Search Results

The pandemic prompted us to reevaluate and, ultimately, redefine our relationship with outdoor spaces. Here in Miami, our day to day experiences are tied to the open air: on breeze brushed evenings we eat outside, stroll along the harbors, and walk through the city streets with a profound appreciation for our home and on the skin-meltingly humid days we cower in air conditioned buildings and resent the moments we have to dash under the sun. Further North, we cherished the time set aside for engagement with nature—from rustic walks through pastures and hikes up mountains, to inlet river rows and open-ocean sailing—but we generally ignored our surrounding environment unless it was actively threatening us with bitter winds or torrential rains. With the arrival of the pandemic, we as a society simultaneously found ourselves looking for ways to congregate in the virally-unsaturated open air and seeking safety in the confines of our homes. On one hand, cities across the globe embraced outdoor dining and alfresco markets as alternatives to indoor experiences. On the other hand, many of us were bound to apartments without gardens where we could only dream about easy access to the outdoors. So this holiday, we're gifting our loved ones items that can enliven their exterior spaces or bring moments of natural magic into their urban abodes: hammocks! Nothing evokes a sense of being in a mystical garden getaway like a perfectly formed hammock that, when used, cocoons us in beautiful textiles and, when not in use, lies as an invitation for uninterrupted relaxation. Hammocks have a storied history that winds through time as far back as humans have wanted to find restful, protected sleep away from ground dwelling dangers. As such, it should come as no surprise that hammocks are as diverse as humankind itself, ranging from nuzzling fur pelts to supportive and sculptural rattan pods. George el Greco Interiors Jamaican Handwoven Rattan Hammock Speaking of rattan pods, we begin in Marbella—one of our favorite cities—at George el Greco Interiors—one of our favorite houseware boutiques!—where we suspend ourselves above the lucid waves, gently lapping over the salt sparkling gold coast of the Mediterranean, in the rattan ribbon of the Jamaican Handwoven Rattan Hammock. Smooth palms are woven like tapestry into an elegant curve that gently cradles our bodies as we basque in the Spanish sun that once nourished the genius of Picasso. The hammock is as much a sculptural installation as it is a chaise, making it a sophisticated accent for any romantic garden and the perfect gift for everyone on your list. OR.CA Garden Hammock The honeyed fawn palette of the palms is mirrored by the natural fibers of the hand-woven Garden Hammock from OR.CA, a magnificent manifestation of the design studio's intention to "create conceptual landscapes honoring a life without walls...[working] to bring a deeper connection between nature and the people that inhabit a space" (1). Strands of auric maple coloured fibers are spun to form rustic threads that are woven together to create a supple bark-like net that drapes softly, ready to support you as you rest. The Hammock is itself a peaceful embodiment of the natural world; suspended in the dappled shadows of sun kissed trees, the Garden Hammock seems to emerge from the earth as naturally as the plants it sways beside. It's an accent piece that will effortlessly integrate into your landscapes. Steven Carter Hand-Knotted Hammock There is simply, and definitively, no more wondrous nautical netted hammock than that offered from Kariegan artist Steven Carter, who we discovered through the editor of UD News, Heilie Combinck. In the Eastern Cape Providence of South Africa, Carter, "a seasoned fisherman, Bosun seaman, rigger,..and craftsman [who] was taught traditional weaving techniques at a young age whilst working on deep sea fishing trawlers"(2), uses traditional slip-less knots to construct intricate nets that are strong enough to endure the thrashes of tangled fish while retaining a softness and devastating chicness. The New Englanders on the ARCANISA team were raised incorporating industrial fishing design into their day to day aesthetic—think Guy Cotten raincoats and cast net needle bookmarks—so Carter's custom nets, which marry contemporary design and traditional seaman craftsmanship, are a must have addition to any outdoor (or indoor!) oasis. Incausa Kuikuro and Mehinako Hammocks If you are looking to splurge and gift a one of a kind, once in a lifetime, hammock, head to the Noble Showroom in Brooklyn and find the Incausa Hammocks made by members of the Kuikuro and Mehinako indigenous peoples of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Straw coloured warp beams of goldenrod buriti fibers span the length of the hammack like strings on a harp, rippling between a lattice of white cotton weft threads that secure the buriti and offer the supportive structure of the textile. The hammocks are visually fragile and exceptionally timeless and will certainly be treasured by anyone fortunate enough to receive one this holiday. Hamacas Marinera Vibrant Hammocks If you are looking to surround your loved ones in a cocoon of colour, the hammocks from Hamacas Marinera and the Mujeres con Esperanza, Women of Hope, in Morazán El Salvador will leave you in awe. After suffering the climatic consequences of an ever warming planet and watching a once fertile river become thirsty, the women of Morazán joined together, with the same entrepreneurial spirit as the Radical Grandmas of Thailand, and established a cooperative through which they could sell their traditional hand-woven hammocks to provide income to supplement lost wages as crops failed in the wake of increasingly frequent droughts (3). Now with their own brick-and-mortar location and an international digitally-connected customer base, the Mujeres con Esperanza continue to create vibrantly striped hammocks that are simply dazzling. Nauticalia Pocket Hammock While this pocket hammock from Nauticalia may not have the hand-woven charm of Steven Carter's nets, its epic compactability—compressible to the size of a balled-fist and durable nylon construction makes it an ideal gift for those in your life who may like to take spontaneous moments of quiet and relaxation to enjoy the chilling clarity of high-elevation mountain vistas or swing in a stinging, salty ocean breeze as they brace the elements on off trail adventures. BLESS Nº28 Climate Confusion Assistance Hammocks When a bigger hammock statement is better, we turn to the Nº28 Climate Confusion Assistance hammock collection from BLESS design studio in Berlin. Braided tube-like ropes of polyester-stuffed, glossy black nylon form the seemingly inflated knit mattress on the bed of the Fatknit Hammock, suspended from strands that are inconceivably small given the visual weight of the slithering serpentine nylon pipes. Then there is the eternally luxurious Fur Hammock. A tight cotton canvas base is drenched in and, frankly overwhelmed by, a sensual sea of coyote fur. There is something both instinctually primitive and inaccessibly elite about the Fur Hammock and we want nothing more than to meditate on this dichotomy while submerged in its seductive waves. ByKay Woven Wrap Baby Carrier And for the little ones on your holiday list, gift the Woven Wrap Baby Carrier from ByKay. While the wraps were designed to allow parents to hold and carry their babies close against their bodies, we love the utilization of these swaddling swaths of OEKO-TEX certified, linen and cotton denim as knotted hammocks that rock our babies gently to sleep with their lullabied soft swaying. Whether your loved ones find shelter in urban apartments void of al fresco opportunities or devote their lives to an exploration of nature and a pursuit of outdoor activities, gift them a joy-bringing, peace-providing, textile paradise with one of these magnificent hammocks. And explore the full 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for more gift giving inspiration! HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Day 13 Day 11

The holidays bring to mind a picturesque scene where roaring fires warm the slipper covered toes of couples snuggled under blankets, sipping cups of hot chocolate as they watch a gentle snowfall cover the wooded landscape outside. Candles and strands of twinkling lights draped across mantles and windowsills cast an amber glow and crackling logs serve as the ambient soundtrack to lull us to a state of blissful winter serenity. Even on the balmy 80 degree December days here in Miami, we find ourselves searching for that festive embrace of a cozy blanket to surround us with holiday spirit. So today we're sharing our favorite treasured textiles, from coveted wool blankets for those of you spending your holidays in colder climates to exceptional serapes and towels for those of us sunning the winter away in more tropical environments. Weave your loved ones into the storied history of the holidays, filled with threads of love, family, and thankfulness, by gifting one of these treasured textiles. Let's start in the tropics by exploring a collection of towels, wraps, and sarongs that will have your loved ones forgetting about the lack of season-defining snowfall. On the stunning Hawaiian island of Oʻahu, Native Hawaiian Owner and Designer Tanya Uyehara of Laha'ole Designs, shares a trio of Pīkake towels that will surround you in plush microfiber and an elegant lei pattern featuring a winding garland of strung Arabian jasmine flowers. Pīkake, the Hawaiian name for these fragrant blossoms, is actually the word for 'peacock' but came to refer to the blooms as they were the favorite flower of 19th Princess Ka'iulani, known as the Peacock Princess. The petals are defined against the aubergine, pewter, and blushed pink backgrounds by soft golden outlines, with some strands of flowers remaining unfilled to offer a whispered floral frame while the petals of other strands are painted vibrant white for a luminous trail of floral jewels. The towels are irresistibly soft and unquestionably modern so you can be confident everyone on your list will eagerly surround themselves with these sea-side leis. Earlier this year we watched in awe as over eleven thousand athletes, representing 33 sports and 206 nations, competed in the Olympic games offering us an opportunity to unify as nations and express our shared pride of homeland and to appreciate the innate human commonality and community that touches the furthest reaches of the Earth. After the pandemic narrowed our personal worlds, confining us to smaller and smaller local communities, the Olympics arrived as a refreshing and welcomed reminder of our global interconnectedness. This emergence from the darkness of isolation to the soul illuminating light of sodality is brilliantly epitomized by Betsy Bickle's The Other Olympics Beach Towel. Bickle weaves a narrative of un-actualized possibilities and victorious unions by deconstructing the logos of potential host cities who ultimately lost the bid to hold the ceremonies and arranging them into a contemporary abstracted design. These cities with their abandoned plans were left in a position that bares a striking resemblance to the one that we all found ourselves in during the peak of the pandemic: all visions of the future that we had passionately designed were abruptly interrupted and we were left alone in our cities, unable to share our space with others. And these scars of abandoned plans and lost visions remain as the beautiful lines of proposed Olympic logos. Despite this loss, these host cities joined all of us in rallying around our athletically inclined kinfolk as they ventured outside our shrunken worlds and opened us back up to the global community we had missed. Can you think of a more romantic message to gift to your loved ones this holiday? We cannot! Baron de Coubertin...the father of the modern Olympic Games..famously said The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part (1) Before we crossed the threshold and reentered the social scene post-pandemic peak, we kindled our love of film by pouring ourselves over thousands of hours of movies, constructing a canon of cinema that was unimaginable prior to 2019. We comforted ourselves with ceaseless reruns of The Office and drooled over the wardrobes in the King and I and the puppies in The Ugly Dachshund. We tangled our minds with The Game and A Trip to the Moon, untangled them with The Bird Cage and Tag, and stood starry eyed, overcome by idolatry, as Michelle Pfeiffer, with crushingly confident command, lit perfume doused table flowers on fire in the center of a Parisian cafe in The French Exit. We even watched recordings of live performances of A Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and needless to say, we arranged our schedules—and frankly our lives—around an ever deepening love of film. So when we spotted the Blue Widescreen Beach Towel and Aspect Ratio Blanket from A24 Films we were instantly smitten. These stylish cinematic staples widen the aperture of memorabilia and materialize a love of film off the silver screen. These handsome pieces will capture the attention of everyone on your holiday set and offer the perfect backdrop for every festive scene, whether sand-covered or snow-drenched! Very few things are cozier than wool, but somehow the heart-warmed hands of the Mayan K’iche artisans behind the Guatemalan Momostecos Wool Blanket managed to weave a wool blanket that boasts an unrivaled softness. Sustainable, eco friendly, and entirely one of a kind, each blanket is a masterpiece of traditional craftsmanship and elegant modern luxury that "is completely handmade, from the cutting of the wool to the weaving on the foot pedal loom"(2). Hand-woven on wooden looms, rows of narrow ash and ivory stripes carry their linearity across the majority of the design; heathered and blurred by the floccose haze of the supple cloud of brushed wool fibers that float atop the surface of the blanket, the stripes are almost indiscernible from afar but the visible softness is evident at any distance. A train of red arrows follow a red stroke through a river of uninterrupted ivory that runs below the stripes and is supported by a rich charcoal bar below. At the hem of the blanket, a delicate band of ivory holds a coastline of whiskery fringe that's rocked by waves of ambient motion. While the pattern is undeniably breathtaking in its simplicity, the labour intensive process behind the creation of each blanket is where we discover the true magic of the textiles. "During the summer season in Guatemalan highlands, ...artisans begin to hand cut wool to sheep. Bundles of wool are prepared to be handwashed[,] dried by sunlight[, and then] carded by hand using traditional wood combs and later hand spun using the wood spinning wheels. Once the yarns are ready, they are hand dyed with natural plant dyes[,] hang-dried[,] mounted on the traditional foot pedal loom (K’em)[, and handwoven into blankets] by talented Mayan artisans. Then, due to the difficult access (ravines and huge rocks), our wool blankets are carried on the artisan's back...to the local sulfurous hot springs located in the deepest of the mountains for an intensive felting process by using our feet that cleans the blanket of oil, dirt and impurities. Finally, ...artisans...take them back home to be dried by sunlight, hand brushed with a traditional brush made of a plant’s thorns named “Ki’sh” to release loose fibers and they are ready to be shipped to you." (2) Staying within the mountains, we shift over to the scaling Pyrenees of Andorra. Salvaging wool that would otherwise have been discarded after spring sheering, VITAL follows in the footsteps of those who have inhabited the mountains for centuries by creating woven blankets and wearable pieces from this natural and indispensable material (3). "Now, with this same natural fibre, VITAL has created the tapaboques (shepherd’s blanket), reproducing the design and texture that the shepherds of the Pyrenees ancestrally wore to protect themselves from the cold and rain. The blanket has been used by shepherds for centuries, in its shape, weight and texture, there is an ancestral tradition. We hope that this new product we offer, made with the wool of our sheep, will make an attractive contribution to this legacy, which we received with such delight; in this same spirit of delight, we pass on this simple, high-quality blanket inspired by the rich pastoral culture of our land and, likewise, of the whole Pyrenees." (3) We love opportunities to connect with and participate in this storied history. Following in the footsteps of Andorran shepherds, who themselves followed their flocks through the uncertain mountain terrain as they searched for reposeful spaces as they meandered towards the heavens, we wrap ourselves with these checkered, gingham blankets and appreciate the warmth of their gentle protective touch and their spellbindingly elegant design. As someone once wisely shared with us, "art without tradition is a flock without a shepherd" but this masterful blanket, with its centuries of history, holds the power to shepherd and embrace us through even the most challenging circumstances making it an ideal gift for those we hold dear. We climb a bit higher up the mountains to Nepal where we find our next handmade tapestry. Here, a team of 300 Nepalese artisans expertly and soulfully weave 100% cotton into a broad fabric that forms the Lubu Newari Shawl offered by US Sherpa, the only Sherpa-owned outdoor brand in the US. Utilizing "production methods that go back generations" (4), the "cotton is spun into yarn by hand...