(NAPSA)—Pictures aren’t the only thing worth a thousand words...so are a delightful group of exotic and handcrafted gifts, each with a story to tell aboutitself. The attractively priced imported items could be the answerto the eternal dilemma: what to get mom on Mother’s day. The out-of-the-ordinary gifts, ranging from a collection of bril- liant blue lapis lazuli jewelry, to naturally scented Nepalese soaps to Burmese recovered teak planters, can be found without having to rummage through outof-the-way secondhand shops or trendy little boutiques with big mark-ups. One place to look online is Worldstock.com, the department of Overstock.com that empowers artisans worldwide. Thesite features a wide range of jewelry accessories and items that cannot be found elsewhere such as genuine pashmina silk/cashmere stoles, Himalaya herb soaps and teak planters, examples of items that will have Mothers’ friends asking about the story behind the gift. Both Worldstock and Overstock offer a broad selection of watches, jewelry, home accents and gift items online at steep discounts. For example, Worldstock offers a sterling silver pendant with a rounded square stone of semiprecious lapis, handcut by skilled Peruvian artisans in the ancient Mochestyle for $36.99*, a 48 percent discount over list price. Match the pendant with a lapis bracelet from Chile or a pair of square-cut lapis earrings, all handmade by craftspeople promoted exclusively by Worldstock. The Burmese coopersmith Minzor supervises the construc- tion of recovered teak planters, just one of hundredsof gift items with a special storyto tell. Due to the handcrafted nature of the jewelry, subtle shade varia- tions occur from piece to piece to add interest, and the stories of how various lines of jewelry employ thousandsof craftspeople are told on the Website. Or find a unique recovered teak planter that can be filled with a favorite flowering plant. The collection of Burmese planters are coopered by hand from scrap teak, recovered from furniture and flooring factories by apprentices learning the process of old-fashioned barrel-making. A 15-inch diameter planter is discounted at $39.98*. Both the teak and copper will weather warmly into natural hues. Worldstock worksdirectly with artisans and their associations worldwide—including small-scale American designers—to bring a continually fresh stock of unique gifts to the marketplace. wee eee eee ee eee eee eeeUne eee eee eee eee Editor’s Note: *Prices may vary depending on international charges.
