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Did you know I sell stickers, postcards and signed books?
Here’s why:
I love charity shops and I love buying people presents from charity shops. But sometimes I get a bit shy about telling people that their gift is from a charity shop as opposed to a ‘normal' shop.
For my American friends please insert Thrift Store for Charity Shop!
For example, one of my best friends recently had a birthday and I’d found her the coolest green necklace (of all time) in a charity shop. I wrapped it up but when I gave it to her I just mumbled something about hoping she liked it and totally dodged the question of the necklace's provenance.
This made no sense. This friend is 100% cool. She grew up as a cool Northern Goth, she has rainbow mermaid hair, practically as soon as we met we started going round charity shops buying faux fur coats, pedal pushers and vintage dresses.
But somewhere at the back of my mind lurks an annoying little critical voice whispering about stigma and shame at second-hand gifts. For the record I have no idea who the author of this voice is, it's not parental and it's not my friends. Sometimes I think it's capitalism itself whispering in my ear.
If you don't experience these whispers then I'm really glad - all power to you! But that whisper is out there - about presents for certain relatives or for the dreaded moment when your child gets invited to another child's party and the expectation is to show up with something new that is gift wrapped and, let’s face it, made of plastic.
Why don't we celebrate second-hand, home-made and home-grown gifts at least as much as any other? Especially when they take more effort and are better for us and the planet.
After my friend's birthday, I decided I had to act. I had to reclaim and restate my enjoyment and pride in finding cool presents in charity shops and thrift stores. I had to make something beautiful that would announce where the gift came from - not in a bashful or apologetic way but in a bright, colourful way.
It had to be stickers - not least because I am obsessed with stickers and patches. At a festival or convention the sticker stall is where you'll find me, lingering around these tiny objects that have the power to completely transform whatever you choose to attach them to.
At first I was just planning on making stickers for myself, but then I realised there was a real gap here and that other people might find them useful. The process has reminded me of writing my first book - ‘Stitched Up - The Anti-Capitalist Book Of Fashion’, which I wrote because it was the book I needed to read and I couldn’t find it yet.
Because I often grow plants or make things as presents, I've made two stickers to celebrate these gifts. I also designed two postcards which I hope you'll love - yes the Because Mars Is Uninhabitable is a big ‘sod-off’ to Elon Musk and his ilk.
I'm also offering signed/doodled copies of ‘The Anti-Capitalist Book Of Fashion’ so if you want, and are able, to support my journalism and book writing please checkout my shop:
It's been a massive labour of love to get this up and running. I was talking to a friend last night who said "No one ever tells you the amount of work it takes to run any kind of online platform.” And it's true - in the last few months I've been designer, merchandise researcher, finance department, market researcher, logistics and delivery coordinator, tech team for Shopify and my website, plus now that I’ve written this I guess I’m ‘copy writer’ and marketer?!
It'll be worth it though if people like what I've made and find them useful - if it makes Christmas and birthdays that little bit easier and more celebratory then I'll be happy. If these stickers help even a few people swap critical whispers for charity shop pride, and aid in the transition away from the pressure to buy yet more new stuff, then I'll be over the moon!
Thanks for reading and enjoy.
In solidarity, Tansy.
P.s. Please send pictures of these stickers out in the wild: DearPatched@proton.me