[then dyed] with chemical-free colors made from turmeric, tikka, and other plants"(The Pulse). Inspired by traditional Nepalese style shawls, the base of the shawl is an entrancing onyx black pool that, on one side, holds streams of emerald, amber, carnelian, and moonstone thread that ripple as they flow in parallel down the shawl. On the reverse side, the onyx pool deepens; mossy blades of fragile thread form bands that define narrow paths through the darkness. Mirroring the streams on the other side, coloured threads pad through the dark abyss, leaving eyelet petaled footsteps that float, evenly spaced, through the black channels between the mossy walls. Each scarf is a constellation of wildflowers blooming in the glow of a fertile moon and glistening even through the shadow of their diurnal pasture. There is no need to scale mountains to find the heavenly fingerprints that mark the sky; these Lubu scarves are a galaxy of enlivened design and a prism of nocturnal colour that will light up the lives of those on your holiday gift list. Moving south but staying at a high elevation, we make our way to Loei Province in Thailand. Loei is "the city of the sea of mountains" resting "in a fertile basin surrounded by mountains whose summits are covered by fog and abundant varied flora" (5). Within the northern region of the province bordering Laos, in the foothills of the mountains, is a small rural village known as Na Nong Bong. For generations, those who called Na Nong Bong home lived a peaceful agrarian lifestyle, harvesting crops against a verdant mountainous backdrop, dappled by misty clouds, that's nothing short of natural poetry. However, the simplicity of life in Na Nong Bong was upended in 2006 when a mining company established a gold excavation facility a mere 500 meters away in the shared valley. Resultantly, dust storms and detonations shook the ground tenderly incubating the crops. Chemicals from the facility leached into the earth, contaminating the village's water supplies with arsenic and cyanide that slowly poisoned the land and the community, that was already suffering from the clouds of smoke and sulfur that had replaced the misty breath that used to gather around the mountains. Villagers suddenly were unable to drink the water they relied on or eat the crops they themselves had worked to grow. “Dust from the blasts [at the mine] covered the whole town at night and when we looked out the windows, the visibility was terrible. Black matter covered our roofs, and when the first rain began that season, it became like oil." (6) "The effects of mining and the trauma from over a decade of protest has left scars on the community, both tangible and intangible" (7) But then, Ranong Kongsean and other valiant community members stood up against the mine establishing an activist group Khon Rak Ban Kerd, "People who love their homeland". Advocating for the closure of the mine and the restoration of their homeland, these activists surrounded the mine to stand up for their land and for each other, even in the face of threats, harassment, and physical attacks. Ultimately, the mine was closed and the group was awarded with the National Human Rights Commission award (8). But before they were successful, the members of Khon Rak Ban Kerd, with the help of six American students, founded 'Radical Grandma's , "self organized group of [local] women who sell their handwoven scarves to fundraise for the environmental justice movement in their home village." (7). Radical Grandma Collective is an international and intergenerational solidarity effort supporting environmental justice activists in Northeast Thailand. We support environmental restoration and advocate for economic security by: • Directing resources to human rights defenders • Amplifying environmental justice movements in Thailand • Providing educational programming Each purchase from Radical Grandma Collective directly funds community organizing for the restoration of the community, the environment, and their human rights. (7) By gifting one of these handwoven scarves you not only share absolutely exceptional, aesthetic patterns created with traditional weaving techniques handed down through generations, you support the restoration of a defiled homeland and the Radical, inspiring women who lead the movement to preserve their homes. We continue our celebration of fearless, resilient women by introducing you to Yadaiha, a social enterprise out of Boulder Colorado "that employs, empowers, and supports the refugee women of Gaza by selling their unique and modern Palestinian embroideries" (9). After identifying that "too many Gaza women hide behind ignorance and a fear of failure" despite their awe inspiring talents and unwavering creativity, Yadaiha founders established the project as a way to support Gaza women as they come to understand their worth and the limitlessness of their potentials. While Yadaiha acts as an incubator for and employer of developing artisans, it's most importantly a lens through which women are reminded of their intrinsic exceptionalism. And the textile pieces the women embroider are equally exceptional. On the Free Palestinian Bird scarf, delicate birds with open wings and curled tail feathers prepare for flight and beautiful encounters in a landscape of geometric mountains and blossoming flowers, serving "as a symbol of spirituality and freedom, to awaken your curiosity and open your hearts and minds to new possibilities" (10). Vibrant bolts of saturated stitches dance across the border of the Flames of Hope Scarf, reminding the wearer they are a force of nature and inspiring them "to be like a lightening bolt-strong, powerful, and electric" (11). Winding ruby roots of cypress trees weave themselves into geometric tiles of stability on the Cypress Colorful Roots scarf, referencing the Palestinian agricultural practice of planting cypress trees to soothe fierce winds, a practice that anointed the cypress as a symbol of "family warmth, love and loyalty" (12). We encourage you to gift one of these stunning scarves to inspire your loved ones and support the incredible Gaza women whose vision and artistry made the scarves possible. "To wear a piece of Yadaiha jewelry or a beautiful Yadaiha scarf is to feel the strength of the Palestinian spirit. Yadaiha goods speak to the enduring identity of our people, and to our love of beauty, color, and craftsmanship." (9) We travel now to the Vankars, 'the weavers', cast community in the 500 year old village of Bhujodi in the Gujarat region of India to find the Kutchi Sheep Wool Shawls from Mano Etna. Kutchi Weaving arrived in Bhujodi with the Meghwal community from Rajasthan who used yarn, hand-spun by nomadic sheep and goat herders, to weave "distinctive traditional motifs and natural colours [into] medium to heavy weight textiles...like an inlay tapestry" (13). Today, with a preservation of tradition in mind, the weavers in Bhujodi transform organic raw, naturally hand-dyed Kutch sheep-wool into glorious shawls that surround us with halos of texture and elegantly simplistic design. Dazzling red shawls hold a frame of steely blue, misty ivory, and succulent orange woven lines that intersect at the corners of the piece to offer a subtle nod to plaid. Tendrilic droplets of fringe, each wrapped in coloured threads, fall from the edges and dance as the wearer walks. Luscious cocoa carries lace-like details in dizzying fuchsias and corals that ignite the surface and form fiery trails that span the length of the shawls. The colour play atop the rustic textured surface forms a symphony of visual interest that will leave you entranced in the very best way. "Ethnic styles express lifestyle. They are practiced by individuals whose heritage is rooted in community rather than land, and considered cultural property."(14) For the nature-lovers on your list turn to Bloomist, a company with a mission "to inspire you to make a calm, natural refuge at home" (15). And the Nairobi Throw from Libeco they offer is just the gift to transform our spaces into serene sanctuaries. One hundred percent Belgian Linen, made solely from European Flax fibers, is meticulously woven to create each striking blanket. A mesmerizingly delicate band of black and honey chevron dashes across the loose tobacco colored backdrop of the throw and almost distorts, blending slightly, to form a channel of silver foggy. Four speckled bands of charcoal underscore the chevron and introduce a band of untamed flax coloured fringe that covers the seamless hem like fur. The throw is an accent of warm toasted spice, one that emits an cidery glow thats rivaled only by the aura of a winter fire. Made by Libeco, each linen blanket is a piece of skillful craftsmanship. Since opening the original weaving mill in Meulebeke, Belgium, "5 generations of Libeerts have been faithfully and skillfully producing the finest Belgian Linen from Flemish flax" (16) by perfecting every aspect of the process from growing and harvesting to spinning and weaving, even transitioning to carbon neutrality by relying "on the sun and the North Sea’s salty breeze to power the mill" (16). Each blanket is masterpiece, a love letter to generational European craftsmanship and environmental consciousness that anyone on your holiday gift list would feel privileged to receive. "Our care and respect for the fragile planet informs our ethos and culture. We believe in using natural materials and environmentally friendly, sustainable production to create meaningful things with a reason to exist, a rich story to tell, and a purpose woven throughout. We also believe in giving back. Bloomist is a member of the Pledge 1% global movement and we donate to causes like Conservation International, an organization that works to protect the nature we rely on for food, fresh water, and livelihoods." (15) We next cross the pond to Africa where we find the Mudcloth blankets from Mango Peaches & Lime (MPL), founded in The Gambia by Zainab Ayeni. MPL curates a collection of handmade housewares created by skilled artisans from across the continent and "provides a platform to make these unique wares accessible worldwide"(17), a platform those of us outside the African continent are sincerely grateful for! We have a deeply profound affinity for West African Mudcloth, or Bogolan. To create this crushingly sophisticated blanket, bands of oxblood coloured cotton are sewn together and painted with abyssal black and striking ivory to form a pattern of traditional linear Malian motifs that we just swoon over. Your loved ones will cherish the geometric modernity of this timeless traditional textile that can transform any bed or table into a horizontal gallery exhibiting sheer perfection. Made from 100% organic cotton, the process of making this beautiful fabric is an art form which dates back generations. The textile is traditionally made using narrow strips of cotton, hand spun on looms which are then stitched together to make a whole cloth. Cloths are first hand dyed in baths of boiled mashed leaves from the baobab tree and in some cases, tree bark is also added. After drying, a special mud, fermented for up to a year is used to design the intricate motifs on the fabric. (18) While we do our utmost best not to reveal any favoritism, we do have to admit that we have a favorite blanket this year. Please bear in mind, we are so smitten with every single woven masterpiece on this list that we had a tremendously difficult time writing about them because we'd end up so overcome by our excitement and enthusiasm that we'd lose sight of what we were doing! With that honest disclaimer noted, the Sackcloth & Ashes and Naiomi Glasses Heritage Blankets rocks us to our core. We fully admit that we're entirely unable to use language to justly capture the magic of these blankets, but we'll try our best. The blankets themselves are woven from a "certifiably eco-friendly, cruelty-free, and good for our planet blend" of recycled wool, recycled polyester, and recycled acrylic that is dye, chemical, and water free as Sackcloth & Ashes maintains an unwavering commitment to social and environmental responsibility, ensuring that all their items "[leave] a positive impact on the lives and communities they come in contact with" (19). (we're already getting too excited!) But it's the impact these blankets have on our communities that solidify these collaborative textiles as our favorite items on this list. Bob Dalton founded Sackcloth & Ashes, a self-described mission-driven company, in an effort "to help the homeless population when his mother found herself living on the streets in 2013"(20). To meet their indescribably excellent goal of "[donating] one million blankets to homeless shelters by [their] 10 year anniversary, June 1, 2024", Sackcloth & Ashes donates a blanket to a homeless shelter for every blanket sold. And not just any homeless shelter; when you purchase a blanket, one is donated to the homeless shelter nearest to your zip code, identified from a network of over 600 partnering shelters/programs. And this donation program holds true for every blanket available from the company. The Naiomi Glasses collaboration Heritage Blankets, however, are even more special. The blankets are designed by Naiomi Glasses herself, the iconic Diné skateboarder who soars across the desert landscape of her Navajo Nation home while dressed in traditional Diné attire. Glasses is a seventh-generation weaver with experience tending "to [her] family’s flock of sheep and herd of cattle"(21) so it should come as no surprise that this powerful woman, with a comprehensive knowledge of blanket making from shepherding to weaving, designed chillingly beautiful blankets. The Midnight blanket marries raven blacks of the night with the luminous pewters and ashen graphites that reveal themselves at the whispered touch of moonlight. The Canyons blanket conversely channels the diurnal landscape, with earthen bronzed siennas meeting sun-lit ivories and velvety camels. The vibrant hues of the sunrise interlace on the Sunrise blanket, bands of pristine blacks and whites reflect the darkness and lightness that surround the moment the sun breeches the horizon and paints the sky with rays of citrine and rubies that part to unveil the turquoise desert sky. Thus far we've learned the blanket is magnificent, environmentally friendly, and paired with a donated blanket but this is not the end of the Heritage Blanket story. Not only is a blanket donated with every purchase, but "100% of the profits from this blanket will be donated to Chizh for Cheii, an organization that provides free firewood to high-risk elders in Navajo Nation and surrounding areas"(22). By gifting this blanket you touch the lives of your loved ones with dazzling throw blankets, the lives of homeless populations with much needed blankets, and the lives of high-risk elders with warmth-giving firewood. That is why this blanket is our favorite! Regardless of which beach towel, blanket, or shawl you select, by gifting one of the phenomenal textiles on this list you will offer your loved ones dazzling woven designs that carry with them the heart-warming, seasonal embrace of festivity and holiday spirit. Discover even more gift ideas by exploring the full 2021 Holiday Gift Guide! Holiday Gift Guide Day 12 Day 10

Earlier this week, we invited you to explore the world of spiked gifts but today we're leveling things out and sharing a collection of annular objects from topographic time pieces to telephone wire baskets. These infinite perimeters offer an endless aesthetic allure that will certainly appeal to those in your inner circle of gift giving. We want to begin with wall clocks. When we think of timepieces, we think of Cuban-born American artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres. At the end of the 20th century, shortly after his partner, Ross Laycock, received the life-shattering diagnosis of AIDS—a disease that would ultimately claim both of their lives—Gonzalez-Torres conceived one of his most famous works, "Untitled (Perfect Lovers)". The piece is incredibly simple in its design: two identical clocks are set to the same time and are hung beside one another, their edges just touching. As time elapses, batteries fade, mechanisms wind down, and the clocks fall out of sync or stop entirely. Gonzalez-Torres specifies that when the clocks no longer run in harmony, they are to be reset, "thereby resuming perfect synchrony" (MoMA), but it's the brief moments of asynchrony that hold a powerful reminder of absence and loss. This work uses everyday objects to track and measure the inevitable flow of time... In 1991, Gonzalez-Torres reflected, “Time is something that scares me. . . or used to. This piece I made with the two clocks was the scariest thing I have ever done. I wanted to face it. I wanted those two clocks right in front of me, ticking.” MoMA You may be thinking, "this hardly seems festive!", and we can understand why you feel that way. Grief and absence aren't emotions we seek out during the holidays and a clock, serving as a continuous reminder of the ceaseless passing of time, feels like something to be avoided rather than gifted. But, as the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" insinuates, we come to appreciate, cherish, and value our loved ones all the more when we are reminded of what life may be like without them. As Feliz Gonzalez-Torres wrote to Laycock, "Don’t be afraid of the clocks, they are our time, the time has been so generous to us. We imprinted time with the sweet taste of victory. We conquered fate by meeting at a certain TIME in a certain space. We are a product of the time, therefore we give back credit where it is due: time. We are synchronized, now forever. I love you."