No matter what the occasion, a handmade gift is a one-of-a-kind present sure to make any holiday unforgettable. That’s because handmade goods are specially crafted by talented artists doing what they love. Handmade crafts are each completely unique, and by choosing to give a handmade gift, one is able to offer a present like no other.
ArtFire.com, the premiere online handmade marketplace, offers a wide variety of unique gift guides full of handmade gifts listed by artisans on the site. From Christmas gifts to Quinceañera gifts, ArtFire has a guide for just about every occasion imaginable, and intends to keep building more for shoppers to choose from. These guides sort and filter the nearly 200,000 items handmade by talented artisans available on Artfire.com.
Shoppers today are faced with an important decision, they can choose to help an artisan pay her mortgage, or they can help line the pockets of a rich CEO. When one decides to buy handmade directly from the artists on ArtFire, all profits from that purchase go straight to the artisan creating the product. The shopper gets a quality unique item made with care and love and these talented artists can continue doing what they love - creating quality handmade goods.
When you choose to buy handmade, you get the opportunity to stimulate the economy at home by helping real people not overseas factories and large corporations. So the next time you shop, think of handmade gifts first.
With the country’s financial system in turmoil, everyone is looking for ways to save a few bucks this holiday season. While some Christmas shopping might be inevitable (Just make sure you shop handmade when you do shop!), there’s no need to spend more than you can afford. Listed below is a number of easy gift projects which can be completed at home with minimal costs.
For most customers, shopping on Black Friday based more in tradition than practicality. The day after Thanksgiving requires one to wake up at dawn, drive to the mall, and shop and shop and shop! However, for some shoppers, Black Friday is more of an annoyance than anything else, a rushed unpleasant time for taking care of holiday shopping—but having to first face masses of angry and demanding customers.
Let’s be honest with ourselves, we all want to make a difference, but have no clue how to start. I mean it is not like we’re all billionaires, with immense amounts of money and time to spare changing the world. Most of us are just trying to get by, and when it comes to helping others, yeah, maybe we’ll get to that after the house is clean and the bills are paid and the kids are put to sleep. And really, one person can’t make that much of an impact right?
Orchid by Sfbeads $35  | Check out this darling handmade decoration, prefect for fall home decorating. Orchid stands about 8 inches high, and is sure to put a smile on the face of everyone this Halloween! Click here to view the item for sale on Artfire.com. | |
Fall Pumpkin Pincushion by Verybigjen $20 | This handmade pincushion is custom made when you order it to be completely one-of-a-kind! Great for Halloween, fall, or just anytime you’re doing needlecrafts. Click here to view the item for sale on Artfire.com. | |
Halloween Lampwork Glass Beads – Pumpkins 4 Candy Corn by beadsnsuch $20 | This bracelet looks good enough to eat! It’s 100% handmade of Moretti, Lausha and Czech glass. A great treat for any child or adult! Click here the view the item for sale on Artfire.com. | |
Autumn Handmade Fall greeting Card by Kards $2.5 | This blank greeting card was specially made to encompass the feeling of fall. Send it to someone to wish them a Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, or just to let them know you’re thinking of them. Click here to view the item for sale on Artfire.com. |
Looking for more festive goodies? Check out our seasonal crafts section.
Thanks for reading, and have a Happy Halloween everyone!
-Sara
www.artfire.com
Tony, like most people, doesn’t always listen to his mom. Moms normally mean well, but we can’t follow all the advice they offer us. Not many of us live the well-mannered and healthy life our mothers planned for us. We don’t bother to eat an apple a day and have chicken soap when we’re feeling under the weather. But with scientific and medical findings proving the positive impact of these bits of advice, one begins to wonder, what else was mom right about?
When you launch your own internet artisan business, you get all the advantages of being your own boss while earning revenue from your talent. But this isn’t as simple as it sounds. Many crafters work hard to be profitable in their home businesses, and listed below is some pointers to help you in setting up a rewarding internet store.
Douglas Prasher, standing outside the Toyota dealership where he works in Huntsville, Alabama. Image from the Cape Cod Times.
Significant contributions to the world cannot be designed by one individual. Rather, they are a group project, crafted and developed by a handful of talented workers, rather than just the two or three who get the credit. This is true in the crafting world just as it is true in the scientific world. And no one knows this better than Douglas Prasher.
In 1988, Prasher was at the top of scientific research world. His work on jellyfish proteins helped gain Roger Tsien and Martin Chalfie the 2008 Nobel Prize, according to the Cape Cod Times. And while these men will be collecting a $ 1.4 million check, Prasher will be making his living driving a courtesy shuttle at a car dealership.
