Not only is there a boundless amount of gorgeous, made-by-hand, one-of-a-kind items for sale, but the the website itself is a work of art.
I learned on Etsy.com about something called the Hand Made Pledge. Read about it at buyhandmade.org.
Really. I'm in love.
My paternal grandmother made gifts by hand every year. She was constantly making things by hand, all year, for a big, disorderly family of six children and many, many grandchildren. She created paintings, made ceramics, made dolls (and their clothes), and countless other projects big and small. And she was good at it: she taught others how to do these things, and she sold many paintings and dolls over the years. This is the part I am sad to tell you: I did not appreciate these handmade gifts at the time. I didn't get it. If I could talk to her now, and on a certain level I believe I can, I would not only revel in her handmade gifts, I would hop on a plane with my children and play in her wild, disorderly studio with her near the beach in southern California, where my father was raised. Some lessons take a while to learn, but I learned what you taught, Grandma. I get it now, and thank you.
1 comment:
I love this post. I also had grandmas like this, and I was especially close to one (my material side). She passed away a few months ago after a lengthy existence with Alzheimer's disease. I treasure her quilts, floral painting on my grandpa's handmade oak furniture, and little items she hand-sewed. They lived simply in Arkansas in a small house. Grandma Svehla was an excellent listener, had a funny laugh, and loved us. I miss her.
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