crafts for earning and learning
ABOUT JC BY HAND
JC by Hand is an online crafts magazine for working artisans, students, teachers, community volunteers and others who make handmade items for sale.
A Message from Judith
Welcome to JC by Hand! I hope you enjoy and profit by it. I believe this magazine can help people who depend on crafts work for earning money. The pages contain not only project ideas and patterns but also useful tips on pricing, production and marketing. I especially want to help people and groups who have little or no capital or experience in the business world. I also want to help people who are making and selling crafts for schools, nonprofit organizations and other community projects.
I have other agendas as well.
• JC by Hand is a public relations effort by Judith Conaway Multimedia. Besides...
• I've always wanted my own publishing company! I regard JC by Hand as an opportunity to broadcast my views on How Things Should Get Done. For example, I believe that...
• Children develop intelligence by working with their hands. In my writing for education, I often use crafts projects to teach basic skills such as reading and math. Marvelous as computers are, they are not Manipulatives. Let's not thumb our noses at Montessori while our children develop carpal tunnel syndrome and forget how to think clearly.
• There's a direct relationship between how people produce their goods and and what the environment can sustain. This doesn't mean we shouldn't use machines at all. But surely we don't have to be so enslaved to them? There are dozens of actions we perform by machine that can be done more efficiently by hand. Besides...
• Handmade objects have beauty, integrity and genuine human value that can never be reproduced by machines. Most of the world's masterpieces were created using "low" technology.
With JC by Hand, I hope to share not only my skills and ideas but these personal values. I look forward to your feedback. Please let me know the kinds of projects you'd like to see in this slice of cyberspace.
Judith
JC'S TECH LEVELS
TECH LEVEL DOES NOT EQUAL SKILL OR TALENT!
You can produce good art at any technical level. JC's tech levels are for making investment and production decisions, not artistic judgments!
LOW TECH
Requires very low investment of cash for materials and supplies. Uses only simple hand tools. Most projects can be used with success by children, workers in training and other beginners.
MEDIUM TECH
Requires medium level of investment for materials and supplies. Uses complex machines that may or may not run on electricity, such as carpenter's tools and sewing machines. Most projects can be used with success by small work groups of young people and adults.
HIGH TECH
Requires investment in computers, printers, scanners, etc. or access to color copier services. Many projects can be used with success for all grade and skill levels. High tech projects often display or otherwise incorporate low and medium tech media.
