alright, we all are well aware by now how whacked out this year has been. but, friends…we’re in the home stretch. (i hope. please, for the love of all things, let us be in the home stretch.)

so, for us handmade makers, the fall is always our big time. it’s the mecca of the handmade world because of the holidays. there are multiple craft festivals every weekend, usually starting in september and running right through the weekend before Christmas. there are maker friends of mine who do two shows a weekend (i’ve done this before), and we run and make and run and make. (and, we get very little sleep and live on caffeine too.)

this year, the COVID obviously changed all of those in-person festival plans. all those weekends we makers had planned on being at festivals and sharing our passion for our work just vanished.

but…not sure if you’ve been paying attention around facebook and instagram, but a lot of those festivals have gone virtual. makers are pivoting, figuring out ways to sell their handmade items in a virtual setting (discovering how to set up a website, which payment platform to use, what’s the best way to ship, and much much more). it’s a lot. but we’re doing it. and, i’m here to ask you nicely to please, please, please take part in these virtual festivals and help support handmade artists this holiday season.

i know that shopping online is different. i am the worst person on the face of the planet of loading up my shopping cart and abandoning it. (i’m a marketers worst nightmare…and i’m a marketer.) but, take fifteen minutes on one of the days of one of these festivals, search through what is being offered by the makers, and try and support them. if there’s something you’d been eyeing on amazon, head over to etsy to see if you can find it from a maker. if you’re looking for a really cool, unique gift, ask if there’s anyone local to you in a local facebook group that you can support.

personally, i have *two* of these virtual festivals coming up, and i would love with all my heart for you to join:

• house to home handmade market: nov. 12 – nov. 14, 2020, only on instagram. head over to instagram and follow @housetohomehandmade. during the event, all of the makers will be posting our items for sale on this profile, along with how you can purchase!

• downers grove virtual handmade market: nov. 21 – nov. 22. find out all of the details here.

all of the amazing makers who are going to be joining me would really appreciate you joining in + supporting us this holiday season!