As savvy shoppers, we are always on the lookout for coupons, sales and great deals, but often the best deals are unadvertised, every day prices.  This is especially true of handcrafted items such as art, jewelry and bath and body products.  If you want to save money on Christmas shopping this year, while focusing on quality, handmade gifts with special meaning, try looking on aggregate craft websites such as Etsy.com for some of the most amazing deals you never knew about.

Art
If you like original art the size of sports trading cards, consider ACEO prints.  They are about the size of a trading card and are so fun to mix and match.  There were tons available for one dollar.  Use them as gift tags or create unique collages with several of your favorites.  If you are buying for a girl who decorates her room with butterflies, for instance, you can buy several ACEO butterfly prints, arrange them in a collage with a frame, and you have a unique, handcrafted work of art to give for Christmas.Jewelry
For just one dollar, I found a woman’s dragonfly ring, elegant angel earrings, elaborate threaded earrings and some colorful hemp bracelets, just to name a few.  These are all items you could readily find in retail shops – no seconds or things that look like a two-year old made them.

Bath and Body
Make your own spa basket with samples available on Etsy.  I found dozens under one dollar, including one-ounce samples, princess party favor soaps, soaps shaped like LEGOs and two-ounce bubble bath bottles.

This year, if you want Christmas gifts for a steal, take a look at the myriad handcrafted goodies available on Etsy.com.  You will get an awesome gift for a loved one and be supporting an independent artist at the same time.