Market at The Terrace

At the same place I saw the beautiful Coneflowers, they had a small indoor market of sorts, in the spacious lobby of the hotel. It was really not more than a single table, but it had handmade crafts for sale. All of the items were supplied by SERRV.org from artisans around the world and I thought this would make a lovely post for @dswigle's #marketfriday initiative.

I learned that SERRV.org was founded in 1949 as an organization to help those in Europe who were struggling after the ravages of World War II, many of whom were displaced from their homes due to the bombings and political unrest. In fact, their name is an acronym for: Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocation. Since then, they have expanded their outreach beyond Europe to 25 countries. They assist artisans in selling their handmade products at a fair price, provided that the work is done in a sustainable manner. Practices such as this are known as "Fair Trade" and provide tremendous support that would otherwise not be available. Without Fair Trade, artisans would either have no outlet for their goods, or would receive much less for them than their time and effort are worth.

For anyone not sure of the term, "sustainability" promotes the using of materials that can be easily regenerated in nature and recycling materials whenever possible. Many parts of the world have an abundance of natural resources, but sustainability strives to ensure that those resources are never depleted.

The organization also receives donations from kind-hearted donors that allow them to provide training for those artisans, when needed, to better their skills and position in life. Those donors can be individuals, eco-minded companies, or foundations, but donations can only go so far and a steady stream of contributions is necessary in order for the program to continue to succeed.

The goods that were on display (and for sale!) included mostly a variety of work in wood, ceramics, glass, and basketry. There were a couple of lanterns there which could accommodate candles. There were beautiful baskets woven from natural materials. Wooden items included a hand-carved bowl & spoon set, a simple-but-lovely platter, a bric-a-brack holder, and even a hand-carved mortar & pestle set!

I think my favorite item was the hand-carved and beautifully decorated elephant figurine! The workmanship was exquisite and the decorations carved into it were carefully planned and done in a wonderful fashion! When I was a child, I was always fascinated by elephant figurines and still have a couple in my home. This would have been a delightful addition, but I am in the process of paring-down possessions and don't need any more until the process is complete.

The items on this table represent on a very small fraction of what is available. To shop for items, donate, or learn more, visit the SERRV.org website.

Years ago when I lived in the Orlando area of Florida, there were several shops that carried Fair Trade items and I have a few things from those shops. I have three lovely "OOPS" baskets (Out of the Ordinary Production System) which are one-of-a-kind, unique items from Zulu crafters, three hand-made drums (djembes) from Ghana, and a couple of other items. All of these were hand-crafted and brought, lovingly, for sale abroad in a Fair Trade manner. I also have malas (prayer beads) that were hand-crafted by Buddhist monks in Nepal and India, and always think of the source when I use them.

Do you buy Fair Trade items? Do you have a Fair Trade outlet in your area?