Holiday Lookbook 2013

GIVE THE GIFT OF HAPPINESS!

You love the world of craft. Now share it with your friends, family, and co-workers with a gift membership to the American Craft Council.

It includes a subscription to American Craft magazine and free entrance to all ACC shows.

First gift

$30Second gift just

$25Order online at craftcouncil.org

or by phone at(888) 313-5527

Season’s greetings from the staff of the

Suellen Fowler

PROMOTION

Uncommon GoodsMade from vintage saris, these silk scarves are 100 percent recycled. The saris are cut into strips, which are then hand-stitched in various combinations by artisans in India, creating a vibrant mélange of color. uncommongoods.com contr ibutors

Julie K. Hanus Senior Editor American Craft magazinejhanus@craftcouncil.org

Monica MosesEditor in ChiefAmerican Craft magazinemmoses@craftcouncil.org

Colin Nelson-DusekEducation CoordinatorAmerican Craft Councilcndusek@craftcouncil.org

Elizabeth RyanInteractive EditorAmerican Craft magazineeryan@craftcouncil.org

Jessica ShaykettLibrarianAmerican Craft Counciljshaykett@craftcouncil.org

Andrew Zoellner Assistant Editor and Video Specialist American Craft magazineazoellner@craftcouncil.org

designer

Alanna NissenOffice CoordinatorAmerican Craft Councilanissen@craftcouncil.org

copy editor

Judy ArginteanuCopy EditorAmerican Craft magazine

Gifts They’ll Remembergift giving, you could argue, is harder than it used to be. Time was, you could observe your closest pals and think: That woman could use another scarf! Or, that guy’s wallet is falling apart. Now, who knows? He may already be en route to the mall to replace that raggedy wallet. She may have ordered three new scarves online.

Gift giving is more challenging because, today, shopping doesn’t wait for an occasion. Once upon a time, before it became a major leisure activity, shopping was an annual or semi-annual restocking. You dressed up to visit the stores, because it was an event. Now

shopping is woven into our weekends, our evenings, our lunch hours. And it’s harder to surprise and delight your loved ones when those loved ones might be trolling e-commerce websites at all hours of the day and night, buying things for themselves. Not long ago, I found the perfect book for my hard-to-buy-for husband – eureka! – only to discover he’d ordered it for himself.

It’s harder to leave an impression with a gift today, because so much of what you buy your giftee he could just have easily purchased for himself. That’s why memorable gift giving these days takes

more imagination and research. And we’re here to help.

Six of us on the American Craft Council staff did some digging for gifts off the beaten path. We present them to you in this digital holiday lookbook. Each gift is connected to an artist or craftsperson. All have the air of the unexpected – and the potential to captivate and gratify.

Challenging though it may be, gift giving is still an art in itself. Go forth and be generous.

GIVE THE GIFT OF HAPPINESS!

You love the world of craft. Now share it with your friends, family, and co-workers with a gift membership to the American Craft Council.

It includes a subscription to American Craft magazine and free entrance to all ACC shows.

First gift

$30Second gift just

$25Order online at craftcouncil.org

or by phone at(888) 313-5527

Monica MosesEditor in Chief

Leather Works MinnesotaWhen it comes to keeping your pants up, St. Paul-based Leather Works Minnesota has you covered and looking sharp. Classic belts and braces come in several colors and are crafted in-house using leather from Ohio, California, and Minnesota. leatherworksminnesota.com

Northwest Axe CompanyIdentifying the ideal gift for your dad, bro, or anyone else with a handy bent can be next to impossible. For something they might not expect, check out Seattle-based Andy Gregory’s custom axes and hatchets. Gregory rescues antique American-made axes, cleans them up, and adds handcrafted handles and leather sheaths. Not only are they handsome, these axes are functional to boot. nwaxeco.com

Juniper RidgeCommercial scents are classic gifts; they’re also loaded with synthetic smells (made from who knows what). Juniper Ridge puts “the mountains in a bottle,” distilling plants and bark from the California backcountry to produce their fresh backpacker’s cologne.juniperridge.com

