New Treasures

I mentioned before that I have managed to do a good job of restraining myself when it came to purchasing gifts and souvenirs so far on my trip.  I had a recent lapse.  Now I am here to tell you about it.  Find below an update on treasures:

The Pineapple Box

I love this antique carved jewelry box.  It is made of mahogany in a light-colored stain and features lovely pineapple carvings.   Inside are small removable jewelry compartments.

Qu’ran Stands (big and small)

I got three of these Qu’ran stands, and each one is a serious work of art.  There are two large reddish colored ones, and a small black one that I am going to use to hold my gosho book near my Buddhist altar.  These are great souvenirs because, unlike decorative carved plates and signs, these are actually cherished items that you can find in many homes in Lamu.
Hand-carved Teak Signs

Thee-fer picture! Find the sign, dera, and scarf

Deras

I love a big, loose dera, and I got a great one that is super soft and drags on the floor behind me.  I love it.

Scarves

I like to top all my outfits with scarves, so I buy headscarves and use them to cover my shoulders.  I also got this fun, colorful fringed scarf recently.  I even have a brown scarf with a lace border that is specifically reserved for use to cover my hair at weddings, etc.  I love how the lace part hangs on the back of my head.

Beaded Plate

This style of making tiny holes to insert colored beads is really pretty and typical of Kenyan carving.  It looks like tiny dots of paint, but each point is a tiny glass bead.

Carved plate

These beautiful plates are made of teak and are carved by hand in the old Lamu style.

Clothing Stands/ Incense Diffusers
I have been after one of these for about two months, and now I have two.  These are simple stands with pretty vents in the sides that are used to scent clothing with incense for special occasions.  Simply burn a pot of incense under the stand and place your dress or scarf on top.  I don't have a picture, so imagine a "Wet floor" sign made of wood with decorative vents carved in the side.

Hangers

These fulfill my main shopping goals: beautiful, useful, locally sourced and made.

 Many Dhow Eyes

These dhow eyes are placed on every dhow (local sailboat) that sails from Lamu to bring good luck to the crew and guests.  You can find one in most homes as well.