But Prasher regrets nothing. After his grant ran out in 1992, Prasher willing gave his data and samples to fellow scientists and friends Chalfie and Tsien. They continued his research, and were granted the Nobel Prize last week with Osamu Shimomura after formulating a new way to help treat cancer cells using glowing jellyfish proteins. That many sound strange, but it has enormous potential in preventing the spread of cancer in the human body.
Although he has helped secure his fellow scientists money and praise, Prasher was happy to help. He thinks about the larger impact his work will have on cancer treatment, and is proud to have contributed.
This kind of selflessness is something that everyone can aspire to. Whether you’re an artisan or a scientist, a craftsman or a chemist, you can appreciate the importance of the sharing of ideas for the common good.
While people often try to protect their original ideas, at Artfire.com, we encourage artist cooperation and teamwork. So don’t be greedy with your craft ideas. Get out there was a community and make an impact!
Click here to read the full article on Douglas Prasher by the Cape Cod Times.
Click here to read my Behind ArtFire Beta Blog.
-Sara
This picture shows a woman in the great depression displaying one of her handmade quilts at a local fair. Many people do not think of the 1930s as being in color, since most pictures are in black and white. Those times were bleak, work was scarce, and life was difficult. All these things are expressed in this women’s hard expression. And now, nearly 80 years after this photo was taken, America is facing the possibility of yet another depression.
Let’s face it: the stock market is the toilet. Reporters this morning were throwing around the term “Black Friday” as the Dow Jones dipped below 9,000 points. Markets around the world are starting to go down, and many financial advisers say that this is only the beginning of a global recession, possibly even a global depression.
The truth is, as much as these experts and reporters claim, no one knows for sure what will happen. People begin to panic, and wonder what can be done to survive the recession.
To help our failing economy, Americans should invest in handmade goods from local sellers. When you make the choice to buy handmade, you’re helping another struggling average American citizen, rather than a wealthy CEO of an overseas manufacturing company. Your money is going to another person, who is facing the same kind of financial problems that you are.
And when you buy from local sellers, your money is going back into our economy, which aids in its recovery. Let’s be honest, our economy needs all the help it can get right now. Don’t send your money overseas to buy poorly made overpriced items. One of the reasons our economy is suffering stems from Americans are buying goods from China and India, instead of helping sellers here at home. Choose now to invest you money here, where it’s needed.
If you decide to buy handmade products over mass produced ones, you’re not just helping average citizens, you’re getting a finely made product at a lower price. Handmade items are proven to last longer and be more efficient than factory made items. When you buy handmade goods, you receive a unique specialized item for an affordable price.
And with free artisan listing sites like Artfire.com, you know that 100% of your money goes to support the artist. That’s because ArtFire allows members to list their items for completely free, no royalty fees, no final evacuation fees, no processing fees, no fees at all. The money you spend goes directly to help the artist.
Americas survived the great depression of the 1930s by investing in handmade goods. They knew the importance of aiding other Americans. They helped each other, and they helped local sellers. They supported other Americans, and with the financial boost from WWII, our country was able to come out of a bleak period in our economy. So learn from their example, buy handmade products and support local artists.
Getting Started
If you’re not an expert with a needle and thread, don’t worry. Just because you’re making your animal’s outfit by hand doesn’t mean you need to start with nothing. Depending on how big your pet is, you can start with a child or baby’s Halloween costume, easily found at your local thrift store. These outfits can be reworked it to fit your animal with just a little time and some crafting knowhow. If you’d rather not adapt your outfit from another’s, you can also try finding a pet Halloween outfit pattern online.
Measure and Test
A child’s body is shaped very differently from an animal’s. No matter how big or small your pet is, you’ll need to take measurements on your animal and do small changes to the outfit. The best way to do this is to try your costume out on your pet as you make adjustments.
Remember Safety
Consider your pet’s overall happiness as you work. The costume shouldn’t be too tight, and should allow for easy breathing through your pet’s mouth and the nose. Make sure your pet has easy control of his/her legs, head, and tail. The outfit should be easy to put on as well as take off. Remember, if you dress your pet in a poorly fitted costume, he/she will try to wiggle out of it. Also, remember your pet’s physical needs. If your pet needs to use the bathroom while dressed up, will he/she be able to?
Fun Costume Ideas
Dogs tend to be easiest to dress, but with some support cats can also wear costumes. If your animal is not used to being dressed up, you’ll want to go with something simple. Maybe a bright red vampire cape, or a pink tie, or maybe little devil horns.
If you plan on taking your pet trick or treating, you could try making matching or themed outfits for both of you. This year, try going as a couple witches, or maybe you could dress as the pet and he/she could be the master. Since you’re making the costume yourself, you can let your imagination run wild!
