Black Friday Purchases I Would Sacrifice A Night Of Sleep For

I LOVE buying people gifts. The thrill of finding the perfect item and seeing that person smile when opening their present is the best.  This week's Fandom Friday is all about Black Friday shopping, but I'm putting a handmade spin on it. Have a cup of coffee this morning and shop on Etsy or StoreEnvy instead of waiting in the cold for a gigantic tv. Handmade shops have fantastic deals too! 

There are tons of reasons to shop handmade for the holiday season (and year round). Here are a few of mine...

1. You support local artists. 
Not only do you support something a handmade artist puts their heart into, you directly help put food on their table.

2. Your gifts are bound to be more unique. 
I'm guessing you won't be able to find Nigel Thornberry earrings at your nearest big box store.

3. You have an opportunity to meet or connect with the artist themselves. 
As an Etsy seller, I adore interacting with customers to create custom pieces and always find myself relating to each person.

4. Buying handmade is a way of quietly (or loudly) protesting mass produced mediocrity.

5. There is an invisible spirit and soul that stamps each handmade item and unites artists as a community. I am thankful for all the shop owners and artists I've met online and at markets that inspire me to keep creating. 

As a special thank you for your continued love, use the code FANDOM5 for 15% off my Etsy Shop, Synapse to Synapse <3

If you have a shop with your handmade creations, comment with your shop link or any deals you have running this weekend! I still need to start/finish my gift shopping. 

I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Past weeks:
Characters I'd Invite to My Thanksgiving Feast
Gateway Fandoms That Made Me Who I Am Today
Geeky Clothing Items I Need in my Closet Immediately
Characters I Would Love To Dress Up As For Halloween 
My Must See List of Halloween Movies

Nerdy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is this week, and as much as I love getting chocolates, I'd rather receive (and give) more thoughtful or witty gifts. This year has already been more exciting by joining in on the International Geek Girl Pen Pals Club Valentine's Swap. I mailed out valentines covered in Lisa Frank stickers and have already received an array of geeky valentines back!

Valentine's Day should never be a day when you feel lonely. Let's make this holiday more fun with pixel hearts and Star Wars references, because nerdy valentines are the best valentines! 

From Legend of Zelda to Hunger Games, I stitched these not-so-mushy valentines.... Which is your favorite?

 

1. Pixel Heart Earrings   2. Legend of Zelda Life Bar   3. Hunger Games   4. Star Wars   5. 8 Bit Heart Ring

Plus, you can show these off all year round, since they are relevant to your interests (no dying flowers!) 


Show the geeks in your life some love this week. Happy Valentine's Day!

Synapse Shop Updates

When I haven't been re-watching Sherlock or playing Animal Crossing New Leaf, I have been busy stitching new designs. A couple shopping events and arts shows are coming up as well as Christmas, so it's time to create and sew non-stop!

Here are a few of the new products that were just listed in my Etsy Shop:

Portal

Doctor Who Tardis

Parks & Rec Ron Swanson 

Star Wars Rebel Alliance

Home Alone- Ya Filthy Animal

Pins, pins, & more pins!

Next up- Christmas Ornaments! What character do you want to see wearing a Santa hat?

Lately at Synapse HQ

It's been one busy spring/summer at the Synapse to Synapse headquarters!

I have been stitching like mad and added tons of new items to the shop including Hunger Games, Mario Bros, Star Wars, and Arrested Development! 

I am also super excited about my new minimalist, Disney Princess necklaces...

Our cute and nerdy image got a makeover! New business cards were printed and packaging was revamped with colorful, product labels. Have I mentioned how much I love the illustration of me stitching by Laura Caldentey? Gah- it's so perfect! 

There was a lot of stitching and preparation for a local, Vegas outdoor market, which turned out to be a gorgeous day (despite the insane early-morning wind...I had to tape things to the table!). We met awesome local nerds who appreciated our obscure references. Success!

We also hosted a giveaway with the International Geek Girl Pen Pal Club, where geeks sign up to be assigned a pen pal and also post all the quirky things they love. Who wouldn't want to bust out some Lisa Frank stickers and talk about Sherlock? I sure do!

 The winner received a one-of-kind IGGPPC pin plus got to choose any pin from our shop. Our lucky winner from Canada picked a Star Trek pin.

We also made a few quick weekend trips out of state, which I'll have to tell you about soon! Now to brainstorm, sketch, and stitch more new items for you! (and play Animal Crossing)

What would you like to see in the Synapse to Synapse shop?

Nerd love,

Sarah Jean