12 Small Things News

On the morning of my photo shoot for 12 Small Things it was pouring rain. I was on the phone with my photographer, Mark Johann, to see if we should reschedule, and checking our model’s availability, when my daughter Olivia called me crying from her cell phone. She had just left the house to drive herself to school for the first time since getting her driver’s license, and bumped into the car in front of her at an intersection. When it rains it pours. Using another cliche, I told her to get back on the horse, and call me when she got to school. Checking the weather forecast I decided to go ahead with the shoot, as the model I wanted was traveling to Los Angeles later that week. I answered the door as my friend Margaret Barr arrived to help, and so began yet another busy day.

Photoshoot on Bernal Hill

The model I booked, Chelsea Wendroff from Stars Model Management, is a beautiful young woman recently new to San Francisco from New York. Her mother is from the Dominican Republic and her father is of Russian decent, which makes for a very photogenic mix. After finishing our first shot inside our home in Bernal Heights, the rain stopped, the sun came out and we all headed outdoors to shoot 12 Small Things Spring/Summer collection on Bernal Hill, our little oasis among the urban sprawl. Mark had his friend Mario Parnell, a fellow photographer assisting, who donned us in Mar Y Sol’s hats from Madagascar to shade the jaunty crew from the blazing sunshine.

Hillside Supperclub

After a great session on the hill we headed down the other side to our third location at the Hillside Supper Club. The owners, chefs Tony Ferrari and Jonathan Sutton had kindly agreed to let us photographer there before their nightly dinner service. I had contributed to their Kickstarter fundraiser to help open their former pop-up restaurant in the former Cafe Cozzolino space. My husband and I have had a number of memorable meals there with Mark and Darcy Lee from Heartfelt ,who provides the floral arrangements for the restaurant, keeping it all in the hood.

Hungry Model

While the guys set up the lighting for our next shots, we gals walked down the block to grab some lunch for everyone at Precita Park Cafe. The place was bustling for a Monday afternoon and we brought back delicious salads and sandwiches for the group to share. Fortified by our break, we handily shot my friend Gianna Driver’s collection of silk scarves from Laos and SERRV’s new recycled glass necklaces made by women in Mali, both great gifts for Mother’s Day. We finished with a shot at the bar of Smita Paul’s amazing polka dot shawl from Indigo Handloom, and headed back to the house to shoot Petel’s table runners from Mauritania in Africa. Waiting at home was Olivia, safely back from school having recovered from the morning’s fender bender. As my awesome photo team packed up to leave, we all exchanged our contact information, hoping to stay connected. I ended the day feeling very lucky to know so many inspiring artists and artisans from around the world through 12 Small Things, and to be able to live and work in such a great neighborhood on the Hill.

Mr. Clean at the Housewares show

I went to Chicago last month to attend the International Home and Housewares Show for my job as a sales representative for Keena, and to see my friend Deb Boardman for a few days. Thank goodness I was staying with Deb and her husband Joe in their art-filled home, as it provided great contrast and relief from the monolithic trade show downtown at the McCormick Center. I had been to Chicago before to attend a press check when I worked for The Gap, but had never been the the McCormick Center nor to the Housewares show. To say the show was over the top, a trade show on steroids, would still be an understatement. I definitely felt very, very small as I walked the aisles by myself the first day I attended, and had to keep from gawking when I saw celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri as well as Mr. Clean himself!

I was happy to see my vendors with their familiar faces and products so nicely displayed, including Kikkerland, DCI, Teroforma, Menu and Corkcicle. The Housewares show is different from the other mostly gift shows I’ve attended or worked, in that not a lot of sales are written during the event. It’s mostly for schmoozing, and there are a lot of big corporate buyers in business suits, and meeting room booths for private conversations. I was wondering why one of my vendors was paying half attention to me until I realized his boss was speaking with the head buyer from Bed Bath and Beyond. Right, sorry, do your thing!

Mr. Henley and Co.

