Handmade Is Better

There is something about a handmade item that is so much better than mass-produced goods. Today I came home to a lovely little package on my doorstep. I had ordered a present for my niece from an Etsy store called, Mini'Mocs. The whole presentation from this little shop was so wonderful. The box it shipped in was made up with a custom label, the item itself, a handmade bib and burp cloth made from recycled quilted fabric, was packaged up so nicely and completely ready to give to little Anneka. You can tell that every detail of putting together MY package was attended to. Not only did this item come from a small business that made (and so well) this sweet set, but an actual human put together my order, and made it all look special. I love it....Handmade is Better!

You can check out MyMiniMocs shop at http://myminimocs.etsy.com/

(Here is some interesting info from http://buyhandmade.org/ on why handmade is better)
Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving
The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that canbe seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.

Buying handmade is better for people
The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.

Buying handmade is better for the environment
The accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production.