This headline caught my eye a few weeks ago - you may have seen it.
It was an article about how more and more people are turning their backs on mass produced stuff in favour of the handmade craft market and smaller retailers, in search of individual products which, it goes on to say, offer an "emotional or personal connection".
I particulary warmed to the section above referring to the "chilly uniformity of mass production". I don't know about you, but increasingly these days, I get quite bored and my eyes glaze over as I wander round the homewares departments in large stores - it all begins to look the same and I feel I've seen it all before.
When I'm at friends' houses, the things I'm always drawn to are the things they have salvaged and refurbished, or things they have bought from a craft market, or something they found in a forgotton corner of an antique shop.
Which is why I love making pieces which I know do not exist in the mass market, like my quilt-block pots.
The article also described how increasing numbers of people are taking courses in a whole range of crafts so that they can invest something of themselves into making their own things, and possibly also progressing to selling them to others.
For me, a happy home is definitely a handmade home. What about you? Is yours a handmade home?
x Cathy x
I'm so with you on this! I love handmade - either something that I have made or bought from someone else. We went on holiday to Northumbria last week and bought quite a few locally made things. They just seem more real and they definitely have more heart.
ReplyDeleteClaire
Design is everywhere now- so it has become bland, too easy on the eye, emotionless and uniform. Know exactly what you mean.It is very much a hand made home- all soft furnishings,paintings etc. Couldn't take it any other way- started by making my 'bottom drawer' when I was young and couldn't afford to do it any other way- still can't, but also, won't!
ReplyDeleteOurs is most definitely ' home made', from curtains to tables to beds and all the pretty bits in between. We eat off 1940s crockery, sink into handmade cushions and admire shelves of vintage and salvaged nicnacs.
ReplyDeleteI'm in total agreement, I much prefer either handmade or vintage to mass produced.
ReplyDeleteGillx
Definitely. The house is filled with hand crocheted throws and cushion covers, knitted ones too, patchwork. I have handmade bags displayed in our bedroom, and there are tapestry cushions and pictures as well. All made by me.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I hate the boring sameness of shopping these days, not just the goods on offer, but the look of High Streets too, full of cheap pound shops, charity shops and chain stores, with in the majority of towns, little of the individual shops that once filled the streets. Very very sad.
So HURRAH for people like you I say!
Definitely homemade and vintage for me.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, vintage or lovingly handcrafted all the way!
ReplyDeleteVictoria xx
With you all the way...Happiness IS Homemade..
ReplyDeleteThat last photo is lovely..
Warm Wishes,
Callie x
Either hand-made (not necessarily by me!), inherited, or second hand. I saw enough Ikea roomsets bought and brought home by various friends when they first had an income not to go that way!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely handmade and vintage here, and has always been so!!
ReplyDeleteI am with you on this one. When I visit my sister in law going to Lewes to look at the shops there is a must. I would much rather have a hand made gift that a shop bought one any day.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. My husband tells people that we live in a padded house, as we have quilts everywhere! And then woven rugs, throws, etc. I love going to creative people's homes to see their work.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like a nice new trend, and should bode well for handcrafters, but watch out! Walmart is trying to capitalise on this by selling 'handmade' mugs that differ only in their glaze colors and designs, they are all the same size, shape, etc. because they are slipcast. They are labelling them 'Handcrafted' or some such nonsense; they no doubt come from China.
ReplyDeleteWant to help the American economy nad handcraft in general? Boycott Chinese goods - they are poorly made.
As far as Ikea goes, someone once said when you are young and first starting out, all you want is Ikea, when you get older, the LAST thing you want is Ikea.
You has a great blog. I'm very interesting to stopping here and leaves you a comment. Good work.
ReplyDeleteLets keep writing and blogging
Nb: Dont forget to leave your comment back for us.
Yup, you walk down any high street in any town centre and all the shops are chainstores selling identical products. Time to rebel I think!
ReplyDeleteHi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteYes, we have a handmade home, as we built it ourselves. :)
I LOVE everything handmade, and am delighted that people are rediscovering the beauty and quality of handmade items. Yay!
Hi Zuzu - thanks for stopping by. We built our own home too - that was the biggest handmade project I ever undertook! xCathy
DeleteOur house is filled with handmade and unique and second-hand...I love it this way and am glad I'm not the only one! Your ceramics are simply lovely! xo K.
ReplyDeleteCompletely with you! I'm glad that there is a definite move away from the mass produced. I would rather have one or two unusual hand made things than lots of things that everyone else has got x
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