This post is inspired by a status update I saw on Facebook from Vintage is Beautiful last weekend. And yes, I did create this post when I saw it. Some of the points are the same and others are different. I hope the owner of Vintage is Beautiful doesn’t mind me borrowing her idea.

Here are five reasons to choose hand made products:

1. You are supporting a small business - most people who sell home made products are small businesses, and many of those are work at home Mums. By buying from them, you are keeping these people in business and helping these Mums support their family.
2. You are getting a unique product - even if the designer of the product has made 5 items the “same”, there are still aspects of the creating process that means no two items are exactly alike. For example, dress fabric is cut on a different place in the pattern, or flowers are placed in a slightly different spot on the front of a card. No two items are exactly alike.
3. You can find them in unexpected places - have you ever been to a little craft market and found the perfect hand made gift for someone, or in a little nick nack shop somewhere? There are many places you can find hand made products - markets, on the Internet, in boutique shops, expos, and more. You never know when you will come across something that is exactly what you are looking for.
4. Hand made items are made with love and attention to detail - the creators of hand made items are making them because they love to create. This love and attention to detail comes through in the designs and the quality of the products. It also comes through with the materials they use to make them.
5. You can get things personalised - if you have a little girl who has recently become obsessed with a particular football team, or a friend is decorating their baby’s room in an unusual colour or theme, you may be able to contact some of the businesses who create hand made products and get things made to suit. Not all hand made businesses accept custom orders, and they will want a deposit up front and it will take longer to get to you, but there is no harm in asking. You will end up with a special gift or product that exactly suits what you are looking for.

So, where do you find these home made businesses? A great place to start is local craft markets. There are markets on almost every weekend and some week nights. Check your local paper for markets and fairs in your local area. You can also do a Google search for craft markets.

Other great places are Etsy and Made It. These are like online craft markets. You can search by item or by shop to find the goodies you are looking for.

There are also many directories of work at home Mums, such as the Business Mums Directory, where you can find business mums with their own websites who sell home made products.

Happy Shopping!