Why LOVE translates into gifts?

 Ahhhh l’amour…..! we dream about it, we long for it and we certainly shop in the name of it!

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and the true gentleman at heart has already ordered a dozen red roses for his lovely lady, while she has probably gotten a box of chocolates for him plus a nice sexy card to be delivered with a kiss just before dinner….

Luna Necklace is a perfect gift for Valentine. Copyright Nativa Store 2011. All Rights Reserved

Valentine’s  day is traditionally a day on which lovers express their affection for each other by presenting flowers, jewelry, offering confectionary,  and sending greeting cards to their ”valentines“. Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards and gifts.

So, do you actually stop to ponder why is it that we buy material things to demonstrate our affection?

Jewelry is the kind of gift all ladies love to get! Copyright Nativa Store 2011. All rights reserved

Is there another way to show our passion and committment than purchasing gifts or trinkets?

In the South American countries, the concept of Valentine’s Day is fairly new. And while this holiday appeals mainly to couples than friends or relatives, a romantic dinner or a movie night watching a chic flick will do the trick. In Latin America jewelry, flowers and chocolate are not particularly in extreme demand as in the US during those days.

Notwithstanding, as the American culture has cascaded down through developing countries for quite sometime now, people have incorporated the imagery, colors and heart-shaped symbols during that day. Despite of it, purchases don’t remain a major part of the celebration. Instead Valentine’s represent a great opportunity to go out with lovers for dinner, a glass of wine, or a lovely stroll under the moonlight.

At Nativa Store we believe that there is nothing wrong with translating your feelings of love, fidelity, committment or friendship into gifts. However, we strongly believe that those presents better tell your feelings when they have been hand-crafted with love and individual dedication. That is the Nativa Store’s spirit:

Arts & Crafts made with love and passion. One-of a kind products that have been handmade with natural materials by skillful artisans.

Handmade gifts truly carry the meaning the giver wishes to convey to his loved one. They genuinely say “I love you”  in a very eloquent way…don’t you agree?

Happy Valentine’s Day!

That #@*! stain

Lipstick , one of the culprits

Let’s face it, there is no single technique or product that takes care of every spill or spot. However, since some of you requested some help in the process of removing those darn stains from your favorite garments, we will share a list of cleaning products to use.

Use white vinegar to remove coffee stains

Before we list them, it is important to know that it is always important to act quickly for stains on washable garments, while it is best to take those that are nonwashable to a dry cleaner.

• Absorbants -like cornstarch or talcum powder- tend to work well on fresh grease stains. Wait 15 minutes and then scrape off and treat stain.
• Denatured Alcohol is effective at breaking down some stains and evaporates without leaving residue. Ideal for juice and jam stains.
  

  Lemon juice is an effective solution for tea stains on nonwashable fabrics

• Lemon juice and white vinegar (mixed 1:1 with water), are mild bleaches that remove the color left behind by stains. Use a cotton swab to dab them over the stain and place paper towels under the fabric. Ideal for removing lipstick, coffee and tea stains. Note: Chlorine bleach, diluted with water, is to be used only as a last resort.
• Digestants (like Biz, Era Plus or Wisk) contain enzymes that “eat” protein stains like grass, egg or blood. Do not use on silk or wool.

Both of us are always cautious when wearing our garments, however we have had our share of stains and came up with this list of natural solutions.

Our Nativa Store collection has many accessories manufactured by hand with and array of natural materials. Take a look at our 2011 Winter collection and let us know what you think…and don’t forget to share with us your favorite tip on how to get rid of those nasty stains…..

See you soon!

Chaguar, a natural treasure from South America

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For those of you who love organic textures, we want to introduce Chaguar.

A colorful and natural thread commonly used by indigenous tribes of the northern area of Argentina and south of Paraguay. This rough, yet gentle yarn, is hand-woven by the Koya & Wichi tribes to create colorful and durable garments, purses, necklaces, bags and hammocks.

From the chaguar plant, a local bromeliad that grows in their woodland, the artisans get the fibers to prepare the yarn for knitting and weaving. Bark from trees, fresh leaves, flowers and  fruits are later used to

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create the various natural pigments that will color the chaguar fibers.

