Back to School

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!

Celebrate Pride Season with EtsyMCR

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!

Rainbow & Co Pride t-shirt — 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.

Father’s Day 2019

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.

Easter Treats

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?

Celebrate your lovely Mums this Mother’s Day!

Our makers have been working hard to make beautiful gifts for every type of Mum.

EtsyMCR Team Leader Rachel, aka The Magpie’s Daughter, has picked some of her faves.

Gifts for Animal-Loving Mums

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.

When Your Mum is Your Bestie

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.

Mums Who Love to Garden

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.

Mums Who Love Home Comforts

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.

Looking for more gift ideas? Search Etsy for our team tag: etsymcr

Valentine’s Day Top Ten <3

Check out these romantic cards and gifts for your Valentine (or Galentine!) from the EtsyMCR Team

Top Ten Picks by Team Leader Sally, aka The Lobe Wardrobe

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.

EtsyMCR’s Hallowe’en Gift Guide

EtsyMCR wishes you a spooktacular Hallowe’en!

Witch ones will be your grave-ourites?

Picks by Sally Hayward aka The Lobe Wardrobe

Miniature Pumpkin Necklaces by GizzysGifts
Looking for some not-so-scary accessories to complete your Hallowe’en costume this year? Every pumpkin charm on these necklaces is lovingly handmade using polymer clay, and each delicate detail is carefully sculpted and carved, to make them look like real, miniature pumpkins! We still can’t get over how realistic these little pumpkin necklaces are!

Hallowe’en Paper Garland by SophieHeywood
No Halloween party would be complete without this Hallowe’en themed paper garland – each one has a creepy (well, actually adorable!) array of illustrated characters, including black cats, ghosts, skulls, pumpkins, and candy corn! Each character is printed onto recycled paper, before being individually cut out by hand and threaded onto orange cord.

Giant Vampire Yeti Plush by TheCryptidZoo
This giant yeti is all set for Hallowe’en, having decided to dress as Count Dracula this year! All of the monsters by The Cryptid Zoo are knitted by hand, and this yeti has been made using a red textured yarn, complete with a black vampire cape. Although he makes no guarantees, this yeti promises he’ll try his best to protect you from the real monsters this Hallowe’en!

Poison Bottle Patch by BirdHousePress
Any outfit would look venom-enal with these embroidered patches! Measuring four inches high, you can sew or iron these patches onto your child’s school backpack, or perhaps your own work bag or jacket. Or you could order a few of them, and decorate your whole Hallowe’en costume! And why not order the matching enamel badge on BirdHousePress’s Etsy shop, too?!

Sugar Skull Slate by SimplyImperfected
This expertly decorated slate will add a touch of Mexican macabre to your Hallowe’en décor. Hand finished using decoupage, it includes a stand so you can easily display it anywhere in your home – it would make a fabulously scary party decoration! Arriba!

Baby’s First Hallowe’en (Iron-on Transfer) by Madewithloveshop
Celebrate your baby’s first Hallowe’en this year with one of these vinyl transfers; simply iron them onto your chosen clothing (perhaps a plain onesie, top, or even a bib). You can personalise them with your baby’s name, and you can even choose your preferred size and colour scheme!

Pumpkin House Accessories by PaperTreeCottage
One of our most loved Hallowe’en traditions is pumpkin carving – it’s a wonderful, creative activity to do with children this time of year. Take your pumpkin carving to the next level with these whimsical, handmade pumpkin house accessories by Paper Tree Cottage – you will receive a door and a window for your pumpkin, so when you put a candle inside, it looks like someone’s home!

Skeleton Hand Pin/Badge by Mickeypip
Make no bones about it – this enamel pin badge will make a handy addition to any Hallowe’en ensemble. Add badges to your jacket or bag for an every-day look, or incorporate them into your costume this year!

Summertime Treats

EtsyMCR teamie Sophie Heywood Illustration shares some of her favourite summery Etsy picks

Hey everyone! My name’s Sophie Heywood and I am a freelance illustrator making lots of colourful prints, greeting cards, badges and more. I’ve had the pleasure of selecting a few items that have caught my attention from fellow team members.

After this summer’s fantastic heat wave, I have gone with a theme of sea, sun and all things summer! Whether that’s with colour, subject matter or function. Let’s have a gander at some wonderful makes!

We all need a good notebook in our lives, right? I’m always writing lists; I’d forget everything if I didn’t. This one by Lydia Meiying serves up tropical realness with this fabulous flamingo pattern.

Who doesn’t love a good pun? Nicole Julia perfects them with her super cute illustrations.

This card is simply mer-mazing! Perfect if you have a wedding anniversary this summer.

