Flowers have been a favorite motif ever since humans started decorating surfaces. Archeologists have found pottery, wooden carvings, woven remnants, and jewelry with ancient floral designs. And, why not? Once humans went beyond the function of something they made, they felt compelled to decorate it. This eventually became stylized into a language of its own…

Featured image: FeltUA Ukrainian Shawl with Child Trump has been in power here in the US for a little more than a month, bringing disruption, fear, arrogance, unemployment, and insecurity.  Shock and awe has a paralyzing effect, meant to incapacitate “the enemy from within”. My job is to promote beautiful handmade products made by our…

I was thinking about the heart shape, wondering how it became the symbol for love. Clearly, the physical heart must have inspired poetry, ballads, and stories for thousands of years because of how it pounds in our chests when we think of the beloved, hold a child, face an enemy, take a risk or engage…

Have you ever explored our site by country?  We have tagged all of our products with the country they were made in so that you can explore by Provenance!  I thought it would be fun to explore a Christmas theme and match a video from a country with a product from one of our members. …

When we think of handmade items, whether they were made recently or a long time ago, we can feel a connection with a person or a community who worked on those pieces, stitching, carving, turning on a wheel...  We understand that each piece is unique, comes with a story and that is something to be…

Silvia Hara weaves tapestries, paints and plays Bulgarian folk music.  Her life as an artist came naturally for her as her grandfather was an acclaimed textile designer who inspired her journey.  You can learn more about her on her profile, her website and on our sister site, Creative PlaceMakers, where you can zoom in and…

“Living well is an art that can be developed: a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings and assurance that the world owes you nothing and that every gift is exactly that, a gift. ” ― Maya Angelou   Click on the photos to visit our member websites.   It's…

Is the desire for adornment an innate human drive? Most cultures seem to express their identities through their clothing, jewelry and hair styles, often messaging to the public their roles in society with what they wear. They might signal marital status, wealth, professions, cultural identity, and even subcultures born out of rebellion against those same…

As the cold weather blows through the Northern Hemisphere, we pull out our scarves, shawls and warm clothing. Some of it is practical, a barrier against cool temps, but a lot of it is also fun. There are two reasons I like Fall and Winter: I can wear my woolens (and other favorites) and I…