Sadly, we won’t be doing Freebie Fridays this week. I’m sorry to disappoint everyone.
Gotcha! I may be a day late, but I couldn’t help myself! To make up for that lame trick, we’re giving you the chance to win an awesome freebie this week!
Model Metalworks is a husband-and-wife team with a passion for handmade pieces of art and for supporting traditional artisan communities. They work with 23 families who weave pine-needle baskets that represent their cultures.
Model Metalworks has partnered with us to give you the chance to win a handmade pine-needle tray with handles. For a chance to win, answer this week’s question before 12/11c, Monday, April 5. Be sure to provide a valid email address so we can contact you if you win.
This week we want to know: How do you support your local community when it comes to design? Do you refuse to shop at chain furniture stores and visit smaller, local showrooms instead? Do you support the artists and designers in your town? You have until 12/11c on Monday to answer. Click for official rules.
My favorite places to shop for gifts are locally owned antique stores wherever I go . I find such unique and fun items . No problem with duplication of gifts. I also love shops that carry handmade items.
I try to use resale shops / antique stores, and also attend the local art fairs in my community.
I go to the local farmers market for both my fruit and my fresh flowers throughout the house.
Restoration, restoration, restoration. Why buy new "chain" furniture when you can browse the local antique, thrift and rummage shops for ordinary finds and make them extraordinary. Buy old and make it new.
I am a graphic designer in the twin cities community and I create the visual resources which help save lives through organ & tissue donation for our tristate area. I also support our local printing facilities which utilize organic inks and recycled papers.
not only am i a thrift store shopper but i visit dump store locally for gently used items and find lots of stuff to share..i support a local friend and am a fan of harvest gold jewlers who in turn support other local artists …giving back seems to get you so far ahead..it cheers me to find local produce and goods at westons farm which is 3min from my home..in this economy i get a good feeling im helping someone survive too!..my town hosts the fryeburg fair every year it's the largest agricultural fair in new england ! they are committed to the same values we should all share..Just cabinets is a local furniture store struggling in this economy, they have all work handmade locally, giving jobs and beautiful peices right in my town. the pine needle basket would be appropriate for me since i use outdoor freebies like cones,lilacs, etc.
Living in Austin, one would go to support the smaller unique shops. I like things that are different and match my personality, my own personal note. Big Stores are great for everyday stuff, But treasures are found when you visit the little man's store. It's amazing how much creativity you will find in their store windows. That's what sparks my ideas. love it!
I help my community with design by helping not-for-profits with the designs of their office space for free. Since we are a company that uses only repurposed materials we also promote their use in our design or redesign work. We are a small community and a little bit of practical reuse goes a long way!
I live in the very eclectic town of Floyd VA. We always try to boost our local economy!
I support our local artist at the craft and art fairs. We have some amazing talented folks up here in the Adirondack Mts in upstate NY
Farmers markets and flea markets are the best. Yard sales that they sale their creations are big around here and I always support them. Id always rather buy something that is homemade rather than store bought (made in china, mexico, etc…)
I support local design anytime that I can.. It is so important to honor our fellow designers with there wonderful talents… Here in Birmingham, AL> we have so many different places to do so…. Pepper Place is held every Sat. morning in an older district of Birmingham, From crafts to, farmers, dairy, everything possible…. We also have one at Mt Laurel with local artist and farmers… Naked Art in Birmingham is where local artist and woodcrafts men and women can display there art in many different ways. Wood, metal, copper, art… I love going and supporting each… We make it a family outing… Some times even our Labs go with us…..
We try to support our community, here in SC by shopping local whenever possible. When we entertain friends from New England, we visit Charleston, where the local Gullah people weave, and sell the sweet grass baskets. These baskets are so beautiful, and original that it is hard to leave Charleston without one. We enjoy attending fairs, and craft shows where local craftspeople, and artisans sell their wares.
I support my local community by trying to shop at local stores (not chains), local farmers market and also try to used reclaimed materials from our local habitat for humanity store.
I try to shop at local festivals and flea markets as often as possible, and then I go home and make something of my own!
I shop local whenever possible, and I hit up the local college for great new art from budding unknowns! Good ways to support your community.
I shop at a local store offering wares only from regional artisans.
Where is the question?
I support the local community by shoppin the local produce markets and thrift shops as much as possible.
We support the local artists and buy from local furniture stores rather than the chains. I love that tray!
we love the local kirkwood farmers market, and i never miss a chance to attend a local flea market or second hand store!
I like to shop in local thrift stores and consignment shops. There is also a great area of town that has a "design" section of shops which is fabulous.
I do my best not to shop at the chain stores. I believe one of the best things about decorating is finding a way to be 'green' and give something old a new life and purpose. My sister and I spend most weekends buried in local thrift stores where proceeds benefit the humane society, salvation army, and organizations for these in need in our community. It takes a creative eye to see something that appears to be junk and see its potential to be something wonderful. Nothing gives me more satisfaction that snapping a few before and after photos and seeing what a little elbow grease, and some creativity can do! Most of the decor in my home has been re-purposed from these stores. It's a great way to be environmentally friendly, help out with your community, and get your craft on
Can some explain how this works…where is the question. I am confused.