Let’s just talk about how amazingly detailed this embroidered wall art from Beth of Yellow Fred is. This really reflects how much work this teamie puts into her pieces! Plus you’ll never be without the sun with this hanging in your home.

It can be hard to keep our poor little plants alive in this heat. (I struggle enough as it is…) But fear not! Kim of Northern Sun Art Prints has this plant print that you can keep alive forever and ever. Plus those colours just scream summer vibes!

Speaking of plants, how amazing is this copper plant hanger made by Alex of Plank and Pipe? Perfect for any home or garden this summer and indeed, all year round. The copper finish will go with any décor style and is perfect for any season!

This photo from Eyeshoot Photography reminds me of family holidays as a kid! You’ll never be without the seaside with this high quality photography print. I can almost smell the sea air! It’s available in a different range of sizes too.

Summer florals and cats? What’s not to love! This vegan suede cushion is sold by Wraptious and has been designed by Kat Baxter. This would make the perfect gift for the animal lovers in our lives.

Nothing says summer like sunflowers! I can just imagine being sat in the garden with a bit of shade, a cold drink to my side and this embroidery kit from Natalie Gaynor Designs for the ultimate relaxing day.

I’m sure this print by Adam of Paper Sheriff is a lot of people’s summer mantra! This colourful typographical print is also available as a digital download so you can deliver printed goodness to your home printer!

And last but not least, we have this intricately designed wood placemat from Simon of Denvers Designs. Inspired by the spiral patterns found in sunflowers and cacti, this would be a perfect addition to any home.

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Father’s Day 2018

Our top 10 picks for our top 10 Dads!

Our newest Team Leader, Sally – aka The Lobe Wardrobe – has picked some of her favourite Father’s Day cards and gifts made by the EtsyMCR Team.

1) First up, something for Dads who just never seem to grow up… introducing the Big Kid Dad! Treat both your little monkey and your big monkey (!) this Father’s Day to these matching t-shirts by DadsAndKids – they are hand pressed in Cheshire, and are available in several sizes and colours.

2) Next we have a gift for any New or Soon-to-be Dads; these beautifully simple card packs by IsabellaandUs would make a lovely gift to Dad from Mum, baby or the bump! The pack includes 20 “Daddy” cards, each have messages to remind and reassure new Dads that they’re doing a brilliant job.

3) Now we have something for perhaps the most prolific Dad of all…

Pun-loving Dad! Using sustainably sourced materials, KatherineCoryDesign offers a variety of pun-tastic greetings cards such as this eggs on toast design – you might find they’re toastally perfect for your Dad this Father’s Day (hmm… maybe the puns should be left to Katherine!)

4) If you’re looking for something extra special for your Sophisticated Dad, we think these fine wool and silk blend scarves might just do the trick! BronwenSimpson offers a variety of styles in their shop, but this burgundy ponte fabric scarf in particular would make a stunning gift for Father’s Day.

5) If you have a Sweet Tooth Dad (also known as Always Hungry Dad, or Third Helpings Dad), we reckon you can’t go wrong with these personalised sweetie hampers! HarlieLoves offers two hamper sizes to best suit your Dad’s appetite, and you can add a personalised message to the gift box and individual sweetie labels.

6) These illustrated cards by sophieheywood would be adored by just about any Dad out there, but particularly loved by any Nature Loving Dads! Blank on the inside, with the beautiful image of a baby fox cuddling into their parent on the front, we think these cards would be perfect for any child to give to their Dad this Father’s Day.

7) Spoil your Sports Mad Dad this Father’s Day with a “King of The Road” cycling themed mug! In addition to mugs, TailoredChocolates offer several other cycling themed gifts, and various other sports themes, including rugby and golf. The mugs hold a generous 11oz (ideal to quench the thirst of any particularly dehydrated Sports Mad Dads!) and are dishwasher safe.

8) Though very similar to Pun-loving Dad, may I introduce a new variety of jokester… Crude-loving Dad! This type of Dad will particularly enjoy these humorous (and sometimes a little bit naughty!) cards by HelenDodsworthDesign – with so many cheeky designs to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find one that will make your Dad chuckle on Father’s Day.

9) The penultimate Dad on our list is Outdoorsy Dad! SimplyImperfected has used the tricky decoupage method to expertly decorate this piece of slate, and we think the campervan theme would make an ideal gift for any Outdoorsy Dads for Father’s Day. The slate comes with two stands, so your Dad can display this lovely slate piece pride of place on his window sill, or even in his actual campervan!

10) And last but certainly not least, an adorable gift for any Family Man Dads… a set of three hand painted penguin pebbles by TheRaspberryCat – perfect for indoor or outdoor decoration in a family home. We think these would make a lovely little gift from any child to their Dad this Father’s Day!