More on Holiday gifts, and these all made in the United States! I came across this site, and these products, just the other day. Hand crafted in Maine: Seabags.
They actually cut up old sails (!) and sew them into bags.. what a wonderful re-use, no? The design of the bags is actually inspired by the sail itself (no,not all sails are created equal!), each bag has a design imprinted, and all have rope handles. I also like that this company works with several local non-profits such as the Maine Cancer Foundation and the Maine Correctional Institute for Women. They want to “make an impact locally and globally.”
Take a look also at their blog entry for Dec. 7. 2009 for a wonderful report from an intern who worked there recently. Very nice writing!
Here is a sail all laid out and ready to cut:
Another local, hand crafted product comes from artist and designer Shaari Horowitz:
Shaari designs and sells her products both from her studio/website and at high end craft shows (NorthEast and MidAtlantic). See the website for her upcoming schedule of shows, or you can contact her directly from the website. You can purchase one of her “stock” designs (hardly stock!: each one is individual and very very unique..) or she is happy to work on a made-to-order basis.
To view a short video of Shaari at work in her studio, explaining HOW she works, click here. As you will see, I have been to Shaari’s studio in northwestern Connecticut. It was a journey into the wonderful world of classic handpainting. No hurrying here; no computers here: it’s the REAL thing and Shaari does it beautifully. And, in addition to her studio upstairs I was treated to a glimpse of the gorgeous work of her husband, Alistair Jones, wood worker extraordinaire. So, for all you interior designers out there, keep them in mind!
