Economists have been talking about “green shoots” in the economy for months. But many of those green shoots are sprouting in unexpected places, filling in gaps left by the recession.

Finding themselves jobless, some hobbyists have poured their time into their crafts. And on Etsy, an auction Web site for handmade goods, some of them now have six-figure incomes.

“Etsy saved my life,” Yokoo Gibrand, who makes more than $140,000 a year selling knit scarves and accessories, told The Times. But, she added, “this is the hardest job I’ve ever had.”

In New York, the lagging rental market has forced landlords to take another look at renting to pet stores and groomers. Once considered undesirable tenants because of smells and noise, businesses that cater to pets have taken the opportunity to expand - and thrive.

“People don’t stop spending on their pets and their kids in a recession,” Anisha Khanna, co-owner of a dog grooming and care center called Spot, told The Times. “I guess with the emotional connection, they’re spending more than ever.”

Scott Martin, an underemployed architect, took advantage of cheap industrial space to start a Christmas-tree rental business. His employees are also out-of-work architects. “You can try anything here, and no one will tell you it’s a bad idea,” Mr. Martin, whose company is based in Los Angeles, told The Times. “California is more attached to the green movement, so they are more willing to try this service here.”

Landlords in New York and San Francisco are turning to artists to liven up empty storefronts. They rent out space as temporary studios, called pop-up galleries in Britain, where the practice is well-established, The Times reported. The artists get a low rate, and draw interest to once-barren neighborhoods.

“Any sort of activity is better than no activity,” Jed Walentas, a Brooklyn developer, told The Times. “As long as it’s short enough and it’s flexible, then there’s no real cost. ”

But while there are plenty of sparks of activity in the economy, how does one measure real recovery? There are “indicators” everywhere you look, Jack Healy wrote in The Times. For example, the number of paperboard boxes produced - the kind used to package all kinds of products - plunged along with production of other goods but are now rising again, in a sign that factories are looking to bolster production.

On the other hand, the number of American families with vegetable gardens is increasing ? and a survey by the National Gardening Association said more than half of home vegetable gardeners were looking to save money on food, Mr. Healy reported.

“Many economists warn that it’s difficult to extrapolate from these blades of grass,” Mr. Healy wrote . While these signs of life, and other measures, show that the economy is back from the brink, we still have a way to go, Julie Creswell reported.

“Some economists say there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” she wrote. “When consumers continue to push off purchases of cars and homes, it creates pent-up demand that eventually will be fulfilled. ‘Eventually’ could mean next year, but no one knows for sure.”


KATHLYN HOTYNSKI