Friday Feature: Curious Gravy

1. Tell us about you and your shop.

My name is Jenn and I am Curious Gravy. Gravy because it is one of my many nicknames and curious because it is a quality that I value and strive to embody.

I live in Los Angeles with my husband who also has many nicknames. This is because neither of us really likes our own given names - and also because we like to make each other laugh by being silly and acting like we are twelve.

I have a shop on Etsy where I sell things that I make and think are pretty. Sometimes I get caught up in Etsy and just want my stuff to sell, sell, sell!! Once I realize that I'm doing this I try to take a step back and remember why I make things in the first place. That's usually when I get a sale.

If I am not playing in the studio chances are that I'll be in the kitchen. I really enjoy cooking and I like challenges, so I try cooking new things all the time. I also do a lot of reading, I like to travel and I enjoy spending time in nature. I love to shop, I practice yoga, and most importantly I enjoy spending time with my silly husband, my amazing friends and loving family.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
Curious Gravy cards started in November of 2008 when I thought it would be fun to make Holiday cards to send out to friends and family. I had done a lot of print making in art school but had never worked with linoleum blocks so I thought I would give them a try. Once I got the hang of it, I discovered that I enjoy the act of carving the linoleum most - it's almost like meditation. I really look forward to spending an afternoon in the studio, I usually listen to music or watch congressional hearings on cspan.org. My Etsy shop is where all of my best work ends up.

3. What tool can you not live without?
There aren't too many things I can't live without - there's always more than one way to do something, and while I appreciate many of my tools the only thing I don't think I could live with out would be my comfortable/ergonomic/adjustable desk chair. I know, I know, it's silly - but if you've ever spent time sitting in a hard cushion-less chair for days on end you'll be nodding your head in agreement with me.

Second place goes to my #11 Xacto knife, for sheer versatility.

4. What inspires you?
I am inspired everyday by the things around me - I see, hear and smell beauty everywhere I go. In trees, clouds, bodies of water, color, pattern, kindness, complexity, maps, texture, passion fruit, wallpaper, machinery, fashion, babies, laughter, sunshine, organization... I could go on.

5. Name one favorite item from your store



My favorite item changes all the time - I guess I am just fickle. Right now it's the Ribbon Candy Card in Candy Cane Red. I like that it can be used for the holidays but that it's not specific to any holiday.

Friday Feature: Pulp Art

1. Tell us about you and your shop.
I have held many jobs in many different fields but I have always had a creative hobby on the side, which means I also have every expensive piece of specialized equipment: a glass grinder for stained glass, a table top loom for weaving, all kinds of pliers for making jewelry, a gocco printer, bookbinding cloth... But my favorite creative outlet through it all has been paper-making.

Sometimes you’ll see another hobby creep into my paper — some yarn remnants from a knitting project will make it into my paper or cards will be printed with my gocco machine, but my handmade paper is always the focus.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
My journey with paper started a long time ago. I have always been a writer, journaling in my diary every day growing up. I loved not just the writing but the feel of pen to paper, turning the thick pages inside of a handmade journal, enjoying the sound of the sheet. I became a newspaper editor in my 20s and merged my love of paper with a fascination with words - not just their meanings but how they look on the page. I love artwork that has words incorporated in it or jewelry that has one inspirational word stamped into metal.

When I was engaged to be married, I took a class in paper-making and I was hooked. Words, paper, torn up and combined with water to make a new crisp sheet of paper ... it thrilled me. I made all of my own wedding invitations from my handmade paper back in 1994 and have been making paper by hand ever since.

3. What tool can you not live without?
I can’t live without my blender. I tear up pieces of paper to recycle them, then put them in my blender to mix them into a pulp. Usually I mix them at a very high speed so that the original piece of paper is pulverized. Sometimes I just grind them at a low speed so that there are still little pieces of works that appear in the new sheet of paper.

4. What inspires you?
My garden has always inspired me. I learn a lot about composing art from my garden - the colors, textures, compositions. This year, I started a new line of paper that has perennial seeds embedded into the paper. The idea is to keep recycling. Once one of my cards has been received, it can be planted to grow a wildflower garden and start the process of growing and recycling all over again.

5. Name one favorite item from your store



I have been making these cards for years and I always sell out of them at Christmas and never tire of making them!

