Thank you for buying Handcrafted and How Time Flies...

...when you are having fun. I knew that I would enjoy retirement, because I have always had something to do in my spare time.  Spending time creating is the best job for me! Many people that I see around town ask how I like being retired.  I do miss the interaction with my co-workers and the students, but I love working from home. And now I get to have interactions with customers and other artists.  So I don't call it retirement, I just call it my change in careers or work place.  Because I am working on my art career every day. I never get bored (except when I had to wait in the Doctor's office for 3 hours the other day! ) because I work on a variety of media...clay, paint, pen and ink, or whatever a customer may have an idea for a custom piece!  Some of that time is working on the computer, listing, marketing, and paperwork, but many hours are spent thinking, planning, and creating.  Although I would like to spend more time on the creative process, marketing and paperwork are necessary to be able to continue to create.  Because if I do not sell my creative work, then it would soon overtake the house and I would have to get another job that is not so creatively fulfilling!  So thank you to those of you have purchased my artwork at some point along my artistic journey! I hope that you enjoy having a little piece of my creations. And hopefully I will be able to continue on this journey for many years to come!

My thoughts on buying directly from an artist or craftsman...just my 2 cents, for what its worth if anyone really reads this.
If you buy handmade you are helping to support someone and their career, which translates into that person being able to pay their bills and support their family.  Know that when you buy something that is created by an artist/craftsman, you are getting something that is handcrafted, usually one of a kind, and not shipped from a foreign country.  (I am not talking about children's craft or hobby craft, but a dedicated artist/craftsman)  And the artist appreciates customers who support them and are willing to pay them for their skill. And many times you can get an original work of art, jewelry, pottery, or even clothing, for the same price or close to it, as what you would pay in a nice store.  Now if you go to a discount store, you will get inexpensive and cheap...and probably made in China or India. Buying from or hiring an artist, is no different than hiring a contractor to remodel or fix something in your home.  You hire someone who you know does good quality work and you pay them what they charge. They have the training and experience to do a good job, so you pay them what they are worth.  An artist puts many hours into training, practice, and working on their

art/craft, not to mention expenses such as supplies, taxes, fees, etc.   Next time you go to a chain store and start to buy some artwork, look on the label on the back and see where it comes from. Is it made in China? Or India? Is it mass produced?  Is it one of kind?   Probably not.  I will always remember the painting that my parents had over their couch when I was growing up. (See part of it in the photo here, complete with the 1960s wood paneling, and the gold colors of the 70s. (I cut out the photo of my friend sitting on the couch from 1977...I can't do that to her!)   I don't know where that painting came from, but I also saw that same painting in several of my friends houses!  So it must have been a department store purchase.  Its was a 60s standard, I guess.  Back then, artists were not as accessible as they are now on the internet. It definitely was not an original painting, but it is definitely retro!   It seems like only a few years ago that I was sitting on that couch watching our big box TV with 3 channels!

Time flies!  If it doesn't, then you are not having fun! Make the most of every minute with whatever you enjoy doing.  And try to buy something handcrafted from someone you may know this year.

Thank you for supporting handcrafted!

Beth  ♥