A friend of ours, Maria Cooke who is a creative event planner, used our
Domino Box at one of her recent events. We love getting to see our products used in different ways and hope you do, too!
Jul 312009
Jul 282009
The products we’ve kept around for a long time are truly some of the most special ones. These Kuba Cloth Pillows are a perfect example. One of our friends from Africa, Mohammed, travels all over the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa in search of Kuba cloth from various tribes and villages. He seeks to promote the talents and amazing artistry of the people who make these ornate cloths. The Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo weave strips of raffia (natural fibers made from the leaves of the raffia-palm) to create a cloth that they drape around themselves at celebrations. We loved their graphic style and the texture that comes from handmaking these cloths out of raffia. And, because they’re handmade, every single one is different; indeed another aspect that makes them so great.
Jul 222009
Do you live in the DFW area? Well, there’s a huge sale in the Wisteria Outlet on Saturday, July 24! Get discounts off one-of-a-kind pieces as well as catalog items. Consider this one of the infamous warehouse sales (except it’s only one day)!
The Outlet cannot accept orders by phone and will not ship items. We accept all checks & major credit cards. NO CASH PLEASE.
Masami Overstreet, the vice president of production, has been here since the very beginning and has done almost every job there is at one time or another including driving trucks to photoshoots, hunting for product in India, answering customer service calls and much more. If it seems that we are overly enamored of Masami, that’s because we are.
What are your favorite things about working at Wisteria?
Working at Wisteria is never boring, always changing, and usually crazy, and I love the fact that it is. Somehow, we make it through all of the insanity, and get to create something beautiful, whether it be product, an image, or a landing page on the website. I also get to work with amazing people everyday and I feel lucky I am able to work with the people I do. We are a wonderfully dysfunctional family that works and laughs hard, and we all genuinely care about each other.
What is one thing about you people probably don’t know?
I have an irrational fear of cockroaches.
*Editor’s note: She used to be a sushi chef with her dad, was a child model, and has even done some modeling for Wisteria.
What are you known for?
Getting hives when really stressed out.
*Editor’s note: what Masami won’t tell you is that she is known for her humility and wicked sense of humor.
What is your favorite place to visit?
Anywhere is fine by me as long as I am with my husband and sons.
What is the one place in the world you’ve never been but would love to go?
One place? That is really hard. I have not traveled all that much so I have a lot of places… The entire European continent. Can I do that?
How would you describe your personal style?
Monochromatic, practical, and utilitarian.
What is your favorite Wisteria item?
We used to carry these white plates back in the day. They were octagonal in shape and had demure white dots lining the edge. They were good-looking plates, but what I loved most about them was the bottom-when you flipped the plate over, our logo was there. It was the very first product we carried that had our logo on it, and I helped get it there. Now our logo is on a lot of our products, but being there and being a part of the very first one makes those plates my favorite item to date.
How many/what languages do you speak?
Two. English and Japanglish.
My one indulgence is:
The internet, namely gossip and fashion sites, Facebook and cuteoverload.com.
Craziest food ever eaten?
I have eaten chips made with Olestra back when that was a fad. . . pretty crazy if you remember what the disclaimer for it was.
Favorite spot in your house?
My bed on a lazy Sunday morning. (However, with a 4 year old and a two month old “lazy” and “morning” don’t quite go together for me right now.)
Favorite food:
- Hagen Daaz Chocolate chocolate chip ice cream
- Corn on the cob with butter salt and pepper
- Sushi
- Greek food
- Shu Mai you buy in the train stations in Japan
- Chinese BBQ duck
- Cucumbers
- Japanese white rice…
Can you tell I like food?
Favorite place to watch the sun set?
Somewhere with no bugs or allergens.
To read more about some of Wisteria’s employees, click here!
Jul 212009
We loved this picture of one of our employee’s (Byron Neuhoff, the VP of Operations) family. They rode through a neighborhood Fourth of July parade to promote Wisteria!
