Every 1/2 second a new one is born...

Heart Handmade just launched in March 2008, and is already a hotspot destination for handmade crafts and designs. HH is a combination of expertly curated product picks, interviews with designers and shop owners, and a series of insightful "how-to" features designed to help readers understand the art of creating and selling handmade crafts. From the budding newbie looking to break onto the scene to the seasoned crafter searching for ideas and inspiration, Heart Handmade is designed to appeal to a wide ranging audience with its daily dose of news, reviews and in-depth features.

The idea for Heart Handmade came from my own frustrations of trying to promote a collection of pouches that I lovingly designed. I contacted several bloggers with the hope that one of them would feature my work. But as weeks turned into months, I'd received no mentions and thus, no sales.

After spending several days being down in the dumps, I decided to turn my negative experience into something positive and useful. It was clear to me that there was still a need for more outlets where like-minded independent artists can be featured.

I initially quit the corporate world in the hope of opening up my own shop filled with the work of independent artists who I admire. For one reason or another, that dream is currently on hold - so I consider this endeavor a preparatory exercise. My approach will be one of a shop proprietress. I will scour the markets and share artists and products that I would personally carry if I owned a shop, featuring items that I would buy.

I will focus solely on handmade goods, and try my hardest to include the heart and story behind the products as much as possible. It's important for me to share stories on Heart Handmade because that is, after all, what makes handmade so special - the heart and the hand behind it. Plus, I've always loved reading about other crafters' stories. Learning how somebody else has experienced the same ups and downs as me in their crafting endeavors, makes all the difference.

My hope is for Heart Handmade to become an invaluable source for crafters like myself and provide them with an extra voice to promote their products in this vast community. On the flip side, I hope it becomes the first-stop for consumers thirsty for all things handmade and a guide to handmade newbies who are intimidated by navigating around sites like Etsy. Heart Handmade is the chance for me to pay homage to the craftsmanship and love that goes into Handmade.

xo Marichelle