Handmade Should *Never* Be Cheap

Sometimes, you read another person's blog, and they are able to so succintly say what you have been thinking, you are more than willing to let them be your voice.

I had been fiddling around with Facebook, when one of those revolving ads popped up on the right hand side of the page--you know, the ones that are supposed to be tailored to our likes?

 

 

I don't know about you, but I don't like Handmade Jewelry, or handmade a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g being called cheap. Ever.

Fellow artist, Jennifer Cameron of glass addictions, reacted in much the same way at these ads. Her response on her blog provides one of the best written proclamations for why handmade objects hold such value, why they are the antithesis of "cheap."

Like I said above, sometimes someone can say what you're thinking better than you can. Please check out her post: "Handmade Jewelry. Ridiculously Cheap." Value yourself, and value handmade.

Time to Play!

I love handmade toys. I think some of this is due to the fact that I love it when functional and fun can come together, and what is more fun than toys? Combine this with the fact that summer is upon us, at least in my neck of the woods, and that means more time to play, no matter what your age. Therefore, it is the perfect time of year to have toys on our Friday Fun Finds!

Stanley the Stegosaurus by MandyandRandy. In their Etsy shop.

 Plushie - Little Miss Worm by anapaulaoli. In their Artfire shop.

 Wooden Alphabet ABC Blocks by Lecabita. In their Artfire shop.

 

 Alice in Wonderland Finger Puppets by Claraclips. In their Etsy shop.

Mushroom Bowling by MuddyFeet. In their Artfire shop.

Share your handmade toys! What are your favorites?

Anyone want to blog??

Photo Courtesy of Maria Reyes-McDavis

While I love being an advocate for handmade and the way of the handmade artist, I am by no means an expert...mainly because the world of handmade is so incredibly diverse due to the creativity of the human spirit!

I would love to host guest bloggers from time to time on the following topics:

• Business tips for handmade artists
• Cool handmade ideas to make life better and more beautiful
• How to tell if a product is truly handmade
• Tips or techniques that you'd like to share with fellow artists
• Any handmade topic you'd like to see addressed!

 These guest blog spots are not a place to pimp your wares, though links will be given your online sites and shops. These will be posts that have the intent of helping your fellow artists grow.

Don't worry if writing isn't your thing. I can help with the editing and making it sound "chic!" Send me your ideas at handmadechicblog@gmail.com and we can chat about getting a guest blog written for the handmade masses!

A positive spin on the Urban Outfitters Debacle

Photo Courtesy of Fiona Bradley

If you travel in handmade circles, and are involved in social media, you've probably heard a lot about the Urban Outfitters PR debacle, where they have yet again been accused of stealing handmade designs. The outrage that this company has yet again failed in the originality department, choosing instead to replicate the work of handmade artists, is certainly justified.

But my first thought, after the initial frustration that the big guy was again taking advantage of the little guy,was not so negative...

Has handmade finally hit the mainstream?

If major retailers are hopping on the bandwagon, I think the answer is yes.

What does that mean for us? Now is the time to continue to educate the public on the benefits of buying handmade from local artists. This could be a pivotal moment, where we reach out and prove our worth to the skeptics, where we prove that buying from us beats buying from the big guy any day of the week.

So I issue a challenge to all artists and bloggers to post at least one reason why it's better to buy handmade from an artist than from a major retailer. We are so immersed in the handmade world, that we often lose the ability to articulate why handmade is better, since we feel it so deeply in our soul. Try to think like the average consumer, who is more concerned with economics and impulse buying. Make those people want to buy from us.

If we can do that, it won't matter what unscrupulous retailer is out there trying to make a dime off our backs. They will no longer be able to.

Handmade Luxury!

When I was a little kid, handmade frequently meant "cheap" or at least brought memories of the church bazaar craft show circuit. Not anymore!

Every once in a while, we deserve to see the luxurious side of the handmade coin. So from time to time, I will share some absolutely luxurious handmade treasures, for when we want to spoil ourselves rotten (because we do deserve it!)

Eye of Horus Necklace by Black Sheep Bijoux.

Crisp, Cool Ocean Sapphire Blue Lights by Boots 'n Gus.

Mesquite Wood & Rattlesnake Book by Mary Jane Henley.

