I’m totally fascinated with Etsy (www.etsy.com).

In the words of Etsy:

Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade.

Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.

Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice:

Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.

Watch the “about” video to see a bunch of spirited, creative people tell the little Etsy story.

Billy introduced me to Etsy in January of 2008 and I have been visiting their site on and off since. I spend about as much time (maybe more) reading their articles as I do looking at people’s Etsy shops.

And, recently I discovered the Etsy videos… these made me fall in love with them even more. They have this style that is raw documentary meets inspired, thoughtful, and creative.

One video that I really enjoyed (I’ve watched it twice) was about this guy who creates t-shirt designs from the stuff of his dreams. He is a self-made, passionate artist who makes a living at what he does. His beginnings seemed grim but he persevered. Me: inspired! Watch his little video portrait.

Recently I discovered that my friend Kirsten Moore of Portland, Oregon is a seller on Etsy. Her company is called piper ewan. Her stuff is so divine that they even did a feature on her! Visit her blog post “written up” to find out who’s writting her up now.

And finally, I will leave you with a short Etsy article on Guerilla gardening. This is something that Billy and I have talked about doing. The author has some inspired ideas. Although, I would test the soil quality if you plan to eat your crop.

Etsy walks the talk. They have really created a great community, not only online but in person as well. People meet up and exchange ideas, teach skills, and the list goes on.

I look forward to eventually becoming an Etsy seller myself!