It seems that handmade/handcrafted items are more popular in an economic downturn. People turn to crafting, fixing and making to save money, and in turn realize that handmade is beautiful. It's individual. It's an art. Pieces that are handmade tend to be made better than the made-in-factory items and last longer. Lastly, most handmade pieces have a story behind them or the personality of the artist embedded somewhere within them. This makes them somehow more meaningful - more than the sum of its parts. People are turning more and more to places like etsy.com or artfire.com to do their shopping. I've noticed on the internet - especially on Twitter - that the fashion buzz this season is all about handmade or at the very least, the LOOK of handmade. That is very good news for an artisan. : )
Tip of the Week:
Use vinegar to clean your sterling silver jewelry. You will need to soak it for 15-20 minutes in vinegar, rinse in clean water & rub with a cloth. It will be as good as new! Vinegar has just enough acid to clean off the tarnish without damaging the sterling. **NOTE** Avoid putting pearls or opals in vinegar.
