
I actually did my degree and masters in Photography; now doing a little bit of that on the side, however mostly using it to photograph the tiny replicas of people’s pets I make instead. Which is great to be honest, as I love photographing and capturing all those little details in the world. I work from home out of our spare room, occasionally escaping into the outside world where I love stepping on crunchy leaves and watching the magpies fly around attacking the neighbours’ satellite dish!
What is the story or inspiration behind your shop name, Gizzys Gifts?
I started off making miniature guinea pigs and Gizmo was one of our first guinea pigs (Quite a naughty, full of character, guinea pig). We call him Gizzy for short and so the name evolved from there really.
Gizmo the Guinea Pig, aka Gizzy
You have a wonderful array of miniature animal ornaments, cute food jewellery, personalised memorial frames, cut paper cards (and much more!) available to purchase on your Etsy shop. Which items are your favourites to make?
I love making custom pieces actually. Getting to create a unique character each time and getting let into people’s worlds. Seeing the many different cute faces of their pets and knowing I’m creating something for someone to treasure and permanently remember their furry family member by. Suppose this is also why I like sending the personalised memorial frames. Packaging them up nicely and adding little touches to make them smile during the tough time after losing their pet.
Each custom piece is created with care and exquisite attention to detail.
We’re amazed at how incredibly lifelike your tiny animal ornaments are! How long does it take you to make one ornament, and do you ever lose your patience trying to perfect all the intricate details?!
It can vary to be honest, from an hour to a few hours for example, depending upon the animal really. And sometimes they need to be put aside for a bit so I can return with fresh eyes. As with everything, things don’t always go right. Sometimes I do lose my patience especially as I’m a little bit of a perfectionist with the details, I believe in getting everything right for a customer. As an animal owner myself, I know I’d want everything to be as perfect as possible so I work as hard as I can to get it as accurate as I can. So this can occasionally lead to elements needing to be “reset” and corrected with a squish.
If the National Department of Miniature Animal Ornaments (NDMAO)* decided tomorrow that makers have to choose just ONE animal to make for the rest of their lives (let’s hope this doesn’t happen!), which animal would you choose, and why?
Just one?! That’s hard. Erm… officially I’d say guinea pigs, because they have such unique funny characters. Each one’s personality is so different and it shows in their faces. Also who couldn’t love a cute guinea pig, especially with the variety they come in. From mega fluffy crazy hairstyles to totally hairless bar little tufts on their nose. However I’d have to secretly keep making other animals on the side.
These adorable Guinea Pigs are so teeny and so detailed!
*The NDMAO is a fake organisation that we have invented for entertainment purposes of this article. ☺
If your animal ornaments could speak, what would they say about you?
I would like to think they’d describe me as a lovely person who cares about getting their little details and features perfect, then sends them off to loving homes where they are adopted by caring and friendly people. They’d probably also want to point out how embarrassing I am dancing and singing terribly around the house when no one’s around.
And finally, is there anything happening soon (such as markets, events, giveaways, celebrations, new product launches) that you’d love our readers to know about, and to add to their diaries?
Planning to add new ornament styles later this year, little creatures sat on all fours similar to the dogs I currently do. Coinciding this with some new happy faces, thinking chinchillas, rats, etc. All those unique furries that are missing out on love. Always open to suggestions of any animal people would like to see. So I’d say keep an eye out for those, will probably be a limited number to start with as well as a few custom slots.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Rebecca. We look forward to seeing more of your adorable miniature animals soon!
Check out Gizzys Gifts on Facebook, Follow Rebecca’s work on Instagram and shop for Rebecca’s adorable mini ornaments over on Etsy.
Would you like to be our next Member of the Month, and be featured on our website and in our exclusive Team Newsletter? To be in with a chance, all you have to do is become an active EtsyMCR team member, in three easy steps:
3. Be ACTIVE! Ask questions, support other team members by answering their questions and joining in with conversations, share news & opportunities, tag @etsymcr on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts, and come along to our monthly Socials! Our next Social is on Thursday 25th July in Manchester, from 6pm. See you there?
