TAFA Market Focus: Jwrobel

TAFA is having its first public event during the AQS Quilt Show in Paducah.  We are excited to introduce TAFA to the public at large and are hoping to raise funds for our new website.   We have a silent auction and raffle, both available to online participants and an exhibit and vendors.   These are ways in which you can donate to support our efforts.  This blog will feature the works and vendors in the next two weeks.  You can see all of the TAFA Market posts in one place by clicking on this link. 

Today's TAFA Market focus zooms in on:

Jwrobel

Visit Jwrobel's Member Profile on TAFA

Organic and Sustainable Baby Accessories by JWrobel

I always thought I would have my own kids, fantasizing about dressing them up with little outfits from around the world or beautiful handmade, natural clothing like this fun green cap.  Probably a good thing it didn't happen as the grown-up kids would probably have ended up in therapy for all my other eccentricities.  Although, I must say: My dogs do like me!

Those who do have a baby or a little one in their lives need to take a look at Jwrobel's beautiful baby clothing and accessories.  Carefully knitted, using sustainable materials like organic, hand dyed wools, alpaca, and silk, the results are soft and luxurious.

Baby Pixie Hat by Jwrobel

Jwrobel, or Jess Wrobel, will have several baby items and adult accessories in our TAFA Market.  She said grandmas are some of her best customers and we all know that there will be plenty of you coming to Paducah who have little ones on the way or recently arrived.  This is your chance to score big points with your child or grandchild!

Jess has been a great asset to TAFA ever since she joined us.  Freely sharing business tips and ideas, I have already learned a lot from her and look forward to continued growth in the future.  All of us have to wear so many hats as we make, design or buy our products, photograph them, get them online and then engage in the often tedious tasks of marketing what we do.  Jess has successfully integrated her products into a sensibility which reflects her commitment to being green and natural.  

Babies are not the only focus at the Jwrobel studio.  Adults have plenty to pick from to accessorize themselves and their homes.  Jess integrates an old world feel, sometimes calling out to Central Asia and the Silk Road and at others harking back to Victorian sensibilities.  She makes beautiful purses, bags, pillows and much more.  A couple examples of what will be at the TAFA Market:

Satin Garden Rose by Jwrobel

Knit Purse by Jwrobel

If you are coming to Paducah, definitely check out our TAFA Market to see Jwrobel's work in person.  Meanwhile, you can check out her shops on Etsy:

TAFA Market Focus: Jwrobel

Smart Textiles in Fiber Art

Photo: Source not named

If you read the book, Dune, you might remember how they had clothing that would transform all of the body's excretions into drinkable water.  I read the book in high school (decades ago!) and can still feel how both disgusted and fascinated I was by the idea.  Recently, I heard a pundit on a TV show talk about how close we are to making the invisible cloak.  It seems like part of the world really is heading towards the Jetson's future, while the rest of it remains in the 1800's.  

"Smart" fabrics and textiles are engineered to perform specific tasks: release perfume, send electronic messages, control sweat, heat, and so on.  These are engineered in high tech labs as seen in the video below:

Smart textiles have made their way into both the fashion and fiber art worlds.  Suzanne Tick designs specialty textiles for industrial purposes.   She also incorporates fiber optics into her fiber art:

Fiber Art using fiber optics by Suzanne Tick

Degree programs in the textile arts now offer curriculum that embraces the exploration of how smart fabrics can be used both to enhance the quality of life in specific fields and how they can push their way into new, unexplored interactive art.

Fascinating?  Absolutely!  Scary?  Absolutely.

The gap between those who have access to technology and those who don't has already divided our world in immeasurable ways.  We also hear reports of how our electronic overload might be sickening our planet.  What about recycling these smart textiles?  Already, we cannot handle the waste generated by our garment and textile industries created by the "dumb" textiles. Where will the outdated "smart" ones end up?

As with so many advances in technology, I have mixed feelings.  I like to know where things come from, how they were grown, who made them.  But, I make my livelihood using a computer, a part of an industry that has created serious e-waste.  Contradictions abound in my life.

What do you think?  Are you excited about "smart" textiles?  What pros and cons do you see?


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Smart Textiles in Fiber Art

African Textile Stamps on Etsy: Oshiwa Designs

Oshiwa Designs, a small workshop in Namibia, carves textile stamps and frames.  The designs are all original, inspired by cultural symbolism, nature and the local environment.  Rayela Art is now the distributor for Oshiwa in North America.  Our main selling platform is through our new store on Etsy, www.oshiwa.etsy.com.