Tuesday Treasury

Thanksgiving Greetings
By:Silvercloud07



Thankful Heart Greeting Card by lavendargreetings



The Thanksgiving Tree Card by jessijewels



Happy Thanksgiving Card by AJKArtistry



Give Thanks Seasonal Greeting Card by CarlinCardCreations



Thanksgiving - Giving Thanks by PaperFairy



Thanksgiving by CardsByDeb



Thanksgiving Star by CornerstoneLAE



Set of 3 Thanksgiving Cards by L7Designs

Thank You Mr. Love.

It’s the day of the big test…you have prepared for weeks. You have butterflies in your stomach but it’s okay because you are ready to go. You even have two nicely sharpened pencils sitting on your desk. You begin the test and …SNAP…your pencil point breaks. Not to worry you have a back-up. As you reach for it, it begins to roll off your desk and hits the floor point down..ugh another pencil broken. What shall you do? You could pull out your penknife and whittle the tip to a nice point, but alas, you can’t have a pen knife in school are you crazy! ANd what would you do with the shavings? Suddenly it dawns on you, raise your hand and ask to use the classroom pencil sharpener. Crisis averted. You can now get back to that test.

We’ve all been there, and until recently I never knew who to thank. On this day in 1897 the first mechanical pencil sharpener was invented by John Lee Love, an African American inventor from Fall River, MA. John Lee Love designed the "Love Sharpener." Love's invention was the very simple, portable pencil sharpener that many artists still use. The pencil is put into the opening of the sharpener and rotated by hand, and the shavings stay inside the sharpener. Love's sharpener was patented on November 23, 1897 (U.S. Patent # 594,114). Prior to that invention pencils had to be sharpened with the ever handy pen knife. Similar to the way carpenter pencils (you know those funny rectangular ones) still are.

I don't know about you but I love a nice sharp No.2 pencil. In fact I hate to write with one when it gets even the slightest worn down. I still sketch card ideas with a pencil and even write out my grocery list with one. I know that I personally am glad I don't need to pick up all those shavings as well.

Since we are a group that promotes the lost art of the personal greeting I thought we should take a moment and thank Mr. Love for his brilliant invention. If you are really curious about the timeline of the pencil sharpener you can find a complete history of the mechanical pencil sharpener at the Early Office Museum website. While you are waiting for that site to load, sharpen your pencils to take some notes and smile at how easy it is!



by: aplusastudio

Friday Feature: Paper Dragon Cards

1. Tell us about you and your shop.
Our shop features designs inspired from living and traveling around the world especially Asia.

Each greeting card is hand assembled and we fold every kimono. We take great pride on using only the best papers around.

On our travels around the globe, we search for unique papers... you should see the stash!

2. How did you get started in your craft?

After moving to Asia 10 years ago, there was not a greeting card to be found. Since I had all of my scrapbooking supplies with me, I began to make cards. Friends started asking where they could buy them and Paper Dragon Cards was formed. We sold them at craft fairs and boutiques in Asia.

We are now living back in Michigan and I want to share my designs with you!

3. What tool can you not live without?
I would have to say that I cannot live without my paper cutter.

4. What inspires you?

It could be a piece of ribbon or paper. I love putting different textures together to make each greeting card. It's quite a process but the finished product is well worth it.

5. Name one favorite item from your store

This is one of my favorites... such beautiful paper and so feminine. The kimono cards are the most fun to make... each one is hand-folded and made out of different color combinations.

A Bit about Me.

My name is Tricia Richner and my shop is http://www.etsy.com/shop/tricia16. It's not the most creative shop name, but I was already quite the etsy buyer under that name, so I just went with it.

How I got started in this craft -
I've been a scrapbooker and card maker for like 10 years or so. It was totally just a hobby. I came up with this style of card because I was trying to use up some coordinating papers that I had around and then ended up really liking it. I now refer to it as my "signature style" (sounds fancy, huh?). I keep the same basic design but change up patterns, colors and embellishments for different occasions.

Then, I started giving card sets as gifts and people really really liked them. I also went to a bridal shower over this pat summer and gave the bride some personalized note cards which everyone "oohed" and "aahed" over. One of the other guests came over to me afterwards and asked me to make her a set and she'd pay me. I refused her at first because I really just liked doing them for friends, but she relented and I did a set for her and she convinced me to really pursue it. That's when I went from being an etsy buyer to an etsy seller!

