I have been to Turkey 3 times and was very impressed with the town of Selcuk which is very close to Ephesus. Selcuk is a charming town which dates back to Byzantine times, and today still keeps much of its old Turkish character. I visited Selcuk twice and bought all of my kilims there.
Anyone living in a home built in the 1920s or before has some very long hallways, and this exquisite handmade kilim [#503] would be perfect for any hallway.
#502 is a fairly large hand woven kilim.
Below is a beautifully designed small kilim featuring 2 stags and other animals [#510]. Obviously this kilim deserves an important place on you wall, not on the floor.
My carpets are all handmade an were purchased in the southern part of Morocco. #509 is a thick finely woven carpet and was bought in the Atlas region of Morocco.
#507 is a spectacular very large pastel thick handmade carpet which was purchased in a carpet making town on the road from The Atlas to Essoaouria. It features Berber symbols and the colours are somewhat lighter than those shown in the picture – pink rather than light red. I have some terrific pictures of this rug making town, but alas, I visited Morocco before I owned a digital camera so will have to scan them. Please keep reading my blogs!
Essaouria is a walled Berber city on the Atlantic and has been inhabited since pre-historic times. It is well worth a visit. Be sure to stay inside the city walls. You will see many wonderful sights!
June is the month for weddings. For some suitable wedding and engagement gifts check my Feb. blog and the rest of my website.
Take advantage of the 5o% sale on kilims and carpets. They could make good wedding gifts, too.
-Until next time.
Donna Davidson
Most masks from Lombok have the same carved features. It is the tattoo designs [sometimes carved designs] which are original.
This heart shaped box made out of colored palm leaves from Lombok would make a very unusual, appropriate Valentine’s gift for either a man or a woman. [Item #307]
Do you frequently send flowers to your beloved on Valentine’s Day just because it is the easiest? They are very nice for a few days, but then they are gone. Why not give her [him] a marble box with beautifully carved flowers which will last much longer and be a great deal more useful in the long run? Items #298, #299 below would make wonderful permanent Valentine’s gifts. Items #294, 295, 296, 300, 301 have lovely flower patterns, also.
Representations of marriage couples are extremely important in Java and are often found in Javanese homes. Item #124 below is just such a traditional marriage couple. All the marriage couples on my website are from Java and are hand carved and hand painted wood. Take a look at #125, 126,127, 128. Items #129, 586, 587, 588, 589 are smaller carvings. All the marriage couples are suitable gifts for for Valentine’s Day, engagements, weddings, and anniversaries.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
This hand carved wooden box from Lombok would be a good gift for a woman or man. – #302
Children would find these sand animals from Thailand fun – #658
Item #657 would be a perfect stocking stuffer of the cat lover on your list.
Last week a friend wanted to buy a wall hanging or panel for his wife. I showed him a number of items including one which he thought would be too elaborate for his wife’s taste. However, when he showed his wife my website, that was the one she chose. So, if you are not certain about a friend’s or relative’s taste, you can make a better choice by having them look at my website.
If these times don’t suit you, You can telephone me or e-mail me and make a separate appointment. I’m open until Dec. 24. My store is in my apartment, so if you come, be prepared for a surprise!
I hope to see you before Christmas!
