I hate to say it, but Christmas will be here before we know it (#sorrynotsorry) and with so much time on my hands at the moment, I've already been browsing for a few gifts. Where possible, I always like to buy from independent makers and business owners and Etsy makes that so much simpler to do. As luck would have it, a good few of the shops I've stumbled across that have become firm favourites are also local to us in Yorkshire - which makes me even happier to spend my pennies with them.
Modo Creative
If you're looking for a personal touch, this is the place to find it. Modo Creative have a beautiful range of gifts and homewares that can be personalised with names, dates and other details to make them extra special. I discovered them when looking for bits and pieces for Ben's nursery (we bought this Wild Thing cushion from them) and it turns out that they're based in Yorkshire, which is a very happy coincidence. They currently have some beautiful Christmas stockings that I am very tempted by for Benjamin's first Christmas, as well as a personalised oak letter that would look perfect on the gallery wall above his crib. I could go on, because they have so many gorgeous things that make me squee with joy, but I urge you to check it out for yourselves!
The Lovely Drawer
You may recognise Teri from her blog of the same name, but she also turns her talented hand towards pretty paper goods, from invites and notebooks to prints and adorable baby milestone cards. Her style is sweet and simple, with hand-drawn lettering and simple ink drawings. I have my eye on a couple of her prints (this one and this one, in particular) for our spare room and I know they'll really brighten up the place!
Zeal and Heart
I recently bought this necklace from Zeal and Heart, their collaboration with blogger and author Laura Jane Williams (who you need to be following on Instagram Stories, by the way...) and I've barely taken it off since. The message is a great daily reminder, and the minimalist style is simple enough to go with pretty much everything I own. They have plenty of great phrases, so you're bound to find one to suit you (or the person you're buying a gift for). I've got my eye on 'Courage dear heart' and I think we could all do with 'I choose happy', don't you?
Joy Jenna Made
You may recognise Jenna from the beautiful wedding photos that she took for us, but she's talented at more than one creative pursuit! She sells cards and prints with beautiful calligraphy and watercolours, and I absolutely love her style; it's so bright and fun. The colours on her Find the Joy print bring me, well, all the joy and this flamingo print is just too cute. Plus 10% of all her profits go to charity, so buying a card from her is the perfect way to spread the love in more ways than one.
AsSeenOnApparel
This shop is every TV nerd's dream, with t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring logos from all your favourite shows. Grab your Sunnydale High jacket, your Luke's Diner sweatshirt, your Rydell High hoodie or your Knope 2012 t-shirt and find your tribe. I literally want all of the above, and that's just the beginning. Whichever cult TV show is your favourite, I suspect you'll find something to suit you here. They have a little shop near me, but it's not always open so this is the best way to let your geek flag fly! (P.S. If you get all of those references, slide into my DMs because we should be friends!).
What are your favourite Etsy shops?