As I started to suffer from sensory overload, I stopped by one of our newest vendors, Mr. Henley, for a quick hello before I bolted for the day. Mr. Henley is the brainchild of David Long and his friend Todd Larrabee who met while they were both working for Radio Shack. Through his experience as a buyer, David has a vast network of sources for custom manufacturing around the world. That knowledge, combine with his sense of nostalgia for post WWII America, has produced an array of clever gifts for men of an era gone by, that is anxiously being sought by the younger tech generation. What young, working professional wouldn’t want a set of stainless steel bar tools wrapped up in canvas, leather bike straps to hold your bottle of wine, a canvas holder for your beer pong? All the products were carefully displayed on antique shelves and trunks, found by David and friends in downtown Chicago only days before the show. As the old-fashion radio wafted big band music around my head I knew it was soon time for a beverage and made my way out the convention center into the cold, grey Chicago landscape just as it was starting to snow.

The Field Museum Store

Instead of a drink I found my way over to the Field Museum having never been before and always wanted to. Unfortunately they were just closing for the day, but I was able to visit their renown gift shop which was well worth the stop. I had met the director of the gift store before on a trip to Peru to attend the Gift Show in Lima for 12 Small Things. She is a big supporter of fair trade artisans and very well respected in the industry. Her influence was evident in beautiful display of goods in the museum store. In one corner someone had put together a collection of saris and other products from India that particularly caught my eye; quite an interesting contrast to the houseware show.

The Walnut Room

Realizing at 4:00 I still hadn’t had lunch, I hailed a cab just as the snow flurries resumed and ended up downtown by the old Marshall Field’s building now occupied by Macy’s. Entering their doors to peak at the old architecture, I found my way up to the top floor and the Walnut Room where I was encouraged to take a seat in the mostly empty, long established restaurant. I ordered the salmon salad and a glass of Chardonnay encouraged by my waiter and felt the spirits of yesteryear in old dark wood panels surrounding me. A young couple two tables over were talking about their upcoming wedding plans and what they would register for after lunch. Actually, she was talking and he was on his second cocktail. Just wait until you have kids, I thought to myself!

Deb and friends

That evening after dinner at my friend’s house, Deb and I went to one of her student’s art shows at their home near Lincoln Park. One of the artists had installed a large sculpture in their outdoor gallery made tolerable by an improvised fire pit where we huddled with cans of cold beer in hand, talking to friends and neighbors who attended. Many thought I was lucky to live in California and wished they could too. I was happy to be heading home to the green hills of San Francisco, but so glad I could visit the windy city and appreciate all that it offered.

Happy new year! What happened to 2012? I blinked and now it’s another new year and I’m definitely not getting any younger. My work as a sales Representative for Keena in San Francisco has kept me so busy, I’ve had little time to dedicate to 12 Small Things. Since returning from New York it seems as if I have been working 24/7, selling products to my Mission, Bernal Heights and Potrero Hill customers, as well as my key accounts including Cost Plus, Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods. Cost Plus and Williams-Sonoma both have corporate offices where their buyers work, so it’s one stop selling once you get an appointment. Whole Foods also has a corporate office, but the sales are made individually through each store, of which there are 38 in Northern California and counting, from Monterey to Reno and San Francisco to Fresno!

Margaret at Whole Foods

I asked my friend Margaret, whose son Max had just left for his first year of college, if she wanted to go on a Whole Foods road trip with me. I pitched it like a Thelma and Louise bonding opportunity, without the going off the cliff part. Funnily enough, she agreed and we embarked on a 6 day journey, complete with a car full of product samples and Starbucks, alternating tunes with NPR and the Presidential debates. We began with the foggy coast of Marin county, with early morning grocery shoppers dressed in form fitting workout wear and Uggs. As we worked our way up to Sebastapol, athletic clothes gave way to loose fitting hippie wear with attitude. But whatever town we were in, one thing was definitely a common thread; people like their food and personal care products and Whole Foods is there to sell it to them!

On our journey down the coast to Santa Cruz and Monterey, we made a detour to Los Gatos to see Emmy Lou Harris in concert at the Mountain Winery. That day we had visited some of the larger Whole Foods stores in Campbell and Cupertino, and I found myself wandering around the aisles, amazed at all the space they had dedicated to non-food products. As I viewed the various displays of items, I saw right in front of me, in large letters over the jewelry section, the words Fair Trade Accessories. And then, a light bulb went on in my brain. What are the chances that at some point, I could sell 12 Small Things to Whole Foods?

