Tag: novica.com

Our Novica Package

Top: Issac opening the package, the girls wearing "hats" made from the packaging, all the items once opened. Row 2: the packaging inside the boxes, the contents of the mailed package including the beautifully wrapped gift boxes. Bottom: The "Storytime Mice" candle holders with their info card, the cute box decoration, and the "Swimming Turtles" salt and pepper cups with the Bali card below.

Our package from Novica.com came today.  (See the original story here.) The kids were so excited that they crowded around and tried to hurry me as I attempted to slowly unwrap each package so I could get photos of it all. Finally I let them do the unwrapping, making them stop between each stage so I could get a photo.

First off I want to say that I have been repeatedly amazed at the shipping speed of Novica items. We ordered in the evening on the January 24th and both packages got here on January 31st. So far the shortest time to get here was 3 days, the longest was 8 days.

Both packages came from Bali and were beautifully wrapped. The wrapping and packaging have also been consistent in quality (for that matter so have the items we have ordered). For protection the items are carefully wrapped in many layers of paper (done in such a way that it makes perfect drawing paper for kids later– my kids stashed all the paper and kept the wrapping paper and raffia ribbon for projects.  In fact, they turned a lot of the packaging into crowns and paper masks yesterday.  Even the box it all came in turned into a robot head.)  If you choose to order you can watch for certain items that specifically say free gift wrap– they come automatically wrapped and are stunning. However even those that are not gift wrapped just need a bow to make them perfect for presentation (my only concern is that because there is no label on the outside, if you order more than one item you will probably have to unwrap just to find out which is which).

When I finally let the kids unwrap the packages completely (before the exploded) the items themselves were stunning. The Storytime Mice are absolutely adorable, heavy and well made. The color is so much deeper and truer than you can see from photos (which is to be expected with dark metal). They are simply wonderful. I probably should buy some candles to put in them but for now they look lovely on the mantelpiece without. Unlike most candlesticks these are well weighted at the bottom so I wouldn’t worry about the kids messing with them and knocking them over. Every time I see them they make me smile. 🙂

The Swimming Turtles are just precious. The color is more green than in the photo (which was fine and we actually prefer the green to the brown but might be a problem if you wanted them to match something). The texture is amazing– everyone keeps coming in the kitchen and picking them up to hold them. The kids literally coo over them, they really are that sweet. I got them because the little tea cups we use to hold our supplements in the morning are all beginning to break but I haven’t been able to bring myself to use these yet though knowing they aren’t particularly expensive to replace is a comfort. Ideally, if we ever have the money to spare I would probably want to order 2 more sets and use those for our daily supplements. In fact I just checked the artist’s work and he has so many different little cups with lids that I think I would have a hard time choosing and I am now a big fan of this gentleman’s work which you can see here.

God has blessed us so much through Novica.com and I am so grateful to see this company with good connections (they are associated with National Geographic) encouraging artisans around the world to create and sell their items.

And because Novica.com sent us the gift certificate to buy these items I want to again share some for the links they requested that I share with you:

fair trade corporate gifts: These really are lovely and I love that they are fair trade and would make lovely gifts for anyone.
green gifts: I am not big on the use of “green” but I do love that they are environmentally savvy because God does want us to be wise and take care of the home He has given us.
unique gifts: Absolutely unique. I have found so many things here that would make great gifts for the hardest people in my family to buy for.
microfinance: LOVE this link. I so want to be able to donate to help other artisans around the world do what they love.

A Mother’s Day blessing

A few months ago I was approached by a representative from Novica.com who emailed me, asking if I would be interested in choosing $150 worth of items from the Novica corporate gifts section of their site in order to review said items here on my site. This email came during serious chaos and financial concerns and we didn’t even know what Novica.com was.  It turns out that  Novica is an associate of National Geographic, selling fair trade unique gifts created by artists and artisans around the world. I seldom, if ever, review items or take part in giveaways but after some prayer and discussion we decided to accept. My biggest fear about accepting was actually writing a review if we didn’t like what we got (because I am honest and in the past have hated some things I have been sent to review), but not only where the items stunning but it also turned out to be a God send. My mother passed away last July 31, the day before her birthday.  During that same week we bought a used vehicle (thus depleting our cushion), and a few days later my husband was put on part time at work leading to some serious financial issues through the rest of the year, getting especially bad in the months preceding Mother’s Day. By the mid April, the very thought of Mother’s Day without my mom, combined with our financial woes was enough to drag me into full blown depression.  And then we received the gift certificate for Novica.  Issac and I looked through the site and chose the absolute perfect Mother’s Day gifts for my  very hard to buy for grandmother and marvelous mother-in-law (whom I have always wanted to get THE perfect gift for for Mother’s Day and have never had the resources to do.)  We also found something small for the kids and the perfect pair of earrings for me (a wonderful blessing as I had lost my favorite pair a few years back.)  As soon as we ordered  the weight lifted and I was suddenly looking forward to Mother’s Day, knowing that I had absolute perfect and totally unique gifts coming and I couldn’t wait to see the results. I placed my order on April 22 and received the three packages (one from Indonesia, one from Thailand, and one from India) on April 30, May 3, and May 4.  Because they were gifts I requested gift wrap on my order and was amazed at the results. Novica from Indonesia

