Saturday, September 13, 2008

handmade communities

one of the simpler pleasures i take is to peruse beautiful expensive objects that i recognize the value of both aesthetically and from a pecuniary vantage point. this used to be possible by being fortunate enough to acquire a mailing address for a company that would periodically provide me with a catalogue that i would then drool and dream my way through and then begin all over again. often i would get several laps through such a publication before the next one arrived.

i feel certain that i am not alone in this very satisfying if not vain pursuit. finding the perfect item, coupling that with the will and ability to part with a relatively large amount of money and all in the pursuit of possessing something extraordinary is an experience that i have brought together a handful of times in my life.

with the advent of the internet, this pursuit became more immediate and much easier. communities such as etsy which provide access to an incredibly diverse and vast array of handmade items satisfies the craving for something that has been touched by human hands, has that aura of one-of-a-kind about it, and happily isn’t going to cause rifts and schisms in the fabric of my home as the bills come in!

at the other extreme but equally worthy is a community of artisans that is decidedly more high-end and concomitantly more expensive. 66 degrees possesses both the courage and the fortune to present the most extraordinary furniture, artworks, and crafted items.

typically they present a fairly broad spectrum of items which change on a fairly regular basis so you want to get your name on their mailing list which ensures that as each month rolls around you can experience the lovely luxury of looking over the extraordinary and unique selection that they have assembled for your pleasure and which will certainly invoke a craving to possess something of what they offer!!

No comments: