
I've been finding some very cute furniture pieces lately on
Etsy. From
the Fruit Stripe Dresser to the
Jean Pelle Vanity Cabinet, it seems as if more vendors and customers are discovering that Etsy's not just for home accessories and jewelry these days.
I love the purple exuberance of this pair of
Mediterranean Chairs ($950).

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).

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.

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!

In my house, we hung an advent calendar each year, made of miniature gift bags filled with candy. I think it's a fun tradition for children that fosters their excitement for Christmas — as if they weren't already bursting at the seams. Although it's obviously a religious tradition, the countdown calendars can be used for all sorts of celebrations, like birthdays or even the election!

When it comes to pumpkins, we often think of
jack-o-lanterns and
pumpkin carving at
Halloween, but the gourd-like squash is stylish all season long. There should be nothing preventing you from decorating with pumpkins until Christmas comes along . .

Sometimes we all just need a straight talkin' to. That's especially true when the pots and pans are piling up. So beyond a bit of Palmolive and some elbow grease, perhaps the answer is the
Show Pony Do the Dishes Tea Towel ($20), a fair trade organic cotton towel with the kitchen commandment spelled out in screen printed stacks of dirty plates.

The Petek Guven
Mr. Casual Placemat ($49) and
Miss Noble Placemat ($49) are two cheeky characters well-trained in etiquette, who'll give your guests a good laugh before they're served the first course. Each placemat has two slits on each side which work as fork and knife holders; so unfortunately, the placemats cannot accommodate the silverware required for a seven course meal.