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Saturday, September 06, 2008
It's fun to discover interesting items in unexpected places.
Like the variety of African products sold at Ewetopia, the little knitting shop in Troy.
These handcrafted treasures would make nice gifts. They're made by the women and youth of the Maji Mazuri Center in Nairobi, Kenya. (The Center provides emergency shelter, a learning center and health clinic for women and their children.)
Among the items:
• Spoons and forks in various sizes and types of wood with an animal atop each handle ($5-$25).
• Sisal grass purses in a variety of colors and sizes — lined and decorated with leather, horn, bone, shells and wooden beads. ($25-$45).
• Handwoven large baskets, great for storage or as a mini coffee table ($100).
• Napkin rings: giraffes, cheetahs and zebras ($4.99 each).
• Leather sandals, decorated with beads ($15).
• A 12-piece wooden tea set ($90).
The shop has other African items ranging from tunics and a chess set to candle holders and a mortar and pestle.
Ewetopia is located at 2 West Main St. in Troy; phone: (937) 335-9079.
Grandparents Day is Sunday, Sept. 7. Here are two books designed to foster communication among the generations:
• "Questions to Bring You Closer to Grandma & Grandpa" (Adams Media, $9.95) is filled with 100 conversation starters and includes space to write out the answers.
Subject matter ranges from childhood and family matters to aspirations and fears. Suggested questions include "How did the world you grew up in differ from today's world?" and "Is there anything in life you wish you did but never have?"
This little paperback was compiled by Stuart Gustafson and Robyn Freedman Spizman. Grandkids actually take the time to fill it out, and someday they'll be awfully glad they did.
• After watching her elderly father go through a life-threatening surgery, Dr. Marlena Uhrik penned "In Grandpa's Hands: A Child's Celebration of Family" (White Stag Press, $13.95).
The author says it was written to honor "not only this Grandpa, but to honor all Grandpas and who they are to the world."
"Grandpas teach us the things we need to know for everyday life and help carry us into our future," she writes. The illustrations, by Barbara
Cervone, show the variety of objects in Grandpa's hands that reflect aspects of his life. Uhrik is a children's advocate who lives in California.
Clothes That Work, the organization that provides work-appropriate clothing to men and women looking for employment, is partnering with Men's Wearhouse this month for a National Suit Drive trade-in.
Shoppers bring in gently used suits, sport coats, slacks, ties and belts to a local Men's Wearhouse and receive 10 percent off their purchase. The event runs through Oct. 31.
The Men's Wearhouse has four locations in the area: The Shoppes of Beavercreek, 2750 N. Fairfield Road, (937) 431-8557; Fairfield Commons Mall, 2727 Fairfield Commons Road, (937) 429-8813; 2700 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, #920, (937) 291-1165; and 2860 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, (937) 439-1602.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or mmoss@DaytonDaily
News.com.