Above is the first package we received.  It came from Java and Bali.  The bottom left photo shows what was inside the box. The kids loved the little information card about Bali with its hand written thank you on the other side.  They though the gift wrapping was very cool.  We went ahead and carefully opened the packages so I could photograph them (then closed them carefully back up).  The above right photo is a closeup of the box and paper flower  ribbon my earrings were packaged in.  The above left are the sterling silver pearl drop earrings I got for myself.   They are much more beautiful in person, as light as a feather, and the workmanship is amazing.  I have worn them daily since I got them (and I love them even more than the earrings I had lost.). The package on the right revealed the scarf and box at the bottom right. The gift box itself is a work of art, and the scarf was amazing.  I was so excited to give it to my mother-in-law and her reaction upon opening it was absolutely perfect.  I really wish I had taken the camera with me and captured her look when she opened it and the earrings (shown below). Novica from Thailand The above packages were from Thailand.  you cannot tell from the pictures but the wrapping was very delicate handmade paper and the boxes were made from similar handmade paper with a dried leaf pressed on top.  The boxes came with an explanatory card explaining how the boxes were made of saa paper, a handmade mulberry bark paper that has been made in Thailand for over 700 years and is sustainable because the trees are not cut down (for those of you who are concerned about green gifts) .  The boxes themselves were beautiful and would make a great gift on their own. The bottom left photo is of the orchid stick pin Issac picked out for my very hard to buy for and has everything under the sun grandmother.   I was amazed when I opened the box–it is a real orchid set in 22 k gold and is absolutely stunning.  Grandma was tickled with it  and Issac was excited to have found something so absolutely perfect for her. The bottom right photo is of these Moon in the Forest sterling silver hoop earrings.  They were my mother-in-laws gift along with the scarf above.  She wears half hoop earrings all the time and was so excited about these ones.  The details in these were amazing and the quality was wonderful compared to what I usually find here in the States.  As a former metal/jewelry smith I was thrilled with the quality.  My mother-in-law was so happy with both her gifts that she made it a point to tell me several times that I must explain how much both she and my father-in-law loved these gifts and how flabbergasted she was at the incredible craftsmanship. Novica from India And finally the package from India, which Issac impatiently waited for from the day he helped me place the order.  The top left photo shows the beautiful gift wrap.  The kids kept both the packaging and the ribbon– which I plan to use to tie back my curtains.  The chess set was wrapped in many layers of paper and tissue paper to avoid damage during shipment (shown second photo down to the left).  The kids found this very impressive.  The bottom left photo is what the whole set and everything that came with it looked like when we finally unwrapped everything.  The boy was so excited he couldn’t contain himself, he immediately set it up so I could show that the pieces were magnetic and wouldn’t fall off even when the board was sideways.    The workmanship of this beautiful tiny chess set is wonderful.  The quality combined with the little drawer to hold all the pieces has inspired the kids to keep it all together and take good care of it.  It has gone everywhere Issac has gone since we received it, and if he can’t find anyone else to play it with him (we all have at least once) then he plays it alone with his bear. All in all, I still can’t get over what a blessing the opportunity to do this review brought myself and us as a family.  I have so much more peace about Mother’s Day, even now, days after– and the day went fine, no depression just joy in being able to give good gifts.  The kids were so excited about giving these wonderful gifts and I have a feeling, when we have a bit of money to spend, they will want to order more from the site in the future, and since the prices were excellent for the quality of the work I have no problem with that. I am also thrilled to see a big company helping out artists and artisans around the world.  As an artist myself I know how hard it is to find a buyer for your work and to see a site like this, with so many amazing artists gathered together from all over the world and knowing that by buying a gift for someone else you are also making a big difference to that person and their family, is awe-inspiring.  The quality and workmanship, the great service, fast shipping, and also the little cards telling all about the artist and their work, all were the best I have seen from any site.