I Was So Much Older Then, I'm Younger Than That Now

Bob Dylan turned 70 this past week. It was big news and not news at all just like Dylan himself. I first saw him live at Boston’s Orpheum Theater in 1981 and countless times since. Among the zillions of articles written this past week heralding Dylan’s turning 70, the below stands out. Penned by Sinead O’Conner who never was much of a favorite of mine, but I always admired her vocal stances when it came to women’s rights and religious issues. Take a gander at her letter and see if I’m not correct.-dave Dear Zimmy, It's your gorgeous birthday. You're three years younger than my father (whom I hope never reads this!). That's a bit of a head-wrecker. It is a fact that I wish to high heaven that my father's father had met my mother's whatever-it-is earlier. Then I would have been old enough to tell you all this in a more delicious setting. My beloved brother Joseph, who introduced me to you, passed an invitation to me from the Mail to write something about you because it’s your birthday. I said, 'But I'm a moron! What will I say?' He said, 'You could make it like a letter to Bob. To say the oul' happy birthday'. So... Bobby, or R.J or Ray, or Anything...Here is my birthday little thing for you. This week when everyone is writing and talking and thinking about your birthday, they're all gonna go on about the usual stuff. 'Prophet'. Blah blah. 'Voice of a generation.' Blah blah. Blah blah. Blah blah. All true I'm sure... But no one ever says: 'Holy Mother of God! That Dylan fellow is an extremely adjectival sexy adjectival m.a.n. so he is for himself!' It's about time all the ladies, and I mean ALL the ladies, need to tell everyone exactly where it's at concerning the deliciousness of Robert Zimmerman. Drop. Dead. Gorge. Us. Yes, sir! THE sexiest man that ever stalked the face of this earth. 'Tis lucky for you, boyo, that you're away over there in America. Sure there's barely a woman in the universe who could keep her mitts off you! Thanks be to God that flights are not cheap here in Ireland or you'd be wise to run. And also to follow Gaddafi's example by employing fake Bob Dylans, so no-one will know which one is actually you. Incidentally, should you decide you want to follow Gaddafi's example by employing all-female body guards, I hope you will consider me. Please don't ask for a reference though. I wouldn't come up looking very good. I once worked with a lady who'd once worked with you. She said you're just crazy about the ladies. I took her in my arms and danced with delight. Hurray! This means I'm not the only person on earth who thinks you're a ride. Despite your main feature being sexeliciousness, you're also not a bad oul' sayer of songs. And by the way, there's something the 13-year-old me wants to say to you: Thank you for making Christian music sexy. Poor God. Until you made ‘Slow Train Coming’, He was suicidal. From listening to terrible religious music. I mean, have you ever seen Irish dancing? It's the un-sexiest thing one could see. We only dance from the knee down. Keeping everything else tight as a board. Arms stiff at our sides. For fear we might slip into the world of sensuality. People say, and I hope it's not so, that you didn't 'stand by' Slow Train Coming. I don't know what they mean exactly. And I don't even care. Either way you could never have known what it was like in Ireland before that album tore down the walls which separated God and sex. You couldn't have known the effect the record would have. And that's appropriate. Why should you know? I was 13 the year it came out. Joe, my brother, brought it home. I was just beginning to wonder what kind of person I wanted to be. And what kind of woman I wanted to be. And what kind of artist I wanted to be. There weren't many options open to a female like me. I would either die or go to jail if I continued along the path that was given me. But when I heard you singing those songs on Slow Train Coming, and when I saw the drawing of the train on the sleeve, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. So Rabbi, from you I know I gotta serve somebody. I know I'm a precious angel. I know God believes in me. I know I'm gonna change my way of thinking. I know I'm gonna make myself a different set of rules. I know I'm gonna put my best foot forward, stop