Whole Foods Fair Trade

That night, before the concert, Margaret and I were talking about the possibilities of selling not just a few dozen necklaces through my website, but potentially a few hundred to Whole Foods and other retailers for that matter, and what a bigger impact that could have for the artisan groups I work with. I feel I’ve learned a lot these past few years about which artisan groups could fulfill larger orders, and have developed good relationships with a number of wholesalers I could work with, as I do with Keena. Margaret and I were both very excited about the opportunity as we enjoyed a quick dinner and glass of wine before a glorious concert under the stars.

Neeru Kumar

My work for Keena is becoming even more intertwined with my interests in supporting fair trade artisans, hand-crafted products and sustainable resources, with some of the new lines we are representing in 2013. Catharine Keena held our annual meeting in November, when new companies come to present their lines, and we sales reps get a chance to ask questions and give feedback. I love these presentations and was so happy to see so many companies represented by women producing unique hand-crafted products. One of my favorites is the company Pavo, who make some of the most beautiful hand-woven textiles in India. Their designer Neeru Kumar, is internationally acclaimed for her work, and the company has been run by her family, employing hundreds of workers in their village for decades.  I had spoken with their sales manager, Anita Mehta, when I was at the gift show in August, and swooned over the samples she had so beautifully displayed in her booth.In our meeting, I had the chance to hear how they are made, and feel them as they were passed around the table. I felt like Daisy in the Great Gatsby when she sees all of his shirts so neatly pressed in his closet. Something about the sheer beauty of something so well made and cared for, that makes a person really stop and take notice and feel it’s worth.

Laurie Libman-Wilson

Another new company Keena is now representing is Studio Penny Lane from Los Angeles.  Their products are all about, you guessed it, pennies, and even better, about the man on the penny, Abe Lincoln. They have, a penny for your thoughts; notebooks, jewelry, belt buckles, and my favorite, t -shirts with the Gettysburg address printed on the front and back. Having seen the movie Lincoln on Christmas, and now reminded of it with the Oscar nominations, the collection seems very relevant. Their founder, Laurie Libman-Wilson, promotes both the penny and Lincoln, inspiring hope and possibilities, and how we all need a little of that these days and in our government. Penny Lane also supports a foundation for youth to promote reading and writing among urban youth, similar to 826 Valencia. I can’t wait to rep their products and spread a little Abe wisdom and good luck!

Chitra Gopalakrishnan,

In walking the New York Gift show again last week in search of 12 Small Things, I came across two scarf vendors who caught my attention in particular. One was Kara Weaves, a small company that works with independent teams of weavers in Kerala, India, to create handmade home furnishings of the highest quality. Chitra Gopalakrishnan, co-founder, freelance designer and professor, showed me their collection of beautiful hand-woven cotton scarves and towels from India with bold colorful graphics, perfect for summer. Started in the summer of 2008 with her partner Indu Menon, a social anthropologist and author of ‘Women Weaver’s, 1983, Kara is a creative venture with a social cause, born out of the need to give the Kerala handloom industry a much-needed impetus.

Smita Paul

The other scarf company that stopped me in my tracks was Indigo Handloom, who I wrote about in my last post. I can not wait to feature her gorgeous scarves and buy a few for myself! One of my mentors, Carol McNaulty, who I saw briefly at the Aid to Artisans cocktail reception, asked me before I left if I wanted to have lunch with her and Mimi Robinson and Smita Paul from Indigo, once we all got back to San Francisco. How’s that for coming full circle? I love how everything’s connecting right now; work, interests, people. Not so easy to figure out going forward, but with enough persistence, good guidance and following your senses, in hindsight, it looks like it was all in the master plan.

My friend, designer Mimi Robinson, founder of Bridging Cultures through Design, explained where she first heard the phrase, while we were having lunch last week, catching up after both returning from New York. On one of her many travels around the world she found herself in Luxor, Egypt where you can sail boats out to little islands on the Nile. Sailors sit on their boats waiting for customers, and call out, ” Life lovely, problem, no! Do you want to go to Banana Island?”

Jen, Laurie and Liv

My sentiments exactly, thinking about the whirlwind summer I’ve had. In June my daughter Olivia, and sister Jenny and I drove out to Colorado to see our sister Kris, who we hadn’t seen in years. We camped along the way, in Tahoe and then Great Basin, Nevada, before reaching Georgetown where we were treated to lovely rooms at the local inn. We toured the gold mining town including the mine itself, river rafted down the babbling creek and had wonderful meals with Kris and her family. The drive home took us through Santa Fe, Flagstaff and Las Vegas where Olivia and I hit the strip while Jenny visited friends. Liv and I won $200 off a dollar slot machine and then promptly lost half of it with a speeding ticket! While we were glad to finally arrive back home, we no doubt had some great adventures and connected with family in a real way that Facebook can’t.

