hank green does a newsletter series called "there is good things all around me" where people submit there small wins and gratitudes, and i really had one of my own today. i am such an advocate for buying handmade things; I love farmers markets, craft fairs, even etsy and redbubble. ultimately, i feel so much better when i know the money i spent is going to support makers and their craft. You can imagine my delight then, when I came across this family business called the blossoming book shop. On their vending booth, they had used books, new books, patches, tote bags, stickers and plenty other ephemera, but the heart of the company is that the makers behind the magic are two autistic sisters, emma and tessa. buying from them goes to support work opportunities for youth and young adults with exceptionalities.
while the ethos of this beautiful company is heartwarming, the most enchanting part was the "blind date with a book" section, pictured here. these beautifully hand packaged books, along with a hot chocolate packet, chocolate covered fruits, bookmarks, stickers, and more, have tags with vague descriptions of the book contents. it is up to the buyer to decide if they'll go on the book "dates". OF COURSE i was enthralled by the idea (after unwrapping, i had discovered my date was spell bound by f.t. lukens, a YA queer romantic adventure fiction that i'm excited to dig my teeth into!).
this is a general call to all the makers and creators of the world: YOUR WORK HAS VALUE BECAUSE YOU MADE IT god i cannot emphasize this enough. if restaurants can make their food sound more appetizing by advertising "made with real ingredients", that logic should apply twofold when it comes to concept and execution. "made with human-generated ideas" and "made with my own two hands" are worth an upcharge, because that is something i'd rather invest in any day than in "innovative manufacturing technology" or "delivered at the speed of light" because what those headlines DONT say is "at the cost of working artists and humans in the creative industry."
LETS SAY THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD!
