sleek dresses

By firing the ceramic pieces for eight hours at a high temperature, Balinese artisans ensure the durability and sleek appearance of this delightful tea set. Nyoman Suarmini presents this six-piece set, which includes a teapot and lid, two matching cups, and two saucers. The teapot features a hand-carved teak wood handle and a matte finish, which further enhances the soft lines of the design.

Carved by hand from sleek African ebony, five ducklings swim together. Ghana's Francis Agbete names the set Kpakpa fome — "the duck family" in the Ewe language. "We should know we all belong to a family," he says. "These carvings remind each one of it."

India's Renu Rani uses felted wool and polyester fill to craft this set of four Santa ornaments. Each ornament features hand-embroidered details and glass bead eyes. (He sees you when you're sleeping, after all!)

This elegant contemporary tea set is designed and crafted by Bali's Nyoman Suarmini. The teapot, cups and saucers are crafted of ceramic with a stylish matte white glaze. The teapot boasts a sturdy handle crafted from teak wood. Enjoy a teatime tete-a-tete with this sleek ensemble.

The imaginative mind of Armando Ramirez transforms scrap metal into a sleek, black and silver chess set. Ramirez collects the leftover metal pieces off a die machine and shapes them into the pawns, horses, and parts of the kings, which also feature cogs from a car's electrical system. The queens are made from screws, auto part cogs and bearings. The bishops are shaped from spark plugs and the towers from cogwheels. The board is made from a metal sheet and features ornate iron wires and bendix caps taken from a car.

Please note it is the artist's intention not to give his sculptures a fine polished finish, therefore smudges and scratches may be present. The finish can vary from matte to shiny, as each chess set is a unique piece of handcrafted art.

Traditional Guatemalan worry dolls share the love as festive ornaments by the Lopez Garcia Family. Each doll in the set of six is crafted by hand and wears a handwoven skirt and headdress. "The idea is to trust each doll with whatever troubles you. It is said that during the night, while we sleep, the dolls will whisper the solution to our troubles," says Ana from the Lopez Garcia Family. The set of six arrives in a hand-loomed cotton pouch.

Legend has it that the Maya Sun God gave princess Ixmucané the gift of solving people's problems. With time people started making dolls in Ixmucané's honor and they would tell her their woes, hoping she would solve them through the dolls.

Please expect slight variations in color and size as each doll is crafted by hand with available materials, making each one unique.

Dressed in a variety of colorful dresses, 12 Guatemalan worry dolls are here to preserve ancient Maya traditions. Legend has it that the Maya Sun God gave princess Ixmucané the gift of solving people's problems. With time people started making dolls in Ixmucané's honor and they would tell her their woes, hoping she would solve them through the dolls. "This tradition is still alive," says Ana from the Lopez Garcia Family. "The idea is to have many worry dolls and trust each one with whatever troubles you. Once you've told them, you put them under your pillow. It is said that during the night, while we sleep, the dolls will whisper the solution to our troubles. For us, crafting the worry dolls - muñequitas quita penas - is our main source of income.It allows us to provide our children with an education as well as a job for all of us." The set of 12 arrives in a pedal-loomed cotton pouch.

Please expect slight variations in color and size as each doll is crafted by hand with available materials, rendering each one unique.

Richly veined marble adds a translucent contrast to deep rose marble and sleek black onyx. The three varied tones of natural stone unite in a colorful table game by the Sierra Family. Beautiful and unusual, it makes a wonderful gift.

The playing board is created from selected pieces of sectioned marble and onyx slabs. First they are cut with a diamond disk. At this stage, the disk is cooled with water so that the stone will not shatter. The design is then perfected with files before the pieces are polished to a glowing sheen. "For us, it is very important to give our clients the best in quality and originality, transforming stone into functional products - whether for diversion or decoration," Mireya Sierra tells us.

Stone sculpting is a traditional regional handicraft, and the Sierras are famous for the skill and the quality of their work. Because each piece is sculpted individually, there may exist slight variations in the color and grain pattern of the stone. The set includes 60 colored glass marbles.