Hear ye, hear ye! Earmark is today's 'banner day' feature, and is a wonderful shop run by husband-and-wife team Bridgette and Mike Berndt. Technically, I suppose, Earmark is the umbrella brand because these two have two Etsy shops - Earmark, their "mother shop" which stands alone as a traditional stationer, and Earmark Gatherings, their "new" shop "filled with fresh and fun party items".
Here are the two Etsy shop banners to start:
As I said, Earmark is a stationer, and a very talented and clever one. They design and sell most traditional paper products, e.g. cards, stationary, prints (like this one I bought), journals, invitations, announcements, etc. And, of course, they produce some terrific banners. Like these:
I may have featured some seasonal banners, but these are the tip of the proverbial iceberg for what Earmark creates and stocks; check-out this one:
Bridgette and Mike are lovely people who create lovely things. And they have turned their passions and talents into a lovely shop for the rest of us: "We have an obsession with paper products, and we cater to the customers that share our obsession."
Do they do custom orders? Yep. Wholesale? Yep. Are they available online? Yep - and not just at their Etsy shops, but also http://earmarkinvitations.com/ (and other online retailers). Bricks-and-mortar? Yep - look on their website for locations. Blog? Yep - http://eigreetings.blogspot.com/ Twitter? Yep - http://twitter.com/Earmark. Go on and click through any of these links to find out how Earmark "creates happiness", some of which looks like this:
That's is for today, kids. I'm off to either 'keep calm and carry on' or 'freak out and throw stuff'!
Make it a banner day! tIO x
PS: Want to read more about Bridgette and Mike? Their interesting tale of life before and since Earmark was posted in May, 2008 as an Etsy "Featured Seller" Story: read it here.
As I continue to search for banners to celebrate and feature, my blog folder and Etsy favorites are filling-up dramatically! So many creative people out there; I love it!
Today's creative banner is courtesy of the wonderful Bookity. In business since August, Bookity's mission is to recycle unwanted, unusable books, hence the clever name. Here's her engaging Etsy shop banner to start:
The simplicity and charm of these creations, especially this banner - the "Paper Shakespearean" garland, is what I adore most:
And frankly, I like to say the shop name: "Bookity". So catchy!
More Bookity inspirations:
She may be based in Reading UK (which is wonderful planning on her part, really), but she ships internationally, happily upgrades shipping if you ask, and invites custom orders "in the spirit of adventure and the creation of shiny things". Best of all is Bookity's motto: "have sewing machine, will make." In fact, I think it's this 'inveterate optimism' that pervades and draws me in! "That's the spirit!" I cry. And the ticket to beautiful, repurposed, handmade items from Bookity. Check it out.
This week, in the calm before the storm, I am going to try to catch up on some reading, Wolf Hall in particular.
So... 'read on, McDuff', and make it a banner day! tIO x
PS: Find more Bookity at the Bookity blog, on Facebook at the Bookity fan page, and on twitter at @bookityshop.
It's another Banner Day on tIO! And today's banner comes by way of Jean Cody's wonderful Etsy shop, LoveLetterCollage.
First, I was drawn-in by the medium: gorgeous prints, decorative papers, and old high school yearbooks. (Hmmm... Clever!)
I was hooked, though, when I discovered that Jean would use your own photos to create something special:
Sweet! (This means, of course, that I have to get my act together and sort out which photos I want to include. Decisions, decisions...)
With her clever cutting and thoughtful choices, these little banners are sure to do just as she says in her profile: "I hope my work will bring an element of warmth into your home and provide a little nourishment for your senses."
TTFN, kids: Off to start sorting snaps!
And remember to make it a banner day!
Thanks for perusing this blog; blog you again soon!
BANNER BONUS! Also from Jean and coming later this month on Etsy: 