The stamps can be used on fabric or paper, using ink or wax.  Ceramic artists can also use them to imprint into clay.  They are sold either as single stamps or as sets which have been designed to compliment each other.  Prices are based on the size of the stamp, down to the square inch.  The formula covers cost of supplies, operating costs and provides a living wage for the carvers.  The sets are priced at a 15% discount off of this formula.  The stamps made of wawa wood, support a sustainable harvesting project in Ghana.

The Oshiwa Namibia Team

 

 

 

 

 

We hope that you will enjoy these stamps and spread the word about Oshiwa.  They are a wonderful group and by using the stamps, you will be supporting a fair trade effort.

Links:

Read past articles on Oshiwa

Oshiwa's website

Oshiwa's profile on TAFA

African Textile Stamps on Etsy: Oshiwa Designs

Tire Art: A Case for Recycling Garbage, The Artist's Raw Materials

Ji Yong Ho, Gana Art Gallery, Tire Art

A friend of mine sent me an email with images of these gorgeous sculptures made our of recycled tires.  I had to learn more about them, so I dug around a bit and found that they were made by Ji Yong Ho, a young Korean artist concerned about how we are genetically altering nature and controlling our wild environments.  He calls his sculptures "mutants" and seeks to create both frightening and sensitive creatures.  Theme Magazine has a nice article about him with more on how he relates to his work:

"Ho’s concept of mutants grew out of his life in Seoul, where there is fierce political debate over genetic engineering. In school, Yong Ho read Darwin and was galvanized by how his theory of evolution applied to man’s manipulation with nature. Already, he says, cats and dogs are bred to emphasize their domesticated traits and downplay their wild sides. The sculptures can be taken as warnings; if we’re not careful, we may soon lose the ability to see animals in their natural state altogether."    Theme Magazine   (Photo by Flora Hanitijio)

Ji Yong Ho, Gana Art Gallery, Tire Art 

 

I have seen objects made our of recycled tires before.  The most common are the soles used for sandals, found all over South America.  When I lived in Chicago, I met a woman who was working with a project that made sling chairs out of them.  I don't remember the name of her project, but Livbit has an affordable and attractive set that it reviewed:

Recycled Tire Furniture, Livbit

I remember asking this woman if the tires would give off any residue, turning your clothes or skin black.  She said that it would not.

Ji Yong Ho, Gana Art Gallery, Tire Art

Ji Yong Ho's work is especially interesting because of the elegance and vibrancy he gives his creatures.  He tried working with other mediums but found rubber to be the most life-like.  I wondered how the pieces are attached and from the photos, it looks like they are riveted or screwed.  Gary Pierre-Charles, a Haitian architect, also has chosen to use tires as his medium.  I have seen information on how to use tires as wall insulation in green building, but Pierre-Charles uses them everywhere.  Normally, green builders hide the tires while this artist emphasizes and makes use of them as a design element.  They are in walls, gardens, windows and landscaping.  The video also shows how he cuts and assembles the tires.  In Creole, the footage is especially poignant after the recent Haitian earthquake.  The YouTube page has an excellent text describing the content:

We are in a race to deplete our natural resources like never before in history.  Artists in developing countries have long used garbage as a material, mostly because they don't have the funds to purchase new materials.  Yet, what excellent role models they have become to all of us, regardless of what have been our preferred mediums.  Bottles can be fired and melted, discarded metals cut and re-shaped, and for the fiber artist, there are endless supplies of junked paper and cloth.  Look around you!  What can you salvage?  Use your garbage as your raw materials.  I understand the draw of new materials.  I worked at a fabric store for several months and could not resist the discount table of end fabric.  My check would inevitably go towards remnants.  Until then, I had found all my fabric at thrift stores.  Now I have a good stash of both and once the temptation was removed, I find that I still prefer the worn and faded look of the used fabrics in my stash.

Ji Yong Ho, Gana Art Gallery, Tire Art 

Tires are huge.  They quickly fill up landfills.   Artists like Ji Yong Ho and Gary Pierre-Charles do us a great service by inspiring others to re-use and re-purpose objects that no longer have their original function.  Kudos to them! 

Ji Yong Ho, Gana Art Gallery, Tire Art

How about you?  Do you use garbage as a raw material?  Leave a comment to inspire others on how our waste can be made into something new and beautiful!

