Buy Handmade

Planning a wedding is the perfect opportunity to get creative. Unfortunately, I don't have much free time right now to put my own artistic impulses into action, but I *can* support my people (artists, that is) by turning to them for things like wedding invitations, jewelry, bridal party gifts, etc.

There are some really beautiful things being created out there by the HANDS of REAL PEOPLE! I mean, sure, I'll be the first to admit that sometimes it is just easier and more convenient to head to a mega-store or mall or the internet (thereby eliminating interaction with real people completely) to meet your shopping needs. But isn't it sometimes nice to know the PERSON behind the product? And with something so intimate and special as a wedding, it seems more appropriate to have a name, face and voice on the other side of those things you are investing in rather than some mass-produced look-alike -- real people with stories of their own -- struggles and joys and a REAL LIFE unfolding around them as they make their art. That's much more interesting than an impersonal machine punching out it's millionth version of the same product, right?

Here is a sampling of some of the cool, wedding-related handmade stuff I've found lately:

Designs By Portobello

Inky Livie

Veiled Beauty

Originals Paper Art

And I just found this site that is an entire blog dedicated to fun and different Etsy wedding finds. It is here that I discovered it is possible to REGISTER with Etsy! How cool is that?!

And while I'm throwing links your way, here's one more to check out:
Etsy: The Storque: Handmade Weddings

Of course, this post isn't just for wedding planners -- it has brought up an interesting question for me personally: why don't I support my people and Buy Handmade more often? I want to be more aware of this fact and challenge myself to more often turn to a site like Etsy before heading to a store like Target (and OH, how I love Target!) when it comes to artwork, household items, clothing, etc.

So, this post is just as much a reminder for me as anyone else: let's support Artists -- Buy handmade!