garden decor

This delightful home accent adds a terrific burst of color to any space. Rosario Leiva in Guatemala makes the hanging ornament using recycled CDs, creating art while helping the environment at the same time. The colorful discs and the crystal beads in between represent the seven chakras.

In Sanskrit, chakra refers to an energy vortex through which vital universal forces are channeled, and there are believed to be seven in the human body. When all seven are aligned the person feels a healthy sense of well-being. Clear and light purple are associated with the 7th chakra (awareness and wisdom); the purple, violet and indigo with the 6th chakra (insight and perception), and the blue or light blue with the 5th, that of communication and truth. Green and pink are for love and compassion, linked to the heart, on the 4th chakra. For inner power and will, the 3rd chakra is associated with yellow, whereas emotion and sexuality are linked to red and orange for the 2nd chakra. Black is used to stimulate the 1st chakra, that of stability and security.

Blue cockatoos flit amid crimson flowers on midnight black. Lavishly machine-embroidered, each image is created with the aari chainstitch technique. These dramatic cushion covers are designed by Amit Moza. A slit opening at the back permits insertion of the cushions, and the reverse side is solid black.

Peruvian artisan Eleodora Salvatierra handcrafts a lovely, intricate scene out of a blend of cotton and acrylic fabric in this arpilleria wall hanging. The artisan depicts a pastoral river valley full of grazing animals tended by workers, graceful black and white swans floating in a river, fields of flowers, a pair of houses nestled in an orchard, and a mountain on the horizon. Hand-embroidered details and a multitude of colours and textures bring this scene to life.