Click here to check out some of the fun clothing the crafters at ArtFire.com are making!
Click here to check out my Behind ArtFire Beta Blog!
-Sara
Photo: The world’s largest solar power plant in Germany, picture by Waltraud Grubitzsch/EPA/Corbis, the Guardian.
To battle growing energy concerns, researchers from the European Union are making preparations to make use of renewable energy sources more than 1,000 miles away.
Presently scientists are devising a plan for a High Voltage Direct Current line grid to bring in solar energy from the Saharan desert in northern Africa. Preparations are underway to create a series of solar farms across the desert, according to the Common Dreams News Center. Researchers speculate that just 0.3% of the sunlight hitting the Sahara everyday would be enough to sufficiently provide electricity to all of Europe.
The task is still in planning and very likely reach €450 billion in cost. It would assist Europe in fulfilling its goal of generating 20% of its total energy from green sources by 2020. The EU hopes that the gridline from the Sahara could produce 100 GW of solar power by 2050, which is more than all the current renewable energy sources could generate combined.
Click here to read more about Europe’s Green Energy plans.
Check out my Behind ArtFire Beta Blog!
-Sara
Is your arts and crafts room looking a touch disorderly? I understand how messy things can get when creating handmade goods. Listed below are a few helpful tips to keep that work area tidy—without limiting your creativity.
1. Separate your work area. If you do not already have special room for your handicrafts, you might want to try partitioning off an area. This will separate your artwork from your daily activates. Tell your roommates/spouse/children that this space is off-limits at all times.
2. Work table. Invest in an old table that you wouldn’t feel bad about covering with glue or paint. After all, you can’t be expected to do your finest work when you are worrying about getting your table dirty!
3. Consider storage. Try to have a place for everything, and keep everything in its place. If you can’t find your supplies, making artwork can be much more difficult! Don’t be afraid to organize with shoe boxes or other containers. And remember to put your supplies back in place when you’re done with them.
4. Remember good lighting. Art is much easier when you can see what you’re doing! Don’t forget the importance of natural light, as things can look different depending on what kind of lighting you use.
I hope these tips helped. And remember, keep crafting!
-Sara
Check out my Behind the Beta Blog for more tips and updates!
It never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to when inspired. After watching a television program detailing the horrendous living conditions of children in Ghana, Africa, eight 14-year-old girls decided to take action. They formed a charity dedicated to feeding impoverished peoples with the profits from their handmade crafts business. With that, One is Greater than None was born.
Now I don’t know about you, but at age 14, I generally didn’t think much about impacting the world. I was more concerned with school and maintaining social life than I was about starting a charity organization. But these girls must be more mature than I was. For more than year, the girls of One is Greater than None have been making and selling jewelry to feed children across the world. They work closely with the International Organization for Migration, which offers supplies and food to individuals in inhumane conditions. The girls even send their handmade brackets packaged with educational materials to villages in Ghana. Each bracket holds eight beads, meant to represent each of the girls.
With help from the IOM, the girls were able to support 8 Ghana children in January of 2008. Their hard work when to ensuring these children had plenty of food and a warm place to sleep for an entire year. While this may seem like a an exceptional, One is Greater than None have shown no inclination to stop now. Instead, they are working to give that opportunity to 25 children by January of 2009.
Click here to learn more or donate to One is Greater than None.
-Sara
The recently rebuilt California Academy of Sciences opened last weekend in San Francisco, reports to National Public Radio. Located in the hills of Golden Gate Park, the museum is made up primarily of recycled or organic materials. From the roof garden to the recycled blue jean insulation, the academy is said to be the greenest museum in ever built.
According to Italian architect Renzo Piano, the new museum is meant to serve three purposes: display, education and research. When the original Academy of Sciences building was damaged by the 1989 earthquake, the institution had the opportunity to get rid of the old fashioned exhibitions and displays. Piano designed the museum to be completely different from the museums of old, with no dark corridors and dusty dioramas.
Instead, the walls are made almost completely of glass, so it is possible to see into all areas of the museum at one time. The roof garden, consisting of entirely native plants, helps moderate the overall temperature of the museum. Skylights and solar panels offer lighting to the academy while letting in and out in warm or cool air.
The Academy of Sciences’ overall goal is meant to encourage visitors to take better care of the natural world by showing them its beauty. To that end, the museum is teeming with life.
So if you’re in the San Francisco area, check out the greenest museum in the world!