- Felix Gonzalez-Torres It is this unconditional and unwavering love in the face of hardship, this impassioned conquering of the limits of time, this treasured spotlight on the defining memories we've sculpted together that we want to gift to our loved ones this holiday. A reminder of our unending, unrelenting, and defiant love for them. We can't imaging a more meaningful gift! So here are just a few clocks to inspire your holiday shopping. The bark clock from Asymmetree Design is a uniquely symbolic temporal sculpture. Irregular languid wood shapes, each "precisely cut and engraved"(x), are stacked atop one another and engraved with trailing, shallow streams to create a tiered topographic face onto which the modern clock hands are affixed at the summit. The concentric bands and shadows cast from the seven steps and carved outlines recall the internal chronological map drawn by the growth rings of trees. The clock continuously spirals as time elapses, against a backdrop that resembles a map of history. This clock is a magnificent wall piece and a beautiful depiction of time. While the bark clock invites a meditative journey through the past, the Curvo Wall Clock from Beyond Object is a door to the possibilities of the future. With a modern flexible form, the clock can curve inward to fit against an internal corner or outward to wrap around the edges of walls and doorframes. When set against the face of a passageway, the curved clock guides us into the future, smoothing any obstructing edges and marking the time as we cross the threshold in search of things to come. Also inspiring us to move forward are the Bike Wheel Clocks from Virginia-based Pixel This. Handmade in the US from recycled aluminum bicycle wheels, the clocks are contemporary stationary wall decor pieces that evoke a sense of motion. Spokes extend from an origin of wound bicycle chains out to the time-worn rim, providing a hypnotic linearity behind two striking red hands, each with hollow loupes that offer glimpses of the spikes and the future as the hands trace the circular face. With ample geometry and whimsical pops of color, the clocks are works of art your gift recipients will be proud and eager to hang on their walls. For more recycled timepieces we travel to the United Kingdom to Natural Clocks. Handmade by decoupaging dizzying abstract splattered fabric discovered at a second-hand shop onto a repurposed 10" vinyl record, the Black and White clock is one of our favorites. Rather than ticking, the aircraft-wing-like hands sweep over the surface, pointing to new constellating white patterns between the patches of abyssal black. This clock will keep you thinking of both the time and the stars as you gaze upon its astronomically beautiful face. Or maybe your loved ones would prefer to stay grounded on Earth while meditating about time. If so, the handmade, emerald Moss Wall Clock from Moss Time is the perfected timepiece. A thin black frame holds a dense cloud of natural moss that creates rolling hills of texture spanning the face of the clock. Soaring above this miniature canopy, two contemporary, omnipotent hands glide over the mossy landscape and cast the shadows of time onto the world below. The Cork Clock designed by Dutch artist, Ilias Ernst, and made available by Puik Design, is a midcentury masterpiece. Four indented circles at the cardinal points define 12, 3, 6, and 9 that are introduced to the modern tapered hands as the hours elapse and the hands tour the stark white circular face. But the most striking element of the design is the cork boarder; a thin band of cork circles the face and forms a rounded, triangular foot, offering a juxtaposing stippling of warmth and natural texture against the cold modernity of the other materials and a geometric accent beside the round face. The result is a clock that is truly timeless, an effortless marriage of modernity and texture. Now we want to transition away from clocks and introduce you to a few more circular showstoppers. Starting with the Favino Stool/Table from Only Design. Made in Germany, a dense netted ribbon of honeycomb cardboard is capped at both ends by blackened sheets that hold small magnetic disks. When collapsed, the cardboard condenses into a flat, inconspicuous book. The magic unfolds when the cardboard is expanded. When the magnetic disks on the front and back of the flattened block are brought together, the cardboard blooms, forming a cylindrical structure covered in the ridges and valleys of the pleated of cardboard. Not only is the cardboard an incredibly handsome, industrialized piece of sculpture, it's also sturdy enough to be used as a functional stool/table. Perfect for those on your list who could benefit from the collapsibility as well as those who'd love a gorgeous piece of art. If you're looking for circular wall accents without moving hands, try pairing these stunning prints for statement art installation with a geometric gravity. In Philadelphia, we enter Paradigm Gallery + Studio and revel in the glorious wreckage made elegant in Seth Clark's Mass XXII. A numbered edition of 20, the archival giclée print prints capture a mass of fragmented wooden boards. One ARCANISA team member's sibling described this piece as "an extraterrestrial assemblage, a trove of the remnants of previous worlds, pulled by their own gravity into a webbed, surging swarm of things lost". But we look at the circular structure and travel back through space and time to Doris Salcedo's Chairs installation at the 8th International Istanbul Biennale. Whether you see chairs or the skeletons of societies, Seth Clark has created a masterful, evocative piece that pulls all viewers in with an inescapable captivation, uncertainty, and promise. A visionary satellite where one can submit to the depths of curiosity and wonder. It's a treasure planet. The pairing planetary pieces can be found in Birmingham, UK. Artist Suzie Elizabeth Hunt transforms every day environmental structures into profound planetary prints that come together to form a Universe of Oddities. Rusted lichen-like forms burrow into the crevices of a textured white surface, perhaps the scars of concrete or the creases of tree bark, in Lye 006. Rivers and canyons scribe through rippled, heathered continents, flattered by tuffets of vegetation that had turned at the hands of autumn. Hunt offers us a universe of newness and comfort. "When one is lost in an unknown land, individuals try to make sense of it and create their own world, a place of which only they have. The work was about sharing the the hidden lying in the space and showing it in a new light, showing the poetics of the space someone can reside in." (x) . Each print is a palm print of the unexposed world, the under-appreciated nuance of space, the quiet moments unraveling in the corners of our surroundings that too often go unnoticed. They're love letters to a sense of presentness and belonging. A universe of awareness that we want our loved ones to find home in. We transition back to Earth with a collection of woven pieces that bring the circles to your table. Ilala palms are intricately woven by awe-inspiringly talented women in Northern Zimbabwe to create Champagne Woven Palm Baskets that are so delicate we'd venture so far as to call them tapestries. Staying in Zimbabwe we swoon at the sight of the statement baskets from Zienzele Foundation. Warm velvety cocoa browns frame rays of goldenrod and petals of honey that arrange themselves like mandalas on the surface of the shona sisal baskets. Handmade by Zimbabwean women caregivers of HIV positive orphans in rural regions of Zimbabwe, each basket is an expression of profound love and artistry, and that love is shared far beyond the curves of the baskets as 100% of all basket sale proceeds pay school fees for the orphans cared for by these amazing basket weavers. We jump now to South Africa to unveil the unquestionably chic decorative woven plates from Eve and Nico. Each plate is a work of art, a traditional handmade Zulu masterpiece. Artisans define the shape of each bowl using a solid metal core, then, with the thoughtful, unwavering hand of a painter, weave coils of telephone wire into whirlpools of color that swirl within the frames. Textured woven patterns form waves that crest and crash against one another, grains interrupted, forming intricate patterns within the weave itself while the surrounding pattern is pulled into its spiraled form. They're incredibly hypnotic rings that will leave your loved ones entranced. While the previous woven circles hold unfilled central spaces, the black annular vessels from Japanese artist Kamei Norihiko are filled with hand-placed streams of flowers that occupy every inch of the resin, ring-framed surface. Each bowl is a self-contained field of wildflowers, "an ideal landscape that does not exist, with meadows, flower fields, and mountains"(x), a three dimensional painting capturing the nuances of translucent petals and the density and texture of a forest canopy as viewed from the sky. Every bud is placed with focused attention and breathtaking precision as Norihiko uses tweezers to nestle each delicate flower into place without disturbing the surrounding flora. Deep emerald greens meet the edges of the bowl while a gradient of vibrant flowers flows gracefully through the center of the piece. One has the choice of fresh or dried flowers so you can offer your guest a naturally fleeting moment of supple magic or an enduring paperesque bouquet. In addition to staggeringly beautiful arrangements, Norihiko has created four fragrance oil blends so you can share a corresponding scent journey in addition to the scenic tour of a hand-held floral terrain by simply sprinkling a few drops of the blended oil onto the surface of the flowers. □ Color wind : Yoshino hinoki, yuzu, rose, sandalwood, sweet geranium, green leaf alcohol, etc. □ Pale wind : Perilla, patchouli, clary sage, tonka beans, black currant, sweet geranium, sweet flag, etc. □ Green wind : Kuromoji, vetiver, orange blossom, kaffir lime, camphor leaves, sandalwood □ Nostalgic wind : Mandarin orange, osmanthus, coriander, bergamot, cedar, ginger, camphor, lavender (1) Supplement holiday window candles and strands of twinkling lights with these Hanging Diya Lights from Heritage Kosh. Traditionally made of clay, diyas are small, circular lamps that hold oil dipped wicks which are lit during a variety of ceremonial and religious events. During the Hindu holiday of Diwali, "...the warm, bright glow emitted from a diya is considered auspicious - it represents enlightenment, prosperity, knowledge...[and] the triumph of light over dark, good over evil" (1) . Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains all treasure the light of diyas but we believe the magic of these holy lamps can be enjoyed by everyone. Making things even easier this holiday, the Hanging Diya Lights are electric, each tier holding seven small bulbs that cast an authentically warm glow. Offer your loved ones brilliance, decoration, and ceremony with a strand of these mystical lights. Find joy in the infinite allure of circles and gift any of these incredible pieces to the loved ones in your orbit for an extraordinary holiday. And don't forget to discover even more annular gift ideas by browsing the full 2021 Holiday Gift Guide. HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 11 DAY 9

Happy day 9 of the Holiday Countdown! While those of us in America shake off our post-Thanksgiving feast stupors, we thought we'd introduce you to some comforting and astonishingly adorable animal companions. From tiny panicked turtles to plush platypuses you can find the perfect animalistic gift in this holiday worthy menagerie. Starting small, we've collected a full terrarium worth of tiny amphibians and reptiles. 3D printed micro-turtles from Florida, dime sized frogs crocheted with embroidery threads, hand drawn glass fire salamanders, onyx black scorpions, and minuscule varnished clay chameleons from Chile are all incredibly detailed and deeply charming characters ready to light up the lives of your loved ones. For a furry miniature, try the Glad O Art micro bunnies who sit snuggled and ready to warm your hearts with their endearing cotton tails and velvety soft ears. If those on your holiday list would prefer a more bedazzled pet, look no further than the beaded creations from Guatemaya Art and Culture Connection. Luminescent glass beads cover the surface of sculptural iguanas, turtles, and frogs, formed from compacted recycled plastic bags, to create bold color patterns and an outstanding scaly texture. How about a wearable pet? The hand felted "Ugly Ducking" wool swan scarf from Polish Celapiu will leave your loved ones feeling as fashionable and iconic as Björk. Ugly Duckling transitioning into a Swan. He is still brown-grey, but white feathers begin to emerge revealing a glimpse of his future bold form. Swan is one of the most graceful and epic creatures on the planet. We are proud to be able to breed this stunning bird in our own private animal kingdom (1) Slightly smaller, we have the tiny platypus from Wonderland 24 in Russia. Outstretched webbed feet, a glistening brown bill, and baby soft fur are set onto the wire frame of this posable, doe eyed delight. A fully plush pet, the stuffed chinchilla from Fuzziggles is crushingly cute. Curved velvet ears, long furry tails, and deep black eyes are set in the downy fur of these huggable puff balls. Should someone on your list need a cuddle companion, these chinchillas will not disappoint! Like a colonial powdered wig, layers of structured white curls form the luscious coat of the Suffolk Sheep from Sally Nencini. Midnight black faces , ears, and feet offer contrasting accents against the white body and circles of felt form eyes, attached with star shaped stitches that add a sparkle of life to this plush pet. Rather than wig-like curls, this unbelievable needle felted horned owl from Argentinian workshop Patagonia Wool Art has dense layers of woodsy, tufted feathers. Each owl is a work of art, sculpted from merino wool that comes alive at the hands of the talented artists. Hyperrealistic and incredibly soft, these owls are ornaments that will bring the magic of nature to your home all year long! Now for some epic and unique critter characters who have a few subtle derangements that make them relatable and adorable. Like this Sloth Worry Pet from Only One Knit Toys in Canada. Hand-knit with love, each comfort sloth pet understands and soothes all your troubles with its relatable panic and plush form. Worry Pets are the perfect size to keep in your pocket, on your desk, or even a window sill. Each of these cute little knitted pets are meant to be a friend you can share your worries or troubles with. Their worried expressions show how sympathetic they are! They also come with a sweet poem (2) If you're shopping for someone who's more panicked than worried, these turtle totems from Anna's Sketch Studio in Rochester, NY are tiny treasures. Each sculpture is one of a kind an "they are literally built for handling stress, so let 'em have it!" (3). Set next to your computer, they embody and relieve all the stress we feel with 404 errors and computer crashes. For those who feel frazzled, offer them this relatable plush ostrich from Maca Shop in Hungary. This guy's furious feather tufts erupt in dizzying clouds that channel the chaos of the world. Or maybe Emilio Fur's real fur, pompom ostrich teddy, completely covered in dyed fox fur and nappa suede better embodies the hair-pulling madness we occasionally feel! These moon-eyed miniatures from Poosac will always be there to comfort your overwhelmed loved ones. We all have issues, including these freaky felines, so we can find camaraderie and whimsy with these relatable critters. A minimalist animalistic miniature, the Felt Bats from The Felt Pod in Reseda, California are freaky and fantastic. The only facial features, wonky wide eyes stare blankly against the nocturnal black wool body, complete with pointed ears and outstretched wings. We really love these guys! String these felt bats with some of our felted balls or yarn poms for a super cute Halloween garland. (4) If your loved ones are more stunned than frantic, this life sized street pigeon from Mother Pigeon in Brooklyn will rock their worlds. Its wide suspicious eyes are urban crystal balls, revealing our inner truths with its all-knowing stare. Plus, each one in is a sculptural felt masterpiece. The patchwork feathers and string wrapped talons are beautifully rendered and ensure these pigeons are as decorative as they are omnipotent. "When you adopt my birds know that most of the money goes to pigeon rescue and advocacy. I have dedicated my life to helping people connect with the beauty of the urban wildlife around them. Each bird is unique in detail and personality [and is] made from vegan and repurposed materials (acrylic felt, yarn, faux leather, metal)" (x) A smaller pigeon charm, these keychains from Mala Ustvarjalnica are incredible handmade, faux-leather creatures whose sewn black eyes offer no judgement or criticism. They'll travel with you through even the most treacherous urban landscapes unfazed. Another bird with undeniable personality is the printed cotton bird pillow from AIY Shop in Latvia. Hand printed and sewn black and white fabric designed by graphic artist Daina Kushina is filled with dried wildflowers—chamomile, calendula, and dragonheads—to create fragrant birds ready to fly beside you and your loved ones. Form a personal animal kingdom or select a single remarkable creature companion but, however you do it, bring life to your holidays with one of these epic critters. And find even more gift ideas by exploring the full 2021 Holiday Gift Guide! HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 10 DAY 8