This particular organization does everything they can to support local artists purely for the sake of art, for all of its eminence, distinction, and overall virtue. Unfortunately, the art and craft is disappearing due to insufficient order of production. And with the global economic crisis, less work is available for skilled art and craft workers. The workers, who are mostly middle aged men and women, need to support their family with their earnings. Moreover, they are worried that the new generation will not inherit the skill of art, since it is taught from one family generation to the next.
This company supports and motivates their craftsmen in anyway possible so that they keep their skill of art alive. Not affiliated with any non-governmental organization, this organization is dedicated to providing work for the jobless, unskilled, yet motivated, elderly men and women.
Kathmandu, the Capital of Nepal, is a cosmopolitan city and has the most advanced infrastructure among urban areas. It is home to many of the government offices, embassies, and palaces and has been popular with western tourists since the 1960s when it became a key spot along the hippie trail. Most of the hippies gathered in the tranquil surroundings of Freak Street, consists of two parallel streets attracting tourists with shops, restaurants, and little hotels. Situated in the heart of the Himalaya Mountains, Kathmandu is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Only in the Wisteria Outlet, can you find hidden treasures, including our handmade jewelry collection. Made from sterling silver, gold plating, and other fine materials, our collection includes beaded necklaces, sterling silver cufflinks, colorful bracelets, coral earrings, turquoise charms, and all sorts of other beautiful pieces. Most of the jewelry is handmade by artists in Nepal and India, but we also have pieces made right here in Dallas.
For the next two weeks, with any jewelry purchase, you’ll receive a free bangle! Simply click on the coupon, print it off, and bring it in with you to the Outlet. We hope to see you there.
Hudson Weichsel is the Vice President of Merchandising and Product Development at Wisteria. We love him for his eternal optimism and his unending zaniness. We hope you’ll love him just as much as we do.
What is your job here?
Head plate-spinner, adventure seeker, fireman, dreamer, pot-stirrer, storyteller, and Ethel to many of Andrew’s Lucy-style harebrained schemes (I am convinced we’ll all end up in one of Ricky’s shows someday).
What are your favorite things about working at Wisteria?
The people, the creativity, and the opportunity. Anything is possible.
What is one thing about you people probably don’t know?
I am scared to death of flying, even though I do it all the time. People ask if I sleep on flights, but I am way too busy counting the rows to the nearest exit, looking for my flotation device (Sometimes it’s under your seat, between seats, over the seat, behind the tray table, or in the kitchen with Dinah. In a panic situation the last thing I need is a scavenger hunt), and praying/making deals with God. (You know, the “Please get this bucket of bolts to Delhi and I will never swear again” type of thing.) The good news is while other people are reading the paper or listening to their ipods, I am actually paying attention to the safety speech from the flight attendant. If anyone’s getting off that plane, it will be me. I also self-medicate with beer, so I am actually fun to sit with (unless, of course, you are the hairy, 350-lb guy wearing flip-flops who hasn’t showered in a week. You know who you are.)
What is your favorite Wisteria item?
I tend to be fickle and like whatever is new. Right now I am nuts for the Oversized American Flag, the Chinese Acupuncture Models, and the Oyster Stick Lamp. The Very Old Stone Wall Lamps are my all-time favorite.
How many/what languages do you speak?
Well, I can say hello, thank you, please, how much? and where is the bathroom? in a lot of languages. Plus I’m good at charades and can sketch enough on cocktail napkins to get by.
My one indulgence is my nieces and nephew. I love to bring them prizes from my trips.
Craziest food ever eaten is alpaca in Peru, witchetty grub soup in Australia, and goose foot in China (ok, I didn’t really eat this one but the guy next to me did, and he cleaned it to the skeleton!).
What is your favorite place to watch the sun set?
Not sure but those Viagra commercials certainly make sitting in a bathtub on a hill look appealing though separate tubs and the logistics of getting hot water up there sort of ruins the magic.
This company below lives up to our expectations and makes some of our favorite items including our Petit Sunburst Mirror, our Mexican Retablos, our Native American Chief Weather Vane, and our Handcarved Carousel Horse.