Tire Art: A Case for Recycling Garbage, The Artist's Raw Materials

Summer Art Project at The Williamson Art Gallery: Rag Rugging

Rag Rugging Project at The Williamson Art Gallery

by Alison Bailey Smith

The aim for the project was to produce a wall hanging for Wirral Methodist Housing using donated clothing with several tenants from the organization contributing to the creation of the piece. I decided that as the funding was coming from a housing association that a house would be a great communal theme to work on. At the same time as working on this project, I was also teaching a project with kids from 8 to 15 creating a Time Machine based on H.G. Wells' Time Machine.

Detail of Alison Bailey Smith's Rag Rugging Project

We have used a hessian backing and two different rag rugging techniques to create bricks to combine together into a house. I learned the rag rugging technique in the week before from the internet, from books , from advice from an old college friend and my second in-command fellow Oxton Artist, Janine Suggett, (we exhibit once a year in the Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, North West of England). The idea of having individual bricks was to allow the women to work at their own speed, take the work away from the workshops to work on at home or to use a different technique, it also allowed the ladies to work without straining their backs or eyes. Many of these ladies remembered making rugs with rags after the war. Most of the ladies have picked up the technique easily, some had previously created rag rugs in slightly different methods and seem to enjoy the opportunity to do it again. Some with arthritis found it hard to keep it up for awhile, so tea offered a welcome break.

Assembling Alison Bailey Smith's Rag Rugging Project

I think the main benefits of the workshops were being able to sit together as a group talking and working on a collective project, providing health benefits - both mental and physical. Many of them have re-arranged plans to be there, as well as taking work away to be completed at home, contributing extra “bricks” in knitting and rag rugging.

Detail of Alison Bailey Smith's Rag Rugging Project

The concept of the house for the hanging was already vaguely in place prior to them arriving, it developed as we have discussed it to in-corporate other techniques than rag rugging, slightly faster techniques done at home. We also incorporated some of the donated clothing as appliqué (flowers from the wedding dress, some fabric as curtains), I later incorporated images of the ladies working on the piece into the wall hanging. During the workshop, one of the participants donated a fabric tape measure. I used it along with a tape measure from my Granny's things to edge a primed canvas that we put behind the door and all the participants later signed it. It was wonderful to combine everyone's memories from the clothes - political t-shirts, ties from weddings, hats from holidays, fabric from first homes etc.

Detail of Alison Bailey Smith's Rag Rugging Project

The group created everything we needed for the hanging to come together during the workshops but it took 3 more days of work to create it into the wall hanging. There were many components that needed to be attached to the backing and needed some creative thinking to get it to all work together, next time I would limit the colour palette available . The extra work was done at my house with lots of help from Janine Suggett, Cathy Warren, Sylvia Davie and Briget. Using many of my own resources at home, thread, fabric, printable canvas, sewing machine etc. Perhaps next time we could do it over 2 weeks, one to create the parts and the second to pull it together. As well as feeling very moved by all the ladies and their enthuisiasm, I also was very touched by being able to use many of my Granny's sewing things. She died in March and I asked my Dad if I could have her fabric and sewing things, she made many of her own clothes as many women did of her generation and took real care in looking after every scrap of fabric. I hope she would be proud of our project.

Alison Bailey Smith

Her work has spanned almost 2 decades and three different countries since leaving Edinburgh College of Art in 1990. The motivation behind Alison’s work comes from being the child of post war parents, Scottish thriftiness and an avid watcher of Blue Peter! Her need to re-use, re-develop and re-create can be seen in her wide use of ordinary materials with extra-ordinary results.

Although her training was initially in Jewellery and silver-smithing, she has crossed over successfully into the world of textiles, costume and fashion – evident in her numerous awards (Scottish Fashion Designer of the Year, Recycling Fashion Designer of the Year and various awards for Fibre in North America and Australasia).

Alison’s staple ingredient in her work is wire that she reclaims from old televisions, the older the better. She has found over a hundred different colours and hues of copper and aluminium wire. Lately though, due to the rate of development in technology, she is finding it harder to find the old television sets and has had to resort to buying various colours of wire! There is always a high component of re-used materials in her work - whether it is re-using charity shop finds or sweetie wrappers to get the right colour. She has become increasingly aware of how wasteful our society is becoming and has started working with plastic packaging with a range of "Junk Jewellery".

Visit Alison's website, blog, and her great collection of photos on Flickr!