being influenced by fools. I saw you at Slane when I was like 16. I couldn't believe I would actually see you in the flesh. I had a boyfriend at the time. Only reason we were together was we were both obsessed with you. Sadly we never did really anything but talk about you! Of course I could never have dreamed of telling him you were way sexier than him. Am I bad? I certainly hope so. Santana played before you. When you came on you had on Oompa Loompa orange make-up. So it wasn't only musically or spritually that you were ahead of your time. You foresaw fake tan! I think you also had on loads of black khol eyeliner. Very strange sight. Gorgeous nonetheless, obviously. But strange. Then I briefly actually met you twice. Backstage at two festivals, there were loads of us playing. I must have seduced your manager with sexual bribes, I can't remember, but there I was in your dressing room. Just you and your tour manager. You asked would I like a drink. I said yes, and though I can't stomach alcohol I sipped away and pretended I wasn't suppressing the desire to let you have a look at what I ate for lunch. You did a lot of pacing up and down. I remember thinking 'Holy mother of the divine lord, who could perform after drinking this?' The third and final time our paths crossed was on that infamous evening at your tribute concert in Madison Square Garden, an evening which heaved with consequence. In the week or so before that show I had done an incendiary acapella version of a Bob Marley (the other 'Bob') song called ‘War’ on Saturday Night Live. I changed some words and made it about child abuse instead of racism. And at the end of the song I tore up a picture of the then Pope, JP2. No smirking please, Bob - when mentioning 'the incident' one must always look very serious. Then, soon after that, I went shopping to find an outfit for your upcoming show. The decision I made was so wrong - a turquoise jacket and skirt suit which should have been worn by a very old woman...and with a hideous gold thing on the jacket. Unforgivable. I look at the footage of the show now and I am appalled. What was I thinking? Perhaps I should have slipped you a note before the show, explaining 'the incident' to you, but in the terror of my image in my dressing room mirror I guess I forgot. So I walked on stage that night and half the audience cheered and the other half booed. Was it the Saturday Night Live fallout or had I just totally made the wrong wardrobe choice? Seriously though, backstage afterwards, you looked at me confused as if to ask me what I had done to upset people so much. Instead of singing I Believe in You, as planned, I had screamed out the Bob Marley song instead. But it felt appropriate for me to scream while I had the chance. And I knew, if you understood, you wouldn't mind that I used the stage you gave me to stand for the God you also gave me. I hope your questions from that night have since been answered for you by the various revelations concerning the spiritual condition of the catholic church. In God's wide world. If I had simply sung ‘I Believe in You’ that night my voice would have been drowned in the noise of the opposing spiritual forces in the room. I had to do what I did in Madison Square Garden. Even if it meant being treated like a mental case for years after. The God I believed in was the one you brought off the pages of scriptures into my life. Not the one those bored black-and-white-wearing priests droned on about whilst flicking bits of dust off their altars in the middle of the consecration of the Host. Even if they showed me to the door. And said don't come back no more cuz I didn't be like they'd like me to. Even if I walked out on my own. A thousand miles from home, I didn't feel alone. Cuz I believe in you. I believe in you, even through the tears and the laughter. I believe in you even though we be apart. I believe in you even on the morning after. Though the earth may shake me, though my friends forsake me, this feeling's still here in my heart. Don't let me stray too far. Keep me where you are. So I will always be renewed. And Lord, what you've given me today is worth more than I could pay. And no matter what they say, I believe in you... But, I digress, Bob. I only meant to tell you you're gorgeous. So have seventy kisses for yourself on Tuesday. Sinead

