6 Month Covidaverssary: Gifts to get yourself during this extended quarantine
Y'all . . . half a year. We've been in this since March. Maybe for some non-Americans, things are going alright, but the threat of Covid-19 is still very real here. It's impossible to ignore the clear mental impact that this pandemic has had both on those with and without pre-existing mental health afflictions.
Oh well, nothing that a little retail therapy can't cure!
To be less facetious, the pandemic has pushed me to reconsider my shopping habits and lean harder towards supporting small/local businesses. Even when ordering food via Grubhub or UberEats, I've made an effort to avoid chains and try food from local places, which basically ended up with me eating too many burritos and drinking way too much bubble tea.
I also turned to Etsy not only for cool masks but also some things to spruce up my at home work space and even my anniversary gifts. I recently got an email about the Etsy Design Awards and figured this is the perfect way to help promote small businesses. This is the second year that Etsy has done the Design Awards. Not sure how the process usually goes, but they choose finalists in a variety of categories and have guest judges select a winner. The big change this year is that they're letting the public vote. Whoop whoop! Obviously, many people are strapped for cash right now, but in order to cast a vote for the awards, you only have to add an item to your favorites.
I naturally had to peruse the finalists to see if there were any equine related products, but to my dismay, the results were abysmal. Boooo! Who came up with this idea anyways??? I did come across some very cute Pet Portrait Pillows though. While the listing said it was for dogs and cats, I figured it would be worth it to ask the shop owner about doing a horse. They said they can absolutely do a horse head, but the legs may be tricky because of how spindly they are. Gotta say, I chuckled hard at that. So, if you want a carbon copy of your horse's head for guests to snuggle up to, Helen Penny has you covered!
Besides home office supplies and horse shaped pillows, I've been perusing Etsy for a pair of vintage breeches. Marty Hunt has been a huge inspiration for me in terms of riding habits. Like, if you're gonna show up the lesson, you might as well show out, amiright? It's not too hard to find them on the site, but, as with any type of second hand shopping, getting the right size can be kind of tricky. There's one pair that looks like it might be a good option. I've been pretty successful with thrifting off of Etsy in the past, so I have faith that I'll find a nice pair. Also, pls don't buy the one I linked. I'll be very sad :(
In addition to breeches, I've been hooked on some more vintage finds, including this Pendelton blouse that would cost at least three times the amount brand new from Polo Ralph Lauren. A number of vintage/new but looks vintage art pieces have caught my eye. The investment won't be worthwhile until I have a more stable living situation (haha, that was funny, right?). I dream of having a barn some day and decorating a tack room or office or lounge with this type of art. It just bring a dash of culture and history to the space, and horse people could definitely use a little bit of both.
Ooo, I have not previously considered thrifting via Etsy. Innnnnteresting.
ReplyDeleteI love Raleigh Transplant on Instagram, he and Winslow are awesome. Thinking locally is so good right now since it's more sustainable to support our own communities and neighbors during these trying times, and also its better for the environment.
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