ISLAND STYLE
Handmade gifts give Christmas a creative feel

By Paula Rath
Advertiser Staff Writer

The son of a seamstress, surfer John James grew up surrounded by aloha print fabrics. Now he has a line called Solid Surf Hawaii featuring his own boxer shorts ($19.95) at Native Books Na Mea Hawai'i and Island Keepsakes.

Golden Gecko Creations uses native woods to make these notepad covers ($10) for Native Books & Beautiful Things.

These paperweights originally were created by Mela for wedding table decorations. She now makes them as pencil holders ($9.95 — $12.95) for her Kaimuki shop.

Toyo Yamamoto made this ID holder to save time in airports ($6) for Native Books Na Mea Hawai'i.

Artist Jane Raissle makes these glass pupu plates, sold at Native Books & Beautiful Things ($25).

Maui's Cathy Vargas makes ornaments that look like pine cones from aloha print fabrics ($18) for Native Books Na Mea Hawai'i.

Lyla Berg's inspirational Kahelelani Hawaiian flash cards are sold at A Gift for All Seasons for $16.

Our budget is $25. This year, we focused on three neighborhoods where locally made products are flourishing: Kaimuki, Victoria Ward Centers and downtown Honolulu.

While it is increasingly difficult to separate what's made in Hawai'i from imitations, more retailers are now doing our homework for us, ensuring that their wares are locally made.

The recent opening of Na Mea Hawaii, at the corner of Fort Street Mall and Merchant Street, brings arts, crafts and products from

Kaua'i, the Big Island and Maui right into the heart of Honolulu. Hau'ula-based Hale Ku'ai is showcased here, as is art from the bibelot gallery in Kaimuki.

Kalikimaka by Native Books & Beautiful Things, on the corner of Merchant and Bishop streets, also is a treasure trove of gift ideas.

Park at one end of Kaimuki and wander through the refurbished business district to find Hawai'i'-made gifts in Wabi Sabi, bibelot, A Gift for All Seasons, Double Paws Wear and Hawaiian Creations by Mela.

For the hostess

If she's giving a party, chances are that she likes to cook. So give her a little aloha print bag of Hawaiian salt, $2.95 at A Gift for All Seasons in Kaimuki.

Former Honoka'a plantation workers formed the Rainbow Falls Connection. They share time in kitchens to prepare such delicacies as ulu lavosh and lavosh dipped in chocolate and macadamia nuts, honeys, coconut brittle, dried fruits and fruit butters. These are sold through Native Books Na Mea, and they're all very inexpensive.

A new home-based company, Earth Goddess Essentials, provides botanical products exclusively to Double Paws Wear in Kaimuki. Lip balms ($5.95), bath teas ($3), essential oils ($6) and freshening spritzers ($9) are fragrant gifts to help the hostess relax. Ingredients include witch hazel, beeswax, honey and cocoa butter, with essential oils and natural herbs.

Kainalino Designs just introduced tumblers in hibiscus and quilt patterns in three colors — white, green, lavender — that sell for $6.50 at Island Keepsakes downtown and at Cook's Discoveries on the Big Island.

At her Ward Warehouse boutique, Mamo dressed a bottle of hot sauce in island style, complete with pareu, straw hat and lauhala bag ($17.75).

Artist Sandy Sawin hand-paints shoyu bottles with hibiscus, plumeria and pink lehua ($15) at Native Books & Beautiful Things.

For the guest bathroom, at Double Paws Wear are three fragrant soaps by The Soap Box packaged in an abalone shell ($15).

Wine-glass slippers serve as built-in coasters as well as helping guests identify their drinks. Nohea Gallery has them in retro aloha prints ($11.95 for 4).

For a friend

At a Gift for All Seasons in Kaimuki, a little lauhala basket put together by Lyla Berg contains inspirational flash cards for the friend who is trying to learn Hawaiian. Among the phrases: Kulia i ka nu'u (Strive for excellence), Ho'omanawanui (Be patient) and Ho'okahikahi ke aloha (Be one in love) ($16).

Beach Glass Bingo, a little home-based company in Waikiki, just introduced drop earrings that are right up with the latest holiday accessory trends. They sell for $20 to $25 at Island Keepsakes Downtown and A Gift for All Seasons.

Golden Gecko Creations is doing an entire line of holiday-related wood pieces. Among them are small koa turtle, reindeer and humuhumunukunukuapua'a puzzles that can sit on a table or hang on a tree ($10 to $20) at Native Books & Beautiful Things.

Carol Higashi's cute little cache bags ($15) at Double Paws Wear work well as cell phone or evening bags with a shoulder-length cord.

For the guy who has it all

The fashion world has just discovered bold pendants made of bone, but the guys at Exotic Wood Fishhooks in Kapahulu have already one-upped them with their pendants made of koa ($25), guava and seagrape woods ($20). They come complete with leather cord at A Gift for All Seasons.

For the gardening enthusiast, Kealia Ranch Store has opened its nursery and is selling native plants such as 'ohi'a, puakenikeni, 'akia, koa, 'ilima and kou ($3-25). They sell them all week long, but an expanded inventory is brought in on Saturdays. Yes, someone will be there to instruct on plant care.

For your sweetheart, how about a jar of Nanakuli kiawe honey ($7.95), available exclusively at Hawaiian Creations by Mela in Kaimuki.

Mela also makes little pots of gel air fresheners into which she grinds extracts from plumeria, pikake and gardenia ($6.95) for the car, office cubicle or apartment.

No one ever has enough candles, and this one is anything but girly. Gary A. Goodhue poured unscented candle wax into a stone that won't blow over in a gusty trade wind. They sell for $20 at Na Mea Hawai'i.

For a co-worker

It's not easy to come up with original yet appropriate gifts for colleagues. Something functional and attractive for a desk is always appreciated. Specialty Papers now makes little handmade paper boxes containing post-its, notepads and a pencil that sell for $9.95 at A Gift for All Seasons. They also have expanded their line of decorative picture frames selling for $15.95 to $19.95.

Office snacks always are appreciated. The folks at Na Mea Hawai'i will wrap favorites in a coconut basket woven by Aaron Hay. Just tell 'em your budget and they'll do the rest.

To remind a colleague why we slave at our desks all day, a calendar of Big Island photographer Victoria McCormicks's photos in an acrylic stand ($14) at Nohea Gallery will do the trick.

At her Ward Warehouse boutique, Mamo is getting creative with her signature fabrics with gift items such as backpacks ($16), travel shoe bags ($14), checkbook covers ($10) and eyeglass cases ($12).

For someone you love

"Wear your heart on your sleeve," says a velvet pin at Double Paws Wear ($10). That may be good advice for some friends.

Hawaiian Creations by Mela prints and mats prayers in Hawaiian and English for special people such as police officers, firefighters, military and hula dancers ($14.99-20.99).

For sweet dreams, Patricia Lei Murray is now making aloha print pillow cases in stunning designs, both warm and cool palettes, at $25 per pair from Native Books & Beautiful Things.

Josh Krager of Hau'ula crafts lovable turtles by blowing glass fumed with silver or gold $18.95) at Nohea Gallery.

Also at Nohea are great looking koa and sterling silver rings. They are lacquered so heavily they can be worn in the water. Mauna Loa Ring Company makes them in men's and women's sizes ($18.95) for Nohea Gallery.