Wood of the Month - Ebony

There are two main types of ebony and a very small number of others. The main two are:

"Gabon ebony", which is the common name I use for what is also called "Nigerian ebony", "East African ebony", and many other names depending on country of origin. This is what people normally mean when they say "ebony". It's the black kind, although it actually frequently has lighter streaks. It is generally VERY expensive and requires some care in working as it is slightly brittle and prone to cracking.

"Macassar ebony", which is usually a very striped wood with widely varying amounts of light and dark wood. This name is to be distinguished from "Madagascar ebony" which is just another common name equivalent to "Gabon ebony". Macassar ebony is also expensive (all the ebony's are) but is somewhat less delicate to work than Gabon ebony.

Some of the other specialty woods that are occasionally available in the USA, are "pale moon ebony" (aka "black and white ebony"), "mun ebony", and persimmon, which is not normally thought of as an ebony, but which does belong to the same genus.

Some of the wood-producing species that are sold under the names discussed above. All of these have more than one common name (most of them MANY more than one), but I list only one, sometimes two, for simplicity. Many of these are not black. Persimmon, for example, is almost all light colored with a tiny pith area of black. Some of these have no black at all.

NOTE: the names "black ebony", "African ebony", and "streaked (or striped) ebony" are so widely applied to many of the species in this genus that they are almost meaningless.

October Shows

Enjoy live jazz and chat with fine artists in various mediums in Winter Springs this month. Stop by and see us.

October 21-21, 2012
Winter Springs Festival of the Arts
Winter Springs, Florida
10am-5pm
Booth 429

The photo at top is from last year's festival.

Healthy Tea

Tea is delicious, good for you, and looks charming in our boxes or caddies.

1. Tea contains antioxidants. Like the Rust-Oleum paint that keeps your outdoor furniture from rusting, tea's antioxidants protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.

2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee. Coffee usually has two to three times the caffeine of tea (unless you're a fan of Morning Thunder, which combines caffeine with mate, an herb that acts like caffeine in our body). An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep -- switch to tea.

3. Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Unwanted blood clots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets cause heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear. A 5.6-year study from the Netherlands found a 70 percent lower risk of fatal heart attack in people who drank at least two to three cups of black tea daily compared to non-tea drinkers.

4. Tea protects your bones. It's not just the milk added to tea that builds strong bones. One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors. The authors suggest that this may be the work of tea's many beneficial phytochemicals.

5. Tea gives you a sweet smile. One look at the grimy grin of Austin Powers and you may not think drinking tea is good for your teeth, but think again. It's the sugar added to it that's likely to blame for England's bad dental record. Tea itself actually contains fluoride and tannins that may keep plaque at bay. So add unsweetened tea drinking to your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing for healthier teeth and gums.

6. Tea bolsters your immune defenses. Drinking tea may help your body's immune system fight off infection. When 21 volunteers drank either five cups of tea or coffee each day for four weeks, researchers saw higher immune system activity in the blood of the tea drinkers.

7. Tea protects against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects. While the overall research is inconclusive, there are enough studies that show the potential protective effects of drinking tea to make adding tea to your list of daily beverages.

8. Tea helps keep you hydrated. Caffeinated beverages, including tea, used to be on the list of beverages thatdidn't contribute to our daily fluid needs. Since caffeine is a diuretic and makes us pee more, the thought was that caffeinated beverages couldn't contribute to our overall fluid requirement. However, recent research has shown that the caffeine really doesn't matter -- tea and other caffeinated beverages definitely contribute to our fluid needs. The only time the caffeine becomes a problem as far as fluid is concerned is when you drink more than five or six cups of a caffeinated beverage at one time.

9. Tea is calorie-free. Tea doesn't have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk. Consuming even 250 fewer calories per day can result in losing one pound per week. If you're looking for a satisfying, calorie-free beverage, tea is a top choice.

10. Tea increases your metabolism. Lots of people complain about a slow metabolic rate and their inability to lose weight. Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Over a year's time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking green tea. Of course, taking a 15-minute walk every day will also burn calories.

Source: iVillage

Watch Boxes

If you are looking for a totally unique Watch Box to own or give, check out one of my handcrafted creations above. Each watch box is a one of a kind heirloom quality piece constructed using traditional joinery and modern adhesives. Each watch box is fitted with hand sewn pillows to support and display each watch.

See all the current styles available here, or request a custom-made box by contacting me here.

Uses for Valet Boxes

Our Valet Boxes make a beautiful keepsake gift for anyone (including yourself). Here are some of the many uses:

Adults
End of the day watch, keys, and wallet
Next to the bed for your glasses and ring
Stationery, stamps, pen
Remote controls
Bills, stamps, checkbook, pen
Delicate hair combs
Today's mail
Next to the phone, a pad, pen, and address book
Essential oils
Guitar pics
Extra copies of important paperwork like your will and passports
Love notes/cards to one another
Wedding mementos
A bundle of old letters from a lover or loved one
A list of wishes or goals
Small craft project like embroidery
Keepsakes from a recent vacation
Sunglasses

Kids
Pokemon/Yugioh cards
Baseball/football cards
Marbles
Stamps
Shells or stones
Friendship bracelets/Silly Bands
Report cards/achievements

Did we fail to list a way you use your Valet Box? Let us know!

September Shows

Find us up and down the east coast this September.

August 31-September 3 (Labor Day Weekend)
Long's Park Art and Craft Festival
Long's Park, Lancaster, PA
10am-5pm each day
$8 adults, $10 multi-day ticket, kids 10 and under free, coupon in the link above
Booth 227

September 15-16

Atlanta Arts Festival

Atlanta, GA

10am-7pm Saturday, 10am-6pm Sunday

Free

Booth 39

You may always find our year's listing at our Website.

Host/Hostess Gift

Recently, we suggested bringing one of our lovely tea boxes as a host/hostess gift. But when do you bring your host a gift of this value? We asked leading etiquette expert Emily Post.

When you're the guest of honor
Bring a gift for your host or hostess, or send flowers before the party. After the party, send a thank-you note.

Housewarming
It's customary to bring a gift to a housewarming. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it should be something lasting for the house. 

Overnight stay
A gift is mandatory. You can present the gift upon your arrival, during your stay, or after your exit. The longer the stay, the more expensive or elaborate the gift. For example, for a weekend stay, you may decide to send flowers. If you’ve stayed for three nights or more, a gift certificate to the host’s favorite spa or restaurant would be a good bet. 

Sources: 800-Flowers, Emily Post