Teodora Paintings: Why I Like Handmade Products

Because they are quirky, unique, made with love, imperfect, original, not mass produced – these are just a few attributes that come to mind when we think about handmade items. Ever since I was a little girl I liked creating things with my hands, from drawings and paintings, to necklaces and dolls’ clothes.

Handmade hand bag - Etsy

I have always dreamed of having a creative job: first I wanted to be a fashion designer, then a writer and poet, then an artist – whatever this implied –, book illustrator, jewellery maker. But none of this happened for a very long time as I had to go through education, university, “real” jobs, emigration (due to falling in love), integrating in the new culture, finding another “real” job and finally liberation and going self-employed. Now I work as a painter, also creating jewellery using mini prints after my paintings, and as a freelance writer, writing articles on arts, crafts and home décor for clients all over the world.

But how all this little history relates to my love of handmade? As a person who’s creating all the time, I respect artists’, crafters’ and artisans’ work as I know how much time and dedication they put into creating a unique item. There were times when mass produced was the cheaper option for accessories and home décor items, but in the last four years or so, I made a pact with myself that every time I want to buy something for the home or I want to treat myself with something nice, I would check the handmade option first and if I can’t afford what I like, I pin the product and save it until I can.

This is how I managed to acquire earrings, rings and bracelets; pottery, vases and candle holders; bags, storage boxes and cushion covers for myself, my husband and our home. And my favourite online shops to look for such items are, in no particular order, Not on the High Street, Etsy and Folksy.

I have already written an article about why I like Not on the High Street shop and I will probably dedicate some articles to Etsy and Folksy too, both as a seller and a buyer, but for now, I just wanted to show you some of the handmade things I acquired over the years. I liked them then and I still like them now and this is something that I love about handmade: they seem like they never go out of fashion and I never get bored of them.

As I am a firm believer to follow what you preach, here are the promised pictures with what I bought in the recent years or so and the links to the creators’ shops where possible.