If you’ve been reading for a while, or know me in person, you know how intense my desire to surround myself with handcrafted items is. I’ve done a few general review posts, showing some of my favorite Etsy shops and items. Recently I’ve been taking this determination to the next level by trying to purchase from local, California based, indie sellers as often as possible.
Several months ago I took the handmade hygiene plunge and ordered a vegan deodorant from Hiromi at Soap.Etsy.com. It arrived in a little bag full of her bar soap samples. She was quick to email me, letting me know everything I needed to know. Because I (at the time) lived about 60 miles south of the Soap HQ my mega-hippy-super-commie-vegan-deodorant arrived within a couple of days. What happened next? I converted.
It’s been a slow process due to the woes and restraints of a student budget, but I’ve been putting more and more of my hard earned cash into the pockets of people that truly deserve it. I bought I great piece of art (above) from Caitlin Kuhwald, who lives/works/creates in Berkeley. More handmade soap, from Savor (a San Franciscan!) which I absolutely adore (below) in a sweet, yet tart, Rhubarb and Raspberry scent.
What do you think will happen next? I’ve been eyeballing shampoos and conditioners from Gudonyatoo, coasters from Greenchairpress and the skirts made by Idea2Lifestyle. I’m wondering when I’ll have a falling down, abusing my wallet gleefully, and what I’ll get in the mail the following week. 
