{"id":1473,"date":"2013-12-20T05:16:20","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T12:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mikedumascopperdesigns.com\/blog\/?p=1473"},"modified":"2013-12-20T05:16:20","modified_gmt":"2013-12-20T12:16:20","slug":"handmade-for-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mikedumascopperdesigns.com\/blog\/2013\/12\/20\/handmade-for-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"Handmade for Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Handmade

Mike’s Handmade Wooden Blocks<\/p><\/div>\n

We love to make our Christmas gifts by hand. I’ve been busy since September making gifts for family and friends and with 5 days left to go, I’m still sewing, and fusing glass and waking up in the middle of the night wondering if I’ve left anything out.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t help noticing as I shop for Christmas, how many things we use are \u201cmade in China,\u201d-from tools to fabric, and everything in between.<\/p>\n

Even my feed store, my good old garden center and keep up the small homestead resource, has the labels. We have become very dependent as an economy.<\/p>\n

\"Building<\/a>

Handmade Home<\/p><\/div>\n

We worked very hard through the years to teach our family to work with their hands, to be self sufficient.<\/p>\n

Cheaper isn\u2019t always better. But how do you get away from it? I know to watch closely in the grocery store, reading the labels. The track record for pet foods and children\u2019s toys coming from China hasn\u2019t been good. I don\u2019t trust them for items we ingest. But how do we deal with the onslaught of material goods and supplies? It\u2019s everywhere-retail and mail order, local hardware and grocery store.<\/p>\n

\"Fused<\/a>

Fused Glass Amber Sink on Copper Pedestal by Mike Dumas Copper Designs<\/p><\/div>\n

I know that Artisans and Craftsmen are conscientious about our handmade work, that it matters to us to be recognized as not selling out to mass production, touching each product we put out there with our own hands, but what about our tools and supplies?<\/p>\n

My goal in the coming year is to wear my glasses each time I shop, and to take more time to read labels more closely- to make long lasting decisions about my purchases, and maybe just to put more things back on the shelf; reconsider my need for the items.<\/p>\n

I really do care about supporting our nation\u2019s economy, and keeping my family safe. Buy local doesn\u2019t just mean my neighbor\u2019s goods, but my nation\u2019s future as well.<\/p>\n

I know I\u2019m just one person, and I can\u2019t change this \u201cfast- lane\u201d frenzy of a world we live in, but I\u2019d like to know I can make a small difference. I hope to see more labels reading \u201cmade in USA<\/i>\u201d as I set out to be more conscious. I really hope they are out there.<\/p>\n

I don’t mean to be scolding or condescending,\u00a0I know we all need to save a buck, but I just noticed a pretty obvious change in the things I buy. Do you feel the change in our commerce? Does it make any difference to you, or are you OK with the change?<\/p>\n

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