We know our customers have beautiful gardens (some have even shared them in our Virtual Garden Tour,) but when the snow is flying, or after a long summer day, it’s nice to retreat to a beautiful home. From hand-printed, dyed or stitched table linens to hand made pottery we’ve found some outstanding gift ideas: the perfect beeswax candle to light up the winter’s darkness, a handcrafted mug for the hot cocoa, an ornament for the tree, or some nature-inspired wall art to bring beauty inside.
Courtland Hacker Woodturning – NEW!
We met Courtland at a Loveland art fair this summer, where his work was drawing crowds. When we got close enough to see, the reason was obvious – displays of beautiful turned wood urns, bowls and trays in elegant shapes. Courtland’s favorite woods to work with are burls and other ‘figured’ woods – spalted, birdseye, etc., which lend fascinating pattern and color variation.
We chose a collection of maple burl pieces, and a group of more casual cottonwood bowls and trays. All bowls and trays have food-safe finishes.
Botanical Interests desk calendar – NEW!
Description coming soon!
Macramé by Pele – NEW!
Pele Levy-Strauss started out a native New Zealander, was raised in the Marshall Islands and Hawaii (she was named for the goddess of the famous volcano there), went to college in Durango, and fell in love with Colorado. Now in Boulder, Pele discovered a passion for the craft of Macramé.
Unlike most textiles, Macramé is produced using knotting, rather than weaving or knitting. Long crafted by sailors and crafted in many parts of the world, Macramé emerged in the US in the 1960s, associated with hippie culture. It has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity for its sculptural qualities, natural materials and refreshing simplicity.
Pele has made a number of lovely, practical and affordable macramé creations for our holiday gift market!
Puzzles from Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom series – NEW!
Enlightening, illuminating and visually extravagant, Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom series sheds light on the magic and mystery that abounds in the natural world — animal, vegetable and mineral, and features the opulent art of Kate O’Hara. We are offering two of the stunning 750-piece puzzles from O’Hara’s fabulous illustrations.
Nature Anatomy Puzzles – NEW!
Piece together a fascinating visual exploration of the natural world. Featuring illustrations from Julia Rothman’s best-selling book Nature Anatomy, this jigsaw puzzle will open your eyes to new ways of seeing earth and sky, flora and fauna. With each of the 500 pieces you put in place, nature’s wonders unfold: the crystalline structure of a single snowflake, the different types of feathers on a bird, a constellation of stars. A distinctive blend of art and science, this sweeping study of the universe will delight, educate, and enlighten.
Also offered is the Nature Anatomy: Birds Puzzle, a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle featuring a selection of Rothman’s colorful illustrations of birds, nests, feathers, and more. These make great gifts for nature enthusiasts, design fans, homeschooling families, and curious learners of all ages.
Amber Lights Candles
Our friend Clark and his family have turned what used to be a hobby into a full-time business. In their Longmont studio, they make delightful cast beeswax candles that come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including several designs that are cast in on traditional European holiday season candle molds.
Amber Lights candles are highly decorative, wonderfully detailed, naturally endowed with a heavenly honey scent, and burn clean and smokeless.
Lois Edgar Cards & Ceramics
Lois Edgar is a longtime member of the Boulder Potters Guild. She has been exploring techniques with clay for many years and has developed a style that is both earthy and charming.
This year we feature her porcelain wares, and salt-fired pieces. We will also have her elegant hand-made embossed greeting cards and holiday tree ornaments.
Lynn Mattingly Quilts
Our dear friend Lynn Mattingly is a renowned fiber artist, and has been practicing and teaching quilting for decades. An exceptional sense of color-combining, a fabulous collection of fabrics and a mastery of design and craftsmanship combine to make Lynn’s work really special. We love seeing her beautiful pot-holders hanging on our stove, and they have held up in our kitchen for a very long time. Sturdy and machine-washable, they are not only gorgeous but also practical.
This year we offer her Baby Quilts, Quilted Pot-holders and Table-Runners, and Peace Garlands. Lynn lives just over the hills in Paonia, CO.