Adam Hoff

Juniper Ridge

Nathan O’Malley

Kaufmann MercantileThis quintessentially Brooklyn company chose dark green canvas, reinforced with home-run leather (the same material used to make baseball gloves) to make this luxurious bag. It’s a sturdy, classic design, great for overnight trips and weekend getaways.kaufmann-mercantile.com

Portraits of the American CraftsmanSeveral years ago, Texas-based photographer Tadd Myers began documenting craftsmen and -women across the United States, from luthiers to wooden-carousel carvers. Those intimate images, accompanied by absorbing essays, are now collected in Portraits of the American Craftsman – a showpiece addition to any craft lover’s library.americancraftsmanproject.com

Adam Hoff

Mark L

aFavor

Kaufmann Mercantile

ByAMT and Mimot StudioThis leather-strapped basket with copper-plated rivets is a collaboration between designer Alissia Melka-Teichroew and Thomas Im of Mimot Studio. Made in Los Angeles, it’s a rugged container for newspapers, firewood, towels, and who knows what else. byamt.commimotstudio.com

Donna WilsonHere’s a sweet something for the unabashed animal lover on your list: a cozy lambswool bunny scarf designed by Londoner Donna Wilson and handmade in the United Kingdom. donnawilson.com

Cheryl SorgBuying for a Renaissance man or woman? Check out Californian

Cheryl Sorg’s 3-foot-high portraits, which employ a thumbprint, along

with imagery and text from your giftee’s favorite things, to catalogue

tastes in books, music, films, quotes, places traveled, and so on.

etsy.com/shop/cherylsorg

Sebastian BergneKnow somebody headed to Europe? The Travelling Square, produced in small batches in the United Kingdom, might be just the ticket. Designed by Sebastian Bergne of London, the 100 percent cotton kerchief lists 44 handy phrases in four languages: English, French, German, and Italian. buysebastianbergne.com

Peter McCullough

byAMT

Sebastian Bergne L

td.

C

hery

l Sor

g

Carolina Cotton Bow TiesFor the sartorially genteel, these bow ties are handmade in Little Rock, Arkansas, out of 100 percent cotton, so they can be machine washed. Bow ties in the fall collection, some of which are reversible, are stylish throughout the year and great for the holidays.carolinabowties.com

Ironwood & Vine StudioDelight the wine aficionado in your life with a one-of-a-kind serving tray. Akron, Ohio’s Dean Myton collects panels from vintage wine crates and adds touches of decades-old heart pine flooring and other reclaimed wood to create hand-some, durable trays for entertaining. ironwoodandvine.com

Blue Eagle PotteryThis stoneware mug by Illinois-based artist Robert Blue features a striking landscape-inspired glaze. Couple that with the mug’s hearty volume (14 ounces), and it will suit anyone with an earthy love of tranquil scenery (and coffee). Some exclusive designs are available at store.mociun.com.blueeaglepottery.com

Tom Vician

Carolina Cotton Bow Ties

Dennis Gordon

Shelter Urban and rural trekkers alike will fall for the tough yet lovely leather and textile bags, such as the Westwood purse, made by Karie Reinertson and Robert Maddox, the nucleus of the Shelter collective. Handcrafted in Asheville, North Carolina, a Shelter bag is the perfect apparatus for the aesthetically inclined bicyclist, traveler, or other person in your life.shelterprotectsyou.com

David RasmussenThough he spends most of his time making furniture and built-ins, this Colorado craftsman also makes a few handsome accessories. These tumblers, combining the warmth of walnut with white ceramic, let the materials speak for themselves.uncommongoods.com U

ncomm

on Goods

Karie Reinertson

Dennis Gordon

Lindsay RogersVegetables never looked this good before. Asheville ceramist Lindsay Rogers’ hand-built vessels with cast-glass vase insets are designed for your onions, carrots, kale, and all manner of produce. Rogers’ new work is all about form and function, with a focus on sustainable food, which makes it the perfect complement to any meal. rogerspottery.com

AudreyModernSan Francisco native Audrey Jung wants

“felt to be felt,” and you’ll want to get your hands on these sturdy nesting bowls made of German wool felt. Use the trio to corral your small items or par-cel them out as host gifts. Jung’s messen-ger bags are a must-see as well.audreymodern.com

KrabhuisShow your feline companions

you care about their physical and aesthetic well-being with this playful house/scratching post.