We know that spikes aren't typically considered festive decorations, but the objects on this list of housewares—adorned with thorns, spines, and spurs—are so gift-worthy they'll redefine your understanding of holiday decor. The most minimalist and conspicuous manifestation of the spiked form is the brass ring stand from The Unique Display. An elegant 7cm cone of brass tapers to softened point, serving as a pillar of security and support for any unworn rings. It's an elegant functional form and our our most epitomizing spike. Sticking with our simple spikes, we head to the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania to find Ted Ferringer and Seven Pines Forge. Here, following in the tradition of American wrought iron, Rosehead nails are forged by hand. Strong but visually delicate hammered bars form long nail shanks, ranging 1 inch-4 inches, that taper to slight points. The dimples, formed from during the process of defining the nail head through hammering, create a petaling effect, hence the "Rosehead" name. If you have someone in your life with a builder mentality, these hand forged nails can serve as punctuating accents in woodworked pieces. For the remaining people on your list, a collection of these stunning nails can serve as unexpected home decor. Fill a small glass vessel with hand forged nails for a handsome accent perfect in any home. Another striking spike is a Edgerton-esque ripple of ceramic, the Clean-A-Bowl Pipe Cleaning Ashtray from Lisa Bloom Pottery. As we don't condone smoking, we set this unglazed hazelnut stoneware piece in our entryways to hold our rings, keys, change and other pocket collections we accumulated while out in the world. The central peak drips down and expels a cresting circular wave that defines the perimeter of the dish, accentuated by the rough textured—dare we say spiny- texture of the clay. It's a gorgeous, versatile form at home everywhere. We turn next to IKUKO Iwamoto, a London-based Japanese artist whose work is synonymous with spines. Finding inspiration in the " intricate and fragile looking structures, and odd forms found in the microscopic world" (1) Iwamoto shares slip-cast porcelain with mesmerizing fans of needles and spikes. While all of her work leaves us weak in the knees, for the day to day we adore Iwamoto's Spiky Sake cup, a small off-white porcelain cup with a cascading collar of spikes that drapes gently around the curve of the cup like an uninviting but phenomenally aesthetic handle. Fortunately, the opposite side is left unembellished so one has ample room to hold this delicate cup without threat of skewering spikes. For when we want a bit more visual drama, the gold rimmed Internal Spiky Bowl is the perfect piece. A dented white bowl reveals a jungle of jutting spires within. Bringing to mind the depth, gravity, and internal chaos of Eva Hesse's Accession cubes, the bowls are mouths of vicious denticles ready to consume and entrap anything you let slip into them. They're absolutely fantastic. If you're looking to gift a cup that levels even more available space to grasp, try the Golden Spike Cups from Los Angeles-based Neptune Glassworks. Crystal clear glass is blown into classic tumbler forms which receive the nontraditional additions of 6 evenly spaced glass points around the bulb. These points, along with the lip of the cups, are emblazoned with gold and, when light touches the glass, this luxurious metallic accent swirls within the highlights of the glass to create a prismatic and luminous article of glassware. For an opaque offering, turn to Savanah, Georgia's Element Clay Studio where artist Heather Knight creates these glistening Small Gold Conch Bowls. Lined with gold and covered in pulled points, each bowl epitomizes modern luxury and beauty so you can be sure it will make a memorable and cherished gift. Inspired by the points on a conch shell, this bowl has tons of personality. Hand built and sculpted porcelain is left raw on the outside and coated with real 18K gold on the interior. (2) With a similar form but decidedly different aesthetic, the Xochicalco Bowls from Onora Casa are some of our favorite spine-covered creations. "Inspired by ceremonial vessels found in archeological sites in Xochicalco, each piece is modeled and hand burnished by artistan Esther in her family atelier in San Bartolo Coyotepec" (3). To create each striking bowl, naturally black clay is collected, purified, and molded to form the spiked shape of the bowl which is then allowed to fully dry for weeks on end. Once almost dry, the bowl is rubbed by hand using small smooth stones to compact the clay at the surface of the bowl, eliminating any subtle irregularities to create a dense black finish that glows with its burnished satiny finish. After being fired, the bowls are durable functional pieces that boast a handsome modern design everyone can enjoy. The Vetiver Baskets from Tahiana Creation may have more needly quills, but these natural vetiver branches are much less imposing than the points on the previous tablewares. The bowls are hollow nests; the interiors reveal a woven substructure but the surface is uncombed, a chaotic, wild tangle of threadlike fibers that reach out into the surrounding space. Each basket is unique and hypnotic and will surely wow anyone lucky enough to receive one this holiday. Arguably the least intimidating spike choice is this adorable Brass Pillbug by Baltimore based Metal Cakes. Each isopod is "comprised of over 70 individual parts...made with solid brass sheet metal/hardware and recycled bicycle chain"(2) . Ball jointed spikes, the legs can be set out to support an open oval-shaped sculptural bug or can withdraw when the pillbug finds its defensive form, a curled ball. We always love the Pillbug but it becomes an abstracted work of art when placed in a supine position. The articulated shell of the body forms overlapping crests, the mechanical chains and hexagonal nuts of the central body are revealed, and the bent-nail-like legs stand erect and imposing. The piece is fantastically complicated and mechanical making it perfect for those in your life who appreciate detail as well as those who would adore golden pillbug companions. For a more threatening spike display, try the Black Spike Urchin Bowl by Emily Miller. A stunning bronze and stoneware sculpture, this inverted urchin resembles a cactus, pairing languid ridges and rows of soft imprinted dots with the aggressively long branches of bronze spines. The perfect bowl to house items you treasure, this piece will provide a striking frame around your object while keeping them safe from wandering hands. How about an elongated urchin? To create the Red & Long Urchin Platter, artist Yara Fukimoto forms a long ovular platter from red clay. The center cavity receives a glistening white glaze while long and short spikes drip from the bottom to form a maze of legs. From Portuguese brand MYKUBO, each platter is a masterpiece of artistry and design that will be a welcomed holiday accent piece. . At MYKUBO we believe in products created by people that tell stories and emotions with every detail of the piece. We want to share the persistent and courageous spirit of artisans and contemporary artists, independent designers and innovative brands. (3) Bulgarian Concept Ceramic Studio creates a variety of contemporary spiny drinkware pieces but the porcelain white and gold stoneware mug is a one of our favorites. Each mug is an incredible study of detail. A 10.8 oz mug form is dimpled with a running bond arrangement of round indentations that travel the entire surface of the mug before meeting the bottom of the vessel, which has creases and ribs like those on pumpkins. The handle is where we find the spines. The perfect spheres are affixed to the sides of the mugs, each sphere coated by a crowd of the tiny, peaked mounds of decorative dots, like the salt covered rocks of California's Devil's Golf Course. Some are tipped in gold but all offer a tactical texture that we find intoxicating, even if the mug itself only holds our coffee! We return to Pennsylvania to find our next chillingly beautiful spikes from Birdguard. If the name didn't already give it away, the company distributes bird control products intended to keep pigeons and other birds off outdoor surfaces like rooftops, chimneys, power lines, and billboards—festive right? But stay with us, we promise it's worth it! Made of eco-friendly recycled polycarbonate, these flexible 12" lines hold translucent branches that sprout from the base like rows of winter trees. When illuminated, they become glistening icicles, the divaricating points of snowflakes. They're honestly magnificent, and we know this for sure because whomever was responsible for photographing the spikes for Birdguard clearly appreciated the inherent artistry of their design. We're not suggesting you gift these rows of spikes for pigeon control; instead find inspiration beyond their intended purpose: paint the bases in an opaque metallic colour and create one of a kind stands that one can display on the mantle to hold collected holiday cards, or weave tendrils of juniper and holly through the bases of the branches and lay ornaments and electric tea candles along the base for a show-stopping centerpiece, or fill the base with cascading lights and hang various lengths of crystalline plastic icicles off the branches to create wintery window boxes that will leave your neighbors drooling. We told you it would be worth it! If you're loved ones would rather bring the icicles inside, try one of these spiked cone molds. Made of food safe silicone, these molds can create epic ice cubes, decadent cones of chocolate, or—as they're safe up to 450°— spikes of cake, cheesecake, mousse, or any other treat you might desire to restructure! These molds are playful culinary accessories that will certainly inspire your loved ones to head to the kitchen and explore. Perhaps the cool touch of marble would appeal to those on your gift list. The handsome, charcoal gray marble cylinder of this Marble Spike Bowl from ELTE is a contemporary fortress. Straight sides and flat cut rim offer a rigid severity that is the perfect backdrop to three rings of gold spines that wind around the smooth marble surface. The reflectivity of the thorns and the organic striations of the marble capture the same mystical duality as the faceted crystals erupting from within their darkened supporting matrix. Highly decorative and superbly elegant, these Spike Bowls make exceptional holiday gifts. Finally we want to share two platters that may not have explicit spikes, but have undulating, waves of ridges that offer the same visual texture and tactical ferocity as the spiny thorns on our earlier picks. Firenuit in Seoul, South Korea offers an outstanding Saint Michael Platter in an opulent Eclipse Matte Black. Ceramic is carved by hand to reveal large scooped hollows nestled within the shadows of the intersecting ridges. A wide border holds organized cavities except for the tapered top and bottom of the ovular form at which point they spill into the central surface of the platter and entangle into the pool of irregular hollows. It's an entrancing piece that demands the tracing touch of inquisitive hands. The bark like ridges that weave over the surface of the platters from Hallaj Studio in Tehran, Iran. Like an engraving artist inscribing pattern, Hallaj Studio intimately removes shards of wood to reveal a scarred, fibrous surface that is absolutely mesmerizing. The ridges peak and undulate like cresting sand dunes that frame indentations, overlapping like scales. Each piece is entirely unique so you can be confident your loved ones will be getting one of a kind works of art with each gifted platter. Whether you prefer icy cones or rhythmically carved cavities, offer those on your holiday list the gift of spines and texture this holiday. And don't forget to browse the full 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for even more tactile inspiration. HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 9 DAY 7

Today marks the closing of the first week of the 2021 Holiday Countdown! The first week was dedicated to gifts for the body and spirit and, as such, we shared an extensive variety of gifts ranging from decorative wearable pieces to soulful talismanic objects, all intended to elevate the existences of those on your holiday gift lists. Now, we want to share a final, personal decoration in addition to offering you a glimpse into the focus of next week. Today is all about movement! If you've been a member of the ARCANISA community for some time, you may recall that last year's Gift Guide included a collection of 'sound' gifts so we felt it was only appropriate that this year we continue with our sensory selection by sharing some sight-stimulating pieces. When one thinks of kinetic sculptures, the first mental image to emerge is likely one of mobiles. Suspended marionettes, the floating elements submit to and follow ambient motion from brushes of wind passing by to the pendulatic pull of the Earth's rotation; the mobiles themselves curl and glide as they embrace the ever awaited motility. Motion is a key element of mobiles but this eager energetic potential also serves an inspiration for the aesthetic pieces that make up the physical mobile itself. Small spheres of luminous colored glass drip from the tips of outstretched structural hands formed by glistening golden rods, like planetary orbs supported by arcs of weeping willow branches as they journey through the space around them. Silhouettes of bicycles tour endlessly through time, journeying across unseen roads. Whiskers of wire mimic windblown grasses as they shiver above the ground. Telescopic golden nets form the scales of celestial fish who spiral together as schools that ripple through the air. Whether set atop surfaces or dangled from vacant ceilings, mobiles transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary performance spaces, conducting a mesmerizing and arresting orchestra of motion. If your loved ones would prefer to take their exploration of energy with them, offer them a token of motion in the form of kinetic jewellery. The rarity of motion-based designs in the world of jewellery art remains inexplicable to us. When wearing jewellery pieces, we inherently carry them with us through the motions of life: with each of our steps, an earring discovers new heights as it bounces and swings from its post, necklaces extend into the unknown as they pull away from our bodies toward the earth when we bend, even rings paint trails through the air as they encircle and follow our fingers as we tap away on our keyboards and phones. To disregard this intrinsic relationship with motion by creating stationary pieces, rigidly rejecting the forces of our movements, one foregoes an opportunity to shine light on the dynamic and aesthetic connection between jewellery and wearer. But the following designers not only appreciate this kinetic symbiosis, they stylistically embrace it by designing wearable sculptures that rely on and come to life with any touch of energy. Not unlike their home decor mobile counterparts, these Ebb and Flow mobile earrings by Hyworks LA are phenomenal works of suspended sculpture. Fragile blown glass bubbles drop from the asymmetric gold wire arcs dangling from the earring posts. Made of vapory hollow glass, a smoked sphere encircles the end of the shorter side while a long transparent teardrop drips off the longer side. The result is a truly ethereal mobile that turns and sways beside your cheeks. While the glass drops on the Ebb and Flow earrings are affixed to their wires, the small rods in the Kinetic Earring from Rebecca Kitching, each one capped by tiny metal globes, float within the negative space of a supportive trellis. With enviable geometry, the trellis is an arrangement of abutting rectangles, a brick-bonded, cobblestone grid of hollow frames. Prevented from slipping through their frames by the globe caps, the rods are still able to move within the hollows, sliding back and forth within their framed enclosures until, captured by gravity, one side extends further through the opening, falling toward earth only until the globe meets the face of the frame and ends the rods' descent. There is a visual strength in these delicate earrings. The caging frame, the captivity of rods, and the density of geometry all contribute to pieces that are deeply impactful in the very best way. Another pair of earrings with strong visual impact can be found in the Ann-Arbor, Michigan workshop of artist Kristine Bolhuis. Skeletal constellations, the Everyday Geo Earrings are breathtaking. Tibial lines of Argentinain silver connect with pins at their widened epiphyseal ends to create points of jointed articulations. These eyed connections appear stiff and fixed but the articulations are actually nimble and flexible allowing for sculptural movement to occur should one invite the motile earrings to dance by shifting the bone-like metal lines. These next earrings dance without being touched. Artist Arthur Hash of Providence, Rhode Island fabricates SQUARES Disco Earrings as rectangular steel canvasses that hold rows of shimmering square sequins. The 6x8 grid of sequin-like tabs creates a contemporary, ceaseless advent calendar with each tab acting as a door. The tabs billow as the wearer moves, reflecting the surrounding light, offering a delicate whisper of wind-blown movement, and swinging open at the hand of this motion to offer a teasing peak of the world behind. The earrings are simultaneous playful and effortless modern disco balls that anyone would feel lucky to receive this holiday. A vintage but equally breathtaking earring alternative, these Articulated Fish Earrings fabricated by Taxco Silversmiths at Los Castillo and now offered by Hannahbella Rose, are, simply put, crushingly cool. Screw back, solid silver earrings catch delicate silver fish with relief formed eyes, trails of ring-like loops along the spines, and plated scale tails that spread to wide forked tail fins. With mouths open to the sky and rows of articulating scales, these fish will gently swim beside you and become character-rich companions to accompany you on your journeys. Should your journey take you through the fields of the Oxfordshire countryside, swap your marine accessories for these staggeringly beautiful Firecracker Earrings from artist Sarah Pulvertaft. Inspired by the kinetic makers of the 1960s, Pulvertaft hangs bell like squares from a long elegant beam to create a dense bouquet of mobile ornaments. The angles of the revolving, gold plated silver cubes offer a dizzying composition of light with abyssal corners and gleaming faces that transform and realign as the wearer turns. Pulvertaft also offers a series of brooches on which stalagmitic gold cubes shiver between rows of square, silver beads threaded on parallel rods, representing the enlivened dapples of sunlight that leave holy footprints as they wander through and illuminate the whispering tufts of grass in the English fields. We love to envision these earrings as mobiles of this captured sunlight, surrounding us with warmth even on the dreariest English days. Finally, we find these folded Blossom Earrings from Xinia Guan. ​ Born and raised in Inner Mongolia, China, Guan earned dual B.A. degrees in Literature and Economics from Inner Mongolia University before receiving an M.F.A. in jewelry from Savannah College of Art and Design in the United States (1). And these ingenious blossoms exemplify Guan's diverse cannon of knowledge. Jewellery forms the foundation of these pieces, but the literary and economic notes sing loudly within the symphonic composition of the design. Economics imparts the tone of order. The repetition of geometric equations that are cut into the silver sheets to reveal folds in the petals, the plots of scattered anthers connected by linear segments of filaments to their origin at the center of each flower, the mathematical balance and proportionality of every element, all combine to create a unique map of a blossom. And Guan's literary background is itself evident in the poetic caesuras on each petal verse, the assonant swarm of 'o' shaped anthers and the eloquent recounting of these beautiful natural forms. The Blossom Earrings will shower you with poetry as they dangle and sway beside you. Whether you choose to offer your loved ones mobiles for their homes or kinetic jewellery to accentuate their styles, these gifts will certainly move your loved ones with their beauty, grace, and intrinsic motion. And don't forget to explore the full 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for even more moving gift ideas. HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 8 DAY 6