Favorite item in store -
Right now, I am loving the Christmas cards and the Mommy Journal. I am particularly fond of the Mommy Journal because it was totally my own idea. I have 4 kids and years ago made little journals to write down the funny things they say and do. I've talked to other people about it and some friends have seen mine and they thought it was so cute. When I found these little spiral bound notebooks, I knew they would make perfect Mommy Journals.

My kids (and the hysterical things they say and do on a daily basis) were the inspiration for the Mommy Journals I talked about above. Mostly, I just love pretty papers and coordinating accessories and once I find something that "goes together", I put it into a monogrammed note card!

Other things I like to do -
I love doing things with my family and we especially love summer because we go boating, swimming, fishing and camping. I also try to find some time to exercise a few times a week and also love to go on weekend scrapbook retreats with some of my best friends.

Advice to other etsians -
I feel like I am still just starting out on etsy so I can't really give much advice there. I guess the best thing I have done is meet new people on the teams and learn from them. My greetings team has helped me immensely - from photos to pricing to descriptions, I have gotten great information from my teammates there.

Other interesting things about me -
I've been a vegetarian for a really long time, new Mac user and loving it and my husband delivered one of our babies on the kitchen floor (we couldn't make it any closer to the hospital).

Tuesday Treasury

It's Starting To Look Alot Like Christmas

Created By:candyragz


NEW Jingle bell Rudolph the rednosed reindeer holiday Christmas card By:riricreations



Christmas Cards red green tree set of 4 By: ThisNThatCraftHouse



3 Holiday Snowman Christmas Cards By: shesbattydesigns



Gather Round the Aluminum Tree - Aqua and Lime By:winemakerssister



Cottage style Santa Claus holiday card By:petitepear



SUPER SALE- Set of 20 Boxed Holiday Cards By:AJKArtistry



Classic Christmas Ornament Note Card- Set of 5 By:creativeapples


Be merry (stripes) - one blank notecard By:happydaystudio

LavenderGreeting's Giveaway

Our third giveaway for November is from Lavender Greetings. She is offering a gift certificate for custom design invitations and thank you notes.



To enter please leave a comment here on the EtsyGreeting's Blog on how you search for the items you are looking for. For example do you use categories or the search function and any other specifics you'd want to share.

Please also take a look through LavenderGreeting's Shop to see her wonderful work.

One winner will be picked from the comments made. Please leave a way for you to be contacted should you be the winner of this fabulous giveaway! The winner will be picked on the afternoon of November 18th.

Holiday Greetings from EtsyGreetings!

Please give us a minute to load this page - there are many images!

The shops featured below are excited to offer special promotions this weekend to help you get ready for the holidays! Free shipping, matching gift tags, and many more specials are available. Just click on the image to be taken to the artist's Etsy shop!

All of these promotions will run
Friday, November 13 through Sunday, November 15.

Friday Feature: Jumping Jack Designs

1. Tell us about you and your shop.

My shop features customized invitations, photo announcements and personalized greetings. Modern simplicity, original artwork and exceptional print quality are the backbone of my work.

I believe in designing uniquely simple and artistic paper goods through the creative use of color, art and beautiful papers.

Each greeting is assembled by hand with attention to the finest details for accuracy and quality.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
I began several years before we became a legit business. My first design was a simple announcement celebrating our marriage. After, I began making announcements and invitations for the celebrations in the lives of friends and family.

When strangers started calling, Jumping Jack Designs was born.

3. What tool can you not live without?
Love my Rotatrim Rotary Trimmer. It's a workhorse that allows for precision cutting and never needs any maintenance. I wish my printers were so well behaved!

4. What inspires you?
I try to find unexpected sources for inspiration. A fun fabric on the kid’s PJ’s, color combos from the yard, or great packaging in the supermarket. Design inspiration is everywhere if I’m in the right frame of mind.

When doing custom design, I ask clients to give me a brief description of their personal style. It is the single most important step in my design process.

5. Name one favorite item from your store



This changes with my mood. If I have to choose one, I’d say my favorite item for the holiday season is my “Gazing Snowman Photo Card”. I love how the snowman is gazing up at the photograph. He looks like he loves that little girl (my daughter) as much as I do!

