Alternative Gift Guide

** Tickle Me Plant - It Moves **
A great green low cost gift that will make everyone smile is the Tickle Me Plant Greenhouse. It really does MOVE when Tickled!! The leaves quickly fold and even the branches droop when tickled. It even produces pink cotton candy like flowers.
I found this to be a great stress reliever in my office and what a conversation piece!. You may have seen the Tickle Me Plant in the botanical gardens. Now it can be grown indoors year round.
No green thumb needed. I found it on line at (Http://tiny.cc/Ticklemeplant

Quick correction - Busy-Being has artists from all over the world. The company itself is based in Los Angeles.

awesome :D those sites look nice

There is new legislation putting these artisans out of business If they can't meet manufacturing standers. Each product they create will have to be tested, under this legislation, to be sold in the US. costing artisans $100 per product or more. some will have to stop selling if their wares are not tested individually by December 22nd.

http://current.com/items/89583151/national_bankruptcy_day_february_10_2009.htm.

Winter Collection 2008
DAP & Co. recently debuted their limited Winter 2008 clothing collection. The line features graphic tees, sweaters, hand knit hats, and a furniture piece, as well as various accessories. The inspiration behind the line combines influences from vintage European ski culture with contemporary fashion. All of the products are produced with high quality materials and incorporate subtle graphic influences. This limited winter line will be carried in a select number of stores throughout the U.S., abroad, as well as featured on their online store, www.dapandco.com.

DAP & Co. is a multidisciplinary design collective and creative studio based in New York, engaging in projects of various media. Their work explores the ever-existing contrast between classic and avant-garde; timeless design sensibility juxtaposed with contemporary influence.

ornjbags.com!!!

http://redbubble.com - Photography and art prints, posters, t-shirts, calendars and cards, all by independent photographers and artists.

No Etsy? WTF? Etsy really is the absolute best place if you want to support artisans other than buying from them in person. The site has thousands of sellers hawking everything from clothing and jewelery to affordable artwork and even vintage sellers. Next up, I would recommend Art Fire. If you live near a large city there's a chance that there might be a "craft faire" comming up you go to for a chance to see products up close and buy directly from the makers. If you really want to avoid mass produced crap the best idea is to take reclaimed materials and make gifts yourself. For that I suggest checking with Craftster, Cut Out + Keep, Mad Scientist Laboratories, The Anti Craft and Instructables for ideas.

No Esty.com?

Makr Leather and Fabric Handcrafted in North America (Florida and Ohio). Designer/Artisan owned and operated.

ETSY!!!! http://www.etsy.com