Education of the Modern Doctor: Marcus Welby vs. House 
A Zparkleys sock monkey
In the March 3 issue, I wrote about a handful of locals on Etsy.com, the retail website for handmade and vintage goodies that’s a hit with crafters, hipsters and grannies alike. I’ve got at least another fistful of local folks to clue you in on, so let’s get to it.
Tara of Jewelry by Tara (search for jewelrybytara) wasn’t so creative with her store name, but she is with her output. She combines retro charms, plastic flowers and vintage findings in an utterly sweet and sassy way. And if you’ve been swept up in the latest 19th-century, romantic-Alice in Wonderland iconography like all the fashion mags have, then you’ll love her latest collection of Lewis Carroll-inspired jewelry that makes use of storybook images and gleaming glass, all priced under $20.
“I make sock monkeys.” That’s Stacy of Zparkleys’ comeback when someone asks what she does for a living. She’s sold more than 600 sock monkeys on Etsy alone, and it’s no wonder when you see the quality and—more importantly—the personality of each of these little creatures. They’re not just for kids—she has a category called “Spooky Monkeys”—they’re the stuff of nightmares with their vast voodoo mojo. But there are plenty for the littles, including a Batman-inspired monkey. She even sells DIY kits so you can hand-sew your own monkey man.
If you can’t sew even a button but you love the handmade look of sweetly adorned clothing, Sam and Sara (samandsara) should be your next virtual stop. The Sara part of that equation lives in San Diego, while the Sam part resides in Vegas, yet they make it work. The flowery T-shirts for little girls, and robot tees for boys are truly darling (and awesome gifts). They also take their love of mixed materials and pretty patterns to women’s shirts and dresses, too. But it’s their new, hand-crafted Punky Brewster-esque backpacks that delight my 1983 self.
Handmade isn’t the only thing done on Etsy. It’s also become a place for vintage treasure hunters to display and sell their wares in a place far cozier and befitting than the behemoth that eBay has become.
Karen, of Sassydoggs, used to sell on eBay but found Etsy had so much more to offer: “Etsy is for me, much more of a community,” she says. Her eye for culling treasures and displaying them together is what draws you to her storefront. Vintage birdcages look beautiful alongside carved wooden seahorses, and the kitchen collectibles, with their vivid oranges and yellows, are reminiscent of a very Brady kitchen. It’s the play-at-home version of wandering a pleasant Sunday afternoon flea market.
Bree’s Vintage Revivals (breesvintagerevivals) focuses on vintage, too, but predominantly plastic jewelry, including Bakelite, Lucite, celluloid and resin—in other words, the stuff of ’40s-, ’50s- and ’60s-era pin-up girls. Out of North County, Bree has a full-time job but engages in her Etsy obsession on nights and weekends. The ice cream-colored jewelry she’s collected into her storefront is practically calling out for girls with rigid bangs, mod dresses and Mary Quant tights. This is the jewelry the Rose Bowl flea market is teeming with, but priced better and delivered to your doorstep.
So, yeah, a trip to Kobey’s or the craft fair would serve your body better, what with the actual walking and sunshine and all, but for work-week, 9-to-5 time wasting, Etsy ain’t a bad place to hang out. And you can still shop local. Write to clea@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.