Wire Hat by Alison Bailey Smith

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Summer Art Project at The Williamson Art Gallery: Rag Rugging

Fruits of My Hands: Scissors in the Garden

Fruits of my garden.

I have to admit that my eyes sometimes roll around in my head when I go to a blog to look at textiles or art and all I see are the artist's flowers.... Well, this summer I had a bit of a conversion experience as I tackled my yard. I planted flowers and foliage, cleared a plot of land for a vegetable garden and labored to fight invasive vines, grasses, and weeds. I pulled, yanked, tilled, watered, seeded, and did my best to coax a yard which had been neglected for decades into something productive. Every bug in the book came to feast and then weird spots and molds showed up on my precious babies...

My baby veggies, so eager to live!

When you nurture something from a seed, there is a great source of pride and fascination to see it grow into a plant, especially if it also feeds you. At least, this is true for me. I have always had a few potted plants, but had never really tried to be the backyard gardener. I figured farming was in my blood and it should come naturally. Ha! I planted everything too close and had no idea that a tomato plant could grow to be over six feet tall. My friend, Tom, is the director of Angelic Organic's Learning Center. I called him for help and he recommended that I read John Jeavon's book, How to Grow More Vegetables (and fruits, nuts, berries, grains and other crops).

How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine

What a great resource! Of course, I had done everything wrong, but there was still time to correct some of the mistakes. The soil was nitrogen poor so I added some organic fertilizer and started a compost pile.

Garden plot in June 2009

Some things grew very well, while others got eaten up by bugs or a pest. I had the best luck with tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, and pumpkins. Oh, and I got lots of wonderful basil!

Garden plot in August 2009

The sweet peas dried up with the heat of summer, the lettuce shoots up into large stalks, I did get some green beans, but then a worm got on to them, and forget the broccoli! My goodness, did that get infested! Jeavons and other authors in books I checked out from the library, all talked about what can feast on your precious plants. But, the worst of all are snails and slugs. Jeavons described how they go slug hunting at night, so I figured I should go out one night with a flashlight and take a look. The slugs were everywhere! It revolted me so much that I was almost sick! I had nightmares from them, big, fat, slithering monsters invading my veggies and chomping away. How disgusting! I tried the salting and that was too horrific to endure, plus it is not good for the soil. So, I bought pellets, similar to "Sluggo" which are approved by organic gardeners. The slugs eat them and dry up in a few days. But, one slug can lay 300 eggs, so it's a long process, especially if your neighbors are indifferent to what lives outside their doors.

My cucumbers, zucchini and green beans.

It has been fascinating to go outside and decide what I am going to eat that day based on my little harvest! I feel sad to see that Fall is upon us and that soon I won't have these delicacies. My respect for my peer artist friends who also garden has grown. I was just in Chicago visiting friends and a few of them had some gorgeous gardens, all of which renew the spirit and provide beauty to the eye. My friend, Roberta, is a ceramic artist and her garden is adorned by sculptural pieces.

Roberta de Oliveira's garden in Chicago.

Chris and Joyce won a neighborhood award for their garden. Their goal was to do away completely with grass and the result is a lovely mix of flowers and veggies.

Chris an Joyce's garden in Skokie.

The most surprising garden I was across the street from my husband's apartment. He lives in a densely populated urban area on Chicago's north side. A couple of Vietnamese women have taken up a bunch of the grass areas and planted vegetables. Apparently, they are out there every day, bent over their plants, and they share the produce with whoever wants it.

Vietnamese women gardening in Chicago.

Chicago has made a commitment to become the greenest city in the United States and has even established a successful green roof program, so I guess I should not be surprised to see any plot of available earth being used to grow food.

However, there has been a consequence in my ability to produce another fruit: I have only touched my scissors to cut off veggies and bad leaves, no fabric! This is the age-old pattern of the farmer/crafter. Food is the priority in the summer months and the time for waiting becomes dedicated to production of functional goods. For centuries, people have worked the soil and then used the winter months for projects which can be done inside the home.

One of my favorite photographers on Flickr, Baba Steve, has caught many of the vendors from around the world. These places also produce many of my favorite crafts!