The last few years threw some difficult trials at so many of us, and the holiday season can act a reminder of pandemic hardships we've collectively endured and the isolation we've survived. But now we want to fill our spaces, enriched by the company of family and friends, with luck and magic to carry us through the uncertainties of the upcoming new year. Whether you wear religious symbols to call upon your guardian angels or cleanse your auras with crystals and Reiki, we can all benefit from a belief in the gift of universal magic. When we share gifts, we unknowingly imbue them with all the emotions we feel for the recipients. The objects themselves may have no intrinsic charms aside from those we ascribe to them, but if you've ever experienced a rushing flood of emotion when you receive a thoughtful, personal gift you can appreciate that there is powerful and moving magic in presents. With this understanding of meaningful gifted magic and a strong desire to share luck and protection with our loved ones, we present you with a collection of tradition and contemporary talismans. But don't be put off by the word 'talisman'! Think of these items as beautiful accessories that serve as comforting reminders to your gift recipients of your fondness for them. Last holiday, the father of one of the team members gifted each person in his home one of these bronze totems designed by Yusuke Hayashi and they take our breath away. It was these objects, perfect and personal, that were the inspiration for this feature. Produced by the unfathomably fantastic Otera Kohachiro Shoten, a Japanese shop established in 1867, each animal sculpture within the menagerie collection is a deceivingly heavy, tactile talisman that one can carry with them as their spirit animal or guarding mascot. Because of their delicate, smoothed forms of cold bronze and their weight (between 20 and 70 grams) the totems call to our touch like sculptural Sirens. As the collection includes totems that take the shapes of mice, cows, tigers, hares, snakes, horses, sheep, monkeys, birds, dogs, and boars, you can offer everyone on your list a gifted animal that reflects who they are. Whether your loved ones are best represented by reliable bovine, curious simians, flexible serpents, or loyal hounds, they'll be as breathless as we were to receive one of these talismans as a gift; a gift that, we can attest, will make them feel protected, accepted, and simply seen. In his exploration and compilation of folkloric botanical remedies, philologist Thomas Oswald Cockayne records that wood thistle can keep away ill gaincomers: "as long as though bearest it with thee, naught of evil cometh against thee" (1). Rather than pocketing a handful of petals, we recommend this stunning 18k gold thistle necklace by NYC based Doyle & Doyle. A pair of spirey leaves frame a delicate thistle bud, forming a contemporary crest that bestows on the wearer an unspoken strength and protection. Thistle represents protection and nobility, a perfect symbol for the care and sanctuary provided by the New York Humane Society to our animal friends. The net profits of our Heirloom Thistle Necklace by Doyle & Doyle are donated to the New York Humane Society in memory of Sara Campbell. (2) For another contemporary necklace featuring a botanical talisman, visit Joanna Tofilo and request the date seed pendant. It may have been the first tree cultivated by humans, who started harvesting its fruit more than 7,000 years ago. [The date tree's] fruit is mentioned in the Quran at least 20 times, ...and twice as many times in the Bible...The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said “few plant species have developed into an agricultural crop so closely connected with human life” [including the] date palm and its traditions ...on UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. (3) With this recognition of the date's storied, millennial relationship with humankind, it should come as no surprise that cultures around the world ascribe power to this dulcet fruit. Whether you believe it brings lucky, prosperity, wealth, or success or you simply love the dimpled, almond-shaped design of this sculpted seed, we hope you find the same magic intrinsic to dates in this spectacular hand cast, oxidized silver date seed pendant. If the good-fortune-luring power of a single seed feels insufficient, try the Fennel Kissing Seed necklace from Alex Monroe. Handmade in England, the necklace is a delicate, glistening wreath of ornate, sculpted gold fennel seeds. The fragile abundance of the design transports us to Ai Weiwei's porcelain Sunflower Seed landscape. As an art piece, the Fennel Kissing Seed necklace is an idyllic collar and as a talisman, we think it holds the same goodness as the seeds it represents. Many cultures, separated by time and geography, found healing from medicinal fennel and we're confident the aesthetic power of this glorious shower of petal-like seeds alone can heal the tired spirits of those on your gift list. If you are looking to gift a contemporary seed talisman with more visually weight, the handsome, handmade Seed Talisman Necklace from Susan Fauman may be the perfect choice. Five layers of textured silver represent the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Ether. The inside, accented with rich 24k gold applique, has a place to rest your thumb as you reflect on the seeds you’ve planted and their potential. (4) The necklace is an invitation for self-actualizing meditation. We introduced this list by saying objects hold only the powers you imbue them with, and this elegant pendant literally puts the power back in your hands, calling on you to remember the depths of your ceaseless potential. Should you decide your loved ones could benefit from the incorporation of real flowers or some other added charms, the Protection Necklace from Āyurituals holds space for all the magic you and they need. A concealed lid at the side of the rippling gold pendant opens to reveal a small cavity where you can slip petals, prayers, love notes, or just positive, encouraging energy that your loved ones can then carry with them over their hearts. Inspired by traditional Ta'wiz amulets and handcrafted by artistans in Jaipur, the Protection pendant is a modern masterpiece with a shimmering undulating surface that distracts passersby from the secret the magic within. Another deceivingly mystical accessory is found in Stockholm at the AWNL studios. While the other talismans on our list offer benefit through good luck and healing, the Starry Night Meteor Bracelet is unique in that it ties us to the universe by touching us with the remnants of space from beyond our orbit. The design is inspired by Nordic lightchaser, 'I will be following you no matter where you go, as we are meant to be together'. The CZ diamond embedded arch is the day, as the meteorite is the starry night. (x) The iron core of a planetoid 20 million years older than the Earth, the Muonionalusta meteorite impacted northern Scandianiva a million years ago and rested quietly under the northern lights through four ice ages, only revealing itself to humanity in 1906 when a fragment was discovered 140 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle (x) . If that isn't a story of magic we don't know what is! By gifting this bracelet you are penning your loved ones into the celestial history of this fallen star. While not as rare as fragments of fallen stars, the Eye of Saint Lucia is an uncommon talisman with its own power. The Eye is actually an operculum, a small corneous plate attached to gastropods that serves as a door which, when "closed", covers the entrance of the surrounding shell and protects the delicate creature within. Gastropods discard these tiny doors when they outgrow them and the discs are then turned by the torrent currents of the sea and arrive on the shores of the Mediterranean as smooth whitened ovals, each with a recognizable spiral fractal pattern that emerges, like the rings within ancient trees, as the operculum is grown. Named after the Christian martyr, Saint Lucia of Syracuse, who legends narrate lost her eyes at the hands of persecutors, the shells are said to offer the same defensive shield against the Evil Eye as the more commonly available blue nazar charms of Turkey. Warding off envious ill-doers, the Eyes of Saint Lucia will watch over your loved ones and adorn them with mesmerizing fractals. We especially love these earrings, handmade in the Horabaiza Shop studio on the Balearic Island of Mallorca. Prominently placed on either side of the face, these stunning earrings offer punctuating beauty and legendary shielding from negativity. If you're searching for a nazar alternative with more impactful colour, we recommend the Assyrian Evil Eye Necklace from Evin Jewelry. The design, "inspired by the Mesopotamian ancient culture, stories, and mythology"(x) is a modern manifestation of a traditional talisman. Natural turquoise, nestled in a ribbon of white gold, is carved to reveal two watchful holes that deflect ill will and inspirit any stylistically anhedonic outfits. These apotropaic pendants, featuring the under-appreciated Assyrian motif, are excellent alternatives to ubiquitous nazars and offer a sense of distinctiveness, originality, and power that we simply adore. Following the smooth simplicity of the the Assyrian Evil Eye, the True Reflections necklace offered by Thousand Fibres is nothing less than a treasure. "Hand-carved, cast, plated and finished in the UK", each pendant is an irregular plane, a luminous golden sky defined by the horizon of a single colored band of mercerized cotton thread, a talismanic tongue weaving an incantatory tale of aesthetic design and secouring charm. We could never articulate the magic that surrounds the design as well as the brand has, so here is the spellbinding symbolism as introduced by the Thousand Fibres founder: As a child, comfort-thumbed ruby-red threads wrapped around my wrist. Hand-tied by my mother, they were secret, silken talismans for the moments we were apart. Second-skin reminders of our connection. It was only when I came to be without them - without her, that I realised just how significant those strands really were. Not only did they weave between us, those vivid red strands crossed continents and cultures, languages and religions - held tight for centuries as amulets for love, protection, courage and connection. And so, we reimagined those threads. Wove them around love-worn gold. And transformed them into meaningful, modern heirlooms in multicolour. Tactile, and talismanic - each piece intended to inspire a sense of belonging; offering comfort, strength, and protection to the wearer. Emblems of the life-stories they weave around. (x) What better gift than one that illustrates, with a profound depth of love and belonging, the power we find in shared connections? Loren Lewis Cole has an equally mystifying way with words and a similarly spectacular aesthetic. Also made in the UK, these Power of Triangle earrings are modern windows, paned with cobblestoning triangles in azure blue and ethereal gold that scintillate with white-hot gleam. Stylistically, the design reminds us of a scattering of indigo draped Tuareg, weaving their footsteps through the aureate valleys of Saharan sands. Symbolically, the talismanic pairs call upon the apotropaic force of our internal powers. The Song of Psyche is whispering to us at the threshold of mundane consciousness, the liminal space between things. These amulets speak to the Psyche within you; the native wilderness of your unique expression, as a reminder to hear her song. (x) There is always empowering magic in authentic expression, and these transfixing studs inspire us to reject doubt and insecurity and embark on our journeys with boundless joy and a thoughtful, sincere adherence to our personal truths. Next, we're sharing the Belak Pendant from RISZA Jewellery, available at Two Kats and a Cow. Finding inspiration in her ancestral homeland of Dili, Timor, founder Risza designs wearable works of art that are contemporary explorations of traditional and ceremonial Timorese objects—preserving the history, generational knowledge, and understood power of the objects while reimagining their forms in a modernizing light. The traditional Timor Leste belak medallion is one such object. There is no consensus on the symbolism of the belak, whose name means 'disc' in Tetum, referencing its decorated, saucer-shaped design. Worn over the chest, the pendants either embody the moon and impart the powers of this feminine celestial body like coldness, fertility, and passivity or represent the heat, power, and masculinity of the conversely masculine celestial, the sun. Despite scholars' inability to unanimously pinpoint the medallion's allegorical significance, the belak holds a place of prominence as a sacred item in Timor Leste. Today, it is used in the ceremonious rituals surrounding milestones from births to deaths and, historically, belaks, suspended from red threads, were gifted to warriors as offerings of celebration and symbols of victory, bravery and courage (x). For those in our lives courageously fighting battles, a gifted RISZA Belak will manifest the strength and protective force of the Timorese warriors to protect them. Set over the heart, the pendant will shield your loved ones from strife and take lead as they, together, navigate through even the most challenging post-pandemic times. While the Belak pendant was worn over clothing, the semamori amulet was traditionally stitched into the seams of kimonos, offering a force from within "to confer protection and blessing on the wearer" (x). Japan isn't the only home to cultures seeking the magic of charmed tags; sewn sachels of prayer were common throughout history. Those of you who watched Muhteşem Yüzyıl, The Magnificent Century, may remember central character Hurrem commissioning cloth amulets and spells for her garments after discovering their magic sewn onto a blanket that wraped her newborn, a dramatized depiction of a true Islamic practice of the time. But the semamori amulets from Elizabeth Noone of Garden Hill Gallery stand apart as our favorite iteration of textile magic. A simplistic square background of soft white cloth is framed by an uneven trail of dashes from hand-stitched red thread. Mirroring the sharp creased edges of origami, geometric angular lines of similarly irregular stitching create delicate thread stories, rich with spiritually-significant motifs ranging from the fringed silhouettes of pole boaters to the hexagonally embellished contours of turtles. We're especially drawn to the flightful directionality of the vector-like crane design which eloquently transcribes the shape of outstretched wings as a fanning, peaked crown of thread that mimics the radiating beams of the sun. An undeniably elegant creature, the sacred and mystical crane, or tsuru, is accepted as a treasured symbol of fidelity, longevity, and luck. There is an intrinsic intimacy in hanging a hand-stitched talisman within the folds of a coat. When gifted, the patch becomes more than a token of good fortune; it is the fingerprint of our love, closeness, and unwavering fidelity. We fully plan on placing one of these semamoris below the collars of the coats belonging to those we care about, to hopefully bring them happiness and luck while serving as a reminder to those we love that we always have their backs. Thinking beyond our persons, the Mystical Orient Silver Amulet necklace from Parisian Minicyn is a an epistle on the magnificence and magic of the natural world. Hand-sawed, semi-ovular charms are stamped by hand, accepting the imprints of palms, birds, elephant footprints, sunbeams, waves, and flora offered by vintage steel stamps that together create mandalic designs around a central orbed bead of pure gold (x). With protection of the planet in consideration, nearly all of the silver used to shape the droplet pendants is reclaimed/conflict free so no earth need be disturbed to create these elegant pieces. This commitment by Minicyn to the appreciation and preservation of our planet engenders each pendant with a karmic positive charge that we're confident shepherds in goodness. We next trade the abstraction of the Amulet necklace for the representational Scythian Stag Earrings. Deer have been considered sacred by cultures for millennia. The German-Scandinavian mythological text Edda venerably employs the deer as the symbol of the universe while Huichol Indians and Mayans proudly referred to themselves as 'people of the deer'. With a sense of natural spirituality formed in the remnants of Paleolithic reverence, Eurasian humans, as early as the 4th millennium BCE, expressed a spiritual deference to the deer through "rock representations and bone-carvings" (x), even ritualistically laying stag horns on the heads of the deceased before burial (x). The design of these earrings, however, was inspired by the more recent semi-recumbent red cervidae design, an emblem of the nomadic Scythians, that dates back to the 5th to 4th century BCE (x). Used on small clothing embellishments and large shields alike (x), these designed stags boast mane-like ribbons of horns that coil along their backs, which are rippled by the topograpahy of taut muscles evoking a sense "rapid motion"(x). Magnificent guardians that connect us to the spirituality of those who walked millennia before us, the ornate, filigreed stags on these earrings guide the wearer through the unknown with luck and prosperity like the Csodaszarva deer that lore narrates led two fleeing brothers, the ancestors of the Huns and the Magyars, through the depths of unfamiliar woods to reveal a fertile landscape where the brothers establish the beginnings of the Scythian nation (x). If the branching horns of the stag are too passively protective, the Damian Brevis Horn Talisman Ring from Angie Marei is a sculptural and aesthetic weapon that stands equipped and eager to defend the wearer from harm and mundande fashion. Traditional cornicellos, 'Devil's Horn' motifs thought to ward off evil, are perched like vicious, fanged talons on the band of the ring, ultimately resting between the contours of the wearer's hand with an unforced elegance that creates the illusion that the talisman is a natural extension of the hand. The ring is intimidatingly powerful, a sworded halo devoted to your wellbeing as well as a phenomenally chic piece of jewellery. It's the perfect addition to the hands of the people