Gifts Archives - Botanical Colors

The Fine Art of Making Scissors

A good pair of scissors is a must for any craftsperson and a fine pair of handmade scissors is a very special pleasure. No wonder we keep them safely tucked away and bring them out only for those times when we are mending or stitching. When I visited Paris in the early 1990’s, I was seeking a shop that specialized in fine needle arts tools. Although there were a number of antique dealers with beautiful old sewing collections, I could not locate a sewing supply that carried wonderful professional quality scissors. Luckily, Sajou has revitalized the art of handmade scissors … Read more

Cyber Monday

When you read about Cyber Monday, one thinks of people glued to their computers, madly clicking away and purchasing plasma screen TV sets and oodles of electronica that are ON SALE for Cyber Monday through all the major retailers. Instead, why not celebrate Cyber Monday with a handmade gift? There are some wonderful sites out there with amazing gifts from Fair Trade and artisan crafts where your purchase will really make a difference. Of particular note is Hand/Eye Magazine, which has a website devoted to artisan crafts called “12 Small Things”. It’s a carefully curated collection of exquisite gifts from … Read more

Holiday gift ideas

Looking for gift ideas for the serious textile artist? That can sometimes be tricky, but here are some objects that we’ve chosen for beauty and functionality and we hope will be enjoyed for many years. We spent the better part of last year searching for these items and discovered them in all sorts of unlikely places. They are handmade and one of a kind, and available only online. We love these richly colored mortar and pestles hand carved from granadillo or macawood. The mortar is weighty with a beautiful grain and the pestle is hand carved from matching wood. They … Read more