handmade things

Recycling auto parts and scrap metal from junkyards, Armando Ramirez of Mexico creates marvelous eco-friendly sculptures. This clever sculpture depicts a professional welder hard at work. Nuts, bolts, wire, and other parts become elements in this appealingly rustic work of art.

A meaningful gift, "This sculpture expresses love and sharing," says Eka of this exquisite statuette. It is carved by hand from suar wood featuring fluid lines that convey the essence of natural harmony.

Like pre-Hispanic warriors, rustic figures do battle atop a pyramid. This wonderful creation is the work of Armando Ramírez. Queens are fashioned of screws and bearings, kings are cogwheels and metal scraps, while sparkplugs and other castoffs find a new life as sculpture. Combining art and function, Ramírez creates each piece from discarded automobile parts.

The imaginative mind of Armando Ramirez transforms scrap metal into a sleek, black and silver chess set. Ramirez collects the leftover metal pieces off a die machine and shapes them into the pawns, horses, and parts of the kings, which also feature cogs from a car's electrical system. The queens are made from screws, auto part cogs and bearings. The bishops are shaped from spark plugs and the towers from cogwheels. The board is made from a metal sheet and features ornate iron wires and bendix caps taken from a car.

Please note it is the artist's intention not to give his sculptures a fine polished finish, therefore smudges and scratches may be present. The finish can vary from matte to shiny, as each chess set is a unique piece of handcrafted art.

This motorcycle of classic inspiration is built by Armando Ramirez from an intriguing collection of recycled metal pieces, some extracted from cars. The tires are bearings from a car's electrical system and the hubcaps are electric coils. The motorbike's fuel tank was once a rocker arm from an automotive ignition. The engine is shaped from a cogwheel as well as a timing chain.

Please note it is the artist's intention not to give his sculptures a fine polished finish, therefore smudges and scratches may be present.

Sometimes there is no substitute for noting things down by hand. Indira Flores creates this beautiful journal with recycled paper. Brown leather reinforces the bindings and colorful passport stamps adorn the covers.

Nonyem Abena Ibeneme combines the rich natural beauty of coconut shell and bamboo for the design of these earrings. "The organic colors and style of this design makes me think of medieval architecture," says the Nigerian-born designer of the handcrafted earrings.

Cooking for your loved ones is not always easy, but Coco Enriquez's newest creation will help you achieve a delicious meal or quick charcuterie spread while reminding you of the good things in life. Crafted in Guatemala from cedar wood, this cutting board is a sturdy accessory featuring a charming brown tone and a handy geometric shape. On top of that, it comes with an inspirational word at the bottom: "grateful."