GOOD/transparency: Understanding what's behind the label

GOOD.is makes an easy-to-read graph about the who/what/where/when and how's of Fair Trade. They use chocolate as an example, but remember, fair trade principles can (and should) be applied to all goods. Check out DIGS to find some other cool fairly traded products!

(click to enlarge)

Digs Product Spotlight: Marrakech Beach Tote

Marrakech, Morocco: Designer Frederic Alcantara designed the Marrakech Beach Tote as a playful alternative to the pagne carried in St. Tropez. Made from recycled tyvek advertising posters woven through palm leaves, this tote is this seasons stylish and sustainable must-have! The short leather handles and ample interior fits your beach towel, blanket, picnic lunch, and magazines. Life's a beach with this bag! Made exclusively for DIGS. Frederic, born in France, is a seasoned product developer who has designed and developed for many international brands and consulted for non-profits such as Aid to Artisans. Working and residing in Morocco provides an unending stream of inspiration from its rich handicraft traditions

DIGS in Essence!

Along with our Multicolor Felt Cuff, Essence Magazine has featured our Marrakech Beach Tote in their July issue!

Use code "essence0611" for 30% off this great bag!

Essence Magazine June 2011-DIGS Marrakech Tote

We are officially having a summer romance with Essence Magazine! Our Summer Marrakech Tote, handmade by women artisans in Morocco, is featured in their June issue. Use code essence0611 for 30% off our marrakech tote! Have you seen our Multicolored Felt Cuff also in the issue?

DIGS in ESSENCE magazine, July 2011

Check out our multicolor felt cuff in ESSENCE magazine's July issue. Vibrant colors are BACK and in a big way! Check it out!

Designer Saara Renvall at ICFF

Based in Helsinki, Finland, Saara Renvall is a designer working with furniture, objects, jewelry, spaces, and interiors. 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 for shorter periods in India, Denmark, Japan, and the UK, gaining expertise in different design cultures. We asked Saara a few questions about her experience at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair 2011 (ICFF) . Here's what she had to say:

What left best impression on you?

I think the carpets were special across the board, the quality of design and materials were lovely.

We also liked the Vitra showroom especially for the pamphlet, helps navigate New York and the showrooms having special installations for the fair but overall it wasn’t very special this year, perhaps the rainy weather…New York itself though is always so inspiring, the Alexander McQueen show was so inspiring it well made up for the lackluster ICFF.

What are you taking back from ICFF to Helsinki?

Post cards from a Singaporean group, they were really well done.

What did you see too much of?

Too much wood furniture and way too big, not enough sustainable thinking and were the city garden concepts, it was all over Milan this year and the year before.

[caption id="attachment_580" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Carpet Texture"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_581" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="More of the beautiful carpets showcased"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_583" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Carpet Detail"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_584" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Copper Lights by Tom Dixon"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_587" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Eskayel booth"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_586" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Eskayel baskets"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_588" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="An inspiring lighting idea"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_592" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Layers of fine, overlapped fabric"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_593" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="paper baskets"][/caption]

Thank you to Saara Renvall for the interview and the pictures! DIGS will soon be a home for her beautiful baskets!

Digs Designer Spotlight: Kinda Hibrawi

Los Angeles, California: Kinda Hibrawi's artwork is a passionate journey of femininity, spirituality, and cultural convergence. Of Syrian descent, she grew up between Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, and the United States. Through her studies, she began to expand on the ancient tradition of Arabic Calligraphy by giving it a modern twist. As an Arab American, she felt the need for her artwork to reflect the richness of the Middle East coupled with Western diversity. Hibrawi's original work is sought by collectors worldwide and has exhibited in galleries across the US. Her 2007 solo exhibition in Washington, DC was a great success and she was named "an artistic ambassador" by Arab News.

As an artistic ambassador, she lectures on her work nationwide, recently she was invited to speak at the School of Visual Fine Arts in New York City. She was asked by the City of Los Angeles to premiere her work in their 2006 Cultural Calendar and City Guide, and is featured online for the Syrian Culture, Arts and History Center in Montreal, Canada. Her work has been acquired for the permanent collection at the Arab American National Museum in Detroit, Michigan. In 2008 she was selected by the US Art in Embassies Program to showcase her work for the United States Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Kurt Volker in Brussels, Belgium. As a result, she was invited by the US State Department to showcase her artwork in a 2010 US Embassy wall calendar, to be distributed to US embassies worldwide. Hibrawi runs a portrait studio MyPopArt.com in California and hopes to continue bridging cultural misunderstandings between Arabs and Americans.

This original Arabic Calligraphy Tee Collection was designed to promote peace and understanding through the positive message that each shirt represents. By wearing them, you join the movement to help change the world one shirt at a time. Cap sleeve, boat neck, and with hand thrown sugar crystals in the front, the english translation of the character is on the back. Proceeds from this collection will support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's (UNRWA) Adopt a School Program in Gaza. Adopt a School is an ongoing campaign aimed at overcoming the negative effects on children of prolonged conflict and poverty, and increasing the quality of education at UNRWA schools in Gaza.

