Pledge to Buy Handmade

Christmas 2009

For many years, our family has had a tradition of making our own gifts for Christmas.  Candles, pajamas, scrapbooks, art, assorted crafts etc.  But I don't make junk or useless things - it has to have a purpose for the person I'm making it for.

Okay, so maybe I take that a little more to heart than most of the others in my family.  In fact, I almost made myself sick with worry, stress, anxiety and you name it trying to make EVERYTHING for EVERYONE last year.  Ick - won't do that again, but I'll still make at least one thing.  After all....got a few things going on this year! 

This morning, I was adding some brand new items to our store website.  Those gorgeous Stick Ponies by Turtle Monkey Bug, the fabulous and sustainable art supplies by Eco-Kids and the natural (and CANADIAN!) Little Humbug dolls and books.   I'm so excited to be including these in the store, I can't quite express with words.  But what really attracted me to these companies was that their products are handmade!  Yes.... every pot of eco-paint, every eco-crayon and every treeless paper pad is hand made in Maine by Eco-Kids.  Every art book, every moustache, every stick pony and every doll are hand made by Turtle Monkey Bug.   Kindred spirits, right?!  (Sure...Little Humbugs has grown too big now and does use mass production techniques as well, but started hand made)