In celebration of Pride Month, Team Leader Saskia Wrycroft aka SaskiasSassyStore has curated her first Gift Guide, showcasing a few of the many talented makers in our beautifully diverse Etsy Team. EtsyMCR is proud to have many LGBTQ+ Members. We’d like to wish you a very happy Pride!
Wear your Pride on your Pocket with this t-shirt from Rainbow & Co. Celebrate the 50th Anniversary with this artwork of Stonewall Icon Marsha P Johnson by Cranfields Creations.Choose your own rainbow from this selection of Flag Charms by Mary’s Jewellery Bakery and wear it for Pride – or, just because it’s a Tuesday, and on Tuesdays we wear rainbows.Stephanie aka Bracken and Moss Design hand-knits these gorgeous tea cosies with the option of an adorable rainbow bee.You might spot Jon Turner’s robots around the city. Now you can wear your own with this adorable rainbow umbrella enamel pin.Show your Manchester Pride with this embroidered hoop by Natalie Gaynor Designs. Look fabulous in these rainbow dangle earrings made by The Lobe Wardrobe!Enjoy reading this risograph zine featuring a collection of historical love letters collected and illustrated by 2Bmcr.
Meet Etsy Manchester’s first winner of Member of the Month, Lindy De-Melo Garner, aka Black Dog Pottery…
Congratulations Lindy, you have been selected as our FIRST EVER Member of the Month! You were chosen because you consistently feature in our monthly “top 10 contributors” stats on our Etsy Manchester Members group on Facebook. Thank you for being an enthusiastic, active member of our team, and we’d like to celebrate by getting to know you better!
Firstly, please introduce yourself! Where are you from? What are your hobbies? Who IS Black Dog Pottery?!
Hello and thank you for choosing me to be the first ever Etsy Manchester Member of the Month! I’m Lindy but you already knew that. I’m originally from the US – met a Brit and followed him over. Luckily I’m a dual national (Portuguese) so I could come over without any issues ☺
My hobbies are… sunset walks on the beach and pina coladas and puppy videos. Just kidding – a glass of red every time.
Lindy loves walks on the beach… Or maybe just a nice glass of red wine.
I’m pretty much a self taught potter. I took hand building classes for about a year and set up a home studio where I would experiment and try things I didn’t have time for in the classes. Then my studio slowly developed as I acquired more and more things. I’m based in South Manchester and my studio is in our spare bedroom. One day I’m have a large sunny shed in the bottom of the garden but for now I am super grateful for that I have.
I love everything about clay and it really is my happy place. I’ve got big big plans for this year (talking business plans and appointments with bank managers- eek!), I won’t go into it here because I don’t want to jinx anything but I hope my dream will be something I can share and involve some of the amazing EtsyMCR makers I’ve met.
We absolutely love your bold, colourful pottery style! What, if anything, does your pottery style say about your personality?
My aim is to make people smile. I’m not sure what that says about my personality – maybe that I just want people to be happy. I love it when I’m at a market and someone walks by stops and starts to laugh when they see my funny face pieces – goal achieved! Next goal is to get every one of them to buy what makes them smile! (LOL).
What is your favourite part of the pottery-making process?
My favourite thing to make are my embossed pieces and it’s a tricky process – too wet and everything sticks and rips too dry and it cracks. When I get that sweet spot and the embossing comes out perfect I do a little dance. I actually love everything about pottery – from wedging to making to glazing.
Eeerm – cleaning up. The super fine silica dust is very dangerous and it gets in your lungs and stays there, so I get a bit freaked out about that. We clean everything always but it still freaks me out.
If, for some crazy reason, you couldn’t make pottery… but HAD to make something else to sell on an Etsy shop… what would it be?
I would love to learn stained glass. I don’t know if anyone would want to buy stained glass but it’s something I’ve always wanted to try.
