Boston Handmade - What we give each other

by Sharon of Stray Notions

I joined Boston Handmade less than a year ago and just this month attended the first of what I hope will be quite a few more of our annual meetings. It is an day long meeting where we:
review where we've been as individuals and as a group and plan where we're going and how we are going to get there. In between we share some yummy food and do a blind swap of handmade goods.

But, what we give each other is so much more than the things you see pictured here (wonderful as they all are). As a group there is such diversity in terms of the media in which we work, the level of experience in our respective fields, whether or not we are full time artists/artisans. Some of us are recent college graduates others are old enough to be their parents, some always knew they'd work in the arts and pursued degrees to get there, others are on second (or third) careers and took a more circuitous path.

It is this wealth of talents and experience that we share when we meet in person or online, in a large group like at the annual meeting or one on one for specific needs. We give each other, encouragement, honest criticism and advice, information, skills, reality checks, referrals and business opportunities.