VivaTerra has a lot of nice-looking stuff, much of it recycled or made from found natural materials, but unfortunately it's almost all shamefully expensive (so they must be aiming towards eco-yuppies or something). Some of the Root of the Earth bowls and platters are reasonably affordable (and it's those bowls that were mentioned in the paper's gift guide, which is why I'm looking at all), but the following example kind of said it all for me: a $69 decorative manzanita branch. Maybe this is a little less absurd for everyone living where manzanita trees don't grow, but if I want a manzanita branch, I can easily just go out and get one for a few bucks' worth of gas. Yeesh.
no subject
Date: Dec. 4th, 2006 03:28 pm (UTC)From:Veggie Parchment Bowls
I'm doomed to be broke!
Ha!
Date: Dec. 4th, 2006 05:42 pm (UTC)From:Really though. I have one of those manzanita branches hanging in my bedroom, which cost precisely the value of two old semi-rusty screws, and took all of two minutes to go and cut and another three to screw into the wall. Voila presto, haute couture jewelry hanger.
You know what's even funnier? They didn't even bother to cut the damn branch from manzanita wood that's in its red phase, which is the whole appeal of manzanita. It might as well be any sort of dull brownish twig. Mine is prettier.