Special Designer Offer: Receive 20% off Kinda's Calligraphy T-Shirts! Use Code NL0517 at checkout!

DIGS in Brides Magazine!

Brides Magazine suggests our Dahlia Felt brooch as a groomsmen's boutonniere! We love that idea!

This & That: Three's Company

Three Dog Night once sang that ‘One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do’. Bruce Springsteen sang that ‘Two hearts are better than one.’ But it’s common knowledge that celebrity deaths come in threes. And these past few weeks have provided quite the celebrity death trifecta, eh? First Poly Styrene, then Phoebe Snow and now Osama Bin Laden finishes the triple shot. Only historians will be able to tell which of them had the greatest cultural impact, but they are eerily similar to each other.

Lead singer in the band X-Ray Spex, Poly Styrene was hailed by no less a musical authority as Billboard as the "archetype for the modern-day feminist punk"; because she wore dental braces, stood against the typical sex object female of 1970s rock and was of mixed race. She was one of the least conventional front-persons in rock history, male or female".

Phoebe Snow gained fame and acclaim with her 1974 debut album ‘Phoebe Snow’ that earned her a Grammy nomination and led to tours with Paul Simon and Jackson Browne.

Osama Bin Laden; we’ll, I think we’re all familiar with his gig.

Styrene had "Oh Bondage Up Yours", Snow had "Poetry Man" and Bin Laden had 9/11 and all three of them pretty much coasted on their one big hit after that. Styrene and Snow chose motherhood and I suppose that this may have been Bin Laden's excuse as well, though he was much more private about his Abbottabad celebrity lifestyle. Then there's the way they died which are also eerily similar. Styrene and Snow both had cancer while Bin Laden had the metaphorical "cancer" of being shot up by United States Navy Seals. When will they find a cure? For Poly, for Phoebe, for Osama. Rest in peace everyone; well, almost everyone.

- Dave Glassman

Milkshake loves DIGS!

Thanks for the love, Milkshake! They had a hard time choosing a favorite selection of DIGS products, but managed to make a fabulous summer selection. Click here to read the article!

Digs Artisan Spotlight: Avani

Kumaon Region, India: Avani is a voluntary organization working in the middle ranges of the Himalayas in Uttaranchai in northern India. Established in 1997 as the Kumoan branch of the Social Work and Research Center, also known as the Barefoot College, Avani was formally registered in 1999 as an independent organization operating with these "barefoot" principles of community-based, sustainable development.

Avani aims at the creation of village-based livelihood opportunities utilizing appropriate technologies like solar energy for household lighting systems, rain water harvesting systems for drinking water, eco-friendly initiatives such as organic farming and environmental education, and the introduction of seri-culture for production of wild silk yarns and textiles.

All of Avani's scarves and wraps are handwoven from raw, wild silk in the Himalayan region of northern India and naturally dyed. The subtle colors with flecks of frosted gold adds an effortless elegance to any ensemble.

Special Designer Offer: Receive 20% off Avani's Wild Silk Scarf! Use CodeNL0513 at checkout! Handmade from wild silk and natural dyes, this lighter than air scarf is perfect for cool summer evenings.

Public Bucket Lists

An abandoned house in New Orleans was transformed by artist Candy Chang into a public bucket list. The top reads, "Before I die..." which prompts passersby to pick up a piece of chalk and anonymously pour their most deepest desires. Most responses were sweet, like "... see my students become teachers", and "... see peace in the world". Others set some serious goals, like "... cure cancer" and "... sing for millions." Some, just wanted to "... fall in love." See all the responses here.

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

PMc Magazine: Interview with Rhea Alexander

Jillian Mercado at PMc Magazine interviewed DIGS Founder, Rhea Alexander. Find out who she is, where she came from, and where she's going!

Artsy Surprises in the Park

Jaume Plensa's Echo in Madison Square Park is an ode to everyday people. Made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, the 44' head demands the attention of fast-paced New Yorkers, yet the tranquil disposition of the young girls face juxtaposes her size and hypnotizes even the toughest city-slickers to revel in her serenity.

