Here is another view on Etsy that isn't as positive.
Take a look, I think the NYTimes article dances around this idea but isn't brave enough to come out and say it. It does dance around it a little bit on page two, I guess, but this article makes it the point that most aren't $100K seller and are women who are married and home with their kids.
Thruth be told, this fantasy applies to all genders.
Consider stock photography sites, Second Life, programming sites(rentacoder etc), iPhone development and dare I say Mahalo and their ilk.
What do these seemingly dissimilar outfits have in common? They present a fantasy on making a living doing something you love or at least don't despise. Good PR/press only encourages this view.
Reality? Few outliers make out exceptionally, while the average participant makes less than minimum wage(sometimes even for China).
Problem is, as soon as you start making a living out of a hobby/game/craft, you inevitably start treating it like a job and with that goes the fun.
"Etsy.com Peddles a False Feminist Fantasy"
http://www.doublex.com/section/work/etsycom-peddles-false-fe...