I only do gifts for my mom and niece; niece always gets cash (made in America :D ) and this year we're taking my mom to FL for a week as her gift... also made in America! :p
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I only do gifts for my mom and niece; niece always gets cash (made in America :D ) and this year we're taking my mom to FL for a week as her gift... also made in America! :p
When I made all that peach jam this summer, I was planning on giving it as Christmas gifts. But I've ended up eating most of it myself!
Right now I'm knitting away: colorful mittens and scarves. Luckily all the immediate family lives in places that get a proper winter. I'll also be baking and making some candy when the time gets closer...
Another repurposed yarn project: did you know most of the innards of a baseball is yarn? It's icky stuff, so I knit a placemat for the cats' bowl from it.
Here is my friends etsy site where she sells her hand spun , hand dyed yarn as well as she has a bunch of hand dyed silk scarfs for sale. Besides etsy is such a great place to buy gifts made in america plus there is some great up cycling! http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...al&h=dAQEC--wb the address has facebook in it but it will take you to etsy.
Here's a more general question - I know part of the answer but I'm posting it so we can all share our answers.
Absent designated markets and outside of craft fairs, how do I find local artisans? Say, I just need a little skein of darning yarn. I KNOW there are spinners and dyers in my area. But they don't set up at the farmers' markets, and the season for that is over anyhow.
My partial answer: there's a local poultry and beef farmer who set up a brick-and-mortar shop in town where she sells her farm's meat and eggs; other animal products, sweet syrups and seasonal vegetables from other local farms; and a small selection of mass marketed food and household items. Farmers talk to each other and she'll probably know who I can ask. Likewise, a friend of mine is an aspiring writer with contacts in the local arts community, and if I have a specific type of gift item in mind she can probably point me in someone's direction.
Where else would you folks go?
Farmer's markets are a good place at least where I live. They let local artist come with booths year round. Also if you try local art store;s and maybe see if people are posting flyer's about home craft shows and stuff. I am so embedded in this community i know all the home shows that happen this time of year. Some good some not so good. Maybe the community center would have flyer's up too?
Keeping it local -
Give a gift certificate for a massage, to a beauty salon, etc.
Got the DH a Filson's wool vest for his birthday - not only made in the USA, made right here in Seattle in a union shop - very rare indeed.
Not as rare as you think :) http://allusaclothing.com/Quote:
Originally Posted by Eden
But you're right. It's nice to find a local one too.
When not riding or at work I go between quilting and wood working. This year I am making gifts with my lathe. I plan to make some wine stoppers, bowls and other small kitchen type of gifts.
I will try to attach a pic of some of my stoppers and a cheese cutter.
Last year we gave my family members (in WI and IL) wine, spirits, and beer all made in MI. They were products they generally could not find outside our state.
They're beautiful!Quote:
Originally Posted by solobiker
Thank you!
I have seen this sentiment expressed a lot lately and as a self-employed toy/doll-maker it thrills me. :) I does take a different mindset to shop for handcrafted and special vs. inexpensive and advertised on tv.
something related to ponder: http://www.somersherwood.com/?p=126