So while looking online for a new tambourine to replace the one I bought years ago at the Renaissance Fair, I found these cute (what other word is there for tiny silver tambourines) things that seemed to me good favors for our parade...
(...we don't call them throws...because we don't throw them! think party favors for Joan of Arc's birthday...)
But I am feeling quite guilty...forgive me, Joan, for I have sinned..I ordered something made in China to give out at your parade!
Okay...we will have locally made King cake...locally made banners and costumes and local musicians...handmade dresses and hats (even some made out of Joan of Arc Brie packages..really!) and handcarved wooden swords and handsewn Joan "dolls"...on and on and on...handmade "cards" made on an antique bookpress...handpainted ornaments, decoupaged magnets...even bundled, fresh flowers and seed packets...
Can one argue that "hand-changed" or "hand-delivered" (to you, the parade goer) is still better than just "store-bought" or "machine-made"?
If you buy something at Dollar Tree or on Amazon.com then spend hours altering it with glitter and Joan's coat of arms and gems and lots of love...
Is that...handmade? No. But it is hand-altered...and that's still better than plain old beads, baby!
Come out and get something handed to you--not thrown at you. It makes all the difference. Even if we bought it somewhere else.
