This week, I thought we would look at my partner from Guatemala, offering some bright and uplifting textiles for the kitchen. The colors work perfectly for those outdoor summer, dinner parties. This collection is made using raw cotton, natural plant dyes, and recycled denim. Every step considers low impact, and environmentally friendly.

This week I thought I would focus on another partner of mine offering glassware as it’s been a strong request this year. Perhaps that’s because we are all looking to create a sense of calm in our living spaces.

I am delighted to share that I’ve recently partnered up with the New World Crafts fair, a wonderful sourcing trade show in Antigua, Guatemala. The fair offers a truly unique chance to connect directly with talented artists from Guatemala and throughout Central America. Over the next few months, I’ll be highlighting some of the unique products and export-ready artisan enterprises that exhibit at the annual show. It’s so inspiring and beautifully curated. While normally it happens in person in one of the most beautiful settings you could imagine (ahem – I definitely recommend saving the date in your travel calendar for next year!), because so much of our lives and our businesses are being conducted online this year, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the exhibitors that stood out to me.

This month, I'm delighted to present an interview with Kelsie of Driftless Style. I've had the pleasure to work with Kelsie over the months as one of my mentorees, and I've been so impressed with her drive, and quick ability to learn the tricky in's and outs of running an artisan-focused retail shop. That said, Kelsie has been kind enough to share her lessons learned running a retail shop, as well as revealing what has been working best for her, and other best practices when buying from overseas artisan groups. She also speaks about how to juggle working directly vs when to simply buy wholesalers from retailers based in the US. She touches upon tips, how to overcome specific challenges, worthwhile business investments, and more.

There is nothing like witnessing a beautiful spring in France, especially during these hard times. I can't wait until we can escape beyond 10 km…I'm dreaming of going straight to Provence to witness everything taking bloom. It still is one of my favorite spots in France – I particularly love the small towns throughout the Luberon Valley – it’s dreamy.

But on a different note, this week we venture to the Yucatan to unravel another material from the area. If you’re like me, you like to keep things paired down in the bathroom as a way to keep the space fresh, clean and bright. These stone accents make for a beautiful but minimal addition to any bathroom – the handcrafted details, the luxurious cream color, and made to last quality of each piece make them truly special, plus the fact that they support a community of artists.

With warmer weather in sight, I thought these lightweight towels and robes might be lovely summer companions. This line is handcrafted by a partner of mine who works closely with a group of artists in Cambodia. The 100% cotton robes are sewn by hand in my partner’s studio in Phnom Penh. The cotton is sourced by women who work in their homes in rural villages throughout Cambodia. Each piece is hand-dyed in their open-air dying studio, working with natural dyes, and then handwoven on looms in the homes of the artists.

This line touches upon many things we’re looking for these days: simplicity, quality, sustainability, and a neutral color palette that fits perfectly into any home. In addition to this collection of cotton towels and robes, they have a full range of beautiful rugs and throws available.