Knowing where it came from..

My family buys handmade or homegrown because we like to know where our goods come from and where the money is going. I love spending my hard earned money on something that I know was made with heart. I love knowing that I'm supporting another small business, or that I may be helping to keep a Mom, Dad or both at home.

Kickshaw Confections, Confectioner/Chocolatier, www.kickshawconfections.com
Philly Burbs
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 2:04 pm

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Rebecca's handmade inspiration

What inspires me to purchase handmade items is the beauty and individuality that comes from handmade items. You can see the time, detail, thought and art that has gone into it.

Recently, I just bought a beautiful handmade drop spindle from Butterfly Girl Designs on etsy. She has some of the most beautiful spindles that are true works of art and are also functional. Function and beauty are the best combination.

Rebecca, WAHM, www.crazyhatlady.com
New York
Friday, July 11, 2008 2:20 am

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Handmade Makes You Happy

The reason I buy handmade is because I love the attention to detail and love that goes into a handmade item. I am not presuming that the artist loves me, but I know that they love their craft. I can tell when something is made well, and is unique, that the artist gets joy from making something fun and pretty that will make other people smile.
My most recent purchase is a funky painting of a vintage radio. I love it and hung it up in my office.

Betty, 44, designer, artist, SnappyShop.etsy.com
Los Angeles
Tuesday, July 8, 2008 5:57 pm

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I'm Inspired by Quality

Only when I make handmade can I know - and pronounce! - all of the ingredients in a product. Only when I buy handmade can I be sure I'm really supporting small business and getting some one-of-a-kind quality, even when the item isn't technically "one of a kind."

Larissa, 39, www.reefbotanicals.com
NJ
Tuesday, December 29, 2009 8:31 am

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The Leading Thread

My introduction to the wonder of handmade was thru my love of yarn. I. Love. Yarn. I'm pretty sure I need a support group for it, but the closest I could get was a couple of stitch n'bitches at a local yarn shop, and a spinning class.
There was something about being handed a big pile of in-the-grease roving, going thru the process of washing that, spinning it and ending up with this beautiful skein of yarn in my hands that connected me instantly to something much deeper and primitive and primal. I haven't put my spinning wheel down since.
My yarn addiction was furthered after finding sites like Etsy and Hyena Cart and the colors of yarn that you would never find in JoAnn. I was hooked. It subsequently inspired me to start dyeing my own yarn and rovings.
Along the way I picked up a sub-addiction. Sock knitting. Everyone on my Christmas list is getting custom made hand knit socks. I've been hoarding sock yarn like it's going out of style.
Handmade inspires me because it dares you to take something ordinary and make it truly unique, truly rare. And never is a a handmade item created without a tiny spark of the creator's soul in it.

Krystl Zirkler, 27, Full Time Yarn Ho and Child Wrangler Extrordinaire, www.flickr.com/photos/mariposafibres
Gilbert, AZ
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 12:40 pm

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