Vendor in Assam, India by Baba Steve

1. West Africa, 2. Tajikistan, 3. Darjeeling, India, 4. Pakistan
All photos by Baba Steve

In fact, the production of handicrafts and farming are recognized as partner industries by most development organizations. The Peace Corps has combined the two in their strategies for decades. They were the ones that brought Scandinavian sweater knitting patterns and techniques to the indigenous Quechua of Otavalo in the 1960's. This has grown into a multi-million dollar industry with traditionally dressed Otavalo Indians selling sweaters in markets all over the world. (See some consequences.) Oxfam International works with similar groups in Asia, Latin America and Africa. The United Nations reports on how poverty is especially dire in rural areas and how the internet has become the new tool to bring income into these distressed areas.

Vendor in Afghanistan by Baba Steve.

Does that sound familiar? Am I not doing the same thing? I live in a small town in Kentucky where job opportunities are limited. My income is mostly generated by my online stores. A friend of mine from Ghana told me how now business is all done on cell phones, both by farmers and handicraft traders. Having the ability to live where you grow your food and make your craft also has deep implications in how societies are able to structure their family units, preserve their traditions and maintain ownership over their land, a problem that USAID identifies for many struggling communities who live in rural or forested areas.

No, I will not roll my eyes anymore at other bloggers who garden and love their flowers. Whether our scissors are inside, cutting some fabric or thread, or outside, harvesting some fruits, we are all part of this wonderful tapestry that makes Earth a better place to live!

Making some earth...

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Fruits of My Hands: Scissors in the Garden

Bark Cloth – Sustainable Production in Uganda by Karin Zetterqvist

Message holder made of bark cloth from Uganda

Bark cloth is a unique, non-woven fabric produced from the bark of Ficus Natalensins, a rare and novel fig tree species peculiar to Uganda and locally known as Mutuba.

Since the 13th century, bark cloth has been produced in the Buganda Kingdom, and used commercially, ritually and ceremonially by the Baganda, an ethnic group found in central Uganda. Ranging in texture from the coarse and thick to the finest and light, bark cloth, as an article of clothing was worn sarong style and wrap-around by Baganda men and women respectively.

The bark cloth was used to pay land rates and fines by the peasants to their chiefs, who in turn selected the best for presentation to the king’s courtiers. Other rituals and ceremonies where bark cloth used to play a central role include the initiation of twins into the clan and their protection, child naming ceremonies, payment of dowry and during marriage ceremonies, succession rituals and last funeral rites to identify the heirs, widows, orphans and so on.

Only the best of the cloth, fine and light to touch, a rich garnet red with a shiny sheen, was presented to the king for use as clothing and during coronations, royal weddings and other functions.

A Masterpiece of Indigenous Textile Production Skills

Bark removal of the Mutuba fig tree.

Harvest of bark to be used in Ugandan bark cloth.

Banana leaves offer tree protection

The art of making bark cloth, passed from father to son, involves stripping the particular fig tree trunk of its bark by ringing down. A straight cut is then made and the bark is then carefully stripped off the tree.

The bark is then steamed, spread out on big logs 2-3 meters long and carefully beaten with mallets. As the bark is beaten it gets wider, longer and finer. A piece of bark measuring 75 by 150 cm can produce cloth measuring up to 4 m by 1.8 m.

The stripped part of the tree is wrapped in layers of fresh banana leaves and with careful nurturing a single tree can produce up to 400 sq m of cloth in a period of about 40 years. In this way it is not only a natural fabric, but also eco-friendly.

African Ethnic Designs

Bark cloth bag with coloured raffia decoration

Bark cloth purse with raffia decoration

Business cards case made of bark cloth

Bark cloth coin purse (Uganda)

Today the applications, to which bark cloth is put, are endless. Royal Bark Cloth Designs (RBCD) - with the price winning designer Sara Katebalirwe - is working with village community women using bark and other natural fibres specific to Uganda to make various and beautiful novel products. Aesthetic yet functional, the designs are applied mostly by hand.

The design applications, as well as being aesthetic, also give cover to the cloth, to minimize abrasion/friction, thus giving the product a longer life. The best design application so far in terms of bark protection is the raffia couching.


Preserving the Bark Cloth Production Skills
Uganda’s bark cloth was named as part of the world’s collective heritage recognized by UNESCO November 2005. The global body declared the “art of bark cloth making in Uganda a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity.”

Watatu (meaning three in Swahili) is a web shop, owned by three friends (two Tanzanians and one Swede), where you can find more of the products from Royal Bark Cloth Designs. Promoting the bark cloth and its use internationally will assist to preserve the bark cloth production skills.


