There is a saying I have believed in for as long as I can remember: a rising tide lifts all boats. It is simple, but it has shaped the way I see community, business, and especially the handmade world. I don’t mean that in some vague, feel-good way. I mean it literally: we are all Read More
Author: Miranda
A Love Letter to Human Creativity
People have debated the definition of art for centuries. I don’t pretend to have the answer. But I do know what art has always meant to me. Art has always been one human soul reaching out to another. Every work of art carries evidence of the person who made it. Years of practice. Failed attempts. Read More
Handmade Hypocrisy
The flood of AI-generated business posters reveals something fascinating: businesses do understand the value of professional visual branding. They know compelling imagery attracts attention, builds credibility, and elevates their products, events, and businesses. The truth is, most of them always understood the value of strong visual branding. The rush to adopt AI-generated imagery has made Read More
“But Everyone Else Does It” — Common Intellectual Property Mistakes Makers Make
Whenever I walk through a local craft market, scroll through my social feeds, or browse online handmade marketplaces, I notice a massive trend that’s hard to miss. Everywhere you look, there are beautiful, handmade products featuring familiar movie characters, sports team logos, video game imagery, and corporate brands. Intellectual property associated with well-known brands and Read More
When Your Branding Looks Like Everyone Else’s, You Have No Branding
There’s a worrying thing happening online right now: every business, fundraiser, market, festival, and community event is starting to look exactly the same. The same style of text arranged in the same layouts. The same AI-generated aesthetic copied and pasted across the internet until nothing stands out anymore. This doesn’t create the results the people Read More
Artists Are Not a Marketing Tool: My Stance on “The People’s Artist”
If you’ve spent more than five minutes on social media lately, you’ve likely seen the ads: Johnny Depp presents “The People’s Artist.” It looks flashy, it promises a life-changing $25,000 prize, and it’s wrapped in the prestige of Artforum magazine. At first glance, it looks like a golden opportunity for artists to get “discovered.” But Read More
It’s Not Gatekeeping, It’s a Boundary
I’ve noticed there’s a strange entitlement that has crept into the way people interact with artists online. Somewhere along the way, the idea took hold that if an artist shares their work publicly, they are automatically signing up to explain every step, answer every question, and respond on demand. That simply isn’t true. Artists choose Read More
The Maker’s Manifesto
My hands are stained with ink and dye, I’ve got a “vision” in my eye. I started with a simple plan, Then ignored it like a rebel can. The kitchen table? Gone from view, Buried under paint and glue. I bought more yarn, I bought more beads, To satisfy my “creative needs.” My spouse asks, Read More
When Handmade Starts Looking Fake: The Problem With AI-Generated Product Images
There’s a shift happening in the creative community, and not a good one. More and more, I’m seeing handmade products being run through AI image generators. Not edited, not enhanced, but re-created. At first glance, it might just look polished. A table placed in a cozy dining scene. Jewelry displayed on a perfect model. Everything Read More
The Broken Roses
Yesterday, while grocery shopping, we encountered the predictable Valentine’s Day spectacle—bunches of roses stationed strategically at the store entrance, their vibrant colors beckoning customers to participate in the annual ritual of commercialized affection. My partner and I have our own tradition. We wander to the card aisle together, read the funny ones aloud, share laughs, Read More