
I think the idea of Laurie Wisbrun's new
Birdies on a Chair fabric ($8) is cute as well as the design. But, I wish the white chairs would pop more against the blue background, and I think the palette could be reworked a bit. I guess I'd say I'm undecided.

When you're no longer stuck on stick-on bows and curling ribbon doesn't make the cut, spend a few bucks on the
DSharp Letterpress Buckle With Ribbon ($7.50). This large oval belt, comprised of letterpress red striped printed paper, will replace your fussy bows in a cinch. The buckle arrives with ribbon, and that's all you'll need to dress your gifts: Just slide through and pull.

I love people who aren't afraid of color. Take, for example,
Laurel's Rainbow Bright Home. Thanks to her fearlessness of color, her home shouts personality .

My
Etsy Finds normally fall under the categories of crafty things, textiles (napkins!), or artwork. But it's rare to find a furniture piece that's not just a
reupholstered ottoman. So, I was surprised to come across this
Jean Pelle Vanity Cabinet ($129).

Art, manatees, and
robots? If just the image of this
Manabot and Robotee Print ($25) doesn't charm you, wait till you read the artist's whimsical description: "Manabot lived in the wreckage of an undersea robot factory. He made Robotee out of spare parts to keep him company."

Somehow
Matryoshka dolls are still trendy after a year, but I suppose that's because they're so darn cute. I couldn't pass up the
Saidie Matryoshka Doll Ornament ($9), which will bring a bit of traditional Russian kitsch to your
Christmas tree this
holiday. The original Matryoshka illustration was printed with a Gocco onto linen fabric, hand sewn, and stuffed.

Last year, many of you told me that you were
making or buying handmade gifts. Many of you also took
the handmade pledge. So, if you're in the market for a one-of-a-kind gift for a special someone in your circle of friends, I thought I'd round up some of the best handmade gifts I've come across, using, of course, my favorite purveyor of everything DIY and handmade,
Etsy.

While nine bucks is a lot of money to spend on a slice of pie for me to eat (read: gone in minutes), it's totally reasonable for these jumbo toy pieces filled with organic catnip.
Dish out this cute present for resident felines at Thanksgiving dinner (so they don't get jealous of their
lucky dog counterparts). I plan on eating some
pumpkin pie myself so I'm choosing this one, but
Catzilla Crafts' Etsy store "bakes" up a bunch of goodies including cakes, donuts, eclairs, and even (my fave) banana pancakes.

OK, folks. Start pooling your change because this is what I want for Christmas. I already have an "I Heart Cheese" T-shirt.

I just came across these
Animal Prints ($25) by photographer Sharon Montrose, and I'm totally smitten. The LA-based shutterbug snapped these real live animals, who mostly "live happily at a small California Zoo," perched in front of a white backdrop on hardwood floors. The details are truly amazing, and I applaud her for getting these zoo dwellers to stand so still!