The best Etsy shops

Handmade yoga elephant necklace from Sea Unicorn, $27

When Etsy first started hosting indie, vintage and handmade shops in 2005, no one thought it would last. Four years later and it's the best place to find hand crafted goodies online. The only problem is, it can be hard to wade through all of the sequined scrunchies and creepy doll clothes to find the good stuff. For those unfamiliar with the site, everything sold there is either handmade or vintage. Here are my picks for the best shops that Etsy has to offer.

The Best Vintage Shops

Time Bomb Vintage sells clothing but accessories are their bread and butter. Slouchy boots, strappy sandals and lace up oxfords are plentiful. You'll also find a few bags and clutches for cheap.

There's nothing like bright retro house wares to warm up a white apartment, and Epoca Vintage has the cutest offerings like candy-colored tableware and interesting knick knacks. Spice up your bookshelves with these owl figurines or use this bird tray  by your door for storing keys and change.

If dainty and ladylike vintage is your thing, Allen Company Inc. is the place to head. All of the pieces are pristine and artfully displayed with vintage heels, blouses and high-waisted skirts reigning supreme.

Rather than sticking to one style or era, Maiden Rapture Vintage mixes it up with '50s prom dresses, '60s fur, '70s wooden heels and '80s jumpsuits, phew! They also have men's vintage tees and blazers.

The Best Handmade Shops

Printed tees are a dime a dozen but Queen of Hearts churns out some of the most perfectly draped and adorably printed around. My favorites include this t-rex tank or this '80s inspired pullover for lounging around the house.

Scarf addicts will love Necklush's Etsy shop for their part statement, necklace part whimsical scarf creations. They come in lots of colors and can be wrapped multiple ways, so style away!

You don't have to spend big bucks to get amazing original art thanks to Be Happy Now's Etsy shop. The best pieces are the bright and slightly off-kilter portriats. Both original pieces are prints are for sale.

There are so many handmade jewelry shops on Etsy it’s hard to choose just one. Some favorites include Sea Unicorn's teeny tiny charm necklaces, Make Pie not War's quirky baubles, The Vintage Jewelry Box’s reworked vintage necklaces, Blythe and Thistle's totally unique fabric pieces and last but not least, Fabric and Line's nautical rope necklaces.

You can never have too many mugs, right? OK maybe you can, but the mugs at Acero Studio's shop are worth the addition. They're hand screened with bicycle, insect and vintage camera images. If you're not a hot beverage drinker, they print their images on bowls, salt and pepper shakers and toothbrush holders.

Did you like this article? Check out my post on the Housing Works auction site here.

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