The story behind a handmade item is often just as interesting as the physical item. Whether it's an artisan who puts their passion into a single quilt or art print, or a small company who refuses to lower their standards or lessen their vision, handmade goods are more than just a pretty face: they've got a lot of soul. Check out some of our favorite handmade offerings from 2011:

TOP ROW
•1 Our Favorite Etsy Stores, 2011 Edition - And Tell Us Yours!
•2 Handmade Home Decor: Purple, Lavender, Violet & Aubergine
•3 Handmade Accessories for a Beautiful Kitchen
•4 15 Handmade Pillows: 10 to Buy, 5 to DIY
•5 Handmade Desk Accessories to Highlight Your Home Office

MIDDLE ROW
•6 Clay Creations:10 Handmade Ceramics and Pottery Designers
•7 Lovely Handmade Ceramics by Eikcam
•8 Eye Candy For Your Home: Handmade Cement Tiles
•9 On Block Printing: Jesse Breytenbach of Henri Kuikens Block-Printed Textiles
•10 10 Handmade Planters for Indoor and Outdoor Plants

BOTTOM ROW
•11 Say It With Love: Handmade Prints for the Home
•12 Say It With Love: Handmade Prints, Part Two!
•13 Modern Felt Décor from Moufelt
•14 5 Beautiful Patchwork Quilts
•15 Handmade Rugs Earn GoodWeave's Child-Labor-Free Label

Welcome to Re-Nest's Best of 2011 roundup! From December 19 through January 1 we are rounding up some of our favorite (and your favorite) posts from the past year.

(Images: See linked posts for full image credits)