gift guide

Balinese artisan Komang Sulaksana uses natural kupu-kupu leaves, dyed a deep red, to craft the cover on his pretty photo album. Bound with agel grass, the album opens to 20 pages of rice straw paper that hold up to 20 vertical photos. On the cover, a cinnamon stick perfumes the pages with a warm, spiced scent.

Adriana Trejo guides you around the marvelous floral fields of the Mexican region through this curated gift set featuring the best of the artisan's creations. Working with crystals and glass beads in shades of black, turquoise, yellow, orange and golden, the artisan creates these floral accessories, including a beaded bracelet, 14k gold-accented button earrings and precious dangle earrings equipped with kidney earwire clasps.

The radiant points of a star gleam in brass inlay applied to sleek black wood. Colorful and beautiful, this African mask comes from Ghana's Akan people. Rich applications of seed beads add elegance to a design by Abdul Aziz Mohamadu. He names it Nsoromma, or "Star."

This charming wall art captures the heart of Christmas with a wonderfully whimsical nativity scene - Joseph standing alongside Mary, who is tenderly holding baby Jesus under the bright guiding star. The contrast between the hand-molded ceramic figurines and the intentionally distressed wood background creates a delightful rustic aesthetic that brings warmth to any holiday display. Each character showcases remarkable attention to detail in both form and paint work, with subtle touches that reveal the careful handcrafting process. Guatemalan artisan Liz Oliva creates this endearing decorative accent, perfect for adding character to your space and seasonal decorations.

Take notes, chronicle the day's events and plan future travel with these enchanting mini journals, each featuring depictions of songbirds over tropical flora in the style of antique court stamp paper. Indian artisan Asha Prabha makes these journals with crisp handcrafted paper that is unique to the touch, with each featuring 48 pages bound with cotton between hard paper covers, closing with attached cotton cords when not in use. These journals reflect the unique character of Asha Prabha, whose comforting personality guides new generations of artists in their stitching and embroidery as they learn the trade in her small village workshop.

In this painting by Costa Rica artist Olga Saenz Carbonell, a howler monkey appears to gaze wistfully off of the canvas. Carbonell paints in an expressionist style, choosing colors of purple, green, and blue to represent the monkey's fur. Says the artist, "As a tour guide in the jungles of Costa Rica, I am often in contact with these beautiful and innocent creatures. Their gaze always draws my attention; it seems sad, and always strongly fixed on its subject, whether it be a fruit, a leaf, or the tallest branch of a tree. This is a painting that speaks to that ineffable sadness found in the gaze of the howler monkey."

Titled Aullador in Spanish.

This charming cotton stool by Indian designer Ganpat Mehta is handembroidered by women artisans in Rajasthan, India’s colorful “Land of Kings.” Standing atop acacia wood feet, the stool’s intricate stitching features a mandala - a Hindu representation of the universe and a guide on the path to enlightenment.