Red, purple, black, blue, yellow, maroon and sand are the most frequent shades used in these chaguar creations.

Inspired by ancestral symbols, the natives combine forms and tones into a diversity of designs. These communities manufacture an array of accessories and garments that are traded under the Fair Trade principles.

Nativa Store is proud to feature many of these exquisite and colorful creations in our Winter Collection 2011.

Chaguar Sachel - Copyright www.nativastore.com

Take the time to check our site out and discover these ancient treasures. You will surely love them as much as we do!

Happy Birthday Nativa Store!

And at last, we unveiled our 2011 Winter Collection. What a thrill!

Our website is online, our Facebook fan page is getting hits, all items are photographed and uploaded…what else is missing? A Nativa Store Party!

Copyright Nativa Store

We both worked tirelessly to invite, stage, host and gather feedback on the collection and website. It was a blast!

Our first customers came in and browsed through our handmade garments and accessories and quickly chose their favorites. They are now the proud owners of unique creations from Latin American artisans.

We are super excited about this first event, and we will surely host many more in the future!

Copyright Nativa Store

But in the meantime, if you or a friend are looking for handmade, eco-friendly gifts, you should visit us on our Nativa Store site. We promise to amaze you with beautiful products for you, your loved ones and even for your home.

See you soon!

The art of giving

Ahhh…once again the holidays are here and people rush into the stores or go online looking for the perfect gift. Have you wonder why is it that we consume ourselves in endless hours at the mall trying to get presents for each member of the family, our kids school teacher, the yoga instructor, our best friends, etc.?

Is it really critical to give a material item to show we care?

In reality it is not. Truth is that is just the thought and the good intentions that count. We all know that, however, everyone expects to give a beautifully packed present and receive a gift during these special occasions… And when it comes to give, whether is a small present, a card, trinket or a small memento, we embark ourselves into an endless search for the right gift.

At Nativa Store, we believe that handmade items, reflect in a very meaningful way, the hard labor and great intentions of each artisan. Hours of love, craft and dedication are brought to our customers. What better way than one of a kind arts and crafts to express your love and care to the ones you love?

Check out our Winter collection 2010 and let us know what your favorite items are!

The excitment of starting up a business

It’s Like having a baby. Or like anticipating a much dreamt encounter…

We dream, we get anxious, sometimes even got mad at a slug vendor…you know, a whole myriad of extreme emotions. That is how we feel about unveiling Nativa Store. Our inspired creation…our dear project.

Correcting the look & feel of a section on our web. Engaging in countless discussions about how to go beyond our promise of one-of-a-kind,  hand-made items of exceptional execution and impeccable design. Finding the correct way of photo shooting each piece so you can appreciate the thread or its unique craft…these are just some of the exciting aspects of launching a new business. And we are really joyful!

By now, we are in absolute love with every single item we bring to our 2o11 Winter collection.

And Yes, we WILL kiss goodbye each piece  with bitter-sweet emotions when it gets purchased. But like a mother who sees her child walking his own path into life, we will feel proud and excited to know that somewhere in the world, there will be a smart eco-friendly and respectful customer enjoying a beautiful Nativa Store product. 

Welcome to our Store!

Argentina Here we come!

 In a few hours, I will be landing in windy Buenos Aires for a scouting trip. I will join Bettina in the capital city and then we will head to the provinces in order to meet skillful new artisans and collect new wonders for our Winter Collection 2011.

Salteño weaver manufacturing a Poncho

 

We plan to visit Catamarca, Salta, Córdoba and Santa Fe. Four remarkable provinces that are very well-known for their beautiful handmade ponchos, silver jewelry and exquisite pottery.   

We are bringing our camera so we can share with you every craft-shop as well as all those breathtaking landscapes we expect to come across! Argentina is a land of remarkable beauty. Did you know that Salta, a rather small province located a the NW of the territory, has very distinctive colorful mountains called “the 7 color Mountains’? The view is impressive! You can clearly see the different layers of the ground shinning with its unique earthy tones: pink, green, grey, maroon, yellow, blue and brown. Remarkable indeed!

 

We will be posting after we visit each province, so you can see where our unique hand-made items come from and meet the artisans behind each creation.

 

So stay tuned for upcoming posts as we will be showing some of the treasures we discover.