I WONDER...

As I sat this morning stringing tiny little semi-precious stone chips onto a beading wire I wondered if people in this country really value handmade as much as they used to. Sure, if we outsource labor to other countries the costs are cut for both the producers of products and the purchaser BUT I wonder what we are doing to the labor force in our country. I wonder what we are loosing. Don't get me wrong, I know in this day and time it is important to import and export goods as we have done since the beginning of this country, however, I wonder if we have not gone too far. We live in a throw away society...buy it cheap, use it until it breaks or a different version is introduced and go buy another one. Gone are the days of purchasing an item and keeping it for a lifetime. My parents had one stove, one toaster, one of almost everything my entire lifetime AND it was well made and worked effectively. When the toaster went on the fritz...we took it to the repair man, paid him a small fee and used it again. I know we have come a long way from "Mayberry" and I don't want us to go back, but, can't we acheive a better balance? As I said before, today we just toss out an item when it breaks and purchase another. I don't mean to sound old fashion, it's just that I remember going to buy furniture and being able to purchase solid wood instead of today's ever popular saw dust and glue. AND, I am not talking about going back to the 1800's...there are plenty of artisans and crafters who specialize in modern goods...glass and chrome etc. lol. I'm not saying that we should all milk our own cows and churn our own butter. I just wonder if we ever stop to think about who makes the products we use and how they are made. I would like to see us as a country at least appreciate the work of our last artisans and crafters. I would like to see us bring back to our country some of the work that is now oursourced...would that not help this economy? See, I remember the day there was a local dressmaker who made and sold clothing in her community. I remember the day when a man worked for months with his own two hands to make a fine piece of furniture. I remember the day when a person could go up to Gatlinbury and Pigeon Forge and walk down crafters row where people made handmade baskets, brooms and leather goods. I remember watching local artist paint and sell works of art on the streets of old St. Augustine, FL. I remember watching Native Americans out west weave rugs and make beautiful jewelry to sell. We took a trip to Cherokee, NC a few months ago and when we looked at the goods for sale almost all of them were made in another country and not by the locals. We also went to Williamsbury weeks ago and saw the same thing...made in China stamped on articles that were made by local crafters just a few short years ago. We are loosing all that folks. I ask that you wonder too and the next time you have to make a purchase, I ask you to take the time to look around your local area or on line and see what is available from an artisan or crafter. THINK HANDMADE and help this country regain some of the uniqueness of the past that made us what we were.