Laurie and Rob, Santa Cruz

Our next summer getaway was to Santa Cruz with my husband’s parents for a week by the ocean near Capitola. We had lots of fun seeing friends and taking advantage of the warm afternoons and beautiful ocean views.

But my craziest summer adventure was in August when I went to New York to attend the International Gift Fair for my work with Keena and 12 Small Things. My best friend from highschool, Deb Boardman, had rented a cottage on Cranberry Island in Maine, and invited me to join her family for a few days. Procrastinating plans as to how to get there, I decided to figure it out when I arrived at Newark airport. Probably wasn’t the smartest idea. The rental cars were even more expensive than I’d been quoted online. The train schedule was impossible to make connections. A direct flight was over $1000 and all booked anyway. Starting to panic, I jumped on the next Amtrak and decided to wing it.

I arrived at South Station at 10:30 pm and took a cab in the rain across the twinkly lit Boston Commons to South Station where I had a delicious lobster roll and glass of wine at a pub. My train to Portland Maine left at 11:30 and arrived in Maine at 2:00 am in the midst of a huge thunder and lightning storm. I figured I’d hang out in the train station until I could take a bus to Bangor, when the manager told me the station was closed for the night. He asked me, after everyone else had left the station, why a woman like me wouldn’t have plans for the night? No good answer. He told me if I walked along the highway I could reach the main street that would take me to Denny’s, the only place open 24/7. I walked on the median strip in a downpour under crackling, thundering skies, until I finally hit the safety of the sidewalk, only to be further soaked by a bank’s errant sprinklers.

Deb and Laurie, Maine

Totally drenched, with a suitcase, computer case and handbag in tow, Denny’s welcomed me with scrambled eggs and bacon and hot tea that would nurse me through the next 5 hours until the Greyhound bus station opened at 7:30. I pretended to read my Vanity Fair with sunglasses on, but actually tried to sleep off and on during those long, cold, air-conditioned hours until the sun finally rose. My waiter was very understanding, letting me chill there all night, but the five dollar tip probably helped.

Ashley Bryan Studio

Never so happy to see the sun creep over the parking lot, I caught the Greyhound bus to Bangor and Bar Harbor, where I met my friends for lunch and took the ferry to Cranberry Island. Our three days on the island were spent updating each other on our lives, sharing past memories, and enjoying the landscape and locals. We toured the studio of one of the island’s artists, Ashley Bryan, whose collection of puppets and dolls made me deliriously happy, as a former puppet maker. I also got to know Deb’s family a little more through our island walks, morning yoga, home cooked dinners and Scrabble games. My visit ended all too soon, but thanks to better instructions, I was able to get back to New York with one expensive cab ride and two cheap buses to Boston and then Chinatown, that dropped me off right near my Air B&B in the East Village.

Aid to Artisans booth

The New York Gift Fair was well attended and I kept busy working the Roost booth and then visiting all the different vendors I represent for Keena. My last day in New York was reserved for 12 Small Things where I visited my wholesalers in their new location upstairs at the Javits Center, the former Museum Gifts space. The  light was nice and bright with all the window exposure, as opposed to the dark basement where they used to be.  Aid to Artisans had a smaller booth space this year as they are going through a lot of management transitions with a somewhat uncertain future ahead of them. I bought one of their pillows from Africa with a New England motif to remember my travels.

HAND/EYE Magazine booth

My last stop was at the Piers to visit the Artisan Resource Center organized by my friends Karen Gibbs and Colvin English of By Hand Consulting. They did a wonderful job of helping different artisan organizations showcase their products to potential retailers interested in importing products from the various countries. I met my artisan group from Haiti who were showing their beautiful embroidery on nightgowns I featured this summer. I also saw Silvia Moreira working with Ian and Lucrecia from La Casa in Guatemala, who produced a beautiful collection of woven pillows and throws as part of the Zero Hunger project. Keith Recker from Hand/Eye Magazine also had a booth there where he was talking with Mimi Robinson about the concept of “Slow Crafts;” wait three months and enjoy them for a lifetime!