You have lots of beautiful planters and vases in your product range. What is your favourite plant or flower?
My favourite is begonia maculata – it’s a gorgeous spotty plant, green with white spots on one side and red on the back side.
Do you have any top tips for someone who wants to start out in the pottery world? Any courses or people you’d recommend them checking out?
Just go for it- find a community studio somewhere and have a go. I would say 7 Spot at Islington Mill and Clay Studio in Hulme are amazing friendly people and have a range of classes you can try, as well as membership options.
And finally, is there anything happening soon (such as markets, events, giveaways, celebrations, new product launches) that you’d love our readers to know about, and to add to their diaries?
I’m all over the place as I try to do a market at least 3 times a month – check on Instagram if you want to know where I am. I’m focusing on vases so watch this space for new shapes and designs – I’m still a big fan of embossing and stamping clay so that will feature heavily. I’m also a big big fan of my lava range – I have a glaze that bubbles and runs and drips in awesome amazing ways. More of those are on the way too.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Lindy. We look forward to seeing more of your beautiful pottery creations soon!
Check out Black Dog Pottery on Facebook, Follow Lindy’s work on Instagram and shop for Black Dog Pottery ceramics over on Etsy.
Would you like to be our next Member of the Month, and be featured on our website and in our exclusive Team Newsletter? To be in with a chance, all you have to do is become an active EtsyMCR team member, in three easy steps:
3. Be ACTIVE! Ask questions, support other team members by answering their questions and joining in with conversations, share news & opportunities, tag @etsymcr on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts, and come along to our monthly Socials! Our next Social is on Thursday 30th May in Manchester, from 6pm. See you there?
This month, Lars from Norseman Furniture chooses some of his favourite Father’s Day gifts made by the EtsyMCR team!
Hi my name is Lars, I am a father of two and I am currently in my second year of business with Norseman Furniture where I make bespoke industrial style furniture and homeware.
I have been asked to put together a Father’s Day gift guide,
with some unique ideas from our talented EtsyMCR teammates.
So, what do you get for a Dad other than socks? As a father myself, I have tried to look at this based on gifts that would make me smile. So, let’s get started.
First things first, you need to buy a card, and this one from BeckyBygone made me chuckle.For the craft beer lover, I think these coasters from BeardyBearByKPD would go down a treat.For the Executive Dad, I think these personalised cufflinks from OMGoshShop would definitely put a smile on his face and may even bring a tear to his eye.For the Techy/Geeky/Sci-fi Dad, this Cyberpunk trinket dish with circuit board impressions from BlueButterflyCrafts should get some use, even if it is to keep spare computer components in.For the designer Dad, this Marbled Geometric Wall Clock from Misshandled will get pride of place. I should know, I have one myself.What Dad doesn’t like baked beans? I know beans on toast is my go-to quick meal fix, so this candle in a baked beans tin from McPoodleShop should light him up.For the Dad who’s into his exotic pets or generally just loves spiders, this cute needle felted jumping spider from Noseytoescreations should get pride of place. He may also enjoy pranking spider haters with it.For the art-loving Dad, this handmade linocut art print by HabitatsPrintStudio features buildings that can be found around the Manchester area. Due to the way these prints are produced, each one is unique.For the music-loving Dad, this detailed print of the history of Manchester Music from TheSenseOfDoubt should make him happy.This recycled copper wrap bracelet stamped with song lyrics by CCartistmaker would be worn with pride.Finally, for the Manc Dad, this Manchester Quote Phrase Dictionary print by ShookNorth will keep him entertained as well as looking great on the wall.
This month, EtsyMCR teamie Sophiemay shares her top Easter picks
Hi everyone! I’m Sophiemay of Sophiemayde (get it?), I do a bunch of things from embroideries, to portrait stitches, to illustrations, to lettering. I love being able to be creative in pretty much any medium I can! I’ve been given the opportunity to put together a list of all the excellent Easter Treats my fellow Etsy Manchester teamies have to offer.
