Aalamwaar's mission is o preserve, document, sustain and promote natural dyes, hand-dyeing, hand block printing and hand painting arts of natural fabrics in India. Founder , Ms. Viji Reddy works to sustain these arts through socially responsible business practices. All natural dyes are used in a long, traditional process of dyeing that extends over a two week period. Aalamwaar's line of fashionable apparel and home furnishings combines environmentally friendly fabrics and responsible productions

Armando Jimenez is from the town of Arrazolla, Mexico. He is the grandson of the Oaxacan wood carver Manuel Jimenez and grew up under his tutelage. Armando started carving as a young man and in his teenage years realized his passion for it. After finishing school he made his love of carving into a full-time career. He learned a great deal about carving and his works reflect the tradition of his grandfather in scale and design. Armando has become internationally renown and is considered a master in Oaxacan carvings. His pieces are carved from the Copalillo tree that is harvested from the local mountains. His wooden figures depict a large array of animals and are painted in bright primary colors. Today Armando continues the family tradition of Oaxacan carving by traveling throughout the world to do workshops and participate in folk art exhibitions.

One of the best known names in American decorating, Mary Emmerling is the author of twenty books. Many of them part of her American Country series. She is creative director of Country Home magazine and host of the Country at Home series on HGTV as well as a designer and collector. She lives in Des moines, Iowa; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Phoenix, Arixona.

Jim Arndt is a nationally recognized advertising and editorial photographer. He maintains studios in Santa Fe and Minneapolis and shoots for clients such as Wrangler, Chevrolet, and Harley-Davidson.

enni Fleetwood - Author Jenni Fleetwood lived in Cairo as a child, and her earliest memories are of the family cook, Ibrahim. Ibrahim was one of the very first cooking influences of jenni's long career in food and cooking, and the magificent food he cooked for the family left Jenni with an abiding love of Middle Eastern food, and an appreciation of the hospitality and warmth of the people who live there. Jenni has edited and written many books on international cuisine and cooking. Josephine Bacon - Author Josephine Bacon is a cookery author, translator and food historian. Involved in many publishing projects over the years, her most recent book is Exotic Fruits and Vegetables A-Z (UPSO, 2004). She has recently worked on international projects, translating titles for a wide variety of European publishers, and she is also a contributor to the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Food. Her particular interest in the food of Africa comes from her long experience in, and love for the food of Northern Africa and the Middle East, where she lived for many years. Pepita Aris - Author Pepita Aris is an authority on Spanish food and cooking, and has written many books on the subject. Pepita has had a house in Andalucia, Spain for over thirty years and writes for a number of newspapers and magazines, including the American Bon Appetit! She is the founder editor of Taste magazine, has substantially contributed to the British Larousse Gastromomique, and has appeared on both radio and television to promote Spanish food and give cookery demonstations. Pepita's published works include: Recipes From A Spanish Village (Conran Octopus); Sauce Book (McGraw Hill); Master Chefs of Europe (Van Nostrand Reinhold); Olives (Lorenz Books); Spain - A Passport Guide (Contemporary Books)and AAA Essential Guide to Spanish Food & Drink (AAA Road Atlas Publishing).

Melody Baird has been a New Mexico resident for over 50 years. She has a bachelor's of fine arts in color and design. Last year she discovered a unique bead from Kenya, called Kazuri, which means "small and beautiful" in Swahili. The Kazuri beads are handcrafted and hand-painted by disadvantaged African women, providing them employment opportunities.

Ayala Bar was born and presently resides in Israel. Since graduating art school, she has worked in many artistic areas, from theater to interior design. In the late 1980's, she surfaced as a prominent Israeli jeweler. Her current designs blend natural elements and glass with assorted metals and fabrics to create a rich mosaic, resulting in the most intricate limited edition pieces. Ayala Bar is an independently minded artist whose remarkable work shows strong skill in composition and innovative use of raw materials.

Lead has been used to glaze in pottery in Mexico for centuries but it is also an insidious toxin. Lead-free pottery is produced with lead free glazes and new techniques that eliminate lead in the production process. Barro Sin Plomo pottery is 100% lead-free. Each piece is handmade and produced in family artisan homes. By purchasing lead-free pottery you are helping support the health of artisans, their children and newborns. You are also supporting best practices in areas of community building, a cleaner environment and the economic prosperity of local economics.