No doilies here
No, this isn't an article about knitting, I promise. Have you ever been to the site Etsy? It's kind of like eBay for handmade and vintage items. It's a virtual mall where you can find everything from old concert tees, cross-stitch patterns, and most importantly... video game merchandise. Seriously, there's a ton to choose from and you can spend hours filling your cart with things you totally don't need.
Chances are, if you can't find the item you want, you can ask someone to make it for you. A lot of sellers do custom work too. A few simple searches turned up thousands of items you won't find anywhere else. The site can be daunting at first, so here are some cool things to check out.
Need to send a message?
The world of BioShock is rich, full of detail and history, and so is the selection of items. From masks to jewelry to plush, there are over 1000 items for sale. I love the simplicity of this humble greeting card, which is based on a famous piece of Banksy art.
Suitable for a variety of occasions and delivered as a jpg for instant printing, it's a handy item for both expressing sentiment, and pretending you know loads about street art. Not a BioShock fan? Check out CaptainsPrintShops for a variety of geeky prints for your walls.
Rub-a-dub-dub
For an instant bathroom design makeover, TealPoodles Minecraft shower curtains keep the water in and the prying eyes out. Let Steve protect you from dastardly villains while you wash your hair.
Other characters in shower curtain form are available and if you look around, I bet you could find soaps, toilet and tissue covers, and a bath towel to match. Look at you being all stylish.
Back to the classics
Everyone remembers the old Contra code, right? Wait, you forgot it? Well it's a good thing TrueStoryStudio stamped it on a metal bracelet for you. Function meets fashion and it's never looked better.
Who wouldn't want to wear this? If the answer is you, well fine then, there's plenty of other things to enjoy. They have a large selection of rings, bracelets with other stuff written on them, and keychains. Much like Pokemon, I want them all.
Speaking of Pokemon...
Uh, a bundle of all three Pokemon starters in t-shirt form YES! Buy this set of shirts and you can go almost half a week without having to wear something lacking in Pokemon. Better yet, buy two sets and that only leaves one day sans pocket monsters.
NostalgiaBombed sells the shirts individually too, but why not buy them all!? Think about how much simpler and more fashionable your life could be!
Impress your friends
Everyone's been to that party where, no matter how hard you look, there is no bottle-opening device to be found. There's always that awkward, somewhat hopeful moment when someone yells out "Does anyone have a bottle opener?" With this Assassin's Creed ring, you can be the party's Assassin savior, just with less stabbing.
Astound your friends as you effortlessly open every bottle in sight. People will be in awe when you show them the secret to NiqueGeek's ring. Even your accessories are stealthy. You win.
Driving me wild
I am in love with Professor Layton. I am not ashamed to admit it. The Professor and I have spent long weekends together, I like to think it was quality time. So it's nice to know that Etsy seller Amatheria loves Layton as much as I do (maybe even more).
Look at that remote control car! Look at it! This is all made by hand and it lights up. Unlike Pokemon, there is only one. This would be a crown jewel in any Layton collection. Or you could chase your cat around the house with it. I would do both.
Sofa art made awesome
Of course, we can't forget Mario. JamesBit brings us a clever way to pay tribute to our favorite plumber with these colorful prints. Not only do they look great, but they're very cleverly designed to evoke the look of the slot-machine mini-game from Super Mario Bros. 3. This is a simple, but deceptively smart, way to class up that free sofa you found on Craigslist.
Bonus points, if you ever get tired of looking at it, you can rearrange the order and have instant new art. Pair it with the 8-Bit fireplace JamesBits is also selling for the coolest room on the block.
Not just for grannies
Hopefully I have proven that Etsy? isn't just for baby bonnets, doilies, and crocheted blankets. Think of it as a convention exclusive that supports artisans, with a whole world of amazing handmade treasures to explore. Check out the site for yourself. New items get added every minute, so there is always something to see. Let me know what I've missed and share your favorites in the comments.
Have you decided what you're going to spend your next paycheck on? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this article, have you seen some of our cosplay spotlights? Check out some cosplay by Rikkgrape and Anthony Le!
