favorite gifts

Yours will be the prettiest table ever with the contents of this delightful gift box. The 7.5-inch ceramic vase is painted by hand with golden sunflowers. Its orange tonalities are echoed in a handwoven cotton tortilla warmer with traditional motifs from authentic Zapotec weavings. Cheerful in red, blue and beige, the lidded basket is woven from palm leaves, and a small beige bowl with white patterns in low relief is perfect for a pinch of your favorite spice. Bon appetit!

Become an expert in the culinary arts with this fabulous and practical gift set from Mexico curated by the NOVICA team, featuring everything you need to make magic happen in the kitchen. Begin by putting on a stunning apron crafted from gabardine in a lovely navy blue shade, with beautiful cotton hand-embroidered geometric accents on the pockets. Then, start preparing your favorite meals by grinding and blending herbs and anything you can think of with the help of a mortar and its accompanying pestle, expertly carved by hand from mahogany wood. Once you are finished cooking, store your kitchen utensils in style in a colorful utensil holder woven by hand from palm leaf fibers. And finally, plate up your gourmet creation in a colorful ceramic serving bowl so beautifully hand-painted with dazzling motifs that you can use it also for decorative purposes alone.

The complex heritage of Mexico can be seen in their Day of the Dead traditions, which are complicated blends of thought from the ancestors, the Aztec, Maya, and Spaniards, and Catholic belief. Preparing an altar by placing photographs, flowers, candles, favorite foods and drinks of the loved one is an invitation to the spirit of dead loved ones to return home to share memories, laughter and tears.

Since 1910, the Catrina name refers a well dressed woman. She is "The Bony One," "The Skinny One," and death personified. Inspired by the caricatures of lithographer Jose Guadalupe Posada, Catrina is an important personage in Mexico's November 2 Day of the Dead celebrations. She takes center stage in this colorful gift box. Catrina and her husband, El Catrin appear on a set of four decoupage coasters along with a white sugar skull. The skull theme is repeated in a hand-painted candle. A small portrait of Catrina is encased in a petite tin frame, protected by a glass pane, for wall display.

Popularized in Sweden, Dala horses are a Christmas favorite worldwide because of their cheerful designs and bright colors. From the island of Bali, artisan Komang Sulaksana creates his own interpretation of the Swedish tradition, hand-painting each of these four horses with a unique character that brings cheer to the holidays.

Lavish floral embroidery brings a touch of beauty to cotton face masks from Bali. Made Suciati crafts the contoured masks in pink, burgundy, and a yellow print with covered elastic that loops around the ears. They are triple-layered yet lightweight for breathability, and are both washable and reusable.

Bandhani is a tie-dyeing technique practiced mainly in western India. Intricate patterns are created by wrapping the fabric with string before dyeing it. When the fabric is untied, natural patterns appear in the places where the string prevented the dye from taking hold. Bandhani cloth is often used for women's shawls, but here the technique is adapted for a silky top. Made of a viscose rayon knit, the top drapes beautifully and features three-quarter length sleeves.

By Desak Nyoman Parwati, three elegant rayon face masks are covered with lace. A favorite with fashionable Balinese women, lace is the fabric of choice for the kebaya, a short jacket worn over a top. Beadwork and embroidery, all applied by hand, add a touch of feminine glamour. Contoured for comfort, the double-layer set features one in dusty cedar, one in cashmere rose and one in cherry red. They are washable and reusable, and have elastic to loop over the ears.

By Desak Nyoman Parwati, three elegant rayon face masks are covered with lace. A favorite with fashionable Balinese women, lace is the fabric of choice for the kebaya, a short jacket worn over a top. Beadwork and embroidery, all applied by hand, add a touch of feminine glamour. Contoured for comfort, the double-layer set features one in goldenrod yellow, one in golden lime green and one in sunrise orange. They are washable and reusable, and have elastic to loop over the ears.

By Desak Nyoman Parwati, three elegant rayon face masks are covered with lace. A favorite with fashionable Balinese women, lace is the fabric of choice for the kebaya, a short jacket worn over a top. Beadwork and embroidery, all applied by hand, add a touch of feminine glamour. Contoured for comfort, the double-layer set features one in white, one in black and one in neutral grey. They are washable and reusable, and have elastic to loop over the ears.

Placement of the lace motifs can vary but the fabric will be the same.