Handmade...

I'm determined this Christmas to buy only handmade items from local artists, make my own gifts and shop at small businesses - both local and on-line.  So far it's been going great!  On this wonderful journey, I have visited spectacular crafts shows, met some outstanding artists and enjoyed hearing their stories.  It's like a treasure hunt with unexpected joys along the way, of making new friends and meeting so many talented people living out their dreams. And happily through it all I have found the most wonderful treasures.  

The painted reindeer above is one of my finds.  What a beautiful story surrounds this lovely painted reindeer.  A very nice lady is selling these items for a friend.  Her friend's father made them...apparently he was an artist and very much enjoyed woodworking and painting and obviously combined his two loves.  He has recently passed away and left behind a room full of his beautiful artwork. His daughter didn't know how to market his work and her friend offered to take them to local craft shows to sell the items for her.  How nice...what a good friend!  When I saw this smiling reindeer - I knew he had to be mine. I was warmed by his story and felt privileged to own a piece of this man's artwork.  I will never meet him but what I heard about him made this piece that much more special.  He was a man who loved to share his artwork, taught classes, helped others in their desire to be creative and often times gave his work away...my kind of guy!  I bought another piece of his work for my daughter, Natalie - a beautiful painted picture of Santa sitting at a high desk with feather pen in hand working on "his" Christmas list.  Natalie and I agreed that we would enjoy these pieces for years to come each time we unpacked our Christmas decorations.  What a nice thought, to think that you would leave something behind that others would enjoy long after you passed...  I will think of this gentleman each time I reach for my reindeer and lovingly place him amongst my holiday decorations...and smile. 

So I continue on my journey and search for just the right handmade, locally made gifts for my family.  It's taking me much longer but I think for the first time in a very long time, I'm savoring the true joy of Christmas...it's about people...not corporations...of finding a treasure, lovingly made, for those who mean the most to you.  Merry Christmas!