Souvenirs

I think it would be nice to bring along small souvenirs from Malaysia, to give all the nice people I meet along the way. Nothing expensive, too big or bulky. But meaningful. Something not so commercial. And a little unique. So I've got 2 things so far. First are some little handmade cloth tissue holders. They're made by a friend of mine, Syam, under her label, 'Little Syam'. She's a hero of mine. Syam's a graphic designer who's opted out of a corporate setting and now works on her craft at home. I absolutely adore her handmade cloth-covered notebooks with brown rough-grain paper and am so lucky to have had a private book-binding lesson in her home. She studied at the Wanganui School of Design New Zealand. I figure this little coincidence will be a nice little topic-that-binds-us between me and whoever I gift her stuff to.

Little Syam's website is here: http://littlesyam.my/ (check out my fave, 'Book Binding Workshop').

I also got some bookmarks from Gerai Orang Asli or Gerai OA. Reita, who leads the Gerai is another hero of mine. She's a graphic designer by training and for the past 5 years she's been running the Gerai, a nomadic stall which means they don't have a booth on the Ground Floor of Central Market nor do they turn up at pasar malam SS2 every Monday night. For example.

Pics of the souvenirs I got: http://picasaweb.google.com/natasha.manan/TashaTravellingFinally?authkey=Gv1sRgCPyJ3vOh8-yUdw&feat=directlink