Etsy Greetings Featured Sale: TinyBirdArts

Each week EtsyGreetings highlights a sale from one of our member shops. This week, we are excited to offer you special pricing from tinybirdarts

The Sale: Customers get FREE shipping on all Printed Photo Card sets + FREE 5 extra photo cards, envelopes, and return address seals. All other printed Holiday Cards get FREE shipping too. Sale does NOT include purchase of digital photo card design without printing. Use code: ETSYGREETINGS in notes to seller when checking out. Additional Information: To order Printed Photo Cards, go to this section and simply purchase the set of 15, 25, 50, or custom quantity request. Put your design choice and customization options in the "Notes to Seller" upon checkout. You can see all designs available for photo cards here.
Sale begins November 11, 12:01 a.m. CST and will end November 13, 12:01 a.m. CST.

Scarlett Design

by: Scarlett Design

Ryan McGurl is the owner of Scarlett Design, which features her artwork, photography, and stationery, and Scarlett Made, which features her hand knit and crocheted items.
She grew up in New England and attended both the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Boston University, for graphic design and art history. She began selling on Etsy two years ago, after moving to Virginia with her boyfriend dogs.
Mostly she is inspired by nature, love hiking and walking on the beach.


"Silent Night"




"Star Light"


The sale: Free shipping on most items, excluding single cards, to the US and Canada. Starting 11/11- 11/15, enter code ETSY GREETINGS in "Message from Buyer" and I will send you an updated invoice.

Tuesday Treasury

It's All Personal!

Created By:TheArtOfJoy



Personalized Stationery Set by upup




Personalized Dachshund Notecards by JustAnotherDay




Custom Made Monogrammed Note Cards, Set of 5, Die Cut, Whales by Tricia16




Circus Lights - A2 folded card set- Pack of 8 by fivedot




Songbird Note Cards OLIVE by JumpingJackDesigns




Avery Personalized Stationery - Set of 10 Red by steliedesigns




Boxed Paisley Gift Set by everydaygrace

Isabellaflora Offers This Week's Giveaway

This beautiful card is being offered by Isabellaflora. Note the embossed edges around the photograph.



From The Artist: We are a Father /Daughter partnership. My 91 year Dad is the wizard at photography and I am the watercolor artist.

To enter: Please visit IsabellaFlora's shop and leave a comment here on the blog on which card you like best. A winner will be picked from the comments left on the morning of Thursday, November 12th. Please make sure to leave a way you can be contacted should you be picked as the winner.

Friday Feature: Orange Cat Art

1. Tell us about you and your shop.
My name is Jill Davis, and Orange Cat Art is my full-time photography business. I offer photos as blank note cards, desk calendars and prints. In addition to my own work, I also include photography by my older sister, Sheri, and a few other friends who have images that make a nice addition to our library. Most of our images are from North Carolina, because we have such a variety of landscapes here - from the mountains to the coast! Although we also have photos from other parts of the country & world, having that local niche has been helpful to us in retail locations and at art festivals. (The NC Coastal and Blue Ridge Parkway note card sets, for example).

I live in Raleigh, with my husband and our two cats. The orange one, Barclay, is the inspiration for the business name, and you can see him on my "Cat Nap" cards. When I'm not working, I'm either hiking (although that is working sometimes, too), biking, playing video games with my husband, or reading.

2. How did you get started in your craft?
My education is in photojournalism, and I started out as a news photographer and photo editor. I have also worked as a studio manager, digital image wrangler, assistant, producer (and just about every other job there is!) for advertising and editorial shooters. I reached a point where I knew that the kind of photography that I enjoy creating is away from the studio, lights, art directors, assignments, etc. Just me, my camera and the outside.

I started making cards with our photographs because that seemed like a low-impact, affordable way for people to enjoy our images. Some photographers only offer large, framed prints, but that gets expensive (both for me to produce & for customers to buy!) I'm very proud of our cards, because I print the photos on a natural white watercolor paper, which gives them a nice textured quality. It's a lot of work to fold & cut them all myself, but I think it's worth it!

3. What tool can you not live without?
How about 3? My camera (Canon Rebel XTi), my computer (iMac with a 24" monitor) and my printer (Epson R1800). I couldn't do all this without them.

4. What inspires you?
At the risk of being a cliche - everything! I love everything in nature, from the tiny pattern on the back of a leaf to a huge beautiful blue sky. I also appreciate other forms of graphic & visual design, and sometimes I try to capture those different aesthetics in my photography.

5. Name one favorite item from your store

My favorite at the moment is The Old Well Collection. This set includes 4 different views of my favorite landmark from my alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It's one of two sets that I have from UNC-CH so far. Getting permission to offer photos from the campus (as well as from Duke University and UNC-Greensboro) has been a huge undertaking for me, so I'm very excited about them!