5-Star Buys: A Handmade Map of a Favorite Place

Apr 5, 2019

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by Valerie Rains

In our 5-Star Buys series we spotlight popular Etsy items that recently struck a chord with shoppers—and let their rave reviews do the talking.

North Carolina-based paper artist (and former architect) Karen M. O’Leary of Studio KMO knows the power of a map to spark memories, conversations, and a hearty dose of hometown pride. And so do the 8,000-plus folks who’ve ordered one of her intricately hand-cut cartographic creations since she opened her Etsy shop a decade ago. Read on for one shopper’s happy discovery:

“What a beautiful gift this turned out to be! I purchased this for my favorite New Yorker who is also my closest friend. She has everything, so it’s always hard to buy for her. My friend was beyond impressed with the beauty of the piece. Thank you for the easy transaction!” — JR

Shop more from Studio KMO

Valerie Rains

Valerie Rains is a writer and editor at Etsy.

natbrowny from CrochetThingsByNat said 2 years ago

Maps look amazing! I think it’s a really great idea also for those who move and want to save memories! I understand that because I’m moving another country in a month... 😢
Natalia from AirToysDesign said 2 years ago

Great job.) These maps are amazing! This is a great gift idea. Very unusual and this gift will be remembered.
Alice from SmartBabyBoard said 2 years ago

Such a great idea! I would save memories about place where I met with my husband and where I have born my lovely son:)
Galina from IvonaHMJewelry said 2 years ago

It's WOW! Very delicate, amazing and interesting work. My delight!
Maria Epelzweig from MiaLuciaBridal said 2 years ago

What a great idea and subtle execution. Super!
foklya from StrangeDimension said 2 years ago

how the map looks great! I wanted to have the same in my interior
Darya from GuruAmiToys said 2 years ago

Fantastic jewelry work! Bravo to the author !! Very beautiful home decor, as the best memory.
Mariia from BibabomToys said 2 years ago

Custom solutions to decorate your home. Not just a photo of a beautiful place, but a whole map. I would love to buy such a wall decor.
Julia Aleshkina from AltoysCo said 2 years ago

Original and unusual, stylish and modern. Loved the idea. I would like to imagine such a map of my native town and village of my grandmother.
Irina from DolsforyoursoulShop said 2 years ago

Beauty will save the world! And I brought a piece of beauty ,in the form of the dolls .Let them make someone a little bit happier!
Elena from TextileGiftsForAll said 2 years ago

Many people already have everything ... Therefore, such unique gifts are so valuable. My admiration !!!
Lilit from CrochetPetiteWishes said 2 years ago

Incredible art... it's so amazing and awesome what imagination and talent can do! Impressed!
Kristina from Krisboprops said 2 years ago

The map is a very interesting and stylish thing! Just awesome. Never seen anything like it!
Rita from YourDigitalDream said 2 years ago

Great maps! ideal gift! Want it!
Yuliya from DubiDubishop said 2 years ago

The girl has a real talent and great patience! Wow , she makes even bigger pictures 👏🏻
Tatyana from CrochyUA said 2 years ago

What a brillant idea! It can be a great gift for anniversary - the map of the place of first date.
Julia Verulashvili from JuliShvili said 2 years ago

Different maps are so popular now, but I have never seen maps like in your review! Very interesting idea!
Nadezhda from AlekseevaKnitting said 2 years ago

Awesome idea with cards. I will analyze the possibility of applying ideas in the goods of my store on ETSI. Thank.
Jane from BoxingglovesDesign said 2 years ago

What a neat job! What is it made of? Is it paper? A great idea for a gift to your loved one!
Olga Konovodchenko from DollsByBaliMermaid said 2 years ago

Wow! Such a great idea! Excellent visualization for those who want to move to another place!
Anna from LissiKids said 2 years ago

What a great gift idea! These cards are incredibly interesting and beautiful.
Anastasiya from byKiama said 2 years ago

Awesome, such jewerly work! It's hard to imagine thet it is just paper...
Inessa from LuminessaAccessories said 2 years ago

Great creative job! In today's world, people often move not only to other cities, but also to other countries. This is a great idea for a gift to a person who appreciates their story. It will always give wonderful memories of their childhood!
Olga from Houseinthevillage said 2 years ago

Amazing work! Very stylish and modern!
Мария Крымихина from JewelryMariKrimih said 2 years ago

That's great! I would like something like that in my interior.
Vili from ToysFromVili said 2 years ago

The first time I see this style of art! Incredibly hard work! It takes so much patience to do that. Bravo!
Елена Т from TiLenaDolls said 2 years ago

Indeed, very unusual and cool. I really like this work. I would like to have some of them. Bravo master!
Jane from JanesToyCreations said 2 years ago

What an original idea. I think this is a very stylish decoration of your house and maybe an office.
Ana from AnaCrochetToys said 2 years ago

