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Handcrafted in Todays Modern Age

♫ Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

While there is no doubt that our modern industrial world has added to the richness and diversity of our lives, it could be argued that we have lost an essential understanding of the value of making something with our own hands and we have lost our connection to mother earth.

In the 1800′s especially the latter half, the industrial age had kicked into full gear. Not long after the end of the American Cival War, before the start of the Industrial Age, nearly all goods were made by craftsmen that were so skilled, they enjoyed creating products that were of value to others.

Then came the rise in industrialization, every item that was once made by a craftsman took on a degree of manufacturing. So much was this, that nearly all goods sold around the world today, would not have a single human being touch the product prior to it being distributed.

Our Manufacturing world now consists of compressed wood and staples, its now almost impossible to achieve the beauty of handmade wood furniture. Our Assembly lines carry so many glass products, it’s hard to see and appreciate Handblown glass. Not to mention Vinyl and plastic. To find Handmade purses and luggage is almost non existant.

In the 1970′s, there was a full-service gas station at nearly every major intersection. Full-service has since been replaced with self-service, so much so that one can hardly find a full-service station anywhere.

Handmade toys have been replaced with plastic and metal toys manufactured on assembly lines. Wood and plastic designs, made as cheaply as the manufacturers can make them, have replaced handmade items.

We have replaced all that was beautiful and handcrafted, with products made by cold and uncaring machines. Modern living has transformed the products we put into our homes, from works of fine art to efficient and inexpensive products that we have been trained to throw away when the products break.

In tody’s day in age, it sometimes seems as if the only things to cherish is each other. Once upon a time our grandmas would have handmade quilts, that were handed down through the generations. Our grandads boots would have been made by the shoe maker. Alterations and repairs would have been carried out often on those one pair of shoes.

Christmas time before WWII, was about gifts handmade by the giver, hand baked cookies, knitted jumpers. But not long after WWII had ended technology began to stamp itself into our lives. Christmas had become this transformation, it had turned into a “buying experience” rather than a “making experience”.

When was the last time you recieved something hand crafted. When was the last time your friend baked you some hand baked cookies? or your children made you something special for Christmas.

I do know that there is a minority in the industrialized nations that still do make goods by hand. But they are few and far between. However there are many who live in Africa and India and even Asia who still appreciate, handcrafting goods.

Now with the internet avaiable 24/7, we find ourselves in a unique position. Most people have not experienced recieving handcrafted goods in a very long time. As global retail giants continue to shop for cheap, mass produced goods, customers can now search the internet for handmade, handcrafted products online.

Many retailers especially on the internet, search far and wide to bring handcrafted products to their customers. Products that have been made in Africa or Asia that can be forund online.

In my world, that is a beautiful concept. It is wonderful to be able to go to a website and buy a product that is made by a real human, using his or her own hands to craft the product with love, care and commitment.

I love the fact that I can go online to buy handmade, but the thing that is most interesting is that one can frequently get handmade products from other areas of the world for far less money than an American, a European or Australian can get the same kind of machined products for from his or her local brick-and-mortar retail outlet.

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How To Craft A Toy Car For Party?

♫ Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008

First things first, think of how many party guests you wish to accommodate. It would be on the scale of a standard car. Just because you would like to accommodate your many friends, you can not go on making compartments after compartments. Other accessories need to be fitted into their proper place. The articles required are: Pick up any boxes, hard card-board boxes, TV-computer cartons or any other box. Take paper plates, plastic plates and a good quality spray paint; construction or bond paper in different colors, strong ribbon; stapler and gum; brads fasteners; craft knife, blade, scissor, glue and tape, markers, foam letters and numbers to decorate. As the assembly operation of the car is in progress, you may have some new ideas for enhancing its beauty. Think well and go ahead! The plastic plates are meant to serve as wheels. Choose your color. Do not hesitate to ape the latest model of the race car. Let the wheels turn properly. The other plate will be your steering wheel, unless you have better ideas. Cut two small circles for headlights and tail lights. When your car is ready to roll out of the assembly lines, all that is necessary is to make the rail tracks. Track made out of old tyres looks good and they are durable. You can achieve perfection in this area, by trial and error method.

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Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Handcrafted in Todays Modern Age

How To Craft A Toy Car For Party?

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Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Handcrafted in Todays Modern Age

How To Craft A Toy Car For Party?

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