Handmade Chic is Back!

After a long hiatus, Handmade Chic is back, hopefully on a regular basis.

I'm sure the blog is going to evolve in its own direction as time goes on, but there will remain one focus: Celebrating the Handmade Movement.

What does it mean to be handmade? Some will argue that any object made by human hands qualifies as handmade. But here, the human heart has to aid in the creation. So, you can holler all you want that something made by hand on a production line in China, India, etc., would qualify--but this is my blog, my rules, and it doesn't.

Handmade means artists are behind the creations. It means that items are made from passion for craft, not because someone is being paid a wage to crank out a product. It may mean that items are truly one-of-a-kind, simply because the nature of handmade requires it. It may mean a small production run, because there is one person doing the creating of each piece, one at a time.

Notice the word "create" popping up a lot? Handmade requires creativity to exist. An artist's eye can see simple objects, and using their hands and heart, combine them with skill, to create something useful, whimsical, or just plain beautiful.

Do you celebrate handmade? How? Let us know, we'd love to hear your ideas!

Need to Cool Off? Cool Fun Finds!

Last week I featured the Dog Days of Summer, which finally decided to make an appearance in my neck of the woods. This week, I need to cool down! I have scoured Etsy to find handmade products that will bring the temperature down a notch!









Adorable Stephanie Snowperson by former featured artist, Nivenglassoriginals
















This beautiful Winter Ice Bracelet by Opheliax

















A Tasty Blue Slushie Pendant Necklace by SweetStella




















Impossibly cute Kawaii Penguin Bottle Cap Pendant Necklace by craftyaddictions

















A Cold Bear on Ice set of 4 coasters by Sybilinart

Dog Days of Summer Fun Finds

Where I live, it is finally summer! We one of the coldest July's on record, but August has been nice and hot! So to celebrate the dog days finally showing up, here are some of my favorite handmade dog finds!





Puppy Yawns, an adorable Limited Edition print from Michelle Pullman














Golden Retriever Table from Jeffrey Pohan



















Cuter than cute Pointer Dog Earrings from Mark Poulin












Mini Custom Needle Felted Puppy by Emilie Friday; pick your breed!














For your little one, this Puppy Hooded Towel by Tulips & Daisys














A Fused Glass Whimsical Dog by Enid Traisman

















An Ergonomically Designed Pet Feeder by Woodin' You

Who Says Lampwork Beads Aren't Art?

I am sure many of you creative types have a favorite artist in your field whose work you covet and wish for one-tenth of their talent! In lampwork, many artists (myself included) create beads with the common purpose of being used in jewelry. Lydia Muell, of Ashton Jewels takes her lampwork beads to a whole different level, creating miniature pieces of art at her torch.

I have been a fan of Lydia's work for a long time, and have enjoyed watching her style develop. She has created some of the most distinctive beads I have seen since I began lampworking 5 years ago. Her current floral beads are truly breathtaking and unlike any other artist's.


Not only is Lydia an artist with glass, her jewelry, which incorporates her stunning beads, is equally amazing. Could imagine how good you would feel walking into the room, wearing one of her pieces?

If you are not already a fan of lampwork beads, Lydia's will definitely win you over. She is a trendsetter in the field, and one of my favorite glass artists of all time. Visit Ashton Jewels whenever you want to devour some gorgeous eye candy, and maybe treat yourself to true wearable art!

Handmade Harry Potter Fun Finds

Even if you aren't a huge fan of the books, you can't escape the hoopla now that the latest Harry Potter movie has hit the theaters. Today's Fun Finds pay homage to Harry & his Hogwarts friends!











Radish Earrings, inspired by Miss Luna Lovegood, and hand crocheted with wire by Yoola on Etsy.















A stylin', working Hogwarts Crest Pocket Watch by Iheartglitter on Etsy.















Imagine how fun the next office meeting can be when you wear these Harry Potter Upcycled Lego Cufflinks by bitsandbadges on Etsy.











A gorgeous Hogwarts Woodburned Box for all of your magical trinkets, by SixthandElm on Etsy.














Adorable Harry Potter Finger Puppets, handknit by kazzalblue on Etsy.












Catch your own Golden Snitch when you buy Fleur's Snitch Necklace by Trophies on Etsy.

