I’m delighted to introduce Beverly Rustica who will be writing an occasional column here called “Why Handmade.” Beverly is all over the internet, including BeachyRustica, EtsyPatrons, and ByHand.me. Leave her questions in the comments if you have anything you want answered about purchasing handmade goods. She’ll be happy to share her wealth of wisdom with you :)
:: Erika
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[hBeverly]There has been a significant amount of discussion around the virtual water cooler lately focusing on how we as consumers choose to spend. When faced with making a needed purchase, we often look first to value. But given the opportunity, many of us would prefer to see our purchases do more than just provide something we need or want. We’d like our purchases to have a positive impact on our lives, and the lives of others.
There are many ways to accomplish this. Some of us purchase organic products for the good of the planet, or buy locally in an effort to positively impact our local economy. Some of us reject plastic packaging, or avoid purchasing items from countries with poor records of treating workers fairly. But one thing is certain in today’s economic environment… how you spend does matter.
I’d like to make the case for buying handmade. Choosing to buy handmade goods on a regular basis is a great way to obtain an excellent item at a fair price, and to have a significant impact on the lives of others at the same time. Handmade work often offers superb value; if you’re looking for the best quality product, nothing can beat work that’s been carefully crafted, one piece at a time, by a skilled artisan. In many cases customized touches are available to handmade work that make that item unique to you, often at nominal extra cost.
Many of the shops you’ll find selling handmade goods at various venues across the web are one or two person businesses that will bend over backwards to make sure you’re satisfied. If you need something special, they’re usually happy to accommodate. Want a handwritten note included with a gift purchase? Most are delighted to include one.
In addition, when you purchase a handmade item, you can be sure that your purchase matters to the artist or craftsman from whom you’ve chosen to buy. You’re not just a number, you’re someone who is helping that artisan make a living. It’s not just a purchase. It’s personal. And more often than not, those who sell handmade also buy handmade, using the funds you provide to enhance the lives, work, and well-being of other artisans.
So if you like the idea of buying handmade goods, please check back often. In this space I’ll cover navigating the online world of handmade from a buyer’s perspective. I hope to help you find and purchase handmade items on a regular basis, get the products you need and want, and have a positive impact on the lives of others at the same time.
Laura says
March 18, 2009 at 1:51 amFantastic. I agree 100% I think I will blog about the same thing and link back to here. Thanks for the great article.
Lumina Jewelry says
March 18, 2009 at 5:04 amSo great to see you here and I will be following your posts!
Sea Glass Things says
March 18, 2009 at 9:49 amYeah Beverly!!! Great article – can't wait to keep reading your posts!
:0) Marla
Sea Glass Things
Rebecca says
March 18, 2009 at 10:16 amI love handmade and in fact just made a handmade purchase today for some much needed pot holders from BeanPickleSprout. I look forward to following your column.
Jacqueline says
March 18, 2009 at 11:21 amThat's such a nice message! I'm totally with you and it goes without saying that i know how important it is to support other artisans. Nothing is more beautiful than an artisan following his or her dream! Thank you so much for sharing! Have a lovely merry happy day and lots of love to you and yours!
kim rhodes-thomas says
March 19, 2009 at 5:02 amLooking foward to reading more of your articles!
Erika Pitera says
March 19, 2009 at 5:35 amWell said! People need to understand that each and every one of us actually can make a difference by acting conscientiously. How we spend our money absolutely does matter, and I back buying handmade 100%. There's an interesting book called The Better World Shopping Guide that really focuses on how consumers affect the world. Looking forward to reading more of your articles, as well!
Beverly Rustica says
March 19, 2009 at 5:50 amThanks so much for the comments! Erika, I will look for that book, it sounds really interesting.
Sharon Fullen says
March 19, 2009 at 3:18 pmAs someone who grew up wearing clothing made by my mother, kept warm by sweaters knit by my Grandmother, slept under Granny's hand stitched quilts and ate home canned food – I do my best to support the handmade movement. My grandparents were berry farmers and raised our own cattle. I'm in my mid-50s and these are the life memories that I cherish and do all I can to personally support.
I and 8 other women family members have formed a partnership to create and market two lines of our own handcrafted jewelry. We sell our artisan line through our own web site and our A.F.F. (affordable-fun-fab)line at Etsy.
Who we buy from is important – you won't find me at Wal-Mart no matter how bad the economy gets. I'm also at the Farmer's Market every week and glad to pay the extra to support their hard work.
Cherish the earth, celebrate hard work and remember that an unregulated mass-produced Chinese-made G.I. Joe doll is not what we should be striving for.
Glad I found this community to participate in.
Sharon
Rose of Sharon Jewelry
P.S. My 3-year-old twin grandsons love tossing Granny's sock monkeys around just as I did at their age.
Mary Ellen Golden says
March 21, 2009 at 9:48 amWhat a great idea for a column! and a great person to write it. Beverly is working very hard at making a difference for the artisans of the handmade community. I participated as a buyer in one of the Etsy Patrons events and it did make a difference for new members of Etsy. I am eagerly anticipating her next column. Thank you, Beverly.
Tiffany says
April 1, 2009 at 2:55 pmThank you so much for featuring my image, Beverly. This is a great topic for a blog post, and many people I know have been sharing their thoughts on this. I look forward to reading your future posts. Cheers! Tiffany
D says
May 5, 2009 at 6:30 amVery well said. I'm relatively new to providing hand made gifts and your comments are spot on. I take pride in what I do, and want everyone to be impressed with what they are buying and want to show it off. Some of the hand made pens that I make are expensive and I would hate for someone to not love something that they spend their hard earn money on.
D