50% off Mothers Day Jewelry Sale!

Use Code "Mom2011" and receive 50% off ALL of Mery Luz Salva Diaz's handmade jewelry.

Each colorful piece is meticulously crafted from reclaimed materials at her studio in Peru.

(While supplies last. Expires May 8, 2011)

Win your Mom a $50 Gift Certificate to DIGS.COM!

... Here's your chance to become the "favorite"!!

Do you have a favorite "Mom" story? About how she's so great? Loving? Nuts? Share it on our facebook wall, get ten or more likes, and you will be in the running towards earning your Mom are $50 Gift Certificate to digs.com! Voting ends at noon on Friday, April 6. The story with the most likes wins, so share with friends and encourage them to vote!

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!

Susan Inglis for Sustainable Furnishings Council

Sustainable Furnishings Council is a non-profit association specializing in green furnishings located in Chapel Hill, NC that educates and markets organizations in sustainability. According to their website, SFC’s goals are to raise awareness of the sustainability issue, assist companies in adopting good practices, serve as an information clearing house and create a symbol of assurance for consumers.

“We are a membership organization, serving as an umbrella,” Susan Inglis, SFC’s executive director, said. “In our opinion, the industry does not need more certifications, but it does need more understanding of the existing certifications and labels that are pertinent to our operations.”

Some of SFC’s core values are reducing unsustainable raw resources and known toxic substances in all phases of business, recycling in operations and purchasing recycled content and creating recyclable products, and seeking legally-logged wood from vendors who have a verifiable chain of custody. “The chain of custody is the systematic tracking of wood-based products from their origin in the forest to their end-use,” Inglis explained. Find out their other core values in their Best Practices Agreement.

SFC’s values cover the triple bottom line: what’s good for the planet, communities and economies. “All three of these aspects need to be must be taken into account in order for any plan to be effective,” Inglis said.

Currently, SFC has about 400 members from different sectors of the green industry, from supplying and manufacturing to designers and retailers. Check out their growing membership list.

For non-members, they have great resources on their website like how to green your textiles or cushioning choices and how to green your home (great for making every day Earth Day!). They also offer webinars to their members to further educate on sustainability issues, so members can in turn educate their consumers.

Join DIGS at the Queens Botanical Garden!

Join DIGS at the Queens Botanical Garden Arbor Festival!

Rain or Shine, DIGS will be there showcasing our latest Spring collection!

Join us for: workshops and events, including bird walks, Rose Garden tours, composting demos, Tai Chi, container planting, local and eco-friendly vendors, HSBC Children's Garden open house and activities and live music!

Let us know you're coming!

Fair Trade Fashion's Night Out Preview Show

Last month, NYC Fair Trade Coalition presented Fair Trade Fashion’s Night Out Preview Show at Arcadia NYC featuring fair trade brands for September’s Fashion Week in NYC. The idea came from Of Rags managing partner, James Branson Skinner. “We want to show New York City and the world that fair trade is fashionable,” he said. Of Rags will be in Accra, Ghana to prepare for Fashion Week and will hopefully put together some footage to highlight the connection between fair trade products and the artisan community.

The preview show received a tremendous amount of positive feedback. Ethicalistic mentioned the size of the event: “You know an event was a complete success when the biggest problem was that there were TOO many people that showed up.” Good & Fair Clothing wrote in their blog, “The Fair Trade and Sustainable Fashion show and expo at Arcadia was a hit! To have fair trade and sustainable fashion land on that big stage would be a tangible step forward for an industry looking to change the world.” The Green wrote, “It was a great event that united fair trade companies with consumers.” Lotus Jayne noticed that fair trade will now be associated with trendy fashion: “The future of fair trade is looking better and better as products become more in tune with contemporary fashion and less, um...shall we say, crunchy granola?”

This is just a glimpse of some of the brands that were at Fair Trade Fashion Night’s Out Preview Show. The list of brands to be showcased at the September fashion show is still growing.

Ahkun