Are you crafty? Have you ever been? I never considered myself crafty; it just didn’t seem to me that I was the crafty type at all… But as I was writing this, I think I realized that I am and was always crafty!
I did lots of tole painting of wooden crafts for myself and my family. I knitted blankets for my babies, and made all their meals from scratch; never buying store-bought baby food. I made homemade Halloween costumes and used cloth diapers to keep the costs down, but also to be better for the environment. I always made home-cooked meals, and I made my kid’s lunches to take to school with homemade cookies (sometimes to their dismay), but was happy to do it. I did it for a couple of reasons:
- I was a stay-at-home Mom; finances didn’t allow for a lot of extras, so that is when I become inventive and do what needed to be done for me to stay at home to raise my children.
- I loved knowing I was giving my family things that I had made from scratch. It definitely makes you feel good knowing you are doing something good for someone else.
Many years ago we all lived off the land for our food, shelter, and clothing. People may not have had many conveniences in life, but they knew how to be self-reliant and take care of themselves and their families. But today we’ve managed to undo all of that, and I wonder if we are better off or not!
Technology and science have definitely helped us in many ways. Science has helped us with medicines and operations that can help us when we are sick and save lives. Technology helps us to stay in contact with others and helps us to learn things in ways that never would have happened without it.
But technology, science and mass production have also depleted natural resources, polluted the air, soils and waterways making humans and wildlife chronically ill, and have also disconnected us from our own willingness to make and provide for ourselves and family.
When you make things yourself, you then start to marvel at the amazing things people create from their hearts, souls, and their own hands. When you purchase something from a craftsperson that makes something with their hands you are getting their expertise, their way of doing it a little different from someone else. You experience their passion, their creativity and their spirit.
It shocks me how many people have no idea where their food comes from or has no idea what’s in their skincare!
This is when fresh matters; when local matters! The longer food sits on a shelf or a truck to be transported here, the more nutrients are being lost. Processed foods that are made in a factory and then put in a box to sit on a shelf and travel from thousands of miles away are not really good for us as it has no fresh nutrients. But to be able to grow it yourself in your garden or buy it fresh from a farmer’s market is always best because you are consuming it with all those nutrients still intact.
The same with skincare products, they become less concentrated over time. My natural skincare products are not made to sit on a shelf for 3 years but are made in small-batch artisan production. I make my skincare products in small batches so they are always fresh, concentrated and effective.
I also price my products the keep them affordable for everyone. Some people say that the more expensive a product is the more we think it is worth it. I’ve been told many times that my pricing is too low and I should make them more expensive because I am making a natural skincare product which is very popular right now… The issue with that is I want to have a good product that is affordable to all, not just to people who may be able to afford it. If you make a good product and price it to make it affordable, then I feel it is for everyone to enjoy.
I want to provide a service and awesome product that I am proud to sell; that I know is better for us because we are eliminating harmful toxic chemicals and using what Mother Nature has given to us to enjoy, grow and live off of.
This isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme; I have no desire to be a large company that loses its morals. Instead, I want to stay a small business, making small batches. By making small handmade batches I can help to be sure of their quality and freshness, and definitely not making something that was mass-produced one to possibly three years ago and has been or will be sitting on a shelf waiting to be sold.
So I guess I am still a craftsperson! I love making my Rain Natural Skincare products for people that they love and know how it can benefit their skin, and their body and help them to feel good as well.
Right now we need to value the little things; the simple things and we need to recognize, value and support skill and talent. We need to keep our brains from going dormant. We are all creative beings and I encourage you to find your creative outlet, to pass on to our children the importance of making something with their own two hands and saying “I made that!”
I encourage you to go visit your local farmers market and see all the wonderful farmers, bakers, artisans and craftspeople that are local to you. Support them and thank them for using their skills to help us to get fresh products and to help us to thrive!
To Your Health,
