Aid to Artisans: Egyptian Occasional Furniture Collection

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Designed by: Rhea Alexander, Founder of DIGS

The goal was to offer retailers and wholesalers interested in importing from Egypt a cross-section or sense of the capacity and range these talented artisans have.

My inspiration was  the nexus between old and new. During this historical time of the Arab Spring, how can we take the traditional iconic patterns and wood turnings then fuse them with a contemporary forms and materials to imply the transition or change occurring around us. The carvings inspired by the henna tattoos of traditional Muslim Women, the inlay from mosaic patterns and the ancient Egyptian architectural proportions balanced with contemporary finishes, needs and dimensions.

Available this Spring  through Aid to Artisans

http://www.atawebstore.org/home.php

Holiday Eco Friendly Gifts for the Kids!

With kids ever changing and ever growing, choosing their Christmas gifts gets harder every year. This year, relax and shop the many eco friendly gifts perfect for every kid at DIGS!

1. Cubist Mittens, Scarf and Kerchief- Made from natural alpaca wool, this is a great set to have. It's funky and quirky for the kids, super warm and durable for Mom's approval!

2. Metro Striped Gloves, Scarf and Cap- Another great pick for warm winter wear, also made from natural fine alpaca wool in the Andes Mountains. These are great eco friendly gifts that will keep the kids warm when playing in the snow.

3. Dress Gloves and Tassel Cap- Especially luxurious, the Dress Gloves are a pair every kid should have.

4. Haitian Ju Ju Boy & Girl Dolls- Handwoven, beautiful dolls perfect for every little boy or girl. Plus when you buy them, the proceeds help generate a sustainable income source that in turn support families and communities in Haiti. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

5. Collectors Robots-  These unique, funny and funky robots are made from recycled cardboard, posters and bottle caps, so they make great eco friendly gifts for the kids!

6. Rubber Sheep- Who can resist these cute little handmade sheep made of reclaimed rubber. Collect all five colors.

7. Lex Mini Stool- Who could ask for a better creation, the perfect size sitting Stool for kids! Sustainably harvested Acacia tree wood with recycled fabric seat from Morocco, great eco friendly gifts with a story.

8. Robot Keychain- A keychain tailor-made for everyone. Pick your child's favorite color and it will make a great keychain for their backpacks! They're super cool eco friendly gifts, made from recycled and reclaimed tire rubber.

9. Dusty Girl or Boy wall sticker- A bestseller among kid's toys and gifts. A big wall sticker that comes with chalk and an eraser so kids can draw, write, color and be silly! You can erase and do something new every time, its a gift they'll never get tired of.

10. Taxi Cab Ornament/Keychain- More great eco friendly gifts, made from recycled and reclaimed rubber tires. These Taxi Cabs can be used from keychains to Christmas Ornaments. The perfect present for any kid who loves Christmas! Plus, buy them in bulk and pass them out to everyone for super easy Christmas gifts.

11. Llama Ornament/Keychain- Adorable Llama keychains and ornaments, come in 4 different colors.

Still looking for a great holiday present for Mom too? Check out all the cool gifts that are perfect for Mom on our Eco Friendly Gifts for Mom shopping guide blog post also!

There are great eco friendly gifts for everyone at Digs.com this Holiday season, so skip the long  lines at the mall and stay warm at home by shopping online!

DIGS Fall Newsletter 2011

Designer Spotlight: Saara Renvall

Helsinki, Finland: Saara Renvall is a designer working with furniture, objects, jewelry, spaces, and interior.  After finishing her 3-year training as a carpenter, Renvall graduated from the University of Art and Design in Helsinki and received her Master of Arts in 2002.  She has studied shorter periods in India, Denmark, Japan, and the UK; gaining expertise in different design cultures.

Along with design projects on her own, Renvall has taught design at the University of Art and Design.  She has taken part in several design exhibitions in Finland and abroad.  Besides home and public space furniture, her most acclaimed work includes ceremonial jewelry for the President of Aalto University, and a reflective brooch, Kukka -- an elegant accessory that has become very popular in Finland.

Renvall strives for a diverse expression -- for her, vision and intuition are more important than using a pre-determined set of materials or techniques.  She has great respect for craft skills and people working with their hands.  Besides design, Renvall finds passion in art, old country houses, and changing seasons.

Since 2002, Renvall has been a founding member and one of the central figures of Imu design, a Finnish design collective promoting young Finnish design abroad.  Imu has organized international design exhibitions in order to help bridge the gap between studies and working life for emerging young designers.

Renvall received the Bryggman Scholarship in 2005 for her merits in creative design.  She has also received the Finnish Cultural Foundation one-year grant for artistic work both in 2008 and 2009, along with several smaller grants, scholarships, and design prizes since 2000.  In 2010, Renvall was awarded the Young Designer of the Year Prize with Elina Aalto and Krista Kosonen.

