I’ve been thinking a lot about all the “crafty” talk on the web these days– talk from people just like me trying to make a living doing what they love with their crafty and artistic abilities, talk about the importance in supporting crafters and artists, talk about “mindful spending” and buying handmade or local when appropriate.
I believe in this “crafty talk” and as a result, personally I am vowing to buy handmade this Holiday Season.
But I don’t want to stop there.
My desire is to really make a difference outside of me, to challenge all our readers, family, and friends to think about the way they buy this holiday season. I want to encourage, rather inspire, everyone to buy “crafty” and handmade, and to help people realize that by buying from artists they are buying from real people.
Won’t you help?
I’m running a blog hop event called, “A Crafty Holiday”. Participating blogs will join together and share a ring of posts linked to this cause. We will jump from blog to blog, being able to both link forward and back much like a chain letter. We’ll start on November 1st and continue on until we loop it back around to the start, making it all the way to mid-December.
Each participant will be assigned a day, and on that day they will post two things on their blogs:
1) Why are you vowing to have “A Crafty Holiday”?
2) What’s on your “Holiday Shopping List”?
(Note: This should be a list of handmade items you want, need, plan to buy, along with handmade items you plan to possibly purchase for others. Make a list with photos and links. This list is to be made up of handmade goods from other crafters and artists. This is not an opportunity to promote ones own goods, rather an opportunity to promote all the wonderful talent out there.)
Also, if you feel inspired to do so, give your readers at least one tip that makes buying “crafty” a little easier or offer logistical reasons for why they should consider buying “crafty”.
- You could suggest a local holiday craft shows in your area.
- Or offer advise on buying things off Etsy. For example, you might suggest people signup for the “Etsy Finds – Daily shopping guide to the best of etsy.com” emails. It’s awesome looking at all the “eye candy” they send out and it helps keep hand crafted gifts in mind on a regular basis.
- You could mention things like, “Avoid the crowded stores and shop online in the comfort of your own home”.
Would you like to participate?
Please leave your name, blog, and an email address as a comment below. Then grab a button to place on your blog, showing your participation. (Code for two different buttons can be found at the end of this post.)
The deadline to enter your blog for participation is October 14th.
All participants will be notified by October 25th, via a page on my blog. On this day I’ll post a schedule, announcing all the participants and their assigned blog day. This event will run from November 1st – December 20th.
(Note: If you have a specific time frame for when you would like to post your entry, you can mention that in your comment below. I’ll try to accommodate everyone’s needs, but please realize that’s a lot of variables. I’ll try my best though.)
So what do you say? Are you planning on having “A Crafty Holiday”?
A special thanks to Linda at A La Mode Stuff and Tara from Scoutie Girl, for helping support this event.
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<a href=”http://angelaflicker.com/a-crafty-holiday/” target=”_blank”><img border=”0″ width=”125″ src=”http://angelaflicker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/A-Crafty-Holiday-button-1.jpg” height=”125″ /></a>
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<a href=”http://angelaflicker.com/a-crafty-holiday/” target=”_blank”><img border=”0″ width=”125″ src=”http://angelaflicker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/A-Crafty-Holiday-Button-2.jpg” height=”125″/></a>
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YEAH I am in:) For sure I have a list already in progress HAHA~
Hi There,
My blog is somewhat new (only this year) but I am trying to build readership and also get into the crafting and arts online community. If you have room in this for a fledgling blogger, I would LOVE to support and be a part of “A Crafty Holiday”. Thanks!
Amanda, http://www.primandpropah.com, primandpropahgirl@gmail.com
This is a cool idea! I really try to buy from my readers and their shops during the holidays.
Looking forward to this!
I would love to participate! My blog is fairly new and I’m pretty sure only my mom reads it…. but if it’s ok with you I’d love to join in!
Love this idea! Here is my blog post about buying handmade in 2009: http://kobrienjewelry.blogspot.com/2010/01/i-kept-my-pledge-and-bought-handmade.html
I thought it would make you proud to know that we started our christmas shopping over the summer. The place we started was at our local Art and Craft fair they have in our down town square area. So all the gifts we have so far are crafty!
I’m definitely in! I’ve already been thinking about the handmade items I want to give this year, bookmarking shops that I love on Etsy, and stocking up on my own stuff {with my fingers crossed} hoping that others are doing the same. I think it’s so important to remind our loved ones that handmade presents make amazing stories and thoughtful gifts. I’m thrilled to be involved in this project.
Hi Angela, count me in! I love to support handmade and already have a few things on my list
Sounds awesome! Add this Aussie to the list ;D
Count me in!
‘Yeah’ to a simple and great idea. Here’s to sharing the homemade love!
Hello! I would LOVE to participate! Count me in
I would love to be involved!
This is such a cool idea! I’d love to participate. I’ve started the practice of creative tithing where I make at least one purchase from an artist/crafter I want to support each month. For the holidays I was planning on upping my purchases so that I could use that time of year to do what I have been doing already *more*.
Thanks!
Kristen
I love your “tithing” idea! Awesome to have your participation
Thanks! Yep, I’m excited – gonna blog about it tomorrow!
I love this idea! My challenge is that while I value handmade items, many members of my family do not. For some, I simply have to accept that gift giving is not about my desires or values…it’s about sharing my love by giving a gift that will bring them happiness.