Easter for me is all about chocolate, bunnies and lovely colourful flowers, so I’ve put together all things Easter but it’s also heavy on these particular aspects of what I associate Easter with!
What better way to kick this off than an edible Bunny cake topper by MariesBakehouse? How perfect would this look on a delicious carrot cake?
If you happen to love brooches and pins as much as me, then you’ll love this Wooden Hare Brooch by stephaniecoleDESIGN. The perfect combination of bunnies and flowers in one adorable package.
How can you go wrong with combining fudge and mini eggs? You can’t. You can get your very own Easter Fudge by SugarChicFudgeToffee and have an amazing post-Easter dinner sweet snack.
Tulips are one of my favourite flowers, and this print by HelenaLeeStudios is just stunning!
Wreaths are the perfect all year round decoration, and this Knitted Easter one from ClairTdesigns is the perfect Easter decoration.
Having people over for Easter dinner? Want to get adorable and personalised treats? TailoredChocolates has got you covered with these Easter Peekaboo tins.
Looking for a cute, but still Easter-related tag to add to your Easter gifts? JanewayLasers has the perfect Wooden Carrot Labels, and you can choose to have them blank, personalised with names or with “Happy Easter” for that extra finishing touch.
Enjoy a good pun? Who doesn’t! Doodlesworth has you covered for Easter cards with this Good Egg Card.
Looking for a cute, yet functional gift to give this Easter? TasherellaKitty has the cutest Handmade Zip Pouch, complete with adorable duckling and floral pattern.
For the those that like hot cross buns, and adorable food based jewellery, MarysJewelleryBakery has you covered with these Kawaii Polymer Clay Hot Cross Bun earrings (and for those without pierced ears, there’s hot cross bun necklaces too!). The perfect addition to an Easter dinner outfit.
Our thanks to Sophiemay for her fab picks!
If you’re looking for more gift ideas, why not take a peek at some of our other EtsyMCR Gift Guides?
Your mum can wear her love of cats on her sleeve (or jacket) with an adorable illustrated Ginger Cat pin by Aimee Mac Illustration.
Treat your ma to a decorative Fox Pillar Candle from Simply Imperfected, which will look fab on the mantelpiece if she can’t bring herself to light it!
Foxytiles’ Paw Print Tile can be used simply as a decoration, added to a tiled wall or perhaps as a coaster for your mum’s fave mug.
Keep your cat-loving mum comfy and cosy with an adorable Cat Portrait Cushion by Kat Pearson Designs.
The “I Blame my Weird on You” Card is perfect for a mum with a sense of humour. (You can also ask maker Becky Bygone to customise the text if you have a Mam or Mom.)
Why not get your lovely mum a Clay Heart Keepsake Card from Clay on Words – and maybe treat yourself to a matching one too?
Make your bestie smile every time she sees her plant babies in one of these hand-glazed Funny Face Planters by Black Dog Pottery.
Make your mum feel extra special by telling her she’s the Only Pretty Woman with this Illustrated Card by Cranfields Creations.
Like its artist Helena Lee, your mum can look at this ivy-strewn window and imagine the world on the other side of the glass in this Fine Art Print.
Bee-loving mums will fall head over heels for a delicate Silver Bee Necklace by The Magpie’s Daughter, featuring a tiny lemon jade bead (also in gold).
Your mum will love deciding what to keep in Nicola Briggs Ceramics’ beautiful set of three Sky Blue Porcelain Bowls, with their gorgeous inlaid feather design.
Laura Charley Design has the perfect message for mamas who love flowers. Her “Thanks for Helping Me Bloom” card is one to frame and admire for years to come.
The perfect gift for a mum who loves her tea from a proper teapot – a Hand-Knitted Tea Cosy with bee decoration (choose from a regular bee or a Pride Rainbow bee!) from Bracken and Moss Design.
