Tag Archives: baskets

Price Reduced: Oaxaca Baskets + More

Posted on Monday, November 21, 2022 | Comments Off on Price Reduced: Oaxaca Baskets + More

Happy Thanksgiving and Welcome to a Week of Black Friday Specials from Oaxaca Cultural Navigator. Today, we are offering amazing, designer baskets — home goods for holding just about anything. Plus, we have two hand-painted gourd bowls from Oaxaca, perfect for serving fruit, breads, and candy. Scroll down to see two gorgeous, colorful hammocks hand-woven in Mexico’s Yucatan.

First up, sustainable, hand-woven palm baskets, environmentally conscious shopping! Big price reductions. We want to sell these! I have brought back these wonderful palm woven bags from Oaxaca’s Mixtec region. In this mountainous area that borders northern Oaxaca state and southern Guerrero state, palm grows naturally. Artisans harvest the fiber and weave these baskets by hand — environmentally sustainable for interior design accents. I love the warm beige color mixed with fibers dyed black. The result is a stunning graphic design that goes well with any decor.

These beautiful baskets are perfect for storage and to hold:

  • toilet tissue
  • clothing
  • rolled towels
  • laundry
  • trash
  • hats and gloves
  • throws and blankets
  • French bread loaves
  • houseplants
  • anything else that needs containing!

How to Buy: Send an email to norma.schafer@icloud.com and tell me the item(s) you want to purchase by number, your email, your mailing address and which payment method you prefer: 1) Zelle bank transfer with no service fee; 2) Venmo or 3) PayPal each with a 3% service fee. I will send you a request for funds and then add on a flat rate $19 mailing fee because an oversize box is needed! Happy to combine shipping if you buy more than one piece. Note: Thank you for understanding that all sales are final.

SOLD. #1. Palm basket with lid, soft sided and flexible construction. Use as one piece or separate for two containers. 12” high x 10-1/2” diameter. Was $58. Now $38

SOLD. #2. Fringe Basket with Zigzag Pattern. 12-1/2” high x 11-1/2” diameter. Was $72. Now $58

#3. Diagonal Tote. 14” high x 12” diameter. Was $66. Now $38

#4. Criss-Cross Bag, extra large, with leather handles and snap closure. Sturdy handles fixed with metal grommets. 18” high x 20” wide. Was $97. Now $67

SOLD. #5. Greca basket. Folds for compact storage. 11” high x 12” diameter. Was $64. Now $48
#6. Dominoes basket. No handles; folds. 14”high x 12” diameter. Was $72. Now $59

#7. Serpent bag with leather handles and magnetic tab closure. Sturdy. 14″ high x 19″ wide. I use mine to store rolled towels next to the shower. Was $72. Now $59

SOLD #8-Left and #9-Right. Hand-painted and enameled gourd bowls from Oaxaca. Perfect for serving and display. #8 is painted with a dusky blue background and is 5-/12” high and 10-1/2” diameter, Was $54. #9 is painted with a black background and 5” high x 10” diameter, Was $54. Take your pick. Now $44 each.

Look forward to spring! Both of these colorful hammocks are handwoven in the Yucatan, Mexico. They are made with sturdy, strong all-weather nylon, and extend to 15 feet. (Does not include ties or carabiners.) Suspend from trees or posts, or get one of those free-standing hammock stands.

#10. Persimmon hammock, extra large. Easily holds two people. Was $110. Now $72.
#11. Sky Blue hammock, extra large. Easily holds two people. Was $110. Now $72.

Note: These are heavy. Mailing cost is $22 each.

Comments Off on Price Reduced: Oaxaca Baskets + More

Posted in Home Goods

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Price Reduced: Oaxaca Baskets + More

Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2022 | Comments Off on Price Reduced: Oaxaca Baskets + More

Happy Thanksgiving and Welcome to a Week of Black Friday Specials from Oaxaca Cultural Navigator. Today, we are offering amazing, designer baskets — home goods for holding just about anything. Plus, we have two hand-painted gourd bowls from Oaxaca, perfect for serving fruit, breads, and candy. Scroll down to see two gorgeous, colorful hammocks hand-woven in Mexico’s Yucatan.

First up, sustainable, hand-woven palm baskets, environmentally conscious shopping! Big price reductions. We want to sell these! I have brought back these wonderful palm woven bags from Oaxaca’s Mixtec region. In this mountainous area that borders northern Oaxaca state and southern Guerrero state, palm grows naturally. Artisans harvest the fiber and weave these baskets by hand — environmentally sustainable for interior design accents. I love the warm beige color mixed with fibers dyed black. The result is a stunning graphic design that goes well with any decor.