Last but not least, the Hogwarts teacher every fan loves to hate, featured on this Professor Severus Snape Scrabble Tile Charm Bracelet by Islandgirlzjewelry on Etsy.

Life's A Beach!!

I am in the process of moving, which is never fun! To help make it through I am dreaming often of kicking back and relaxing at a beautiful, peaceful beach by the ocean. It seems only fitting to highlight some beautiful handmade works that can help bring a little bit of the beach to you, wherever you may be! All are from shops on Artfire.






This beautiful Beach Watch is by MySRCreations. They have watches made with all sorts of miniatures in every theme imaginable!











This Beach-in-a-Bottle Charm is made by Treasures from Hawaii. I think the shop name says it all!












This fun Summer Plate is by Nikkidoodle. Even the back of the plate is decorated and signed by the artist.



















Can you imagine this Ivory Beach Shell Frame by beachgrasscottage showcasing your favorite vacation from your latest beach venture?













Last, by not least by a mile, is this gorgeous Beach Comber bracelet by Freshwater Designs. The bracelet features artisan made lampwork and sterling beach-themed charms!

Handmadenews.org Must Reads!

Handmadenews.org has already had thousands of visitors come and read their pages. It's not surprising that the site is growing so quickly, as there is a ton of great content on the site. It's getting harder and harder each time to choose only 5 articles for my must reads!

First off, my columns from the previous week deal with a variety of business topics. First, is the popular, Secret to More Sales (and the secret is something you already have!). Next, I look at doing business in the information age, especially communicating through e-mail, in Manners 2009. Finally, we have the first in a two-part series about financing your business in Bank On It.

Now on to the other must reads for the week!

1) Favorably Green Wedding Favors Just in time for summer weddings, this article gives suggestions for some environmentally friendly wedding favors guests will love.

2) 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall: Gift Trends for Men Even though this Sunday is father's day, you still want to show dad you love him all year 'round, right? This article highlights some very cool handmade gifts dad, or any man in your life will enjoy.

3) Top 10 Sign You May Be Selling Yourself Short A humorous look at a serious subject for crafters and artists trying to support themselves on their creativity. Jenn Joyner gives the 10 signs that you may be underpricing your work.

4) Know Your Shoppers An excellent article that looks at how to provide the best customer service possible to all types of customers. You'll discover that you have all sorts of customers with different needs.

5) Craft Techniques Department Okay, so this time I am sending you to the department's table of contents. The reason is, this department publishes a great craft tip each day to help you run and enjoy your business. You will have a blast, and get great ideas, from browsing their many "Craft Tip of the Day" gems.

Free to List Online Marketplaces

We need to face it--there is nothing free anymore, except maybe smiles! When selling your handmade goods online, it's sometimes hard to pay the money upfront to list your items, without having that guarantee that they will sell.

Some of the newer online marketplaces are addressing this issue. Instead of the industry standard set by ebay and Etsy, which was to charge listing fees and commission, or selling, fees, these new venues are making it free to list your products. This is done to help alleviate some of the concern that you will be shelling out your hard-earned money just to have your item sit on a website somewhere. If your item does sell, then these venues take a small commission, usually 3-3.5% of the selling price. In this respect, it behooves the venue to make sure that their website is adequately publiciczed and is easy to use for buyers. It can be a win-win for artisan and webmaster alike.

Below are some of these new venues. I only have personal experience with one of them, but would love to hear from you if you sell on any of these sites!

Silkfair: US based site that sells handmade, as well as vintage and antique items. Their commission is 3% of the final selling price.

Made it Myself: US Based site that sells only handmade items. They claim they are waiving the listing fees right now, so at any point they could institute them. Currently, they also charge a 3% commission fee.

Lov.li: Another site for only handmade goods, but I find it a little difficult to navigate. They charge a 3.5% commission

1000 Markets: Only sells handmade goods by the artists themselves. This website is a little more expensive, 5.5% + .50, but the quality of the goods is very high. This is not grandma;s church bazaar craft table!

Friday Fun Finds 6.5.2009

Thank God it's Friday! Nothing like relaxing on the weekend with a little music serenade. Each of these handmade items has music in it's soul, and is sure to nourish yours as you kick back and relax. All of these items were found on Artfire!






