craftivism.

thank you, jen!

| Betsy

I was sent a link to the very wonderful subversivecrossstitch.com a few weeks ago, many apologies for just now posting it. I’m tempted to order a kit for my grandmother, but then again, seeing that the last cross-stitch kit she gave me was a bookmark with a cow on it, it might not be such a grand idea.

Suddenly, that time of year is upon us where you realize that you have less than two months before the holidays and the gift giving shall soon commence.

In a very small bloggy way, I want you to take just a minute and think about making your own holiday cards and presents. There is a transformation that occurs when you make something and deliver it to someone you care about, something much more sincere and cheerful than a store bought gift.

The act of making something with your own hands, crafting it specifically for a particular person is a teeny tiny bit of activism, because it’s fighting against the mass consumerism that consumes us all.

Make your own books (see: Exlibris Anonymous), get all Martha Stewart, go to your local thrift shop and find things to redecorate, use some of Kathy Cano Murillo’s fantastic ideas.

See what happens when you start using your hands to say what’s in your heart.

i <3 fridays...

| Betsy

It’s Friday afternoon here in London, and currently my attention is divided between dancing to the new Peaches album, how delicious tea is with soy milk and the political importance of activism in society. Weird.

As some of you may have already noted, I’m in graduate school at the moment. This means that my life is all about sociology and making connections between things. I found this in my notebook after one lecture where I was supposed to be writing about multiculturalism and its relationship to both cultural and economic development:

unhappiness -> activism -> ideas, creativity -> craft

I don’t know if that has any relevance to you, but it sure made sense to me.

Regardless, for those who are craftily inclined, check out this from the amazing people at getcrafty. And while you’re staying in on those cold cold nights, be productive in front of the television, ok?

To borrow from the vernacular, people, get yer craft on!

change in vocabularies…

| Betsy

Been wondering today about the roots of both craft and activism. The way that craft has been brought from home into the public sphere (as directly in relation to the old adages of feminism being trampled) and activism has been brought into the home sphere via the public (by making our own things we are being activists). And the way that the repercussions of such moves are instigating a PR change for two very stigmatized words.

Baby, I’m not a fan of PR, but it was about damn time for an overhaul.