Written by
Karin Zetterqvist
Watatu Textil
www.watatu.com
©Watatu


Sources:
"Bark Cloth" by Royal Bark Cloth Designs


Karin wrote another article for this blog on Kanga and Kitenge cloths, traditional fabrics used as garments in Tanzania. She is a member of our Fiber Focus Group. Visit her page.


Find more photos like this on Fiber Focus

Bark Cloth – Sustainable Production in Uganda by Karin Zetterqvist

5 Really Last Minute Gift Ideas for Ethical Shoppers by Tex Dworkin

You’re a socially conscious shopper, there are just a handful of days left till Christmas, and like many people, you’ve still got some names left on your shopping list. If your gift recipients live farther than a stone’s throw away, getting packages mailed out in time for the holidays is no longer an option, unless you want to pay exorbitant expedited shipping costs. So what’s a socially conscious procrastinator to do? I went on an online adventure to find out, and discovered some great last minute gift ideas that don’t require checking your values at the door.

Idea #1: Give the Gift of Choice.

If you’re unsure what to give someone, instant Online Gift Certificates are a great last minute gift idea. To stay true to your values, target Online Stores offering Fair Trade products. Fair Trade is an economic model where producers work in healthy, safe conditions, are paid fairly, and employ environmentally sustainable practices. Make sure that the store you choose sends gift certificates automatically, so they arrive via email just moments after you order them. That way, when you order a gift certificate ON Christmas day, it will arrive ON Christmas day. For those who prefer to have something physical to give your gift recipients, many sites have a nice gift certificate graphic you can print out. In lieu of that, just paste the logo and gift certificate details onto an eco-friendly card. You’ll find plenty of Online Stores offering Fair Trade products listed on the Fair Trade Federation website. Choose “Online Shopping” in their “Find Products” drop down menu.

http://www.fairtradefederation.org/

Idea #2: Invest IN Others FOR Others.

or those who are not familiar, Kiva is all about loans that change lives. On their website, individuals can invest in a specific entrepreneur in the developing world, empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty. Kiva has figured out how to get everyday folks to invest in the hopes and dreams of others with less opportunities and resources at their disposal. You don’t have to be rich to be a Kiva investor, and while one US dollar may not seem like much to you and I, it sure does go a long way in some other parts of the world. For last minute shoppers, Kiva offers gift certificates so you can invest in someone’s name.

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=gift&action=giftPromotion

Idea #3: Open up a Can of Worms.

What do a crocodile, school supplies and a can of worms have in common? Well, they are just three of the many ‘symbolic’ gifts you can purchase from Oxfam America Unwrapped. Here’s how it works: You purchase an item from their website, the card goes to your gift recipient, and the gift goes to those who need it. In case you’re wondering, when you buy gifts here, an email is sent to your gift recipients automatically, making this a solid last minute gift solution. Their offerings include treated mosquito nets and school uniforms, bicycles and veterinarian field kits, and that’s a mere sampling of what they offer. Just remember, the items you select represent a contribution toward Oxfam America's many programs and not an actual physical item. http://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/home.php

Idea #4: You Can Never Have Too Many Trees!

There are an impressive amount of organizations offering to plant a tree in someone’s name for you, and that number seems to be growing (no pun intended!) I look at this as a great stand-by gift when you can’t think of anything else to give, you’re down to your last hours before gift giving time, and you’ve got internet nearby. To save you the 3 minutes it will take you to Google your way to tree planting organizations, here are some I found: http://www.treegreetings.com/: This website offers “the e-card that plants a tree.” The card plays music (and the website talks to you) but I must warn you; the music is a little new-agey, but hey, to each their own. They make up for it with a catchy order page: “It’s easy as 1,2 Tree.”
http://www.treesftf.org/: This organization claims to have planted 50 million trees around the world and counting! They offer customized tree planting certificates, but since they have a 7-10 day lead time for online orders, last minute gift givers should print out info from their website to craft it into a presentable gift.
http://www.friendsoftrees.org/: Friends of Trees will plant a native tree or an entire grove in honor of your gift recipient and send them a card to mark the occasion. They promise to process online orders within three working days, so if you’ve missed the deadline for holiday delivery they have a nice graphic online you can print out and use until the real certificate shows up. For the truly motivated, they also invite the public to take part in the action by joining in the actual planting.

Idea #5: Charity Clarity.