1957 Elegant Music Tags by PetitPoulailler

















Musical Throw Pillow Case by RLP Photo Press



















Shaded Strings by The Infinite Lens




















Electric Guitar Upcycled Domino Pendant by Ninja Jenn

















Hula Girls Guitar Pick Earrings by The Birds and the Beads














Summer Night Mixed Media Guitar by CT Studios

Featured Artist: KZM Facial Care Boutique

This week's featured artist creates all-natural, cruelty free indulgences for your skin. Karley, the owner of KZM Facial Care Boutique has a well-respected line of skin care products and make-up. Her products allow you guilt-free pleasure in treating yourself and your skin.

What does it mean to you to "buy handmade"?

Buying handmade, to me, means that I am choosing to purchase an item which has been handcrafted with someone's talent and passion. You can almost sense the passion one has for his or her art in each product, whether it be a photograph, a bar of soap or a handbag. Buying handmade means that I am not supporting a major giant who squashes the little guy; the mom and pop stores. It means I am supporting someone like me.

How long have you been active in your craft? What inspires your work?

I made my first lotion in 1999. I had a teeny tiny business selling to friends and family and life got in the way of the hobby. I have been actively involved in creating skin care since my son was born and suffered from severe eczema in 2003. I am inspired in so many ways by the different women I meet who see results in my products. That motivates me to keep plugging away. I started working in the cosmetics and skin care industry while I was a sophomore in college. I sold Mary Kay out of my dorm and did well at it. I then started freelancing for Lancome. I never looked back and continued in the field.

Where do you sell your creations?

I sell my creations online in my 1000 Markets shop, http://kzmface.1000markets.com.

Are there any special accolades you have earned in your field?

I am very proud of my achievements. My Goat's Milk Facial Cream was featured as a recommended product in the October 2008 issue of Martha Stewart's Body + Soul magazine. Before I just decided to offer facial products, I used to make a baby skin cream which was featured in Canvas Long Island magazine. My products are listed in The Good Guide, and my cleansers are ranked in the top 10% of all brands sold. I've been a signer of The Compact for Safe Cosmetics for quite some time, and my products can be found on the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Database. Most recently, May 28 in fact, I was approved by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics' Leaping Bunny program, making KZM Facial Care Boutique one of the few 100% truly cruelty free lines on the market. I am very proud of these accomplishments and I continue to strive to do the best I can for my customers.

Cafe Handmade Virtual Craft Show

I discovered a new website this week, thanks to Twitter! Cafe Handmade is yet another website devoted to handmade, but with a twist. One of their coolest features is how they allow artisans to advertise. While there are the requisite little square ads along the side, the bulk of the artists on Cafe Handmade advertise through the Virtual Craft Show.

The Virtual Craft Show allows artists to upload 5 photographs on their work. These are arranged in a banner-type format as part of the Virtual Craft Show. When a potential buyer clicks on one of the photos, they are taken to the artists web site. The Virtual Craft Show is updated every week, so that there are constantly fresh items to be seen.

Signing up for the Virtual Craft Show starts at $14 for a two week minimum run. This advertising rate is comparable to a lot of the other handmade websites I have checked out. What's so cool about the Virtual Craft Show is you get to spotlight 5 items, rather than just one in a standard type ad.

Cafe Handmade has more than just the Virtual Craft Show. They have a "Best in Show" poll, where you can vote for the best artist in that week's show. They also have spotlights for featured artisans and a marketplace for your works. This is a site definitely worth visiting if you like handmade!

Friday Fun Finds 5.15.2009

Another Friday is here! Thank Goodness! :)

I have been swamped with preparing articles for my Handmade News column, but I still made time to feature some very cool summer-themed items! All of these beauties are available on Artfire, and I have listed the link to each artists' shop, so you can find them easily.

So help me welcome summer, maybe a little early according to the calendar, but never too early for my spirits!

Summer Apple Tree Necklace by Hollis Wire



















Summer Orange Blossom Olive Oil Soap by Ginger Bells














Little Piece of Summer Art Pendant by Vusova


















The Summer Jumper by Drape Clothing















Tropical Paradise by Luna Cat Jewels