you love, safeguarding the place of your supportive touch when you aren't close enough to take hold of the hand of your loved one yourself. Talismans needn't take the form of jewellery. Our next horned masterpiece isn't designed to be an amulet, but we certainly believe it should be used as one! Beginning in a small workshop in Via dell'Oche, Scarperia in 1895, Coltellerie Berti offers time-honored craftsmanship and objects that "by virtue of having existed for centuries, [become] witness of civilization" (x). One such object is the Corno Del Madagascar bowl available at Avvenice, each crafted from start to finish "by the hands of a single craftsman" in Madagascar. These artisans use zebu horn that is heated and reheated, molded and pressed, and ultimately polished to astonishing luster by abrading with course sanded paper through moistened ash to shape delicate cups that demand touch. In Madagascar, spiritual leaders sanctify zebu horns to create amulets, filled with charmed herbs and charged, anointed objects, to bring about luck and protection. As consecrated zebu amulets are difficult to come by for the majority of us, consider creating your own contemporary talisman by imbuing these magnificent bowls with your personal magic, encouraging each sip from the rim to serve as medicine for the spirit. Looking beyond the rim of the horned bowl, consider gifting talismanic objects that hold to power to bring goodness to the entirety of a home. In Mexico, we find the Huichol Ojo De Dios, a colourful shield formed from webs of yarn wrapped taughtly around a cross-shaped wooden frame. Each one is a physical prayer, a watchful eye guarding us from mal de ojo, the Evil Eye. "The [Huichol and Tepehuan] Indians believe that the [Ojo De Dios] is symbolic of the power of seeing and understanding that which is unknown and unknowable. The four points of the central weaving represents earth, fire, air and water- important natural elements" (x) In addition to the Ojo's powerful protective force, each one is a bold and bright, geometric work of folk art that your gift recipients will be proud to showcase in a place of prominence within their homes. In the home of one of our team member's Azorean grandmother, mirrors were featured in prominent spaces in place of Ojos de Dios. Azorean lore informed the grandmother—referred to as Vovó in Portuguese—that reflections from the mirror, arriving on the walls as gleaming ripples of oscillating light, served as a barrier to the Devil and the forces of mau olhado, the Evil Eye, which growing up we knew as 'the envy'. Not unlike the ziplock bag of water and pennies the Vovó hung in her kitchen to keep away flies, a wall of mirrors facing the front door were the light that shattered the wicked darkness where negativity could creep into the corners of our lives. Not only did this wall create a mesmerizingly dynamic kaleidoscope of sunshine that encircled us with a welcoming brightness when we crossed the vestibule, it also instilled a sense of safety and thoughtful protection that put us at serene ease regardless of the chaos we left behind in the outside world. We hope that the gifted decorative mirror can share this peace and beauty with those on your holiday list. Making a jump to Japan, we end our list with an item explicitly designed for magic. Offered as a prop for magicians performing slight-of-hand, the Omamori by Hanson Chien and Yao is a stunning talisman with an inherent power that extends far beyond the framework of illusions and performance. The essence of the illusion is this: a small wooden tag, observably solid, blank and free of any mirrors or trapped doors, is magically enlivened at the hands of the magician who reveals a secret message housed within the tag—one that is meaningful and unique to the spectator—by holding the charm over a source of light. While you could use this piece to dazzle your loved ones with your magical talents, we prefer sharing the Omamori as a personalized talisman that our loved ones can carry always as each mystical object is suspended from a red cord with which it can be hung on a key ring or wrapped around the handles of bag. Consider how magical it would be to receive this modern and elegant token which holds within it a message left by the loved one who gifted it to you, a message kept secret until you call upon it with the elucidating glance of light. It's a hopelessly romantic gift, and a certainly a charm with intrinsic magic. While we won't reveal the details of how the magician is able to imprint and change the message within the wood—a true magician never reveals their secrets!— we will tell you that it is easily accomplished thanks to an enlightening series of instructional videos that are included with every purchase so you can be confident that you can successfully personalize the talisman before gifting it! Regardless of your spiritual affiliations, you can always find and share objects that offer magic. Whether this be a supernatural ability to bring good fortune and keep away ill-doers, or an aesthetic power that can transform and elevate homes and wardrobes, there is an under appreciated magic in the gifts on this list. Explore the full 2021 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE for even more mystifying gift ideas! HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 7 DAY 5

Purses, pochettes, satchels and saddle bags are unfailingly excellent gifts. These practical accessories serve as fashionable accentuation to outfits as well as functional, portable depositories so we can safely and stylishly carry our treasures. Suitable for both the maximalists and minimalists in your life, a bag is the perfect gift for everyone on your list. We're sharing just a few of our favorite bag designs from this year but gift worthy bag options are endless! The first stop on our accessorizing itinerary is the Philippines. Here, we visit MCV Designs and drool over their vibrant, woven pieces. Locally sourced "rattan, raffia, pandan, sodsod grass and kamagong wood" are caned to build an open, paned, natural lace that is an idyllic compliment to the strong geometric lines of the underlying bag structures: a solihiya weave of pandan lays atop raffia lining on a structured circle bag, wooden handles and Batik fabric support the rusted, tawny weave on the face of tall totes, and sheets of rigid, two-toned, perforated patterns meet to form the angular trianglular sides of jazzy handbags, topped with tapered acrylic handles. Following the handwoven motifs of traditional weavings, those historically used to create mats and furniture, the solihiya pattern is reimagined as a textural embellishment that takes center stage on these gorgeous bags. If the breezy openings in the solihiya pattern catch your eye, you'll adore the Open Weave Malaika bags from Bella Ragazza in Tanzania. A natural oatmeal hue, basket-esque woven texture, paired with the gently tapered tote form, establishes an impressive and aesthetic base for this multi-purpose, functional accessory that the movers and shakers on your gift list are sure to adore. The generous, uninterrupted cavern formed by the walls of the Malaika bag makes the bag the nonpareil vehicle for the laptops and agendas we need quick access to but the piece is equally equipped to protect our produce when it accompanies us to grocery stores and farmers markets with its natural fiber construction and breathable open weave. The unobstructed design also contributes to a bag that, admittingly unexpectedly, is an exceptional carry on choice as there's no need to struggle under the airline seat in front of you trying to dig through crowded pockets looking for headphones; plus, any unexpected stops by airport security are quickly rectified thanks to the welcomed visibility offered by the light that peaks through the open weave. The Malaika bag defines versatility confirming it has a place in everyone's routines and wardrobes. Alliteratively journeying from Tanzania to Tazmania, we switch out our summer Malaika for Henk Berg's Catie Tote as our every-day bag during the colder season. The warm, vegetable-tanned leather used to construct the tote is available in a satiny sienna, chocolatey carob, and seductive maduro browns, supple obsidian black, and a tenebrous moss, shades that all impart a devastatingly chic identity to an otherwise simplistic design. A pocket system affixed to the inside of one panel of the bag holds space for organization without obstructing the main pocket of the tote. The understated exterior, while certainly not insipid thanks to the bag's deliberate proportions and epic colour, renders this accessory an easy addition to any style. If you're looking for a larger, more masculine design, you must look at their Theo weekender bag! In some situations, we don't need the spaciousness of a full sized bag and, instead, we turn to smaller hand-held designs that carry only the handful of items necessary for our urban adventures. One such bag is the petite powerhouse, envelope wallet from South African group Zambezi Grace. ZAMBEZI GRACE is a luxury accessories group. In the creation of our Nile crocodile-leather goods brands, we combine age-old master craftsmanship and innovative design to create luxurious items in limited numbers. Our integrated supply chain and responsible stewardship promotes environmental, agricultural and manufacturing sustainability. (x) We were lucky enough to visit the Zambezi Grace US showroom in Massachusetts and, upon entering, we were welcomed by trays of Nile crocodile-leather wallets, pouches, purses, and belts that honestly left us breathless. Eyes widened from the luxurious brilliance of the crocodile texture and the sheer, almost overwhelming range of available designs, we poured over the styles like honey, sticking with sweetness to every item we touched, until we had inadvertently ended up with a an unreasonably large collection of accessories to purchase. Then we spotted the envelope design in a dazzlingly bright, glossed citrine that blinded us to the other beautiful bags. The envelope pocked is suspended on a wristlet band and that levitates it beside us when we carry the bag. It should come as no surprise that this bold and spirited handheld gem is the accessory that consistently garners the most compliments when we're in Miami. In our opinion, the citrine design is a must-have but if your loved ones would prefer something more subdued, Zambezi Grace is home to an abundance of luxurious pieces in natural leather hues that exhude sophistication and elegance. Another opulent envelope comes to us from Dilbar Fashion House. Ravishing velour-covered forms are embellished with the silken boarders along the peaks of envelope forms, peaks that themselves that are ornamented with accentuating tassels. The warm, deliciously deluxe palette of the bag on the left is enough to make us swoon and the Asian textile influence we spot in the floral banded pouch imparts a suaveness that bestows each handheld accessory with palatial authority. These bags are expertly arranged bouquets of textiles that will be the decorative centerpiece of every outfit one pairs with them. One size larger than the Dilbar clutch is the ultramodern Clu Bag from Polish Foks Form. A broad, page-like white or black pocket opens at an oxidized brass coloured zipper set several inches from the top of the bag and centered on the face of the form. Once one adds their belongings to the bottom of the pocket, the bag gets folded in half allowing the top and zipper to drape over the bottom and create a layered clutch of supple leather. When in this narrowed shape, the zipper reveals a smaller pocket formed in what originally was the top of the bag and two smaller pockets, sized to hold your cards and IDs, sit within this newly established space. Aside from its crushingly aesthetic modernity, the bag's two section design is what defines this epically successful accessory. Items you want quick easy access to can rest in the smaller pocket created when the bag is folded, separated from the less-used objects that remain at the bottom on the opposite side of the dividing leather fold. It's a beautifully simplistic and admirably ingenious design that's uniquely suited for an organized contemporary lifestyle. Should your loved ones want to accessorize with a bit more colour, we recommend the HAMA Syrian Clutch from Artisan and Fox (you may remember Artisan and Fox from last year when we featured their etherial handblown cups!). While we try not to feature brands twice in order to introduce you to as many of our favorite companies as possible, we couldn't compile a list of bags without spotlighting this hand-stitched masterpiece. The HAMA Syrian Clutch is hand-stitched with quality cotton threads in Syria, with its contemporary yet cultural design paying homage to ancient Aleppo traditions...This Syrian clutch is hand-stitched by an internally-displaced Syrian artisan who was forced to flee due to conflict and violence. Since the time of the ancient Phoenicians, Syrians have been producing some of the world’s most delicate textiles, with local craftsmen known for their skills across ancient empires. The women artisans are heirs to these age-long traditions. (x) In partnership with the Sabbara Embroidery organization, a group that supports Syrian women refugees and directs the profits "helping refugee women kit ripped lives back together" and "helping them and their children stay in school, often in areas where NGOs are unable to reach" (x), Artisan and Fox shares a bag that is as much a gesture of impactful cultural support as it is a dizzying mirage of lineal color. The HAMA bag finds texture through dense trails of embroidery-like stitching, but the Thelma Beaded Clutch, handmade in Bali, is a landscape of tilled rows formed in the depths between lines of strung black and gold beads. The beads have irregularly sized, circular shapes so even the darkest swaths of black find a dappling of glistening as light collects on the uneven surfaces of the beaded banks. And then there are the gold beads, which have an intrinsic metallic luminosity that is classically luxurious. The underlying structure of handwoven bamboo chevron acts as an accenting, natural lining that's unexpected given the opulence of the impressive beadwork but is an absolutely welcomed balancing force. A rim of bamboo extending above the base of the rectangular bag nestles comfortably inside the hollow lid for an unusual box-like design that makes the clutch feel like a box of treasures. We take a trip to Peru to find tassels dangling at the side of Peru Bonito's alpaca wood clutches. Handmade by artisans in Ayacucho, Peru, simple, rectangular white forms are decorated by the subtle accent of relief-like embroidered circles that walk along the surface in a band of geometric footsteps. Two tassels fixed to the zipper shade the corner of the bag and bounce across the woven texture of the surface when the zipper is pulled along its rails. The body of this bag is undyed but the tassels, in an enthralling black, are given their colour using only natural dyes. The graphic black and white colour palette offers a boldness but also a versatile stylishness so those on your gift list can pair the purse with any outfit. Next, we jump north to Colombia to visit Maria Fuentes's Coro Cora brand. Iraca toquilla palms are tightly woven to form the lightweight structure of this luscious botanical bag. But the palms find their truest transformation when they're dyed and woven into delectable produce shapes. Using different weaving patterns, the natural fibers become leaf topped apples, speckled slices of watermelons and bananas with their recognizable negative geotropic curves. These fruits then drip from the rim of the bags, just below pairs of ring handles woven with matching coloured palms for a vibrant accent to the biscuit tones of the undyed fiber base. The bag is uniquely fun and unlike anything your loved ones have seen. Trade out the recycled plastic grocery bags for these succulent orchards and your everyday errands will become runways for newfound fashion! Last, but definitely not least, are the Afri-root Collective Bark Cloth Pouches. East African artists use accenting threads to decorate the bags which are "made from a unique [multi-layered, naturally fragile,] non-woven fabric from the bark of a ficus Natalesis “mutuba tree”(x). The designs, ranging from ripple-like concentric circles to abstracted prints that resemble disguising tiger strips or the marbled shadows from tall grasses, the designs inspired by African patterns and impart additional texture and luminosity that shines amidst the richly sueded appearance of the hide-like bark . It's the unbelievable magnificence of this bark cloth that defines the pouches as unique, impressive handheld accessories. To put it bluntly, the material is—and the bags themselves are— really really cool. To create the non-woven fabric, the fibrous underbark of the tree is harvested in large ribbons which are then pounded to form thin sheets that are treated by the sun to become supple flexible stained cloth that's sustainable, eco-friendly, and entirely vegan. Great care is taken to protect the trees during this process, as, because of their ability to regenerate their bark, the trees can provide generations of harvesters with bark for fabric. While this pouch is designed to house writing implements, we find its intrinsic delicacy and awe-inspiring beauty is better appreciated and preserved if we carry the pouch as a decorative clutch. But we don't deny that you'd be the envy of coworkers and classmates if you pulled a pencil from this arresting bag. Plus, Afri-root Collective reinvests a portion of all proceeds to programs that train men and women and promote sustainability so your purchase benefits people beyond those on your gift list! Don't forget to check out the rest of the 2021 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE and return tomorrow for the reveal of a new category of gifts! This week, we featured sculptural jewellery, and stylish wears for heads and feet so if you're on the hunt for accessorizing gifts that can elevate every inch of an outfit it's worth visiting the full guide! HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 6 DAY 4

