Crafters frequently suffer from frumpy images, stereotyped as bulk buyers of Popsicle sticks and googly eyes, and those who immortalize their children with glitter glue and pictures in scrapbooks. Crafters aren't celebrated enough as fashion and art originators, and as pioneers of new trends, styles, and brands. But three-year-old Etsy.com aims to set the record straight, providing uniquely talented crafters worldwide with an exclusive forum for sales of their (really cool) handmade goods.

Etsy.com is the brainchild of Rob Kalin, a painter, carpenter, and photographer who wanted a better online forum for sales of his art. Existing auction sites were plagued by fraud, mass-market products, and price-point shoppers, yet launching his own e-commerce site could limit his visibility and traffic. However, an online forum where many crafters sold wares outright was just right—but didn't exist.

So with the help of some techie friends, Etsy.com, a name whose meaning remains undefined, launched. Its motto—"Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade"—appeals to a target audience of "consumers [who are] conscious of the true value of handmade goods and their creators," according its mission statement. Additionally, Etsy.com offers "alternatives to mass-produced objects" and a way for "producer and consumer to reconnect."

The Brooklyn, N.Y.–based company now employs 48 full-time staffers, has 650,000 registered users (60,000 of whom are artists), oversees a marketplace with nearly a million salable handmade objects, and, this week, celebrated a new milestone: its busiest traffic day ever, with 8.6 million views in one day.

Weekly Gem
Noble Hollywood celebrities shunned the lavish Golden Globe Awards ceremony in support of the Writers Guild of America strike. But some stars grew woozy from lack of attention, and thankfully, found relief in the gifting suites. Those were not canceled, and freebie traffickers happily bestowed jewelry, clothing, and luxury pet carriers upon tormented stars. "I knew the actors would still be supporting the gifting," said a vendor to the press. Another suite participant empathized: "[Stars] support the writers, but they still want to have fun."

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