First, the gift idea: donate to a charity in someone’s name. Not the most novel idea, but hey, what do you expect? It’s late and we’re desperate holiday shoppers! If you go this route, there are some things you can do to boost the thoughtfulness. First, find a charity that really speaks to the values and interests of your gift recipient. Take my Mom, for instance. She loves her dog Zorro, a cute little mutt she got from a local shelter. So donating to the shelter where she adopted her dog from would definitely win me some points. Though I haven’t checked yet (I’m a procrastinator too) I’ll bet I could make a simple phone call to the shelter, give them my credit card #, and donate over the phone. Then I’ll reach for my trusty pile of recycled paper and sketch out a makeshift card to represent the gift. The bottom line is, if you’re going to donate to charity in someone’s name, put a little thought into it and you’ll come out smelling like roses!

Idea #5.5: Better Late Than Never.

If you’re not buying what I’m selling and the ideas above don’t appeal to you, then go online, buy whatever socially conscious gift your heart desires, and print its picture out onto some pretty recycled paper with a note that says “coming soon.”

Written by: Tex Dworkin

http://www.globalexchangestore.org/

Note from Rachel: I also like Heifer International as a organization to support. They work in the United States and around the world helping people towards sustainability through programs where animal husbandry allow communities to build up resources. They have a nice gift section where one can purchase a symbolic gift, like the goose in this photo for $20. It is symbolic because the money goes where it is most needed at the time, but the recipient receives a nice e-mail notice showing the donation as a goose, beehive, flock of ducks, etc.

5 Really Last Minute Gift Ideas for Ethical Shoppers by Tex Dworkin

The Peace Villa: A Green Hospitality Dream Seeks Angel Investors

The Peace Villa, Travel the World in Paducah, Kentucky

Dreaming of a Peace Villa
This year is my 20th anniversary of working with handicrafts from around the world. I've managed an artisan's co-op, had three brick and mortar stores in Chicago, sublet a small space in Paducah, Kentucky (212 Broadway) and have been selling online for about nine years. The path has been a difficult one, always struggling with lack of capital and with the hard work involved of maintaining inventory, but it's also been a fascinating journey. I've met people from all over the world, have helped many small importers with their businesses, and now am part of an online community that has been inspiring and supportive.

As I look back, even with all the hurdles (I've learned almost every lesson you can learn through the School of Hard Knocks!), I still believe fervently in the importance of incorporating hand made products in our lives, of their cultural relevance, the economic development potential there is in production and marketing and most importantly of the bridges they build between people around the world.

Unfortunately, the ethnic market niche has cycled around and shrunk while competition has grown simultaneously. When I first started selling on eBay, I was one of few with certain items. Now sellers post their wares directly from Tibet, Uzbekistan and other remote (to us in the United States) places in the world. A few years ago, I began to think about a different kind of retailing, one that incorporated both the hospitality and retail industry. I spent several months studying bed and breakfasts, how they are run and marketed and found that the industry in the SouthEast corner of the United States, with Florida as an exception, basically catered to Victorian and Cottage looks, neither of which appeals to me very much. Florida and New Mexico, however, have many models that are inspired by SouthWestern, Mexican, and European decor. Further west, there are plenty of rugged cabins, yurts, and other alternative structures that are interesting and exciting. I thought that the perfect blend for me would be something that incorporated the ethnic flair and had a gallery attached. Then, I thought, why not have each room represent a different country and peacemaker (ex: India and Gandhi, South Africa and Nelson Mandela, Guatemala and Rigoberta Menchu)? The rooms would be decorated with that theme and everything in it would also be for sale. "Like your bed? It's from India. We'll ship it to you!"

An Indian Summer

The potential for creating different environments representing these places excited me. Visit an An Indian Summer and drool over all the collections of environments she has compiled! As I dreamed, the vision grew into something much larger with huts instead of rooms, acreage of space, a campus of activity and inspiration around the world. I documented some of this on my website and you are welcome to read more about the vision on a grander scale. After months of seeking partners and doing research, I shelved the idea. It resurfaces from time to time, and although I had mentioned it on my earlier post on eco-housing, I realized I hadn't really put this dream out here on the blog. Who knows? Maybe the right people will read it and the dream could come true! (Wouldn't THAT just be something?)

The Time is Right for Going Green in the Hospitality Industry
My love for craft extends itself out into the environment, for how structures can exist harmoniously with nature, blending in, enhancing, and leaving the smallest footprint possible on Planet Earth. I shudder at all the boxes we've built for ourselves and for our cities and towns, plastic covering everything. When I was researching this concept, the green movement was beginning to make its way into the hospitality industry. Now there are wonderful retreats, hotels and Bed and Breakfasts all over the world that both inspire the soul, heal the body and seek to maximize green resources for both construction materials and the operation of a building.

