Truly Handmade

It's getting harder and harder to find truly hand made items.  Okay, I know technically, anything you put together by hand qualifies as handmade but, maybe I'm a hand made snob, because I think that at least some of the material included in a hand made piece should be, well, hand made.   I know I'll probably get some hate mail for saying that , but, so be it!

I'm not saying that those jewelry designers who use their eye for design and color and string together purchased beads and/or stones are not artists.  But I always like to see something that was actually formed by their own hands included, as well.  I'm in awe of those who can wire wrap a bead or stone and not have it look like a three year old did it. (My wire wrapping skills are on par with said three year old).

I like hand drawn, hand painted, hand sculpted.  Most likely, that's why I like to work with polymer clay.   I've chosen a few truly hand made items from the Art Fire Bloggers Guild for this post.


Polymer Clay Bracelet byCraftsOfThePast Polly Creamica Designer

Corduroy Fedora by Hat-A-Tude

  

Dolphins by KanweieneaKreations

Terracotta Lampwork Earrings by ShadowdogDesigns

3-D Daffodill Wall Hanging by CouchBeeCreations

Blue/Pink Cotton Summer Shawl by AndreaDsigns

And I'm not above adding one of my own pieces to the mix!
Bohemian Beaded Batick Bracelet by WyvernDesigns

It's Better Handmade Featured Artist GlassSculpture.Org

The artist behind GlassSculpture.Org on Art Fire started creating at an early age.  As she went through school, she was told by many a school counselor that she needed to focus on a "real" career.
She was attending Purdue University, majoring in computer science, when one morning she woke up and realized that she could have a "real" career and be unhappy or take a chance and go for a vocation that she would enjoy.  She changed her major to Theater and Costume Design.

After graduating, she worked at theater jobs in the Portland, Oregon area until she realized that she could make as much from her art, mainly paintings at that point, as she was in the theater.  It was then that she starting creating full time.

To make a long story short, she moved to Carmel, California where, along with her current partner and a myriad of cats whom she adores, she creates beautiful glass works.  Her skills include glass blowing, casting, carving, etching, painting and so much more.  She has a blog dedicated to her love of her cats.  One article about her cat, Buckaroo Banzai and his favorite song, brought tears to my eyes.
Her other blog The Art of Joy Alyssa Day  is where you can find her blog posts about the other featured artists from It's Better Handmade.

Here are some of her amazing works.

Kitty Memorial

Blown Glass Heart - Angel Wings

An Angel Kneels On 9/11 Print

Blown Galss Paperweight - Purple Dream