Occupy Handmade this Holiday Season

We have all seen it in the news, this "Occupy" movement. It is grassroots, has been making waves, is VERY political, and at times, violence has come of the protest. Here at Modern Rosies, we choose to take a neutral ground, and keep OUT of the politics of the situation. We love all of our readers, no matter WHAT side of the line they stand on. But at the end of the day, there is some truth to the thoughts of these protesters.

Buying handmade is an amazing way of supporting your fellow human being. It circulates money back into other people, other people that are making a living doing something that they love. An artisan, if you will, that makes something that you NEED, and then will in turn, circulate the money from the sale of their wares into another handmade business.
Today is Black Friday, the largest shopping day of the year. People have been up for hours, even days, scouting their local malls and large chain stores, looking for great deals on consumer items. A good majority of those items are not made here in the US, and support the economy of other countries, while the US economy is in so much trouble. So why not help stimulate us here in the US? UN-Occupy the malls this year, and give gifts from the heart!

You might not even need to spend ANY money! I know as a mom, I would LOVE if someone gave me a simple card with the promise of a free night of babysitting! I plan on giving my mom a card for a free day of me taking over elder care of my grandmother, so she can use the salon gift card I am giving her to get her hair done. The kids and I also plan on self-detailing my husband's car for him, something he desperately wants, but never has the time to do for himself.

I also plan on giving mostly handmade gifts to most everyone on my list this year. Gifts like these are amazing, not only because you are socking it to the large corporations by NOT giving them your money, but also because all of these gifts are unique, and most are one of a kind! Our friend Vilate over at Nifty Nappy recently posted about how she is un-occupying this Christmas, with some amazing shops to get goodies at! You can check that out here.

This weekend, being the largest shopping weekend of the year, lots of small businesses are offering amazing deals on some amazing items. If you surf Artfire, Hyena Cart, and Etsy, you can find a plethora of shops running amazing sales. In my searching, I have found deep discounts up to 50% off! That is HUGE in the handmade world!

So let's make a difference. Let's hit this economy where it NEEDS it the most, in the pocketbook. Let's stimulate something this holiday season. And let's start turning this around, and making this world a happier place.

Brooke is the owner and seamstress at Brooke Van Gory Designs. She lives in The Chicago suburbs with her two kiddos, and her rock star husband! You can shop BVG here, and follow her on Google+ here.