Handmade Map are a real work of art, I would be very happy to receive such a gift!))
Elena Morozova from Toysmelena said 2 years ago

In the modern world, it is very difficult to please with a gift and I want to give something unusual. An excellent example is such a picture. And yes, we can move to another city and even another country, and your native place will always be with you. Great idea!
Inna Kryva from DecorShopSaxarinka said 2 years ago

What a delicate job! It is always difficult to give gifts to people who have everything. Bravo to the author for the idea!
Anna from FairyToysWorld said 2 years ago

So unusual idea for the gift. Thanks for this.
Ekaterina from MagicAcornShop said 2 years ago

Nothing more, very stylish and spectacular! This picture will be a great gift to friends or family.
Jamie Bullard from FurBabyByJamie said 2 years ago

I really like this shop. Thank you
Darya Prozerpina from felttoysfinds said 2 years ago

Great idea! It's great! I thought about purchasing a map of the place where I was born! Now I live far from the place where I was born, and this map would remind me of him.
Anna from ANNNADesign said 2 years ago

I think this decor is suitable for a loft-style interior. Great idea!
Kramina from KnittingKramina said 2 years ago

Good day!What a great gift idea.
Sujata from TreasuredMemoryLane said 2 years ago

Wow! Very delicate, detailed and unique work/gift idea! Thanks for the idea!
Nicole from KarmaCodeOne said 2 years ago

Beautiful pieces documenting meaningful places ! Cheers to much continued success ~
Darya from BijouPuzzle said 2 years ago

this is a great example: any idea can be perfection in the hands of a master. Very beautiful job. Thanks for telling me about her.
Anna Morzhina from HeirloomToy said 2 years ago

Unusually. Stylish. For sure. Suitable for any interior! Warmly handmade and warm memories of your favorite place - a great idea and amazingly neat execution!
Alyona Prikhodchenko from EdnaWronski said 2 years ago

This is genius! This is such a hard work. But what a result) A vivid example of what is important to have a cool idea.
Kristina from krismini said 2 years ago

This map will be a welcome gift for any person. I wouldn't mind a map like that on the wall, either.
Diana from CrochetFoxx said 2 years ago

I just love stories of a brend like that!!! It inspires to move on and keep working on your own projects!! Thank you !
Darya from BijouPuzzle said 2 years ago

this is a great example: any idea in the hands of a master can become a masterpiece. Thank you for such an interesting article
Елена from TwistedJewelryRU said 2 years ago

What an incredible fantasy masters at Etsy! I do not cease to admire!
Tetiana Negrabetska from SunnyTiaBabyGifts said 2 years ago

Awesome work! A very good idea for a gift to a person who is hard to be surprised!
Zulfiya from Zulyatoys said 2 years ago

What a great idea and a great embodiment! I think these cards are very stylish design elements of any room, both at home and, for example, an office
Miloradova Ira from MIracleBook said 2 years ago

Very fine work!!!. Great gift!!
Diana Mozolevskaya from MagicDreamss said 2 years ago

Interesting work. I'd like one in my bedroom. 😍
Leo Nuvunga from AfricanCraftsCenter said 2 years ago

Amazing idea! Congrats!
Victoria from ForgetMeNotNature said 2 years ago

Here is a beauty! Perfectly decorate the interior!
Татьяна from HandmadebyTassiya said 2 years ago

The first time they saw such cards. I really liked them. I even know who to give such a gift.
Marusya from Marusiaknitwearstore said 2 years ago

Looks great! but I do not understand such schemes, it looks like a web.
mishinsy from Mishinsy said 2 years ago

Very unusual and interesting work! I see this for the first time! Thank you for inspiring!
Valeriia from OneFunnyMoose said 2 years ago

Interesting idea and a good execution :) it is a skillful work
Elena Vladimirova from TeploTebe said 2 years ago

Loved this unique idea. Thank!
Nadezhda from KnittedFriendsShop said 2 years ago

For the first time I see such interesting maps but I really like them)))
Niakris from DreamsOfTheUniverse said 2 years ago

Really, very cool cards! I especially liked the ones in the thin white frames 😻
Olga Borovaya from wintersharm said 2 years ago

Wow! I would like a map of my district where I spent my childhood.
Olha from LiliBeadShop said 2 years ago

Wonderful. The imagination of the authors on etsy surprises me every time. Everyone will see their own in this map: their home, memories, childhood, events.
Cats in color from CatsInColor said 2 years ago

An interesting idea for a gift, a place of power and a place of inspiration, this is what we need)
Julia Fedorova from Fruttyland said 2 years ago

Never saw anything similar! It’s a great idea 💡
Ekaterina from SpecialLadyJewelry said 2 years ago

I'm the embroiderer. I've embroided towns, monuments, maps. But I've never seen the same!!! It is amazing. It seems to be slow and painstaking work.
Anastasiya Gorelova from GorelovaArtStore said 2 years ago

