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Holiday
SANDRA BONAZOLI holds a BA in Art History and a MFA in Jewelry and Metals. She is part- time faculty at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Her work, and her writing about craft has been featured in numerous publications. <br><br> JIM DOWD has a BFA in Design and MFA in Jewelry and Metals. He has personally soldered most of the architectural metalwork in Bill Gates' house. When they're not working in their studio, Sandra and Jim enjoy sailing, good snacks, their pals, and have spent a ridiculous amount of time fixing up their house.

Beehive Kitchenware Co.
Unique in its holiday charm, each piece of the Hearts and Ivy Collection is carefully handcrafted in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by designer Donna Hamilton and a team of 25 women. Working out of a neighborhood studio surrounded by flower gardens, Donna creates her santas, snowmen, and angels from designer fabrics and carefully selected accessories. From its beginning in 1993 with a single Christmas angel, Hearts and Ivy now includes over 70 styles, designed to add a touch of magic to the holiday season.

Hearts & Ivy
Maine artist Konrad Hunter has been working with hot glass since attending Penland School of Craft in 2000. Konrad spent several years perfecting his craft before moving to Northern California where he worked as an assistant glass caster. After graduating with a degree in mathematics from Humboldt State University, He moved back to his home state where he is continuing to work as an independent artist. <br><br> Konrad's favorite things about glass blowing are playing with fire and the way glass moves. "When I work, I turn out the lights. The glass glows an orange or red when it is hot. Besides being beautiful, it is a great indicator of glass temperature. This in turn informs me on the right moment to make a move. Timing is everything but after the first hour or so it all flows into one long dance. There is a natural elegance to the entire process."

Hunter Glass
Fragrances in southern France or a colorful market in Marrakesh may offer inspiration, but every one of Illume's candles are poured at the Illume factory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They couldn't imagine them being made anywhere else. <br><br> When it comes to candle making, you could call the folks at Illume perfectionists, or a bit type-A. They are compulsive when it comes to finessing fragrance and marrying it to the ideal wax. It's all about maintaining quality every step of the way, ensuring an Illume candle burns beautifully from first light to last flicker.

Illume
J. Brooke Patterson is an artist currently working in Oakland, CA. In 1993, she earned her BA degree in Art from UC Berkeley, where she focused on drawing and printmaking. For some years she had made these dioramas for friends and family, simply using chicken eggs. In 1996, adding duck and goose eggs to her repertoire, she began selling them through an Open Studios event in Berkeley, CA, where they quickly sold out. In 2000, it became a full-time artistic pursuit, and she now exhibits in many stores throughout the country.

JBW Studio
Judy Vilmain was well along the path her life had taken when she began to realize she was on the wrong path. After much contemplation, she left her position as a university professor teaching experimental psychology in the Midwest, and headed for the east coast to live near the ocean. <br><br> "I come from a long line of women who make things," she says. "My mother, grandmother and great grandmother all excelled in handiwork - embroidery, knitting, crocheting, quiltmaking, weaving, tatting and lacemaking. My mother's gift to me was the love of working with my hands. And today, I'm still compelled by it. My father was a physicist, so from him, I get my love of science. He gave me my appreciation for geometry and nature, which are so much a part of my designs. His approach to life was simple, rational, direct and kind." <br><br> So can a girl from Iowa find happiness using her head, her hands and her heart? With a smile, she sums up the 180-degree turn her life took over a decade ago. "Now, my former profession is my hobby, and my former hobby is my profession."

Vilmain
"Our story starts with fragrance. Impossible to capture and hold in your hand, fragrance nonetheless is as real, powerful and evocative as it is fleeting. Which makes us love it all the more. Indeed, fragrance captivates us, uniting and inspiring us every single day. It's both our journey and our destination." –The Thymes <br><br> Nearly 30 years ago, Thymes was founded by two childhood friends with a mutual curiosity and a common desire to make something meaningful and beautiful. Since then, the company has flourished thanks to a shared passion for creativity, botanical ingenuity, beauty and friendship. Today, they're a creative collective of some 60 individuals dedicated to deepening their connection with one another through the love of fragrance — and, most of all, to composing fragrances that enrich the quality of your daily experience.

The Thymes