-Sara
Witness the effects of climate change—literally! To raise awareness of global warming, two newspapers in Sermitsiaq, Greenland have placed a camera on one of Greenland’s largest inland glaciers, Ilulissat. This camera allows viewers to witness the slow melting process as if they were present on the glacier.
According to Nasa’s Grace satellite, 239 km3 of water melt off the 110,000 year old glacier every year. That’s a lot of excess water! But no need to fear, Greenland isn’t letting it go to waste. Instead, the government is bottling it for sale in other countries, where it is extremely popular.
Although for some people, watching the glacier melt on a website isn’t enough. Greenland has recently experienced a surge of tourism as people across the globe journey to watch the glaciers disappear before their very eyes. It’s kind of like a car crash—you know it’s you’re witnessing something terrible, but you just can’t look away.
More than 80% of Greenland’s surface area is covered in glaciers, taking up 1.7 million km2 of land and holding 2.8 million km3 of ice. While only Ilulissat is showing serious signs of melting, may speculate it’s only a matter of time before Greenland faces real difficulties with all of their ice.
Click here to see the live webcam of Greenland’s Glaciers (don’t worry, it’s in English!).
--Sara
www.artfire.com
Happy National Comic Book Day!
Today marks the celebration of National Comic Book Day across the United States. While comic books might not be as popular as they were decades ago, they are nonetheless an influential part of society.
Comic books inspire people with bizarre storylines and superheroes. They allow people to use their imagination to deliver them into worlds unknown—but always with the promise of a happy ending and good triumphing over evil. Today, comic books continue to touch the public with blockbuster hit movie and television show adaptations.
Comic book superheroes offer protection to everyday people while fighting for justice. They punish the wicked and help those in need. Such ideas are hard not to fall in love with. But most people express the basic qualities of a superhero in their own lives. While they many not leap tall building in a single bound, but they manage to juggle a full time job, family, and hobbies on a daily basis. This is especially true for crafters. Many artisans somehow manage to work a day job while still finding time to craft and sell their handmade goods online. Such abilities should be applauded alongside x-ray vision and super strength. On this day honoring comic books, honor the superhero in you. Feel your artisan powers raise up inside you, get out there and craft!
--Sara
http://www.artfire.com/
P.S. Did you know that we at Artfire.com have our own comic book series? We call it Crafty 2.0, and yours truly handles the drawing. It’s modeled after the comic books of old, complete with villains, superheroes, and cheesy dialogue. The style fits more of an manga look rather than an old fashioned comic book, although it is nonetheless action packed and full of delightful characters. We currently have three editions in the works for publication in October. So stay tuned for a chance to get acquainted with the evildoers Betsy, Eboy, Planet of Good, PayBuddy—and of course our heroes, Art and Faia.
It’s really amazing the difference a little creativity and time can make. In an effort to go green with respect to the arts, one children’s museum is taking steps to become environmentally efficient.
The new section of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum opened its doors to the public last month. According to Interior Design Magazine, The next addition received a silver rating by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system, making it the greenest museum in New York City.
It seems only fitting that the first children’s museum in history would also serve as one of the first environmentally friendly museums. The expansion will double the 109-year-old museum’s size to more than 100,000 sq. ft, adding new second floor exhibition galleries, a kid’s café, lobby, more classrooms, library, gift shop, and extra administrative offices.
Designer Rafael Viñoly kept LEED’s standards in mind while creating the building. Many of the new features were made out of recycled or rapidly renewable materials. This includes bamboo or recycled rubber flooring, geothermal wells for heating and cooling, energy-saving light sensors, and solar electricity.
So there are green homes, green living communities, and now a green museum. What’s next? Well, Viñoly has no plans to stop now. Plans to construct his next project, the city’s first LEED-rated police station, have already begun.
To learn more about the green expansion to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, visit Interiordesign.net.
--Sara
www.artfire.com
We are now up and running on brand spanking new servers. This means Art Fire is faster than ever before! We now have faster uploading, navigation, and downloading. We can handle much more traffic, with room to grow as more members join. Everything many still look familiar on Artfire.com—but you can feel the difference on the front page.
Our programmers were up late into the night, working hard to convert the old site onto the new equipment. We installed new servers to better improve your Art Fire experience. No one likes a slow website, and we wanted you to be able to smoothly browse our site, without delays or difficulty.
These new servers will also guarantee little to no downtime on Artfire.com (unlike some trading sites, who’s servers seem to go down ALL THE TIME). We’ve installed racks and mounts on the servers so if there is a hardware problem, we will be able to fix it without closing the site. This means sellers have their items displayed all time, while buyers get access to a 24 hour virtual store filled with handmade goods.
So hurry down to Artfire.com now to check out our new and improved servers!
--Sara