You may have noticed that the first few days of Holiday Gift Guide featured clothing and accessories lists that didn't include any items for the little ones in your lives. That's because we've dedicated an entire day to children's gifts: today! Most of the offerings aren't clothing because, as those with tiny humans at home can appreciate, kids have both astonishingly fast growth rates and a curiously fleeting interest in clothes! But we do share several phenomenal wearable items as we recognize that their small forms and adorable embellishments appeal just as much to adults as to whipper snappers they're intended for. Here are a few gift ideas that definitely tickle the fancies of our inner children! Earlier we noted the difficulties of gifted clothing, but that's not to say that the young'uns on your gift list won't cherish one of these handmade Peruvian arpillera sweaters. A few years ago we were shopping at one of our favorite stores in the southwestern United States, Mercado Mexico in Guadalupe, Arizona, a tiny city "where three cultures [Pascua Yaqui Indian, Mexican, and American] flourish". The Mercado is the first place we stop when we're domestically searching for Mexican goods but on this day we discovered, at the back of the store, behind a wall of blankets and serapes, a rack of these adorable—but, admittedly, culturally out of place— zip-up cardigans and we were spellbound. Soothingly soft wool is knit into a classic hooded sweater form, complete with a pair of patch-style front pockets, sized with tiny, restless hands in mind. Accenting strips on the sleeves, hood and hemline provide a thoughtful design touch; at the waist, the stripes widen and distort to form the banded lines of a horizon and staggered silhouettes of Andean Mountain peaks. Seeded onto this artistically articulated landscape are plush overlays. Healthily plump alpacas, rabbits, turtles, and chicks are applied with an outlining stitch and enlivened by black threads that define eyes, ears, wings, and legs. Smiling sunshines with outstretched rays suggest a youthful radiance while cottony cloud float beside them and sprinkle a pyramid of cheerful, nourishing raindrops onto the tufts of flowers and pillars of cacti that denote a fertile landscape. While we love these sweaters (and honestly, we're a bit jealous that they don't make them in our sizes!) kids love them even more. Comfy and warm, the cardigans appeal to even our most clothing-averse saplings and the textile menagerie instantly becomes the envy of their peers. Sticking with animal appliqués, next on our list are these heart- and hand-warming gloves from Talkingloves. These unisize knits will be too large for very young children, but we find our elementary school gift recipients a) have hands that fit the spaces decently well and b) don't mind a bit of extra roominess. The fingered gloves are constructed of pewter wool and a black profile silhouette of a cat is sewn onto the palm of the left hand, while the right hand is offered a punctuating black bird right below the pad of the second finger. Imaginative children perform a myriad of tales about the pair, using their hands to puppet the narratives they improvise. A few members of the ARCANISA team grew up with grandparents who amused them the "Two Little Blackbirds" fingerplay and we can only imagine how mesmerized we would have been to have gloves we could use to animate the nursery rhyme! If you're on the prowl for gifts for children that favor three dimensional textile props, a felted play set may check all the boxes. Handmade in The Homespun Market's pristine smoke and pet free environment in Appleton, Wisconsin (shout out to our fellow Sconnies!), felt is crafted to form a feast worthy buffet of sculpted sushi, pasta, popcorn, fish, marshmallows, cookies, and pancakes. The soft, eco-friendly materials make the pieces tactile treats for tiny hands. Beyond the physical sensation of holding each fuzzy food, there is an instantaneous rush of inspiration when one is presented with a box of these toys. Forget clanking cups at tea parties! Try tossing textile farfalle, rigatoni, and ravioli for a pretend pasta presentation or practice chopstick skills with felt maki and nigiri. Or embrace some American magic by toasting faux marshmallows over felted logs and flames to layer with soft graham crackers and chocolate bricks for addictively cute s'mores. Each food is a work of art and a portal to a world of uninhibited fantasy that appeals to kids and parents alike! For little ones too small for sushi rolls or people is the perfect plush choice for any age. A plush knitted saucer holds a curled cat, electrified by trailing bolts of black and white stripes, and trimmed with white capped paws. The feline's dulcet smile and playful wink emote a companionship that's sure to inspire adoration from any child who holds this cat close. 100% sheep's wool burel for a natural, super-durable, and eco friendly houseware accessory that will bring life to nurseries, playrooms, living rooms, and all other spaces in your lives. Each fox is an outstandingly successful marriage of crushingly refined aesthetic and universal functionality. Plus, its offered in a wide variety of colours—a whopping 76 if we counted correctly!—so you can be certain to find a pillow to compliment any and all interior design scapes. The round, lambswool cat pillow from Sally Nencini is the perfect plush choice for any age. A plush knitted saucer holds a curled cat, electrified by trailing bolts of black and white strips, and trimmed with white capped paws. The feline's dulcet smile and playful wink emote a companionship that's sure to inspire adoration from any child who holds this cat close. In case the front of the pillow's cuteness wasn't magical enough (although, we are certain it is!) the back of the feather-filled cushion features a vibrant green zipper and a small mouse motif, whimsically resting beyond the cat's sightline! For slightly older kids, this amazing resin sheep ring from Gerschmeide unter Teck is a treasure. A handmade block of clear acrylic holds an arc of spindly green grass that drapes over the band of the ring. Perched on the grass, four remarkably minuscule sheep live their lives. One nestles in the grass, another munches on it and two sheep, one black and one white, look out through the resin sky into our world. We've found that not only do children love the grown-up feeling that arrives when they're gifted jewellery they also have a unique appreciation for miniaturization, so these diminutive, grain-sized sheep faces will captivate their attention like nothing else! But you mustn't forget to have the recipients name the residents of their new wearable vivarium! The description indicates that the sheeps are Fanni, Hanni, and Nero but we don't think they'll mind if your young ones give them new identities. **Rings may be adorable gifts for older kids but they're choking hazards for unknowing babies so please keep those with covetous edacity away from these eye-catching accessories.** video by Geschmeide unter Teck Instead, satiate curious mouths and sooth tender, tooth-targeted gums with this endearing llama rattle from Ecuadorian toy brand, Kaspi Land, and Pan American Apparel. Given that the name 'Kaspi' is inspired by the Quechua language of indigenous Ecuadorian peoples, it should come as no surprise that this Kaspi Land's natural pine wood rattle is a ligneous masterpiece. The skilled hands of craftsmen carve the durable, non-toxic pine into the rounded form of a llama, threading three smooth rings along a rod suspended within the hollow torso of the animal to create a gentle natural rattle that, while stimulating, projects the irreplicably mellow resonance of wood. With all the durability teething infants demand and a sensory trifecta of tactile, gustatory, and auditory offerings, this llama rattle is a gift your little ones will never put down. Our last few items stimulate children's creative senses. We firmly believe it's never too early to introduce the young ones on your gift list to the world of art. The ceaselessly imaginative minds of kids inspire an overwhelming motivation to create, a desire that should be kindled in every way possible. From crayons, finger-paints, pastel sets, and easels to pom poms, pipe cleaners, feathers, and textured balls of twine, any age-appropriate art mediums are a great gift to keep the kids in your life occupied and artistically energized long after the seasonal decorations are put away. One ARCANISA team member shared a memory of taking a course at the Rhode Island School of Design as a child, a course which included a trip to a specialized recycling center that was nothing short of a maker's empyrean. For a nominal payment, visitors were able to fill brown paper grocery bags with anything in the facility. Bins held sorted offerings ranging from industrialized cardboard, electrical crimping connectors, rubber coils and an array of unrecognizable by undeniably aesthetic bits and bobs. It was like a candy shop full of forms, materials, and inspiration and everything was accessible. While you may or may not live in a region with similar recycling facilities, there are a myriad of ways to gift that experience. Box and wrap some art tools with a small tote bag and include a formal invitation to an art supply adventure. Then, take the eager recipient to a store with offerings that will encourage their imaginations to run wild: a dollar store, thrift store, flea market, local odds and ends shop or even industrial businesses that hold safe-for-children discards and excesses. It doesn't actually matter much what the destination is so long as it makes available a dizzying number of creativity generating trinkets. Cotton balls can become suspended clouds or boisterous wigs, binder clips become snapping crocodiles that swim beside measuring cup whales. Maybe you align the mouths of two measuring cups and allow the handles to come together like a pointed duck bill. Vintage clothing can be adopted as costume for theatrical performances or find new life as the patches of a quilt. We know of friends who contacted local hardware stores that sold large home appliances and requested that they set aside shipping boxes, then the children were allowed to venture into the back rooms of the shop and gather up a towering stack of cardboard that would ultimately become the most impressive fort we've ever seen. An experiential art project like that will do wonders to broaden the artistic horizons of the little ones in your life and will create memories that will last them a lifetime. But there are other—less interactive—options to invigorate artistry like the introduction of unique artworks. We cannot express the depth of our love for this epic Godzilla print by German artist, Leschiwelt. Surrounded by a swath of yellow, this Great beast meets you with deadpan eye contact, zombified arm gestures and red painted toe nails, which match his single red scale along the ridge at his back and the tendrils of his firey exhale. Despite his spines, claws, and flames he's enormously cute and he'll certainly be adored by recipients of all ages. For less monstrous imagery we highly recommend the Paperboyo Animal Magic Sets. Known for his ability to transform overlooked surroundings into awe-inspiring scenes through a simple change of perspective and some brilliantly cut paper, Paperboyo's founding artist, Rich, shares a youthful imaginatism that evokes memories of the hours of our childhoods spent sprawled out in the sun on farm pastures deciphering the imagery in the clouds. Not only are Paperboyo's photographs phenomenally aesthetic, they also serve as a reminder of and invitation to participate in an exploration of perspective and a perpetual reimagining of our environments beyond the confines of societal understandings. The staggered windows of a modern building are the spots on the back of a dalmatian, open pink beach umbrellas are the fanned bodies of balancing flamingos, roads reveal themselves to be bowling alleys and a boulder awakens to unveil a mighty bear. If this is how we feel about the works, just imagine how mesmerized and inspired little ones will be! Later on in the Countdown we'll feature more kid-friendly gift ideas, but the gifts in the collection we've shared here all hold the power to create exemplary holidays for the young ones in your lives. Don't forget to explore the rest of the 2021 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE! HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 5 DAY 3

On Day one we introduced you to our favorite clothing gifts and yesterday, Day two, we shared some sculptural, statement jewellery pieces so it's only fitting that we now turn our attention to to the poles with a list of accessories to cover heads and toes. SHOES As we noted during last year's Gift Guide feature on mules, shoes make exceptional gifts and these pairs will surely leave your loved ones beaming with delight. With delight in mind, we must start with these killer Anfíbio Fish slippers from Lidija Kolovrat. Made of pvc, two lateral recumbent koi fish are ready to dive with you into any adventure. Complete with eyes, fins, tails, and emotive mouths, these funky flats are unquestionably cool. We love that the unexpected side-laying design that is cooercingly playful without making us feel like we've slid our feet into the koi equivalent of a bear skin rug. We're gifting the Anfíbio flats to everyone this year, but especially to the college bound teens in our life who will need these protective, water-dwelling companions as they venture into dorm showers! If koi fish are a bit more whimsical than your desire footwear, how about some snake print for a nod to the animal kingdom with fewer eyes? Bells & Becks designed one of our favorite shoes in recent memory, the Allegra Black and Whites. Described as "a bold modern classic", the Allegra flats are devastatingly chic. Constructed of supple Italian leather with a graphic black and white snake skin print, each shoe is set atop a subtle heel that provides just enough lift to garner in us a feeling of poised and powerful confidence. The real majesty of this design lies in the understatement of the detail. A broad square tab is the main design element and, in itself, is an exemplary demonstration of masterfully elegant proportion. But when set atop the shoe, the geometry of the square is accentuated by the triangular point of the toe, the glistening brass rectangular ornament it holds, and the gentle, sweeping curve of shoe's collar. Upon closer inspection, one can also appreciate that the white printed pattern does not align to the natural scales of the leather, creating a dizzying optical illusion that is modern and unquestionably successful. One reviewer captured the shoe perfectly, stating succinctly, "Perfect". With a similar commitment to detail, Miami-based brand ALEPEL shares " intricate and highly considered" hand-painted footwear pieces that are, truly, works of art. Manufactured in Brazil, each shoe finds its way back to Miami where its true beauty is actualized through embellishing designs hand-painted by expert artisans. We are currently loving the Bird Floral slides. The bands of the slides are the canvas onto which wild flowers and vibrant birds are painted. Tiny spotted petals and shaded feathers highlight the brand's commitment to artistic detail. Each brush stroke is applied with a thoughtful conviction and, together, the strokes form a modern painting that embodies the creative passions of Miami. While the cultural confidence of Miami inspires us to walk with our heads held high, these delicate works of art keep us sneaking glances at our feet! Another pair of slides that holds our attention comes to us from the Loom Project of the Philippines. Working "with indigenous communities from Abra to Negros to produce handmade, sustainable fashion that blends modernity with tradition", the Loom Project does more than make exceptional accessories. The Project prioritizes and maintains a strong commitment to directing all profits to their goal of providing looms for the weaving communities who need them most. But, for the purposes of this gift collection, let's focus on the footwear. There are dozens of designs available—and, frankly, we love them all!—but the Kristina Mules are our absolute favorite. As The Loom Project describes, the shoes are "intricately hand-woven from naturally dyed and pure local cotton by Creative Definitions of Negros Occidental, ...