These beautiful baskets are perfect for storage and to hold:

  • toilet tissue
  • clothing
  • rolled towels
  • laundry
  • trash
  • hats and gloves
  • throws and blankets
  • French bread loaves
  • houseplants
  • anything else that needs containing!

How to Buy: Send an email to norma.schafer@icloud.com and tell me the item(s) you want to purchase by number, your email, your mailing address and which payment method you prefer: 1) Zelle bank transfer with no service fee; 2) Venmo or 3) PayPal each with a 3% service fee. I will send you a request for funds and then add on a flat rate $19 mailing fee because an oversize box is needed! Happy to combine shipping if you buy more than one piece. Note: Thank you for understanding that all sales are final.

#1. Palm basket with lid, soft sided and flexible construction. Use as one piece or separate for two containers. 12” high x 10-1/2” diameter. Was $58. Now $38

#2. Fringe Basket with Zigzag Pattern. 12-1/2” high x 11-1/2” diameter. Was $72. Now $58

#3. Diagonal Tote. 14” high x 12” diameter. Was $66. Now $38

#4. Criss-Cross Bag, extra large, with leather handles and snap closure. Sturdy handles fixed with metal grommets. 18” high x 20” wide. Was $97. Now $67

#5. Greca basket. Folds for compact storage. 11” high x 12” diameter. Was $64. Now $48
#6. Dominoes basket. No handles; folds. 14”high x 12” diameter. Was $72. Now $59

#7. Serpent bag with leather handles and magnetic tab closure. Sturdy. 14″ high x 19″ wide. I use mine to store rolled towels next to the shower. Was $72. Now $59

#8-Left and #9-Right. Hand-painted and enameled gourd bowls from Oaxaca. Perfect for serving and display. #8 is painted with a dusky blue background and is 5-/12” high and 10-1/2” diameter, Was $54. #9 is painted with a black background and 5” high x 10” diameter, Was $54. Take your pick. Now $44 each.

Look forward to spring! Both of these colorful hammocks are handwoven in the Yucatan, Mexico. They are made with sturdy, strong all-weather nylon, and extend to 15 feet. (Does not include ties or carabiners.) Suspend from trees or posts, or get one of those free-standing hammock stands.

#10. Persimmon hammock, extra large. Easily holds two people. Was $110. Now $72.
#11. Sky Blue hammock, extra large. Easily holds two people. Was $110. Now $72.

Note: These are heavy. Mailing cost is $22 each.

Comments Off on Price Reduced: Oaxaca Baskets + More

Posted in Home Goods

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

2017 Feria del Carrizo: Oaxaca’s Handwoven River Reed Basket Fair

Posted on Friday, January 20, 2017 | 3 comments

Join the celebration in San Juan Guelavia

It’s that time of year again, the end of January and early February, when the river reed weavers of San Juan Guelavia hold their annual fair. The event, now in its sixth year, is more than a show and sale of great baskets.

January 29-February 5, 2017

It’s a food fest beyond imagination! You’ll find lots of tamales, chicken mole, goat barbecue, beer, artisanal mezcal, cookies and cakes there, too, to eat and enjoy. Everything is home made! Safe and clean to eat.

Need a guide? Use Sheri Brautigam’s Textile Fiestas of Mexico to take you there! I introduced Sheri to the Feria last year and she made it a chapter with photos.

Here is the weekly line-up.

Event Program, Feria del Carrizo, San Juan Guelavia

Past Oaxaca Cultural Navigator posts about the Feria del Carrizo. Delve into discussion and photos of baskets, people, food, culture, history.

 

3 Comments

Posted in Cultural Commentary, Oaxaca Mexico art and culture

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Annual Basket Fair in San Juan Guelavia, Oaxaca: River Reed Weaving

Posted on Monday, February 1, 2016 | 4 comments

The Feria del Carrizo is happening this week in the Zapotec village of San Juan Guelavia. The last day is February 7. This annual fair is growing and this year there were hundreds of people on opening day, Sunday, January 31.

I have made this an annual tradition and this was my fourth year here. I love arriving just before 10 a.m. when the weavers are setting up shop and the cooking fires are roaring. This couple, above, still makes the reed fish traps. They make great lampshades or dried flower holders!

 

Just in time for a breakfast of traditional hot chocolate made with water (or milk, if you prefer). It’s a great accompaniment to hot off the griddle fresh made corn tortillas stuffed with yellow mole and chicken (above right) or squash blossoms , quesillo (string cheese) and mushrooms (above left). This was prepared by the volunteers from the Museo Comunitario, the community museum. Super Yummy!

