fun decor

This wondrous, mystical hand-carved sese wood mask comes from the Nyadedzor workshop. With a round face, half-closed eyes, and an open mouth, the mask bears the name Nkunim, meaning "to succeed". The piece is adorned with beautiful designs as well as aluminum plates, and it is provided with a coat of potassium for protection and finished for an antique appearance. The mask is a magnificent symbol of success in any home.

This natural fiber journal, handcrafted by Balinese artisan Komang Sulaksana, features a pandan leaf cover, cinnamon and grass cord binding and 100 pages of rice straw paper perfect for jotting notes, memories, dreams, drawings or poetry. The artisan relishes in the challenge of melding different mediums, relying on both his artistic talent, and on natural fibers, for all of his work. "Creating new designs is so much fun for me," he says. "Arranging different kinds of materials together is not a hard thing to do but, of course, it requires patience and skill."

Mexican artisan Martha Lopez handcrafts a set of four cotton pompom tassels that blend the colors of almond and ginger spice. Above the tassel and pompom, the threads are woven together in a diamond motif and then twisted to form a loop for easy hanging. These fun and playful tassels can decorate a doorknob, a curtain tie-back, or even a holiday tree.