Recycled newspaper made into "wood"

In my mother's best efforts to keep me busy on a rainy day as a kid, she would sit me down at the kitchen table with a stack of old Good Housekeeping's, a jar of elmer's, and a couple of wooden tongue depressors.  I would roll strips of the magazine paper into something that resembled a jewelry bead, then string the gluey mess into a necklace with some kite rope.  I then presented this masterpiece to my Mom; a handmade gift just for her!  Love her for at least pretending to wear it to work -- even if ended up in the glove compartment of her car as soon as she left the driveway. I recalled this happy memory when I read this article on TreeHugger about Dutch designer Mieke Meijer's recycled paper "wood" -- however, our two art-forms could barely be held to the same standards.  Meijer stacks, clues, and rolls recycled newspaper into "logs", in which she creates fantastically beautiful and functional furniture and home decor.  Surely none of this stuff would wind up in the glove compartment!

Check out the full article and pics here!

Designer Spotlight: Eskayel

Brooklyn, New York: After graduating with a BFA from Central St. Martins of London in 2003, Shanan Campanaro has developed a vibrant studio practice and exhibition schedule, has received significant support from the New York Foundation for the Arts, and has worked as a senior designer in fashion textiles and graphics in New York City.

In the sring of 2008, she launched a line of bespoke wallpaper made to order. The surge in interest prompted her to launch ESKAYEL at the Brooklyn Designs Juried show in May 2009.

Since her launch of Eskayel her work has gotten critical acclaim and been featured in the New York Times, Interior Design Magazine, House Beautiful, Luxe interiors, and Daily candy.

Special Designer Offer: Use code NL0707 to receive 20% off Shanan's pillows!

Independence Day Sale! 20% Off Everything!

Gale Steves loves our Puff Totora!

"I have fallen in love with DIGS’ Puff Totora and now the challenge is where to place it… indoors or outdoors. So I am applying the principles of Right-Sizing from my book to my former living room, which has morphed into a “chat” room because it is where we talk (not live). My book, Right-Sizing Your Home, helps you examine the actual function of each room and recognize the key to living fully throughout your home.  It suggests the reader explore the “Art of ‘RE’” – reinvent, reclaim, redesign, rearrange, repurpose, recycle, even reduce. But not relocate or focus on resale. That was the solution for yesterday. Right-sizing is the solution for today..

I find that most important tool to right-sizing is an attitude re-adjustment.  Having an open mind and willingness to rethink and reinvent space will almost certainly bring big rewards as readers discover space they never knew they had.  The oversized great room of the 1990s, for example, doesn’t necessarily work for every family.  The dining room that gets used three times a year should be repurposed. And one home office may simply not be enough anymore.  And I am moving the Puff Totora around to find its most comfortable spot!"

Gale Steves, former editor-in-chief of Home magazine and industry consultant, is the author of RIGHT-SIZING YOUR HOME: How to Make Your House Fit Your Lifestyle (Northwest Arm Press - 2011; $21.95), Available at independent  bookstores and www.amazon.com

Pretty Little Green Things loves our Lex Mini Stool

Petra at Pretty Little Green Things loves our Lex Stool! "When I was a little kid, I had a double duty step stool that also flipped up into a chair.  I loved that little thing so much that I would carry it around everywhere.  This Lex Mini Stool from Digs isn’t quite the same thing, but it’s so cute and colorful I just couldn’t resist...."

Read her entire here.  We love the Lex stool, too!

Designer Spotlight: Jon Wilson of Foodmap

Santa Monica, California: Jon L. Wilson, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, is the co-founder and Chief Designer of FoodMap Design; a young, multidisciplinary design firm committed to reconnecting residential space and food cultivation. Their design concept is to use new modern and green design principles to construct spaces, landscapes, and products that support locally and home-grown foods. They believe that eating locally and home grown foods reestablishes the relationship between everyday life and a healthy and sustainable food source. Jon attended architecture school at Columbia University, Southern California Institute of Architecture, and Tulane University earning a professional degree in architecture. Designer Offer: Receive 20% off Jon's Low and Tall Planters and create an edible garden anywhere! Use Code NL0329 at checkout!

This weeks giveaway: Win our Wooden Mat - handmade in Peru from FSC certified wood. Like DIGS on Facebook to find out how to enter!

Designer Spotlight: Frederic Alcantara

Marrakech, Morocco: Frederic Alcantara was born in France.  He is a seasoned freelance product developer who has designed and developed for many international brands and a consultant for non-profits such as Aid to Artisans.  Today, he resides in Marrakech, Morocco, surrounded and inspired by unending streams of rich handicraft traditions. Special Designer Offer:  Receive 20% off Frederic's Tootsie and MagdaPacemats! Use Code NL0301 at checkout!

This weeks giveaway: Win our Felt Bag with Long Strap in Grey- A $70 value!  Like DIGS on Facebook to find out how to enter!

Designer Spotlight: RIKA

Lima, Peru: Industrial Designer Ricardo Geldres Piumatti, and plastic artist Kareen Nishimura Doy, established The Rika Collection in 2004. The name RIKA is a combination of both their names.  Rika is dedicated to design and develop products manufactured with nonconventional materials, rescuing artisan techniques and adding playfulness to each singular proposal. They make use of materials reusing, adapting and recycling them in an innovative way. They live in Lima, teach design at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica and have their studio just outside of Lima where they create their wonderful items by hand working side by side with their team and their mascot, Chingo.

Special Designer Offer:  Receive 20% off RIKA'S Ojata Purse! Use Code NL0118 at checkout!