 

The Community Museum is small, just two rooms and admission is by donation. Usos y Costumbres villages maintain museums to keep cultural history. San Juan was closely tied to neighboring Dainzu (now an archeological site) and Macuilxochitl (across the highway) was once the regional center.

Ancient map reproductions show this as well as a diorama of how salt was extracted from the earth by local women using clay vessels from nearby San Marcos Tlapazola. Villagers were active in the Mexican Revolution that hit the region hard because was dotted with haciendas that indentured indigenous labor, eradicated with the Revolution.

 

Of course, the food goes on all day and if you wait long enough and stay for lunch you can enjoy barbecue goat tacos along with a shot of Tobala mezcal (or Madrecuixe, as your taste dictates) straight from the palenque. Buy a bottle for 200 pesos, about 2/3 less than comparable quality in Oaxaca city!

 

The weavers in San Juan Guelavia work in river reed called carrizo. Their baskets were used by farmers, traders and cooks for centuries, long before the Spanish conquest in 1521.

Anthropologists have written and talked about the risks to this artisan craft of the Oaxaca valley. So much of the reed weaving is now replaced by plastic baskets because people everywhere love the bright colors.

But, preferred among the local ladies is the traditional market shopping basket –that round Carrizo basket with curved palm covered handle that fits comfortably in the crook of the elbow.

I use the low-sided baskets as “shipping containers” inside my luggage. I’ve put mezcal bottles and ceramics inside, wrapped in bubble, surrounded by soft clothes packed snugly and nothing ever arrives broken. Use a flat round tray to cover your stuff and secure with duct tape. Very easy!

 

Above left, the ladies prepare atole, a traditional corn drink. Mix it with chocolate for a special taste. Always served at festivals, it’s the drink of the Zapotec and Aztec gods. Above right, a grandmother ties the sash on her granddaughter’s skirt in preparation for the parade.

Above: This year, there were lots of necklaces strung with reed and bright beads. Some dangled with mini- baskets mini-atole cups (all handmade).

 

And, above right, toy trucks and airplanes and whistles for the children, bird cages and shelves for home decor.

 

How to Get There From Oaxaca City: Take a taxi or collectivo or bus that goes to Tlacolula. Get off at the San Juan Guelavia crucero (crossroads). From there, take a moto-taxi (we call them tuk-tuks into town.) The village is situated about a mile inland on the west side of the Carretera Nacional MX190 better known as the Pan-American Highway.

4 Comments

Posted in Cultural Commentary, Food & Recipes, Oaxaca Mexico art and culture, Travel & Tourism

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Handmade Basket Fair, San Juan Guelavia, January 31-February 7, 2016

Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2016 | Comments Off on Handmade Basket Fair, San Juan Guelavia, January 31-February 7, 2016

Each year, the traditional Zapotec village of San Juan Guelavia showcases its handmade baskets made from strips of river reed, called carrizo in Spanish. (Thanks, Christopher Hodge for this tidbit of clarification. Carrizo is not bamboo!) This is another artisanal weaving tradition in the Tlacolula valley. If you are on your way to the Tlacolula market this Sunday, making a stop off the Pan-American Highway-MEX 190 is well-worth your time to explore the 5th Annual Basket Fair or Feria del Carrizo. 

BasketFair

You might even want to stay awhile. The food is delicious. This is homemade, home-cooked food done with local flair. Barbecue, quesadillas, roasted chicken, tortillas made on the comal griddle, atole and mezcal tasting makes this a very special event.  There are even mezcal bottles (empty) covered in basketry.

And, you’ll drive along a beautiful curving road lined with maturing agave fields to get there.

The handmade baskets take center stage. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are plain, coarse and used as storage containers. Others are finely woven and decorated with mini-baskets, which the local Zapotec ladies love for gathering fresh food at the daily markets. Last year there were bamboo fish traps, lamp bases, bird cages, floor mats, and also very pretty flowers made from corn husks. I love these baskets to use around the house for storage and to give as house gifts filled with fresh fruit. The handles are wrapped in palm leaves.

This basket making from San Juan Guelavia is a long-standing tradition. Help preserve it. The way of the world is giving over to plastic and we have a chance to make a difference and buy directly from the makers — usually the generation of grandfathers and grandmothers who are trying to keep the tradition alive.

But to do that, we know that there has to be customers!

San Juan Guelavia is just before you get to Teotitlan del Valle on the right (west) side of the Carretera Nacional as you are heading toward Tlacolula from Oaxaca city. Enjoy. Maybe I’ll see you there!

 

 

Comments Off on Handmade Basket Fair, San Juan Guelavia, January 31-February 7, 2016

Posted in Cultural Commentary, Photography, Textiles, Tapestries & Weaving, Travel & Tourism

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,