The Krabhuis – Dutch for “scratch house” – was designed by three Rotterdam architects, assembled

in Gilze, Netherlands, and can withstand the sharpest claws.

krabhuis.tumblr.com

Krabhuis

Lindsay R

ogers

Audrey Jung

Shapes & Colors TextilesThose who like sewing with uniquely patterned fabrics will fall for Samantha Cisneros’ collection of midcentury-inspired textiles. No need, however, to be an expert with a needle and thread to enjoy her designs; the Bay Area-based designer also sells vibrant pillows, tea towels, and bags through her online shop. shapes-colors.com

Ingrid Jansen Dutch designer Ingrid Jansen takes crochet far beyond your grandmother’s afghan. Vividly colored and patterned, her garlands, blankets, and pillows are made to order for the enjoyment of both children and adults. Perhaps her most noteworthy use of crochet is to cover her handmade or recycled wooden stools, an exuberant addition to any home. etsy.com/shop/woodwoolstool

Samantha Cisneros

Ingrid Jansen

Lena Corwin’s Made by HandGive a gift of inspiration: Lena Corwin’s Made by Hand features beautifully photographed projects, from sewing to jewelry making, based on classes the textile designer and illustrator teaches at her Brooklyn studio.lenacorwin.com

Stew

art,

Tab

ori &

Cha

ng

An Astrid EndeavorWe love a good piece of statement jewelry; if you have friends who do, too, check out these brilliant embroidered necklaces by San Francisco-based textile artist Astrid Reichenbach. etsy.com/shop/anastridendeavor

Annika KaplanFashioned in her Minneapolis studio, Annika Kaplan’s jewelry feels both modern and urban, vintage and folksy. Her collection of intricately formed Moon necklaces, bracelets, and earrings of blackened sterling silver, brass, 14-karat gold and semiprecious gems are the perfect gift for that stellar lady in your life. shipandshape.com/artist/annika-kaplan

Eleni CreativeHelen Greenstein’s canine creations are pint-sized portraits of our best friends, guaranteed to launch any pet lover over the moon. The soft sculptures are completely custom-made; each one takes the Atlanta-based textile artist several weeks to make – but you can always put a card under the tree, promising Rover (and his human) it will be worth the wait. (Not a dog person? Greenstein also makes dolls, mobiles, and more.)elenicreative.com

Helen Greenstein

Domingo Robledo

Annika Kaplan

Fort StandardThese refined lights, made of marble and wood, glow softly, making them perfect bedroom or accent lamps. They are available in three different profiles from the New York-based design studio.fortstandard.com

Forage HaberdasheryThese neckties, bow ties, and handkerchiefs come in a wide array of classic patterns and colors, made by a couple of Philadelphia-based Cranbrook grads in limited editions. What started as simple gifts for friends turned into a full-time business supplying timeless accessories that can turn any outfit into a unique ensemble.forage.bigcartel.com

Brooklyn Slate Co.These natural slate cheese boards are an excellent way to display holiday goodies. Sourced from the owners’ family quarry in upstate New York, each board is finished with non-slip feet and comes with soapstone chalk, for labeling your delicacies.brooklynslate.com

Forage Haberdashery

Brooklyn Slate Co.

For

t Sta

ndar

d

Lilian AsterfieldUnder the moniker of her designer alter ego, Boston’s Nicole Deponte creates knockout neckwear using vintage and hand-dyed silk neckties. Perfect for the person who loves to make a statement mixing patterns and doesn’t need yet another pashmina.lilianasterfield.com

Tara LocklearTreat your skater-chic girlfriend to jewelry by North Carolina artist Tara Locklear, who transforms reclaimed skateboards into gem-shaped drop earrings and more, all with a delightfully gritty, modern vibe. taralocklear.com

Forage Haberdashery

Tara L

ocklear

Nicole Deponte