speaking hawaiian

happy king kamehameha day! if you have always admired the beauty of the hawaiian language and wished you could learn to speak it fluently (not just a word here & there), you will be happy to learn about 'aha punana leo (especially if you live far from the islands).

the organization was started over 20 years ago by educators who were concerned about the potential extinction of the hawaiian language. in addition to offering hawaiian immersion instruction for native hawaiians, they also welcome anyone interested in learning the language to enroll in their online hawaiian classes.

the next semester starts on august 21st so check out the faq for more details.

{photo credit: hawaii tourism japan}

hawaiian quilt wholesale

ginger lei

call this a crafty intervention for those of you have stashes of fabric, beads, scrapbooking supplies, etc. hidden under the bed, in the closet, anywhere there's extra space to hide the castoffs from your expensive addiction. if there was ever a time to pay for someone else's expertise then hawaiian quilting would definitely be at the top of the list.

go ahead and tackle that pillow project that's been collecting dust, but do you really want to wait a few years until that bedspread is finally finished? if you prefer instant gratification then you'll adore the folks at hawaiian quilt wholesale. they work with master quilters who have many moons of experience and their designs are 100% handmade. 

maui hands

next time you have an urge to check out the hawaii art scene all you need to do is click your mouse. my mom took me to maui hands years ago and their website has a nice mix of local artists online. i really like melinda morey's paintings (watching ka'anapali shown above) which i find to be very evocative of old hawai'i.

you'll have lots of fun clicking around and checking out the glassworks, ceramics and other artwork including lauhala baskets & bracelets by susan jenson and pratima design's modern interpretation of maile jewelry.