Last night I helped out a friend by sitting in her booth at a craft fair so she could take a break. My friend Trace is an amazing seamstress, artist, and activist. Her tote bags and hand towels are the kinds of gifts I want to give. They are beautiful works of art, made from mostly re-claimed fabrics. She only purchases organic hemp-cotton blends and she hand dyes everything. She is a true artist.
For the past few years I have been inching my way toward buying less and less, especially around the holidays. The kids and I prefer to make homemade gifts. One year the kids did simple line drawings and I had them xeroxed onto recycled paper and made into note pads. Last year we made beeswax candles. It's been so long since I've actually been Christmas shopping that I'm often surprised by the traffic and congestion downtown at this time of year. This year I don't have one big project planned, but I know for sure that anything I don't make myself will be locally made, by someone I can look in the eye and thank for their craftsmanship.
Try it! Buy local. Before you buy, try to imagine whether or not your purchase will likely end up in the landfill in 5 years. And check out Trace's website. Every little bit counts.
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