I visit Craft Company No. 6 when looking for American made, usually local art, when selecting pieces for rooms I've designed
It is an expensive art community here in New England. I can't shop them much but do appreciate. Both myself and my son are artists and we try to do what we can to make due with what we need by being as creative as possible. –By not buying everything from big box and using what I like to call "feminine inginuity" (–me anyway) (there is a book of the same name somewhere).
When it comes to supporting local design in my area, I shop at our local resale shop that is associated with Habitat for Humanity. We have some very talented local designers who are all about re-purposing in very creative ways. I, personally, am in the process of redecorating and painted my furniture instead of buying new, as well as recovering and reusing what I already had as well as visiting Goodwill! Craigslist is also a great source of used items in St. Louis.
Since I live in a VERY rural area, a lot of design and decorating ideas come from local antique stores, Amish home designs, and craft stores that offer displays that give ideas. There are no chain furniture stores for quite a few miles, so all we have are our local showrooms. This is an area that definitely gives back to its own. We don't worry about the latest trends. We just try to go with what we think looks nice, and with what makes us feel comfortable.
I support my local area. When I can afford to.
garage sales, flea markets, farmers markets…the best way to get quality products at great prices.
i have many friends who make a living off of their art and support them wholeheartedly. i've take photos that my friend has turned into watercolors to sell, i've hired local artists to provide artwork for an office i helped design and furnished my home with works by artists from my hometown.
We live 15 minutes from a small town to our east and 15 minutes from a larger city to our west…..we choose to use our purchasing power in the small town community and support the small family owned buisnesses and craft/art fairs. There are many talented people in the area and if it weren't for those that support the community their dreams would be dashed.
Since I myself am an artisan, I appeciate my local community members patronizing my work, and so I seek out the same. I try and attend all the local craft & art shows possible and I'm happy to say I have found some beautiful, unique works of art this way! I also befriend the local antiques merchants, shopping regularly. They will let me know when they have found something they know I'll like and give me great prices, too,as a faithful customer!
I love to go to garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, farmers markets, for great finds. Good way to recycle and be green. I also believe in passing down from generation to generation, to know and learn the labor of love.
We have a great artist's co-op in town as well as many innovative small shops that sell items like re-purposed furniture. Also, I like to use Craig's list to find local crafts / trade people when I am making changes to my home.
We like to visit local arts and crafts fairs in our area — my husband loves pottery and baskets and I love handmade soaps so we are always on the lookout for these items made locally. Sometimes there are even local woodworkers at these fairs selling furniture and other items and we both love these!
I love to shop my farmers market for fresh local grown produce but sometimes they have local artists as well that are selling handmade deco for the home and garden. I would rather buy these and support my local community than shop big name stores that are too over priced and too crowded.
We have a fun monthly art crawl in Wichita, Final Friday, that I love to attend with my fiance!
I love to go to local craft fairs and buy handmade gifts and unique art. I collect business cards from artists selling work I really like, but may not be able to afford right then. If there is a particular piece I like, I get the name or description. That way I can contact them to see if it's still available or suggest it to family as an idea for a gift.
Where I live we have the Shinnecock Indian Reservation,and,I support their farmer market and the stores along Montauk Highway (Southampton, New York) they also sell beautiful himalayan salt lamps in one of these stores.It is only right to support our local artisans ..
We use local small chain stores so it keeps taxes down so the small business's don't have a hard time keeping their business and so the senior's can keep their homes as well due to low taxes.
I love flea markets garage sales and consignmeny stores in Fy. Myers. Everything is awesome.
I stay away from big box stores, that only carry imported stuff. I buy american first, locally second, handmade third. I do not mind paying a higher price if it helps my city, county, state and country.
Our city supports several arts and crafts fairs thru out the year. I love going to those and shop for locally made art.
I love visiting and shopping at my local New England thrift stores to find some fantastic unique pieces. Some are perfect as found and others have been re-purposed. I also enjoy shopping in my town to help support local business. Lastly, some great design finds have also come from local crafters that I have met at shows, fairs, on-line and through friends.
I visit only locally owned furniture and design stores. I also attend the local college art festival. The art is fabulous and nothing is over $75!
I don't have the money to shop like that. I use pieces I find on the side of the road. I refinish them and use them in my home. This is a contribution in that I am helping keep some stuff out of the county landfill. I also recycle.
We have decided to be comitted to buying everything made in the USA. We support our local designers, artist, farmers and business people. It is very hard in a small town that has a super walmart for you shopping choice. We however have found some great locally owned businesses. I wish that the general public would wake up to the benifits of supporting locals.
We have a small art gallery in our community, I find the most beautiful jewelry there to give as gifts.
I support my local artist talents by shopping at our local in town stores. My youngest daughter loves to draw and make many different art works. She won a contest for one of her art drawings when she was only 8 yrs. old. She loves to go with me and get many different ideas to draw or make. My other two daughters love to go to thrift shops for excellent buys, things that they would not otherwise be able to.