Your mom can snuggle up on the sofa to watch her favourite TV programme with this Pompom-Embellished Heart Cushion from Yellowfred Creative.
Lydia Meiying’s Woodland Design is available on mugs or coasters, but if you can’t choose which one to get your mum, why not get her the Matching Mug and Coaster Set?
Mum’ll love a little treat to go with her cuppa tea, and these almost-too-pretty-to-eat Hand-Iced Biscuits from Marie’s Bakehouse will be perfect.
1. Perfectly capture a moment or memory with a customisable card this Valentine’s Day!Simply send your chosen photo to the maker, ALittleMoonBeam, via Etsy conversations and they’ll illustrate it to create a wonderfully personalised card. And don’t be shy about getting creative with it – you could choose photos of your pets, places or objects – whatever means something special to you or the recipient!
2. Go down the traditional route with a classy box of chocolates this Valentine’s… but make sure you choose something extra special, such as the luxury Valentine Chocolate Box by EponineChocolate! These beautiful works of chocolatey art are skilfully handmade with dark chocolate and filled with salted caramel and hazelnut gianduja. You can choose a box size of 4 to 36 chocolates… depending on how much you love the recipient, of course! 😉
3. Sometimes we love each other so darn much that it’s just impossible to express ourselves verbally… so let’s share our innermost feelings via the unusual medium of embroidery! You can choose your own personalised message, so long as it’s short and sweet, and Sophiemayde will stitch your words by hand onto these little hoops for you to pass on to your partner, your Mum, or maybe your Dentist, if you think they’re really great.
4. Do you hate dating? But do you like your friends? If you answer yes to both these questions, then stop wasting time and immediately purchase these cards for each of your besties. Screw Valentine’s, it’s all about Palentine’s – which I personally think we should celebrate all year round! The vibrant design has been hand-painted by LauraCharleyDesign, before being printed to create A6 cards, which are left blank inside – ideal for you to fill with more rambling complaints about all the bad dates you endured in 2018.
5. OK… now back to items for people who DO like dating… we have these delicate little heart dishes made by BlueButterflyCrafts! Available in your choice of purple or red, these dainty ceramic hearts are perfect for holding tealight candles, as a place to store rings or other small trinkets, or simply to add a pop of colour to your mantelpiece or bookcase. Did you know that pottery is the traditional gift for the 9th wedding anniversary?
6. Inspired by The Great Gatsby, OMGoshShop offers these smart and sophisticated wooden monogram cufflinks, which are personalised with your chosen initials. You can even opt for 2 different initial pairs, one for each cufflink, AND you can choose Solid Oak, Walnut or Cherry as your choice of wood!
7. Clearly we think that personalisation is the way to go for Valentine’s Day 2019… because here we have another fabulously customisable option for you! sevenPMstitches will add your chosen names to this adorable cross-stitch pattern (PDF download format), which is ideal for beginners or intermediate level cross-stitchers. Go on – give it go – handmade gifts are always a fabulous way of saying “I love you”!
8. Say “je t’aime” with this beautiful print by emmycphotography! This 8” x 6” print features a view of the Eiffel Tower from Pont Alexandre, Paris, which is probably the most amorous location on Earth. The gorgeous, vintage-esque colours and dreamy architecture will effortlessly add a touch of romance to any home!
9. We’re a loving bunch here at EtsyMCR and would never condone you exterminating your significant other (or anyone, for that matter). However, we are very supportive of you affectionate-ing them, and recommend you do so by purchasing this adorable card by Doodlesworth! This card is A6 size, left blank in the middle for you to write your own message, and printed on environmentally friendly FSC approved card.
10. And now for those of you planning to make this Valentine’s Day extra special… we have this stunning proposal bear by AndSoItBiggins. Decorated with approximately 250 handcrafted roses and made to order in the colour of your choice, these bears are the perfect way to pop that all important question, and will be a lovely keepsake for you and your partner to remember the moment forever.