Indigo booth

I also met a new artisan group Indigo Handloom, with lovely textiles from India. When I asked her where she was based, she told me Dogpatch in San Francisco. Funny how you can travel the country to discover something in your own back yard. That seems to be happening a lot lately. Here’s thanks to friends and family for a memorable summer, with a whole lot more possibilities ahead for fall. Life lovely, problem no!

Sean and Dawn

I went to a fundraiser last week for the Ama Foundation that supports a school in Nepal for orphans. I was invited to the event by one of the co-hosts, Sean Gelbaugh, a photographer who I used to work with at RedEnvelope and Smith and Hawken. Sean and his wife Dawn, who is also a photographer, became involved with this organization through their children’s school in Oakland and have traveled to Nepal volunteering their time and skills over the past few years. It was great to see Sean again with his family and friends, actively involved in supporting such a wonderful organization.

Meredith

It’s been challenging to keep up with all the talented people I worked with at Red Envelope, Williams-Sonoma and The Gap. So much time and in some cases, distance separates us all. But it’s been fun when we’re able to reconnect, share memories and even create some new imagery together. I’ve kept in touch with my former graphic designer at Red Envelope, Meredith Peck, who is now married and living in San Francisco. Meredith designed my website for 12 Small Things, which I appreciate on a daily basis. She still helps me with email and marketing design. Meredith now has her own freelance design business  and has also just launched Spark and Pepper, selling her beautiful jewelry designs. She has had great response to her work and I’ve had fun helping her with bits of knowledge I’ve learned over the years.

Mark and Renee shooting

One of my more recent connections since leaving the corporate marketing world, has made for some of the best creative collaboration I’ve enjoyed in a while. It’s one thing to work under pressure anticipating what a merchant or CEO will think of your work. It’s quite another experience to be your own boss and critic and be able to both art direct and approve photographs on the spot. I was very fortunate to meet my current collaborator, photographer Mark Johann, through my friend and mentor Darcy Lee, owner of Heartfelt in Bernal Heights. Darcy and Mark had been together for a few years while I was starting 12 Small Things, and my husband and I enjoyed hanging out with them and sharing our mutual interests. One conversation led to another and Mark started shooting for my website for Valentine’s Day 2010, continuing through our latest summer 2012 shoot pictured here. While we started with stylists and photo assistants, the economy and our friendship has allowed us to pair down to just the two of us working with one good model, having fun making photos.

Mark and Renee

The creative campaign we created at Red Envelope relied on great casting and I have been fortunate to have kept in touch with Jeffery at Look for his help with model selection for 12 Small Things. Experienced models bring so much value and life to a photo shoot, and I am lucky to have worked with so many talented women over the past few years. The model for our summer shoot, Renee, is not only beautiful, but is a talented singer and had just been chosen the week before our shoot, as a contestant for the next season of the X-Factor. She had her final audition the next day was still wearing her contestant wrist bracelet during the photo-shoot that we had to tuck behind her clothing. Mark and I both had a feeling she would be a finalist if not a winner, no matter what the judges decided.

Afghan women

The main talent behind my summer 2012 collection are the women from Afghanistan, Vietnam and Kenya who produce the beautiful new products you see on 12 Small Things. Our great summer tunics from Afghanistan are made by women from their homes, as they are not permitted to work in public. This additional income helps Afghan women have a little financial independence supporting themselves and their families, often without the help of a husband who may have died or sustained injuries from the war.  Zardozi, a non-governmental organization helps these women gain economic opportunities by bringing all the material to their homes and collecting the finished embroidered pieces with direct payment. Women often use the income to pay for their medical expenses or schooling for their children. While we cannot see these women in public or in photos, we can appreciate the work they are doing and only hope they can gain more independence and equality in years to come. I hope you enjoy these and other small gifts for summer that make a big impact. Thank you for giving.

Under my umbrella

I’d like to take this opportunity to celebrate small businesses in my own back yard in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District. As both a small business owner of 12 Small Things and as a sales representative for Keena, I work with a number of small businesses on Valencia Street, including Aldea Home, Paxton Gate, Serendipity, The Curiosity Shoppe, Ruby, Dog Eared Books and Currents. These stores purchase products from some of the small local companies I represent including Yellow Owl Workshop in the Mission, Austin Press over by the Piers, Glob in Berkeley, Modern Twist in Emeryville and Roost in Sausalito. Both these retailers and wholesalers are trying to make a living, producing products they believe in, hiring local employees and supporting their families.