Family-oriented, this company is run by a mother, her daughter, and her son. They promote the careers of both current and former employees. It supports continuing education and helps employees pursue their career dreams.
Another interesting aspect of the company is the scholarship program, open for all employees’ children. In order to provide the best possible education for all employees’ children, the owner set up the scholarship program to provide full tuition for children ranging in age from pre-kindergarten to college. The program’s first scholar is currently in her third year of graduate school studying veterinary sciences.
This company was founded in Manila, a city in the Pampanga province in the Philippines. The Pampanga province was the first province established by the Spaniards in 1571, and because of this, it is one of the richest, both culturally and fiscally. It is known for its culinary industry, with well-known and exotic foods originating from this area. Also, this region hosts the Giant Lantern Festival each December on the Saturday before Christmas Eve, the Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in February, and a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus each Good Friday in the capital city of San Fernando, making it a popular tourist destination.
Our Quite Celestial Mirror and our Book Boxes
This company has a growing number of artisans creating beautiful accessories. Meet some of their employees:
Ferdinand is the head of the handpainting and finishing division. He was born in Nueva Ecija, Philippines and is 40 years old.
Ferdinand began working with this company in 1992 and joined the company full-time in 1999. In 2003, he moved into the Product Development Department as a prototype painter/finisher. He was promoted to head of the handpainting and finishing division in 2007. Painting for over 20 years, he began painting in school and has developed his skills further through his professional career.
When asked about what he enjoys most about working for this company, he said, “This is my dream job; I love to paint! Plus, I really enjoy the challenge of developing new finishing techniques for our projects and collections.”
Frederick is head of the carving division and is the master carver. He was born in Baguio City, Philippines and is 34 years old.
He has have been working with this company for over 12 years, but has been carving for over 20 years.
Frederick started carving when he was 12 years old. He was taught by his father, who had him start with very simple items. When he was about 15 years old, he began to practice carving figures and faces on his own. One day, his father challenged him to carve a santo figure from a photograph. When he produced the figure exactly, he was proud to realize that he had achieved a certain level of skill as a carver. It was then that he decided to make carving his craft and profession.
What he enjoys most about working for this company is that they always have new and different items to work on, and he enjoys learning or developing new techniques. He also appreciates the emphasis the design group places on getting details right.
Roland is head of the tinsmith division and is the tin prototype maker. He was born in Palawan, Philippines and is 34 years old.
Roland has been working for this company for 7 years, but began working with tin about 10 years ago. He was fortunate enough to develop his skills through his work experience, including an apprenticeship under master tinsmiths at this company.
Roland loves his work. He says he enjoys seeing prototypes develop from the time they handmake the jig to when the finished product is displayed in the Wisteria catalog. He says, “It’s very satisfying to be part of the process.”
We view our artisans as partners and look for like-minded organizations that are just as committed to their employees, community, and the environment as they are dedicated to great quality and interesting design. The company below lives up to our expectations and makes some of our favorite items including our Petit Sunburst Mirror, our Mexican Retablos, our Native American Chief Weather Vane, and our Handcarved Carousel Horse. Family-oriented, this company is run by a mother, her daughter, and her son. They promote the careers of both current and former employees. It supports continuing education and helps employees pursue their career dreams. Another interesting aspect of the company is the scholarship program, open for all employees’ children. In order to provide the best possible education for all employees’ children, the owner set up the scholarship program to provide full tuition for children ranging in age from pre-kindergarten to college. The program’s first scholar is currently in her third year of graduate school studying veterinary sciences. This company was founded in Manila, a city in the Pampanga province in the Philippines. The Pampanga province was the first province established by the Spaniards in 1571, and because of this, it is one of the richest, both culturally and fiscally. It is known for its culinary industry, with well-known and exotic foods originating from this area. Also, this region hosts the Giant Lantern Festival each December on the Saturday before Christmas Eve, the Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Festival in February, and a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus each Good Friday in the capital city of San Fernando, making it a popular tourist destination.
Our Book Boxes