Free Pass Friday

I am possibly the last blogger [who considers herself crafty] to take the Handmade Pledge, though I have been a practicing giver-of-handmade-goodness for many years. And if I am not THE last, then I am roughly the twenty six thousand, four hundred fifty fifth person to take the pledge.

Some of you reading may have received handmade potpourri from me in the mid-90's. Or perhaps it was jelly jars of apple butter. Did I make you a pillow around 2000? Or perhaps an apron in 2004?

I started my holiday shopping in earnest at Art Outside a month ago. Then last week stopped by a small craft festival on our way back from the orchard. I worked my way carefully through the hand-painted gourds and woven wheat wreaths until I stumbled upon Robert Kokenyesi's pottery. Into my stash of gifts go this set of coasters:

The handmade-gifts shopping kicks into high gear again tomorrow morning at the Missouri Botanical Garden. During the first weekend of October the spectacular gardens host the Best of Missouri Market. The market features over 120 artisans, vendors, and food producers from Missouri, which will make the gifts not only handmade, but local.

I'm taking my pledge very seriously.

ERB