Therapy

You can imagine how upset I was when my father-in-law called me the first morning of May to ask if any of my stores were vandalized by the protesters gathered in Dolores Park the night before, planning for May Day protests. Apparently a group split off from the Occupy  rally with metal crowbars in tow, and deliberately vandalized some of the key retailers on Valencia including Therapy, Weston Wear, Bar Tartine and other targets including parked cars. Apparently the group was protesting the gentrification of the Mission; really, with these businesses?

Weston Wear

I called Aldea who filled me in on what they knew and said there was already a neighborhood fundraiser started to help the stores who suffered the most damages, mainly Weston Wear. My Post Office clerk, Louise told me she was relieved they had already apprehended one of the culprits. No one I spoke to could come to terms with why Valencia Street and those businesses were targeted. And what results were the protesters hoping to achieve? Was it resentment that these businesses appear successful? Did they want these businesses to be boarded up and shut down like we’ve seen with the recession in so many parts of the city over the past few years? Was it a splinter group trying to make the Occupy movement look bad?

Street Yoga

Nothing could have made me happier than to join hundreds of my neighbors for Sunday Streets to celebrate all the wonderful creative small stores in the Mission, including the ones who had been vandalized just a week before and who were now opened for business. The weather was glorious and families were out in force on foot and bicycles of all shapes and sizes. The fashions were San Francisco fabulous and the activities ranged from cycling to squeeze fresh juice, to planting your own terrarium, to group yoga and music of all kinds including kids shredding rock and roll.

Open for business

I was so happy to see Weston Wear sporting brand new glass windows and Therapy with a grand sidewalk display, both attracting a lot of customers. It made me remember the scene in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, after the Whos’ wake up to find all their presents stolen, they still gather round to give thanks for the day and for one another. That’s how my Mission community makes me feel, thankful for the creativity and inspiration and grateful for all the small businesses that help to support one another.

Nice pants

Laku

Musicians

Skaters

Viracocha

More musicians

Sea of humanity

A gift for Mother’s Day in support of La Casa de las Madres

Frankel Family

Just in time for Mother’s Day, 12 Small Things has launched a new gift collection for Spring 2012, featuring fair trade gifts made by artisans around the world, including San Francisco. The FeltLink Vase Collection is created by San Franciscan resident Kate Frankel, from her home-based Roger & Hebe Studio in Noe Valley. Kate has been making clever gifts for her family and friends over the years, out of the high quality, colorful felt she buys from Germany.

FeltLink at Frankel's 50th

Kate had been planning to sell her gifts online, but it wasn’t until she gave her felt vase holder to me as a hostess gift, that she found a place to launch her collection. Long after the guests left the party, I was still enamored with the bright green felt fabric, hugging three glass vases full of flowers and herbs that Kate had brought me. I really wanted to offer Kate’s product to my customers but needed the gift to be able to give back to the community in some way, which is a requirement for all products offered at 12 Small Things.

I asked Kate if she would consider donating a portion of the proceeds from her sales to a local nonprofit organization. Without any hesitation we both agreed on La Casa de las Madres, the only domestic violence shelter and outreach program in San Francisco that accepts victims 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. La Casa acts boldly to create a community where violence against women and children is not tolerated, through educating and redefining public perceptions about domestic violence.  Their free and confidential services help transform the lives of women, teens, older adults and children, seeking refuge from the cycle of violence. Kate and I felt that donating to La Casa is particularly relevant for Mother’s Day, in support of mothers in the Bay Area and beyond. Give a gift that gives more this Mother’s Day at 12smallthings.com.

Signs of Spring

Driving back from Davis after visiting our oldest daughter, Johanna, I was amazed to see that despite the lack of rain, the blossoms were still unfolding across the orchard trees in the distance, the grass lush green, the cows and calves grazing happily. Throughout dry spells and tsunami anniversaries and spiteful politics and warfare, the tree blossoms nevertheless, still appear every spring, as a kind of reassurance that life goes on. What are we going to do with this new year, already in our fourth month, to show our resilience and make it better than the one before?