All this means is that I give handmade when it is appreciated but if I learn that if it is not, I back off — or get extra creative! I will do some brainstorming on how to mingle your values and your family’s preferences in a way that is loved by all.
I really like the point you’ve made here Brigitte, and I absolutely agree. I think the important factor here is not to necessarily buy everything handmade, rather to be conscientious and purposeful when buying this holiday season, and to challenge others to do the same. For example, if my sister wants a scarf and gloves for Christmas, what a great item for me to consider buying handmade instead of from a big name brand store.
You’re comment reminds me of something another participant said — when Molly O’Bryon-Welpott signed-up, she vowed to buy handmade when she could, but she couldn’t let her son down who really wanted some kind of “death star” figuring. I think this is a great example of what you’re talking about.
Thanks for the comment!
Thank you for the response! I absolutely do want to participate…and I have a long-standing habit of supporting indie whenever possible. This is such a fun program.
Awesome. Thanks for the encouragement
I love this idea! I’m in!
I’m in! My blog is http://www.thequirkydesigner.com
I would love to be added to the list!
I have already started purchasing for friends and family this year and actually received one of my ordered handmade gifts this afternoon! It’s going to be difficult to give all these amazingly-crafted gifts away once the holiday hits …
Awesome! I know, it’s hard not to just buy all these handmade lovelies only for ourselves
Great to have you on board!
Hi Angela! – This is such a small world. I’m pretty sure you and I took Camille Roskelly’s class together at the Creative Connection on Saturday. I was a shorter red head
. I’m totally on board with A Crafty Holiday! I’ve already got my button up and I can’t wait to do my post! Thanks for the opportunity. Megan
Oh my word, it is a small world. Yes, I remember you. I love the skirts you make! I think they might be going on my daughter’s Christmas list
I’m so glad to have you on board!
What a wonderful cause! Count me in, please.
Last year I was hurting really bad in the money department, and instead of buying gifts, I choose to give everyone a unique painting of mine – even the men in my family (who I thought would cringe at the sappy gift).
Turns out it was a big success with everyone! I think people value that the thought that goes into something handmade. So this year, I plan to purchase gifts because I am blessed enough to be able to do so – but you can bet they they will all be uniquely “crafted” items.
What a great idea – I always do handmade and homemade for the holidays and teaming up is a great way for me to get more committed to my blog. Thanks and I look forward to participating with http://www.babyjives.blogspot.com
Count me in – I already strive to buy Handmade, but this will be a great incentive to get EXTRA creative and keep everything to the realm of unique and hand-crafted. My blog is at http://www.threeravens.net and I’m grabbing a button right now!
[...] So I found it easy to join in with Angela Flicker and vow to add my voice and dollars to the “A Crafty Holiday” [...]
What a great idea! I’d love to participate. I really believe in buying crafty handmade presents. It somehow seems more personal and it’s always good to support small businesses. Looking forward to reading about what everybody has to say about this and their selections of gifts!
What an awesome idea! I want to play!
I’ve thought about doing this but it’d be great to participate because that way I wouldn’t be able to give in and buy something at the mall, haha.
Count me in too! I already had the idea of a handmade shopping list in the works for my blog this holiday so, I’d love to join forces and participate with you all! Here is my blog: http://kf-creativestash.blogspot.com/
I would love to participate! This is going to be so much fun.
This sounds great! I always try to make as many gifts as possible during the holidays. This year I’d like to expand the handmadeness into my shopping list of things I can’t make!
Thanks for putting this together!
[...] to shopping handmade this holiday season at Angela Flicker’s website. This is such a fantastic idea! I signed [...]
[...] Event details can be found here – A Crafty Holiday Blog Hop Event [...]
I would love to participate! This is the second year that I’ve vowed to buy as much homemade as possible… I love this idea!
http://creativespathways.blogspot.com
count me in!
I’d prefer to share at the beginning of November/mid November if that’s okay.
What a beautiful idea.
Katie
I’m in for whatever day … YAy … I signed in on the other page as well! Sorry … Did’nt want to get left out!
[...] in November, we’re running a blog hop event called A Crafty Holiday here at The Artists’ House. And since I can’t stop “window” shopping on [...]
I have been accepted for my first craft fair this December, but I haven’t been working up to it all year, so I am definitely in for the crafting for the holidays =)
[...] Some of you may have noticed the little button at the bottom of my blog advertising “A Crafty Holiday 2010” – But you may not know what it’s all about. Angela from The Artist’s House is running a blog hop event where various bloggers will be posting about why they are choosing to give handmade this holiday season and telling us what crafty items they are planning to buy for others (and for themselves!) – For more info, visit Angela’s blog! [...]
LOVE this! What a wonderful idea.
Could not agree more! We gotta support each other!
[...] by emilymyer| Leave a comment Hello and welcome! If you are looking for Angela Flicker’s A Crafty Holiday Blog Hop event you are in the right place! For those of you just now jumping on board, here’s the [...]
[...] the beginning of the month, Angela from The Artists’ House is hosting a month-and-a-half-long event where fellow bloggers talk about why they are planning to buy handmade this holiday season – [...]
[...] season. With this in mind, she started "A Crafty Holiday" blog hop. Read her mission here. We at Where Women Create couldn't think of a better way to support handmade than to add our [...]