28 Days until College Football starts and one of our Retail Stores, LilyBeth’s, in Georgia is getting ready! The owner recently custom ordered these 7 SEC college teams represented in her next Felted Soap order. SEC colleges included were Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, GA Tech, Florida, Clemson, and Tennessee. She left out my favorite SEC team, Razorbacks, but that’s okay.

Custom orders for our felted soaps are always available! Just remember, a custom order will take a day or two more than normal, especially if I need to dye the fibers to match your request.

Want to learn more about our Felted Soaps? Please click here to learn more about Felted Soaps offered from The Twisted Purl.

Living the handmade life is a fun experience.  As an artisan, I balance being a full-time mom and running a full-time handmade business all with crafting the life I want for my family.  This got me thinking about why more people should buy handmade.  Here are my personal Top Ten Reasons for Buying Handmade.

10 REASONS TO BUY H.A.N.D.M.A.D.E. (+2):

• #10 Hard work Behind every handmade item is hard work. The artist has put their efforts into each produced piece. Most of this is done as a labor of love and not looked at as a chore. I like to think the love and passion placed into each handmade item is tangible and the energy lives on in each creation. “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” Jimmy Johnson

• #9 Admirable Unlike items that are mass-produced often times you find unique differences in each handmade item that is really worth admiring. Admire the craftsmanship and the beauty you can find in each creation. 

• #8 Nifty Handmade items are oh so nifty, unique, and so fun to show off and share. I have a pair of earrings made from old video machine parts a Crafter in Ohio made found them in Funky Junk Boutique…now tell me that isn’t nifty!  Buy handmade for the pure fun of sharing.  Wouldn’t you rather hear  how interesting and unique something you own is over oh I have that too?  I know I would!

• #7 Delicious oh so yummy! Beyond beauty and elegance some handmade items are down right devilishly delicious. Need I mention the cupcake store or local bakery you have around the corner? Here in Conway, we have a local bakery that is to die for! Yeah, yeah I could buy cookies from a Keebler Elf but it will not even come close to the party in my tummy a handmade cookie from Maggie’s Original Cookie Company creates.  The items are locally baked and ridiculously divine.  Go and find something delicious, your tummy will thank you.

• #6 Markets There are many available online handmade markets like Etsy , ArtFire, or Made it Myself that give you the comfortable couch shopping convenience.  Another fun thing to do is to check out your own Locally Grown networks that make obtaining locally produced and exquisitely hand crafted items readily available to you.  Here in Conway, we have an online marketplace called Conway Locally Grown which has local produce and locally handmade items.  Most local Farmer’s Markets will also have crafters along with produce. Check out what available in your area.

• #5 Artist Help support the poor starving artist! Okay, maybe it’s not that dramatic but just think…when you buy handmade you are trading money for a uniquely created cool object. The Artist is beyond thrilled with your support. Each purchase makes a big difference in the life of the crafter. You are helping them give more back into society by assisting with funds for more of their creations. As a fiber artist, each time you buy from me, you’ll find me doing a major happy dance and if I could, maybe even a backflip. Seriously!

• #4 Durability  Most handmade items are built to last.  It’s not made only to last long enough for the warranty to wear out.  It’s not made to hold you over until the next upgrade.  Handmade is to be passed down to your grand kids.  Yup!
  

 

• #3 Enthusiasm This goes back to the artist and the energy being put into the handmade item.  When I am spinning yarn, I am super enthusiastic about each twist going into the yarn.  The Craftman is making something they love for you to love.  That’s exciting!

• #2 Environment Handmade items are great for the environment.  The items do not require a large production facility.  Most items are made in small studios.  Check out the Top 5 Reasons why Handmade Yarn is better.  I really get into why Handmade Yarn is better for the environment and a lot of the reason also transfer to other handmade items.

• #1 Handmade is a story that must be told. I’ll say it over and over. Each artisan has passion and it shows in their works. Please see an earlier post all about the Handmade Story that must be told. 

Please check out all these featured items photographed in the blog post.  They all link to different folks on Etsy.

Buy Handmade & Make Someone’s Day! ♥

Here’s the fiber from yesterday’s basket posted being turned into a textured handmade yarn on my spinning wheel. The fiber is from Namaste Farms.

Interested in seeing the basket of fiber from yesterday’s post then Click Here.

It’s been a fun spin so far.  It’s going to be hard to let go of this one!  I’ll be sure to post the finished yarn as soon as it’s done.

Today is also my son’s birthday.  He’s 11 years old!  Crazy how time flies.  Just seems like yesterday we were heading to the hospital full of anticipation about what the joys of motherhood would hold.

Above is a picture of me and Austin from a 2004 summer trip to Maine.  He’s very easy going and always ready to make you smile.

See, bet you smiled.  Got to love that goofy boy.  Happy Birthday Austin!

Here’s a picture of spinning fiber I plan on spinning through my spinning wheel and turning into a couple skeins of textured yarn.

After  a great day at Wordcamp Fayetteville yesterday, I came home to find a package of gorgeous fiber from Namaste Farms in my mailbox.

This is a full pound of fiber.  It will make a couple skeins of gorgeous yarn!