Tuesday uEtsy: The Chop Shop

[Etsy.com's tagline is "Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade." Coincidentally, there's a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you're looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]

The Chop Shop (chopshop.etsy.com)

weScare

Normally, the phrase "chop shop" brings forth the idea of an illegal automotive autopsy, not "design studio over thirteen years old, known for working with Phish, They Might Be Giants, Dilbert and Adobe." But this is what we have here today for this Tuesday uEtsy. The Chopping Block, the aforementioned design studio, has a presence on Etsy with The Chop Shop.

weVolve

What you'll notice The Chop Shop currently has plenty of things on sale that run on a nicely designed theme - a shape made up of corresponding shapes. For instance, if you look at the Famous Apes picture, the design of the 'Barrel of Monkeys' shape is composed of 37 famous simians. Name them all and you can show that you have a mastery of ape-based trivia that makes you the king of Convention of the Apes, three years running.

weRobot

Like all things, if you don't like monkeys, you can have robots. Fighting e-ter-nal-ly, the Robot has been the bane of all things monkey. You can demonstrate your servitude for your metal overlords by wearing this shirt featuring famous Sci-Fi robots. Like all things from The Chop Shop, it doubles as both a guessing game and a  loyalty pledge. Can't name all the robots? KILL THE HUMAN.

alienWe

You might consider this week's entry a demonstration of evolution. Monkey. Robot. Alien. From the time you were bashing rocks against other rocks to when you could add numbers greater than the amount of fingers and toes at your disposal, you're now ready to venture out into the universe to see that which you never thought possible. Natural evolution of a species or you finally moving out of your brother's couch to find an apartment for yourself? It can be both. And when you show up at the showing for your first single bedroom/studio, make sure to wear something that says "I will have the rent on time and will do my best to not let too many foreign parasites invest the premises. The most alien things I want are the pictures on this clever and well-designed t-shirt." We here at the Local, nor the Chop Shop, Chopping Block or any of the subsidiaries are saying that you will have a better chance at getting that swank apartment for less rent than asking price if you buy and subsequently WEAR this t-shirt. But in this economy, it's worth a shot.

my heart is divided

It's not all collections of things that will eventually replace you at your job. Take a look at the anatomically and geek-atomically correct heart graphic. Don't wear your heart on your sleeve. Wear it on your chest and let everyone know, well ahead of the time they'll take to get to know you, that you mean business. And that business involves Star Wars, Beer and Family. Seems like the modern values of this coming generation. And the Chop Shop is there to guide you along the way.

Say you're not a t-shirt geek? You're a dirty liar. Say that you're a geek that has too many t-shirts? Much better. Don't you feel happy now that you've stopped lying and finally accepted the truth? Probably not.

Thankfully, Chop Shop has something for those of you who have come to admit that you have a problem. It's a print of 149 famous characters of sci-fi. It seems not to say "you have a problem, geeky" but more of "damnit, Otto. You have Lupus." So we're not yelling at you for being a geek, nerds. Just, eat a bit healthier, okay? Bacon is not a go-to condiment. Cut out the high-fructose corn syrup and try to drink a glass of water or two. Look, you're going to end up dead someday so we've already got you scheduled as a customer. Try to prolong the process as much as you can. You'll enjoy it more. 

weDead

This is our favorite of the 'collection' theme the weDead shirt. Granted, skulls might be - as Poinsettia says, "played out" but we disagree. This upcoming Halloween, why not get into the spirit and have this on your person. Walk up to some cute looking ghoul of your choosing, ask him or her if they can name each person on your chest. Go back to your tomb. Trick and Treat. Something like that. If this shirt doesn't make you smoother by at least 10%, you're probably wearing it inside out.

Chop Shop runs package deals on their shirts, allowing you to get a their sets - horror, sci-fi, rock - for a deal than purchasing them separately. It's a unique design that you won't find elsewhere. Or, you might find it at their Etsy page. You can also keep up on things with their Twitter page, or become their friend on Facebook. Do you use tumblr? or Posterous? Chop Shop is there as well.

If you want, and we do recommend you pay a visit, go see what the Chopping Block has done. Odds are, you've seen their work and not even known it. Find out what they're doing and hey - if you've got the dime, they got the time. See if they can make you look incredible with their design skills. And see if you can make it back here next Tuesday for another Tuesday uEtsy.