09/02/2026
There’s something I wish more people understood about buying handmade:
You’re not just buying an object.
You’re supporting the person who imagined it, learned the skill to create it, spent the hours making it, invested in the materials, paid for the booth, packed the car, showed up, and put a piece of their creativity out into the world.
That deserves to be valued. 🤎
Supporting handmade doesn’t have to mean buying something every time you see an artist. Sometimes it’s following their work. Sharing their post. Telling a friend. Stopping at their booth. Asking about their process. And when you are ready to purchase, choosing something made by an independent artist is a pretty incredible way to spend your money.
Because there’s a difference between inspired by and copied from.
Artists spend years developing their own voice, style, techniques and ideas. Please let artists keep their ideas as their own. Be inspired by the creativity around you, but make room for your own creativity to become something original.
And there’s also a difference between supporting an artist and supporting a resale business at an event specifically created to showcase makers.
When you choose the handmade piece, you’re choosing the person behind it.
You’re choosing their time.
Their skill.
Their creativity.
Their risk.
Their livelihood.
Big-box stores will always be there.
Resellers will always be there.
But the artist standing across the table from you? That person is the one you have the opportunity to support directly.
So the next time you’re at an art market, maker event or small business pop-up, look a little closer.
Ask who made it.
Ask how it was made.
And if you love it, take a piece of that artist’s work home with you.
Because handmade isn’t just something you buy.
It’s something you choose to believe is worth making. ✨