Afghanistan tunic

In January I attended the International Gift Fair in New York for my day job as a sales representative with Keena, helping out at the Roost and Chilewich booths and learning more about the new products from our vendors. My last day in New York was reserved for 12 Small Things, where I saw my friends from By Hand Consulting, Karen Gibbs and Colvin English. They were hosting three groups of artisans from different countries, helping introduce them to the various buyers who come to shop the collection of handmade goods from around the world. I met the representative from Zardozi Markets for Afghan Artisan Women, who unable to work in public, are producing beautiful garments from their homes. I ordered these wonderful embroidered black sleeveless tunics with a playful long hem in the back, along with some sheer white shirts, perfect for summer beach bathing suit coverups.

Both Karen and Colvin are undertaking new responsibilities this spring, helping to introduce more international artisan producers to gift show venues, along with their ongoing consultant work, which is keeping them very busy. I really enjoyed partnering with them and Keith Recker from HAND/EYE Magazine on my collections for 12 Small Things last year and will always stay in touch, so appreciative of all the help they have given me. This year, however, I was back on my own in the handmade section of the Javitz Center, with only six hours to order goods before heading back to San Francisco.

Phyllis of Tribalinks

I had a list of artisan representatives I wanted to see, and found a few more surprises that I just couldn’t pass up. First stop was Tribalinks where I ordered sea foam green recycled glass necklaces and bracelets from their founder Phyllis, plus these fabulous gold hammered earrings that are a staple this season. Moving just across the aisle to Bamboula I ordered  woven tote bags from owner Jasperdean, along with recycled glass chandeliers artisans are creating in Kenya in collaboration with Tribalinks. I also ordered linens from Ellen Dorsch of Creative Women. She works with women in Ethiopia to produce the most beautiful handwoven cotton towels, table linens and scarves. I bought table linens and hand towels in white with blue stripes that feel very classic French bistro, perfect for summer picnics.

Patti Carpenter

Stopping by the Aid to Artisans booth is like returning home each time I visit. In addition to saying hi to Alden Smith and Colleen Pendleton, I saw my friend Patti Carpenter who has been working with women in Haiti to produce adorable baby doll cotton nighties for women as well as lovely linen aprons. Both products use this special “Passe Plat” flat stitch that renders the designs with detail and precision. Patti looked very stylish having just cut off her long hair and was so excited about Oprah’s fashion director wanting to feature her in their magazine. Not sure she made the final cut, but it was great to see her doing so well and producing such beautiful products.

Massai artisans

Another product that I am happy to offer is from the Leakey Collection founded by Phillip and Katy Leakey to help the Massai women of Kenya. The Leakeys created a jewelry business to help support their Kenyan community who were suffering from a 2001 draught that killed most of their livestock. Using the native grasses, the Massai women harvest, cut and dye grass beads into a wide spectrum of colors and then string them into necklaces and bracelets. I purchased their Earth Day bead collections that can be worn wrapped as multiple bracelets, or as loose strands for a necklace.

Senegal artisan

One of the last booths I visited before running out of time was Leslie Mittelberg’s Swahili Imports. I had been eyeing the wonderful large baskets she imports from Senegal. Leslie works with the Wolof women there who harvest cattail stalks and weave them with strips of white plastic recycled from worn prayer mats. I feel as if there’s some spiritual elements woven into these terrific looking pieces. I bought the large basket with handles which will look great with fresh summer fruit, a circular serving tray plus a great hamper that I’d like to keep for my bedroom.

Olivia and Johanna

I am so excited about this new collection launching this weekend of Passover and Easter; a very appropriate time for new beginnings. Two songs I heard this week on my new favorite radio station, The Loft on Sirus XM really hit home. The first was Joni Mitchell’s The Circle Game, sung by Tom Rush, tracing a child’s journeys through the seasons from boy to man. The second was Secret Gardens of the Heart sung by Judy Collins about aging and the passing of time. Both songs brought me back to the ages of my daughters now; “But most of all it is me who have changed and yet still I’m the same… I see myself through the eyes of the child that was me.” Happy Spring!  I hope you enjoy all it brings, with more opportunities to do better, give of oneself to others and stop and smell the blossoms, once again.

There is still time left to get thoughtful, unique, handmade gifts for the holidays. 12 Small Things is offering a collection of fair trade, hand-made gifts that gift back, by helping to support artisan communities in need around the world. 12 Small Things, along with By Hand Consulting and HAND/EYE Magazine has curated a collection of gifts from skillful artisans preserving cultural craft techniques amidst challenging social, economic and political conditions. This week we are showcasing great gifts from Africa and Haiti.