Hacienda Nicholas in Santa Fe

Google "green hotel" or "green bed and breakfast" and you will find wonderful destinations. Hacienda Nicholas in Santa Fe is one example of a beautiful place I could see myself wanting to spend some time, relaxing, recovering... And, the fact that they are environmentally conscious is a selling point in my book! But, here in the SouthEast, we see much less of that drive to go green. Residents in Paducah recently took it upon themselves to start a recycling program. Initiatives happen because people push them into existence and going green is finally making progress because it also makes financial sense in terms of saving money on the rising costs of utility bills.

Paducah, Kentucky as an Ideal Location for the Peace Villa
Paducah has been undergoing revitalization over the past five years. The Artist Relocation Program is now established and seasoned, several key buildings downtown have been renovated, and the City now has a second renovation neighborhood targeted, Fountain Avenue, where buildings and land are available at low prices in exchange for investment in rehabbing and new construction. This neighborhood is adjacent to Lower Town and very close to Downtown.

Paducah is centrally located, almost equidistant in the middle of a two-three hour triangle of St. Louis, Memphis, and Nashville. It's only a seven hour drive from Chicago or Atlanta. Because of this, tourists drive through regularly and stop at the Quilt Museum before getting back on the highway. If the city can continue to develop more magnets that will keep people here for more time, a business like the Peace Villa will just be one more added attraction.

Business Potential for Mixing Retail with Hospitality
Paducah has many of the chain hotels and a couple of bed and breakfasts, but residents of Lower Town clamor for more cafes, more places that they can walk to. I see the Peace Villa in my mind as a structure that resembles a traditional Moroccan or Spanish architecture model on the outside, with a gallery and cafe at the entrance, a large courtyard in the middle, with a swimming pool and tables. The accommodations rise up for two or three stories and there is a lovely roof garden. Can you see it?

Hotel Essouira in Marrakech

I have found that one of the difficulties in selling ethnic textiles or crafts is that many people can't see in their minds eye how they can display them or incorporate them into their homes. In Chicago, we had several designers shop in our stores, but online, it's especially difficult to showcase a product on a low budget. In the Peace Villa, product would have visibility in many different environments and settings. Space helps sell the product, as well as having a memorable experience with it.

I can see the Peace Villa as a local hang out, a place vibrant with cultural activities, classes, presentations, live music as well as a destination that would bring more tourists to Paducah. This is a hot climate in the summer, yet there is only one public outdoor pool. Everything closes early. Nothing happens on Sundays. We could change that! We could offer a place of beauty to both locals and visitors.

Social Goals for the Peace Villa
The Peace Villa would also serve as an educational place on many different levels. The most important one for me is to continue in this work of promoting cultural dialogue and understanding. I think that this is the greatest threat to our national security: the ignorance we have of other cultures, their people and their aspirations. Lately, we have had all this press conference about whether Obama is Muslim or not. He states that he is a Christian, but why should that even matter? We lack a fundamental respect for people of other faiths and traditions that continues to instill fear and hostility. This translates into the decisions we make in our foreign policy and of how we treat our neighbors right here.

Ndebele House

The Peace Villa can help awaken curiosity about other cultures by creating these spaces that educate about other traditions, customs and art. Schools could come and visit. We could develop presentations on the different cultures represented. And, on the green side, there is a local tech school here that has a carpentry program. Perhaps they could include the Peace Villa as a teaching tool about how to build green. The possibilities are endless!

The Dream Team for The Peace Villa

I truly believe in this dream. People are traveling less overseas as it becomes more costly and more annoying. Those who enjoy cultural travel will look for options closer to home where they can still enjoy some of the diversity or change of environment that they sought in going abroad. But, this is not a dream I can develop on my own. There needs to be a dream team and funding. I am not an architect or designer, nor have I ever had any experience in the hospitality industry. I do have twenty years of cultural knowledge, retail and marketing experience, and a passion for all of the aspects this vision embraces. I know that if the right people and the funding came into place, I could dedicate the rest of my life towards making it successful.

If you are interested in this concept, do contact me. My resume is posted on my website. I would also love comments about what the rest of you think about this idea or if you have been to similar places.

The Peace Villa: A Green Hospitality Dream Seeks Angel Investors