Think about buying handmade this Christmas.

I took the handmade pledge this year, and would love to encourage others to do the same! You're doing a great thing by supporting artists and crafters:
1. Supporting an individual rather than a large company
2. Giving/getting a quality product with attention made to details
3. Giving/getting a one of a kind piece
4. Helping the environment by not buying something made in a factory
5. Buying directly from the hands that made it and keeping the middleman out of it
6. If you buy something made with recycled items it's double the good feeling!
7. Making sure the arts stay alive in your community
8. Keeping the spirit of Christmas alive!
9. Taking some of the consumerism out of Christmas
10. Keeping things out of landfills since people are less likely to throw a handmade item away (I can't, no matter how weird it is).

This says it more eloquently than I can, but it's something I'm really passionate about. By the way, those ornaments were just put in my Etsy shop. Shameless plug, I know.

I've been making Christmas gifts this year, and doing trades with other crafters on Etsy. I've gotten so many neat things already! I can't post many, or I'll ruin surprises, but I did want to mention Butterfly Moon, one of the many cool vendors I've traded with. Her blog, Hemp Butterfly, is here. She makes incredible things out of hemp! A lot of the things she makes are things I've never seen anywhere else and you can tell she loves making them and puts a lot of detail into her work.

This is totally off topic, but here's a couple pictures of Lucy in her Halloween costume. She was a butterfly and was pretty darn cute:

Eating candy

Playing peek a boo

I can't believe it's November 6th and I'm just now putting Halloween pictures up. That's the way my life has been lately!
Also off topic, regarding the election, I don't like discussing controversial things on here, but I am soooooo happy! I started getting teary eyed watching his speech, and it takes a lot to get me to do that.

Comments

[Jennifer]

Oh My! Thank you so much :)

[Melissa Walker]

Don't worry, I just posted my Halloween pics yesterday! We're all a little behind I think. Lucy looks adorable in her costume. Mine (Sadie) was a ladybug.

[Betty]

Maybe you get this from your Grandmother Louise, We have so many paintings in our home she has done and to us they are priceless. Look at all the items you have to put on your Christmas Tree your Grandmother made over the years; priceless.

[holly]

I am in love with those ornaments, they are so precious.
I am supposed to make all my presents this year for my mom and sister, etc, and I am totally freaked out by it. I might call you soon and ask for some advice, if you don't mind.
I think avoiding corporations for the holidays is always a great idea. That way you are bringing the cozy feel of xmas back. But it is hard for me with Casey, who dreams of electronics. But that is how he rolls!

[holly]

oh and Lucy! What a cute butterfly! Better than the real thing! I had a little vision for a sec of a bunch of Lucys flying around flowers, it was a pretty cute and silly thought!