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1. These beautiful works of art caught my eye back in August at the Made in Hawaii festival, but it was too early for me to be thinking about holiday gifts back then. But as December is nearly upon us, my mind circled back to these colorful fused-glass bowls, plates and earrings, thinking of the art and jewelry lovers in my life. Artist Gail Ichikawa of Moonlight Creations Hawaii handcrafts each piece out of specialty dichroic (multicolor) glass and then fuses them together by firing them in her own kiln. Every piece is unique.
She makes lattice-like “coral” bowls in a variety of colors and sizes (pictured $65 and $75, depending on size), along with an array of rectangular plates (pictured, $75; they range from $38 to $150) in a multitude of colors, some with dazzling iridescent finishes. Her earrings, which range from $17 to $25 a pair, come in various shapes, colors and textures. The pair pictured is $22.
Ichikawa fell in love with glass-fusing after taking some art classes shortly after she retired in 2013. She soon become serious about her hobby, purchasing her own kiln in 2016. Lucky for us, she started coming to craft fairs.
Almost all of her bowls and plates are safe to use to serve food, though she says acidic foods should not be used on the iridized pieces.
Ichikawa will be at two upcoming craft fairs: Islandwide Christmas Crafts and Food Expo at Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall Friday through Nov. 25, islandwidecraftexpos.com; and at the Kaimuki High School Craft and Gift Fair, Dec. 1, 808craftandgiftfairs.com. Or email her directly at ichikawac001@hawaii.rr.com.
— E. Clarke Reilly, Star-Advertiser
2. Rain chains aren’t common in Hawaii but they’ve graced home exteriors in Japan for centuries, used to channel rainwater from rooftops into barrels for home use, according to website Rainchains.com, long before Americans became eco-woke.
Something I wouldn’t have known if the rain gutter on our house didn’t need replacing, its rusty downspout an eyesore near the front door. In the overhaul, I opted for a more visually pleasing chain of bronze square cups. (Even though the gutter rep threw a damper on it all at first citing splash factor and maintenance.)
Splash and upkeep are trade-offs for the soothing sight and sound of water cascading through little vessels on a rainy day. How Zen. Leave it to the Japanese.
The square cups cost about $139 and up, depending on material and size. Available in other fun styles like copper pineapples and tara flowers at Garden Ponds Nursery (gardenpondskauai.com) on Kauai, a distributor for Rainchains.com, based in California. You can order from both sites, or visit Rainchains.com to see a water-flow video of each design, then order through Garden Ponds to save on shipping.
Call them at 808-828-6400 or Rainchains.com at 818-347-6455.
— Ruby Mata-Viti, Star-Advertiser
3. Silent Sproing: That’s my hair in humid weather — but not so much anymore, thanks to John Masters Organics’ Dry Hair Nourishment & Defrizzer. Just a few drops of this leave-in botanical potion smoothes frizz and tames errant strands.
A certified-organic blend of jojoba, rosemary, juniper, olive, evening primrose and lavender oils, it also moisturizes and softens my sun-, sea- and chlorine- parched locks. And while my hair relaxes, the fragrances calm my mood. After three months’ intensive care, my .8-ounce bottle is still half-full of this concentrated conditioner.
About $20 at Whole Foods Market and Down to Earth stores.
— Mindy Pennybacker, Star-Advertiser
4. Throw on a pair of these shaka ear studs to add some local flavor to your outfit. These cute studs are the creation of designer Mai Yamazaki of MYTE New York.
Hold on, you don’t need to book a nine-hour flight to New York to purchase these babies. You can pick them up at MORI by Art + Flea inside South Shore Market at Ward Village.
A pair costs $98 and is available in silver or gold. Right on.
— Diane S. W. Lee, Star-Advertiser
Please keep in mind that featured products may be in short supply and may not be available at all store locations; prices may vary. The information presented represents the authors’ opinions and experiences; your results may vary. Tell us what you are loving this week by emailing features@staradvertiser.com.
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