Buy handmade this holiday season!

Well, you all know about my shop at http://aephemera.etsy.com. Artwork is a thoughtful and personal gift, and buying handmade this season is a wonderful way to support people, rather than corporations, and it's always nice to be able to talk to the person who created something! Don't forget to take the pledge to buy handmade!

So this year I'm plugging handmade small businesses, crafters, and artists especially in my local area - meet some friends of mine. I can personally vouch for the superior quality and care in each of their products, and I see each of them at least once a week! Check out:

- Janet Nolin of ButterflyGrace Creations, my neighbor and friend who makes beautiful handmade journals and address books - she can also do custom books. She also sells handmade cards and photography here.
- Crooked Spoke Press (or Dan and "Fang" as I know them!), my boyfriend's neighbors who create hilarious tongue-in-cheek greeting cards (yes, and Christmas cards!) in their garage on an 100-year-old letterpress.
- SensibiliTeas, a loose tea shop run by a friend of mine, Donnalynn Milford, in the same building as my studio. I've given tea as a gift on so many occasions, and I'm hooked on it myself! She's got biodynamic, fair trade, and single estate teas too, and knows where each tea is made and how.
- The Candy Thief, my studiomate Casey's "Handmade Fancies For Funky and Fearless Females" - funky and feathery felt headbands, totes, handbags, pins, and neck coverings.
- Laura Neadle's cute animal shopping bag holders, great gifts for animal lovers. Laura's my teacher and also has a studio in the same building as I do. She also is an artist and has artwork for sale.
- Zack Zoll is another studiomate of mine and has photography and prints of his artwork available.
- Judy Olson Photography, a friend of mine who makes awesome hand-assembled calendars of her photographs and also does digital manipulations.

Happy Holiday Shopping!