[and exude] Filipino pride. [They're] embellished with abaniko tassels and decorative seashells" (1). The exceptionally soft cotton that forms the top of the shoe has a subtle grey chevron pattern that serves as a dynamic, humming backdrop onto which the shells, tassels, and fan-framed pompons are added. We love the way the tassels sway and the pompoms quiver when we walk but we especially love the quiet clattering of the shells brushing against each other with each step. Not only are the shoes stunning, they're a sensory symphony that will entrance everyone on your gift list! We found another remarkable pair of mules in Kazakhstan. Available in a variety of colours, these cozy slippers are made from felted wool sheered from local sheep and are decorated with a series of beautiful embroidered designs . Few things comfort us like wool slippers, and these Kazakh gems are no exception. Warm and soft, each slipper is as much a generous embrace for our tired feet as it is an aesthetic color-blocked accessory. Instead of wrapping more conventional—and comparably mundane—slippers, try gifting a pair of these handmade podiatric lullabies to your loved ones suffering from cold, tired toes this holiday season. Turning next to Turkey, we discovered these two-toned sueded leather sabah shoes from HA & OR and we're entirely smitten. An inky indigo colored toe matches a wine hued mahogany back for a sophisticated colour palette that will appeal to everyone on your list. The linear stitched detail that traces the perimeter of the durable rubber sole offers an element of texture and depth to an otherwise simplistic design. These flats may boast a soft-spoken simplicity but they radiate a suaveness that will inspire you to smoke a cigar and swirl a glass of cognac, served with a drop of water of course. If you're shopping for someone who would rather be venturing off trails than lounging in a smoking coat, try these Blue Tora-San High Top Japanese Workman's Shoes. "Traditionally worn for field work, carpentry, and construction [but] also great for urban environments", these are the shoes we pick when we want to get to work but refuse to compromise on style. Constructed of cotton canvas, the body of the workman shoes is breathable and easily broken in while a tall rubber sole is employed to keep you dry and protected from any treacherous terrain. All the functionality aside, these high-tops are just wildly stylish and they never fail to make us feel jaw droopingly cool and unwaveringly prepared for anything in urban jungles and rural roughage alike. HATS Turning our attention to the sky, we now want to share our 2021 hat picks! Much like the shoe collection featured above, this list of toppers is delightfully diverse and we are over the moon excited to feed your curiosities and offer you fashionable warmth with these headwear pieces. If coziness is the goal for your headwear gift recipient, we invite you to begin this chapeau journey with us in Peru. A country with a prominent and knowing history of diverse hat design, it should come as no surprise that Peru is the origination of two hats on this list. We admit, we have a penchant for a classic fur hat. Perhaps motived by a primal, pre-evolutionary experience with fur thats imprinted in our collective ancestral memory, we find fur hats to be timeless, comforting, and unquestionably luxurious. But our animal-loving sentience engenders weariness when it comes to fur fashions. This epic alpaca hat caters to our cravings for opulent pouf accessories while gratifying our desire to do no harm. Ethically produced from cruelty-free alpaca wool, the hats are halos of downy softness that impart all the warmth, luxury, and chicness of a traditional fur hat. Peruvian "alpacas are highly protected", so much so that "the sales of [their] fleece and hides are carefully scrutinized" as "it is illegal under any circumstance to kill [Alpacas in Peru]"(2). Because of this regulation, you can be confident that these hats are both stylish and safe for the animal welfare conscious loved ones in your life. Plus, these pieces are available in a broad variety of colours so you have the option to share with your gift recipients a classic hued head covering or one with a modern, boundary-pushing boldness. As you can likely tell, we believe these Peruvian plush pieces are perfect for all persons on your holiday list. While the delicious boldness of a pink fur hat will always tickle our fancy, there is something about the stocking cap shape of a classic Andean chullo that we always return to. Chullos are available in every conceivable colour palette but we favor those in the neutral warm hues that result from utilizing the natural variations of undyed wool. Vital holds a collection of chullos that are each more beautiful than the next. This cap—one of our favorites—forms it's abstracted, lanose pattern from velutinous cocoa, luminous cognac, and honeyed toffee browns for a highly sophisticated and crushingly aesthetic offering of design. Vital describes the romantic cultural emblematicallity of the design as follows: Through the iconographies of the cap, the same ones that have been woven for millennia, the Andean worldview is represented, where everything is related. At the top, there is the sun, then the birds, the people, the llamas, the flowers and finally the crop fields. Thanks to this cap, the inhabitants of Pitumarca can be distinguished from the rest of the communities.(x) The Peruvians in our lives emphasize their pride and connection to these chullo designs but we, as non-Peruvians, still find connection to the artfully abstracted mapping of Peruvian culture charted in these geometric patterns. No appropriating here, just an honest appreciation of beauty and a sincere celebration of artistry. Share this chullo with loved ones who, like us, swoon over the experience of culture, with those who bow to the allure of stunning fashion, or with those who just want to keep their ears warm on brisk winter nights! Speaking of keeping warm, we turn next to Iceland, a landscape often synonymous with the commanding hand of chilling climate. Here, we find textile artist Anna Guðbjörg Cowden, the creative mind behind the brand Icelandic Knits which offers a brilliant collection of wool clothing and accessories that will surely lavish you with warmth. But this knit Ull hat is a unique delight that should be gifted to everyone. Named after the Norse God of Bow Hunting and Skiing, the heathered olive headwear features a ring of gleaming white sheep whose onyx black heads and legs are only barely discernible against the dusky moss colour of the wide yard background. An accentuating valleyed stitch, in the same woodsy colour, forms a band that defines rim of the otherwise undisturbed shape. The hat is gorgeous and universally appropriate, complimenting all ages, genders, and tastes. Before we move onto the next hat gift, we want to briefly rhapsodize about Cowden's sublime description of the wool she uses for the hat. The wool for this hat comes from the Iceland sheep that have been freely grazing the Icelandic countryside since the Vikings first landed and has since developed wet-suit like qualities that help to keep you warm even in the coldest of temperatures. (3) We can't think of a more intoxicating way to describe wool and, as we're unconditionally smitten by the imagery of a bellwether leading a gentle, wandering flock across an arresting Icelandic landscape that's marked by the touch of Viking footsteps, are even more sold on this hat! Maybe you are looking to give a beanie but want a message that's a bit more axiomatic than that imparted by the unspoken chronicle of the origins of the wool used to make it. If that's the case, we suggest this pop culture prompted product, the Law and Order beanie. We admit, we didn't find this hat ourselves. Last year, one of the member of the ARCANISA team was gifted this hat by a style-keen sibling and, upon discovering it at the start of the year when they emerged at the office sporting it with an unfiltered swagger only effectuated by the genuine love of a new gift, we knew it we had to feature it. In the United States, one of the most recognizable entertainment series is Law and Order. The defining masterpiece of creator and executive producer Dick Wolf, Law and Order is a crime television show that inspired the creation of a broader Law and Order media franchise, which boasts 8 television programs, the second-longest running scripted TV series in America, a TV film, over 1,000 hours of content, and a truly remarkably large fan base. Needless to say, the show is popular. Set in New York City, the original Law and Order depicts crime-fighting law enforcement agencies uncovering the truth behind fictional crimes and district attorneys taking over the resulting cases to bring offenders to justice at trial. History aside, suffice it to say Law and Order and its signature 'Dun Dun' chime have a reach of recognizability in American society that is unrivaled. As most Americans are aware, every episode under the franchise closes with a blank black screen with white text that reads "Executive Producer Dick Wolf". This hat references this iconic frame and not only exhibits a wearer's Law and Order fandom but also highlights a cultural and societal commonality that we too often take for granted. If you have a loved one who loves Law and Order—and we know most people in the U.S. do!— or one with an affinity for sociology, cultural/legal anthropology, or American pop culture, then this beanie, like the show it references, is sure to be a hit! Next, we pivot away from the pop culture influence of the United States to look at headwear pieces featuring forms that are likely unfamiliar to the average American but evince such spellbinding aesthetics that your gift recipients will certainly be left beaming. While a relaxed and flexible beanie is always a comforting choice, the sculptural forms of these next hats offer a level of gravitas that will redefine your expectation of fashionable headwear. Also culminating at a peak is this Kazakh Skull Cap. The hat follows a traditional tubeteika or tubatay form that is popular throughout Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, even making its way into the wardrobes of Russia and Azerbaijan. But we think its highly aesthetic yurt-like shape and effortlessly symmetric patterns qualify the cap for global appreciation and adoption. This style in particular is one of our favorites. The royal inky blue velour carries a series of embellishing white flourishes that mirror one another around the curves of the hat. The hat is a gorgeous seasonally appropriate accessory that will enhance any holiday outfit. Not dissimilar is the doppa, an Uzbek cap. Four triangular swaths of fabric are sewn together, their edges aligning and points meeting at the top of the hat. This construction results in the base of a doppa being an unexpected square, rather than a conventional circle, a century-surviving style that is truly magnificent when worn. The Uyghur doppa style does have a round base, but we prefer the soft edges and points featured on the molded Uzbek forms. There is a generational history in every doppa and it's an aesthetic history that's beyond entrancing. Sometimes delicate gold threads and detailed patterns are woven into the doppa's fabric, while other times smooth solid coloured fabrics are allowed to stand alone when creating the hats. We love this luxurious doppa with its burgundy glow and papal architecture. If you'd prefer an Uyghur style, you can find no better piece than the Shof Kilich Doppi offered by Beni Studio and The Doppi Project. Each Beni Studio headpiece is entirely unique, " you’re essentially buying the pattern and weave but the finish is specific to the artisan that made your hat, so there will be slight variations in colour and layout" (x). This design features "An intricate and delicate royal motif revered to protect all from one’s health, wealth and evil eye. A shield to adorn; even at the fall of your own defences, enter the urban new world and carry yourself like the royal you are." Plus, at Beni Studio,15% of all profits are used to "capacity-build, mentor and support creatives of Uyghur diaspora descent in storytelling their culture and heritage in innovative way"(x), so you'r loved ones are gifted the magic of stunning accessories and the fulfilling knowledge your gift supported the encouragement and preservation of culture. We jump to Africa now to find our next picks. Traditional hat styles of two prominent groups, these headpieces share a continental homeland but little else. First, we share this stately chapeau. Described as an Igbo cap, the structured, goldenrod coloured velvet form with a prominent pointed silhouette is unlike anything we've seen. The rigidity of the form accentuated by the pull of the triangular shape is a glorious fascinator-esque interpretation of the Igbo design, if in fact that was the intention behind this style. If you are looking to share an adventurous, African-originating headpiece with those on your holiday list but don't want an obvious cultural reference, look no further than this aubade shaded sculpture. Next is the Hula/Fula cap, an accessory ascribed to the Hausa peoples, the largest ethnic group in sub-Saharan Africa. Also known as a kufi or fulan, the hats feature columnar forms that are constructed of ornately patterned strips of cloths and often decorated with intricate embroidery. Worn by men, many traditional Islamic-inspired curvilinear designs are specific to events and celebrations, each a composition of symbolism appropriate for the moment. Today, this symbolism remains available but globalism has prompted an expansion of offerings to include purely aesthetic, modern designs as well as those that are tailored to women. With a flat top and broad sides, the kuma cap of Oman is not unlike the kufi. Pillar-like crowns formed by white fabric are made dense by ridges of mesmerizing embroidery that span the surface of the cap. Small holes are framed by the embroidered designs to ensure the wearer stays fashionable and cool, even in the most unforgiving sun of Oman. In Oman, these hats are as much an everyday staple as they are a celebratory accessory and, upon trying on one of these undeniably chic caps, your loved ones will eagerly incorporate the kuma into their daily wardrobes. With a similarly strong tower-like form, the Songkok Recca, a traditional hat of Indonesian Bugis, is an exceptional headpiece that is sure to please everyone on your list. Gold threads are incorporated into a tight silky weave of smooth white or black palm fond fibers, aligning to create a motif of luminous rings (pamiring pulaweng) that encircle the hat and the wearer like shimmering halos. To obtain the obsidian palm colour, the fibers are buried in mud for several days after harvesting encouraging them to naturally develop a nocturne hue. Once a symbol of status, the Songkok Recca indicated nobility through the height of the bands. Now, these hats can and are worn by everyone and serve as a "form of local wisdom of the Bugis community in Bone Regency" rather than a hierarchical badge (x). Lightweight and lustrous, these caps are a striking summer time alternative to baseball caps and sun hats and their striating pattern accentuates any outfit. Made on uniquely sized jackfruit wood forms known as 'assareng', the hats are designed to fit the head perfectly so keep sizing in mind when ordering and gifting a Songkok Recca. Staying in Indonesia, we also find the blangkon hat, known as Udeng to East Javanese communities (x). Serving as both a traditional male headpiece and a practical protectant from the sun, the blangkon is a wrapped, turban style hat featuring striking batik patterns. The hat exemplifies the evolution of fashion: at one point, the hat was simply unstructured fabric that would be wrapped and tucked like a turban. After exposure to economic and temporal restrictions, the style was sewn in place resulting in an ingeniously draped hat that permanently retained its form. In contemporary society, one finds blangkons worn during celebrations and ceremonies, as is often the case with culturally historic fashions. Each of four regions holds a unique blangkon pattern and shape but there is commonality in the style of fabric used and the folds of wrapping. Take care to learn and share the history and culture behind the blangkon with anyone lucky enough to receive one of these complex headpieces. The only non-hat on our list is the pointed Russian kokoshnik, a headpiece that evokes a pre-soviet vintage and memories of illustrated princesses in Russian fairy tales. This elegant headwear has a storied history in Russian that extends far beyond the loreal depictions in our children's book. From a period of prominence, through a banishment at the command of Peter the Great and a subsequent rise to fashion with the rehabilitating adoption by Catherine the Great and a solidifying declaration by Nicholas I establishing it as a staple of court dress, the kokoshnik is a headdress that has stood the test of time. And for good reason. Aptly named for its resemblance to a hen's tail— 'hen' translating to 'kokosh' in Old Slavic—kokoshniks are architectural, circlet crowns that are impressively flattering. While many pieces are ornately embellished with beads, embroidery, and even tendrilous veils, we find these minimalist forms from Russkaya Korona to be the perfect elevating, everyday headbands. Supple luxurious velvet curves around ridged structural frames and forms a tiara like peak that's to die for. Available in a variety of equally stunning colours, each with an adjustable elastic band, the Russkya Korona kokoshniks are an accessory that will suit every aesthetic and head shape! We're pivoting just a bit to share headwear pieces that reimagine recognizable shapes to create stunning and wearable silhouettes that, with aesthetic adulation, gesture to the intrinsic beauty of the wearer. To find the most colourful iteration of this dynamic, we start with the Madagascan vision of 35 year old cooperative textile organization, Tahiana Creation. Their Capeline hat, woven of vetiver dyed to succulently saturated tones, follows a recognizable Madagascan form, one that we find an elevation of a classic wide-brimmed raffia straw hat. The defining design feature of the Capeline is the sprawling brim, which, when set in a neutral position on a surface, extends out slightly before rising evenly on all sides, swooping up and away from the crown to form a cupped, almost basket shape. But when worn, the magic of the design is revealed. One must only invert one side of the curved brim so that it cascades down past the piece's horizon, which in turn gently draws the brim at the front tighter to the crown. The result is a sculptural swoop that flourishes above the face for a feminine kinetic frame that is sensationally sophisticated. Reminiscent of the iconic saucer-brimmed chapeau du matin from Breakfast at Tiffany's, this hat will leave any lucky recipient feeling as elegant and glamorous as Audrey Hepburn. Next let's fawn over the elegance of Artesano's Ibiza Wide Brim Hat. The strong Panama hat silhouette combined with a striking contrast imparted by a wide black band perched on the luminous broad brim results in suavely polished headpiece that is simultaneous classic and ultramodern. The proportions of the crown and brim are dreamy, a balance that's necessary and glaringly apparent with designs this austere. We love how this hat shades us from the sun while seeming to illuminate us thanks to its innate brightness. Simply put, Artesano's Ibiza is a truly and uniquely glorious hat. Capturing the same combination of timeless design and immaculate modernity is our final pick, the Kalahari Oat hat from Olívia & Co. Soft pearl coloured wool sourced from Portugal is formed, with evident craftsman ship, into a classic fedora silhouette. The downy finish of the wool evokes softness as it travels the defined pinches and crease of the vintage crown shape. The subtle warmth of the oatmeal colour is enlivened by the texture of the grosgrain and casts an aura that will flatter any skintone, making it a headwear choice you don't need to think twice about! We want nothing more than to shower our loved ones with affection and magic this holiday season so we're adorning them with beautiful accessories from head to toe! Shop the items on this list or simply take inspiration and offer those on your gift list hats and shoes. Check out the rest of the featured gifts on the 2021 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE! HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DAY 4 DAY 2