A Very Special Giveaway

Hello, my friends.  
As promised, I have a very special giveaway to share this week.  

The prize is one $75 gift certificate from Novica.

If you have never shopped at Novica, you are in for a treat.  All of their products are handcrafted by artisans from all over the world.  Novica works in association with National Geographic to connect buyers directly with artists and craftspeople.  As they explain in their mission statement: "We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it." 

Photo from here.

I recently ordered two items from the Novica website, the "Wine Garden" silk batik shawl by Yuni Kristina from Bali that is pictured above and a gorgeous pair of chalcedony earrings crafted by Thai jewelry artist Khun Boom.  Novica items are shipped directly from the country where they are made, so my items arrived separately, but very soon after I ordered them, and they came packaged in beautiful gift boxes.  In fact, the scarf came in the deep-red and black silk box in the photo above--a box that I will definitely reuse for storing jewelry.

Just as you see in the photo, the scarf is a rich red decorated with a lush floral batik pattern.  Yuni Kristina explains that she learned the art of batik from her mother when she was a young girl and that her mother is still her inspiration:  "She and I still design together, especially the floral and bird motifs that are typical in Pekalongan batik."  This artist's talent is obvious, and I know I will be wearing this scarf in the summer as a light shawl with sundresses, but it will also look great with a black t-shirt, jeans, and some silver jewelry. 

Photo from here.

Speaking of jewelry, Khun Boom's designs are stunning.  I will be ordering more of her jewelry both for its beauty and value.  All of her work is reasonably priced, and I had a difficult time choosing from the many designs I loved.  This particular pair of earrings, "Sublime," caught my eye with its simple sophistication.  Boom has a tremendous amount of design experience, which is evident in all her work.  Like Yuni Kristina, she is very inspired by her mother.

Each item from Novica is accompanied by a story card telling you a little about the artist.  You can also read a full profile or watch a video of each artist on the website.  I follow the company on Facebook, and I've noticed that if a customer posts a special request on Novica's Facebook wall, the company is more than happy to talk with artisans about customizing an order.

Novica offers a wide range of jewelry, clothing, and home decor products, with a strong focus on eco-friendly gifts.  They also have a fair-trade corporate gifts section, including gorgeous stationery, art glass, sculptures, and much more.

Another reason I like Novica is that they have a microfinance program.  In addition to buying products, customers can provide loans to gifted artists in developing nations.  The loans are provided to artisans at 0% interest.  If you make a loan, once it is repaid you can earn a 15% bonus when you spend the repayment money at Novica.

I am thrilled to be able to offer this giveaway.  The $75 gift certificate can be used to purchase anything the winner desires at Novica.  To register for the giveaway, you simply need to become a follower of The Magpie's Fancy (if you aren't already) and leave a comment below.  Please be sure to include your email address in your comment so I can contact you, if you win.  The deadline for registering is Friday, April 29th at noon EST.