Hello folks I am the ole woodcrafter.
My wife and I have been hand crafting items for over 30 years now right here in southwest Virginia. 

Seeing a customer purchase one of your handcrafted items brings great satisfaction to the one that crafted the item.. sort of like an artist would feel in selling one of his works of art…in some ways it is a work of art.

A true handcrafted item is that one will never find one item just like the another…that is the beauty of it.

I being a crafter find that true American made handcrafted items are put together or assembled far more better than those that are found in certain parts of the world…you know what I mean by that… those items that imported here with a brand on it that states hand made.

All across this great country of ours one will find moms and pops and even sisters and brothers in basements, sewing rooms, living rooms, out door work shops building hand crafted items either for themselves, family, or to sell at craft fairs.
I group all these fine folks together and call them.. The American artist..

Buying American made crafted items are indeed very important.
A few reasons why they are.
One.. They are made in America.. I call it taking pride in your country.
Two.. You know what you are getting.. remember the foreign pet food and toy problem.
Three.. Your helping your community, church, and town when they sponsor craft events to raise funds.
Four.. Those moms and pops I stated earlier… your helping to put food on the table and making ends meet.

And there are other reasons that can get political..
I’ll just mention the one since folks can get pretty heated over political things.. And that is….
NOPE I’M NOT GOING TO SAY IT.. I am not going to say what the news says about foreign sweat shops or child labor laws.

How can one tell if its not from the good ole USA
Read labels… sometimes it will state what country it was made in… sometimes the store owner removes the label.

If all those crafted items look the same way as the one setting next to it does.

Study the item closely.. Does it look cheap or Put together cheap.

Does it fall apart in your hands as you are looking at it ( this happen to me once in a store that starts with a W and at a craft show where crafters were selling items that were not really hand crafted… they got the items out of a wholesale magazine.

Ask questions… ask the crafter how was the item made, what tools did they use to make the item.. To a real crafter this makes great conversation.
Well folks that will be all for now… I put my two cents in… I hope it saves the world.. LOL..
God bless and good day
Rev. Ron Snider