OMG 😱, what a tough job! It's really very beautiful!
Anastasia Zhilinskaya from BabyAmiToys said 2 years ago

What an excellent idea! This map will be a brilliant gift for friends and loved ones.
Natallia Polkhovskaya from MyDearBearBY said 2 years ago

Very original and stylish work! This is a great opportunity to capture your favorite places, as well as a great idea for interior decoration.
Svetlana Kovylina from RebornDollsSvetlana said 2 years ago

cool, it's so interesting and time consuming!
Marina Klimantova from Babycarestudio said 2 years ago

I really like the cards in the decor. Such a delicate job! But I usually give my friends scratch cards for the holidays
Tatiana Kirienko from ooccttoobbeerr said 2 years ago

Great idea for a gift or home decor! :) Very unusual work and certainly difficult.
NINA from NinabeadsStudio said 2 years ago

This is a great idea. Sometimes you want to remember the place where he lived in childhood and went to school.
Olga Belova from Belovochka said 2 years ago

WoW! It`s very interesting job. Great idea!
Svetlana Deripasko from Svetaknitting said 2 years ago

Wow! These maps are amazing! Thanks for featuring this.
Rita from BonPariDecor said 2 years ago

realy unusual! papercrafting is not a hobby , it`s a lifestyle
Lydia from BlytheMoonlightShop said 2 years ago

I've never seen a map like this. It is very interesting and looks beautiful in the interior. I would also like to receive such a gift!!!))
Irina Zozulya from CleomaKnitShop said 2 years ago

It is a wonderful memory of the places where people used to live! As well as a spiritual gift for dear people)) Very creative and original idea! Wonderful master artist! BRAVO!
Elena from ElenaKaPortrait said 2 years ago

What a great idea! I admire people who can see something unusual in ordinary things!
Lara Radko from LorikaToys said 2 years ago

Great job! For the first time I see such interesting maps but I really like them!
Irina from CrochetToysStudio said 2 years ago

Awesome! This is really an unusual and unforgettable gift.
Gillian Northcott from esanivintage said 2 years ago

Very graphic. A wow factor for the wall.
Tatyana from MOMsBirdie said 2 years ago

Oh great! It's really hard work :)
Irene from BeadssInTrendss said 2 years ago

That's an amazing idea! I've never seen such a performance before. This is really a great gift idea!
Lia from LiaBlythe said 2 years ago

Very difficult and painstaking work, bravo master !!! Great gift idea !!!
murzinaulay from ToysByJuliaShop said 2 years ago

That's a great gift idea. Thanks for featuring this.
Anna from UniqWool said 2 years ago

This is a very unusual idea. But it looks very cool and stylish.
Kseniya Abdullina from TotaKsushaDolls said 2 years ago

This is a very great idea! Unique gift and something in interior that will make remember about favourite place and person that make gift.
Ekaterina Zykova from KatyaToysShop said 2 years ago

Very unusual gift idea
Marina from MyHobbyTimeTMN said 2 years ago

Original idea! Such pictures will easily fit into the interior of any apartment.
Liliya from LaLuneJewelryandToy said 2 years ago

I will always marvel at the master's patience in this works. Very talented and subtle! Original idea, great!
Iryna from IRjewelryStudio said 2 years ago

Love it!! How much patience is needed, I just admire this seller!
Anastasiya from TimAmiToys said 2 years ago

It is a very unusual picture. I've never seen such a picture before, but I like the idea. Master well done!
Elena from WarmnosedFox said 2 years ago

This is a jewelry job! It looks so stylish and unusual. This map is a real business card of the author!
Ivan Vishnyakov from KrombWood said 2 years ago

This is a miracle! Very interesting solution! The author has a non-standard look
Anna Nicolaeva from AnniesGurumiStudio said 2 years ago

What a delicate and painstaking work! This is a great gift idea. 😍
Anastasia from YourAdventureInGlass said 2 years ago

The idea of making maps in this style has become very popular over the past ten years. But the products themselves continue to amaze me. They can be made of paper or wood. I would like to see how the master is working on it.
Ekaterina Zykova from KatyaToysShop said 2 years ago

Interesting ideas for unusual gifts to your friends. Thanks for the blog
Victoria from ForgetMeNotNature said 2 years ago

It is so beautiful!
Natalia from VeynerPicturesForYou said 1 year ago

Very interesting idea and beautiful performance.
Mr See from ParodyParlour said 1 year ago

Not the usual art piece. Cool and fresh!
Padmini Persaud-Obasi from BrooklynLotus said 1 year ago

Great work! Love it!
Kordula from BuddhaYou said 1 year ago

my bucket list gift :) for my husband !! great and lovely idea !!!

5-Star Buys: A Handmade Map of a Favorite Place

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101 comments