Have you taken the handmade pledge?

Why do I buy handmade? I love knowing where the things I use come from. I love knowing what goes into the things I use. I love knowing that the items I buy were handcrafted with care rather than mass produced in a factory - they have a history and a story that you simply cannot get from factory produced items. Last holiday season I took the handmade pledge and we had our 3rd handmade holiday, where almost everything we gave as holiday gifts was handmade. I have started shopping for this holiday season already and am seeking more artisans to support, more handmade items to buy as gifts. This year, I have also posted my reasons for buying handmade at Inspire Handmade,
a site with some heartfelt sentiments and thoughts on why handmade is superior. Post your own story and tell the world why you buy handmade :)