quirky gifts

The charismatic salamander known as the axolotl is beautifully captured in the form of an alebrije by Mexican artisan Marina Lozano. The artisan works in papier mache to create the sculpture, which is carefully painted by hand in brilliant colors.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream in papier mache. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache. The same style of painting can also be found on other (non-animal) items.

Two purring kittens lounge contentedly in this charming design by Fida Hussain. The Kashmiri artisan works in hand-painted papier mache, depicting sweet faces, inquisitive whiskers and big green eyes. The cats are actually decorative boxes to hold small keepsakes and treasures.

Topped with a striped tabby cat, Fida Hussain's decorative papier mache box makes a charming piece of home decor. The Indian artisan starts with weeping willow wood, pasting strips of paper around the box before buffing the surface smooth. Finally, the box is hand painted, then given a coat of glossy lacquer for shine and protection.

Add charm and whimsy to any wall with this wonderful sculpture from Caribbean Craft. In an effort to create environmentally responsible artworks, Haitian artisans craft the giraffe sculpture from recycled papier mache and locally grown arrowroot starch. Caribbean Craft strives to create stable, sustainable incomes for individual artisans and grow business opportunities for isolated artisan communities throughout Haiti.

Working in papier mache, Marina Lozano in Mexico creates this fanciful alebrije sculpture. The winged cat is carefully hand painted with a dizzying array of motifs in myriad colors.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting the nonsense word, "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream in papier mache. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.

This utterly charming creature from Marina Lozano in Mexico offers you his heart. The alebrije is crafted by hand from recycled papier mache and carefully painted by hand. The whimsical sculpture has the body of a frog and the wings of a butterfly.

The folk art tradition of alebrijes dates back to the 1930's in Mexico City. A man named Pedro Linares was taken ill, and in his fevered dreams he saw a strange land populated with curious creatures--a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull's horns, and a lion with the head of a dog. The beasts all ran at him, shouting "alebrije! alebrije!". Upon his recovery, Linares began recreating the fantastical creatures he had seen in his dream. The art form gained popularity, and alebrijes are now made of wood as well as papier mache.