Artist Cedi in Ghana

Our glass shell necklace is made by artisans in Ghana who use recycled glass and shells to make this beautiful beaded necklace. The process involves funneling recycled glass into clay molds and firing them in a wood-burning kiln. The bead-makers make the process look easy, but it takes years of apprenticeship and practice to be recognized as an accomplished artisan. The Krobo people are known for their beads and Cedi is one of the best-known bead-makers in Ghana, with a large workshop and several employees, selling both locally and internationally.

Mozambique artisan

From Mozambique we have extraordinarily carved ebony wood vessels from Outpost Original. Crafted from sustainably sourced mpingo wood by artisans living in Mozambique’s vast woodlands, these sophisticated storage jars are both useful and beautiful. Mpingo is the Kiswahili word for the dark hardwood also known as African black wood or Mozambican ebony, and grows prolifically in Mozambique’s forests. The unique lids of these stylish lathe-turned jars are a chance for the carvers to show off their skills.

Friend with artist George Valris

For an extra special one-of-a-kind holiday gift, 12 Small Things is proud to be able to offer Haitian vodou flags by the artist George Valris. Haiti’s Ceremonial Banners, or Vodou Flags, are tapestries of sequins and beads trimmed with a satin backing. The flags represent various spirits, or lwa, of Vodou, based on religious beliefs and practices slaves brought with them from West Africa. Vodou flags, exhibited in ceremonies, serve to call down particular spirits who help practitioners with their personal problems and aspirations. Because slaves were forbidden from practicing Vodou, they also adopted Catholic saints to represent the various spirits of love, water, trees, crops, etc. We are happy to be able to bring these and other thoughtful, handmade gifts to you at 12 Small Things.

Happy holidays! Laurie

As the newspapers and television stations continue their media blitz of ads for holiday gifts from department stores and malls, 12 Small Things provides a welcome alternative, showcasing handmade gifts from artisans around the world. 12 Small Things, along with By Hand Consulting and HAND/EYE Magazine has curated a collection of great small gifts from skillful artisans preserving cultural craft techniques amidst challenging social, economic and political conditions. This week we are showcasing great gifts from Asia.

Tara Projects artisan in India

Our luminous amber glass jewelry, is made by artisans with the Tara Projects in India. The Tara Projects has been working since the early 1970s to fight exploitation and poverty, and for the protection of artisans against social injustices. Over the years, they have extended their services to reach nearly 1,000 artisans in several states in India. The Tara Projects provide support in the production and marketing of handcrafts based on fair trade principles, while also addressing needs of grassroots craftspeople. They fund a number of community projects such as health programs, schools, training centers, and literacy programs, impacting the lives of hundreds of children and adults in India.

Craft Link artisan in Vietnam

Another popular gift this season is our hand-dyed crinkle silk scarf, created by artisans with Craft Link in Vietnam, who twist the fabric while it dries. Working closely with the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi, Craft Link helps preserve traditional craft skills such as weaving and embroidery of the tribal groups. About 10% of the population of Vietnam is comprised of ethnic hill tribe peoples living in rural mountainous areas who have little access to markets. Craft Link, a non-profit organization, works to assist small Vietnamese craft producers find market opportunities and promotes awareness of ethnic minority crafts and culture. Craft Link also provides marketing, design, and management advice to other disadvantaged groups, like street children and people with disabilities.

Mitra Bali artisan in Indonesia

The third gift we’re featuring this week is a generous bowl and plate set, created by artisans in Indonesia working with the Mitra Bali Foundation. Designed in collaboration with Keith Recker of HAND/EYE Magazine, the pieces are made of slip-cast ceramic, with the wave detail added by artisans in the remote village of Pejaten, Bali. A non-governmental, non-profit organization, the Mitra Bali Foundation in Indonesia, acts as a market and export facilitator for small craft producers. These small producers represent the diverse Balinese culture that attracts tourism to the area, but because they live in more remote areas and work on a small scale, haven’t benefited by the economic influx of the tourism industry. We are happy to be able to bring these and other thoughtful, handmade gifts to you at 12smallthings.com. Up next, great small gifts from Africa!