Buy Handmade this Year!

I signed the pledge!

As a designer, I know how hard I work on a new handbag design and the pride I get when I am finished with it. I love to see the looks on people's faces when they receive one of my bags and truly love it. I absolutely love to make special things for my family and friends and surprise them with it. My husband, an avid woodworker, made absolutely gorgeous wooden quilt block plaques for his mother and sister last year. It took a lot of time and effort on his part, but it meant more to them than if he had gone to the store and purchased a sweater or blouse.

I just love this paragraph from www.buyhandmade.org : "The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that canbe seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing."

So folks, make an effort this year to buy handmade. Go to www.etsy.com and let your fingers do the walking. You would be astounded at the talent and creativity that is on that site. If you yourself make things, you should consider opening a shop there and listing.