A recent post about the culture of cheap on the new Crafting an MBA blog got me thinking – A LOT – about the importance of talking about handmade and its essential role in our lives.

As craft-makers and lovers, we sometimes think the act of making a craft is the most important part of then selling it.  But, it’s essential that you talk about the story behind the piece: inspiration, materials chosen, process, setbacks, resolution, etc.  Tara Gentile has great insight on the PA Crafts blog today about sharing your space in pictures.

The story of the work’s creation is why someone wants to buy the piece. Sure they may want to buy it simply because its red and matches their shoes.  But that story is why I, for example, bought a $30 woodturned dish for my son’s first food bowl instead of a $1 piece of plastic.  I want it to last, I want it to matter and I want to care about what it is.  I didn’t want it to just fill my immediate need of having a bowl.

I want us all to commit to talking about craft more often, more openly, being open about pricing and explaining the real cost of handmade goods.

If you’re a craft-maker and have neighbors or friends or family members that don’t know what you do, tell them what you do. Show them how you do it! And state why your work costs what it does. It’ll go a long way. If you love craft, share it. Make the norm to give handmade and include a business card of the maker. It connects the person behind the work with its new home.

Yes, handmade craft costs more than plastic junk (or craft imports), but its actually a real cost. It pays a living wage. Not just a ‘fair trade’ wage but a living wage. And one worth paying.

Thanks for listening to my little rant.  I hope you share in the comments below about your thoughts on the subject.  I’m leaving you with this video from Craft Scotland called ‘The C Word.’ I hope it’ll inspire you to share your craft.

You can read a great interview with Sara, from girlscantell, over on Scoutie Girl! She shares the struggles she went through to make her crafting dream reality and the passion she has for craft, design, and community!

And now for my special announcement:

As many of you have probably suspected, it is becoming near impossible for me to keep up with the demands of Scoutie Girl while maintaining the daily editorial responsibilities of Handmade in PA. With a busy toddler, a husband who deserves dinner on the table each night, and a growing freelance business, I need to choose my priorities wisely.

That is why I feel it is time to step away from Handmade in PA.

Handmade in PA can be so much more: vibrant community, virtual craft fairs, real craft fairs, Etsy team, event listing, etc… And you all, as the HiP community deserve that much and more.

For the right person, this can be a great opportunity to gain experience in community organizing, social media, web writing, and the craft movement. I am looking for someone interested in taking over those aspects, as well as complete editorial control, of the site. You do not need technical experience. I can handle making code or design changes, if you need me to, as well as hosting the site for free on my dedicated web server (not the one that’s been cutting out on us lately…).

Handmade in PA receives over 5,500 page views per month, almost 3,400 unique visits, and has nearly 200 subscribers (mostly via email). It has a Google Page Rank of 4 (very good – strong authority).

If you are interested in discussing the details further, have any questions, or just want to tell my I’m plain old crazy, please email me [tara@handmadeinpa.net] – let’s chat!

Carrie Nardini – the brains and sheer force of will behind Pittsburgh’s I Made It! Market – is looking for an intern interested in gaining experience with all aspects of running an indie craft market!

Here are the details:

I Made It! Market, a nomadic indie-crafts marketplace is currently seeking an intern for the remainder of 2009 as well as for the Spring 2010 term. I Made It! Market partners with non-profit, arts and community organizations to raise awareness and funds for organizations working to improve our communities AND provides opportunities for local artists and makers to introduce their work in diverse neighborhoods.

For more information on the I Made It! Market, visit www.imadeitmarket.com.

Find IMI on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imadeitmarket
Twitter: www.twitter.com/imadeitmarket
Blog: www.imadeitmarketblog.com

For more information and to apply, contact Carrie!

Please check out the fabulous article on Handmade in PA on Keystone Edge! And for once, it’s not just me flapping my gums about the joys of buying handmade. You can also find Kate Gatski, John Sterling, and Nick Mohler flappying their gums!

Seriously – this movement is huge (like you didn’t already know that!) – and this article just shows how the mainstream is starting to take notice.

So once again, thanks for all you do to keep handmade alive & well – and growing – in Pennsylvania!

I’ll be teaching a workshop on basic internet marketing for crafters on June 16th, at the Goggleworks, sponsored by the PA Guild of Craftsmen. There are still seats left in the class – but they’ll go quickly! Sign up today.

I’ll be discussing the “must-haves” in your social media portfollio, the basics of blogging, branding yourself to sell more, and tying it all together to save you time!

Thanks to Michelle, from MKC Photography, for providing the trendspotting for this column on photography trends!

I am! Amanda and I will be going Sunday morning and we can’t wait to meet all you Philly peeps! I’ll be doing a series of posts on several sites over the next week and a half about Art Star. My first, is at Try Handmade. Check it out!

Philadelphia’s own Joanne, aka Shaving Kit, is featured in my Handmade News article on trends in paper ephemera. Check it out!

You can see my other Handmade News articles here!

Finally, as always, if you’re looking for a taste of craft outside of PA, you can check out my column at Try Handmade on local craft scenes all over the globe!

photo by Kristen Von Hohen – “slip cast collage – presents”

Last week, I got the exciting news that I would be writing for a new site put out by Artfire: Handmade News. Unlike The Storque, Handmade News seeks to report news from all over the craft & DIY community without emphasis on any particular sales venue.

So here’s where I need your help! I’ll be writing for the Craft Trends department. What trends are inspiring you right now? Trends in fashion, literature, art, design, food… I’m sure there are up-and-coming ideas that are moving you creatively.

Leave a comment and tell me about them! If there’s an item in your shop or a post on your blog that relates, leave a link! You might just see your name in lights on what will prove to be a HUGE resource for the handmade movement.