The GlobeIn Artisan Gift Box is a monthly subscription that sends you original crafts by global artisans. Each box contains handcrafted items from around the world and the stories of the artists who made the pieces. This month, subscribers could choose one of two themes—"Refresh" or "Al Fresco".
This is a review of the Al Fresco Artisan Gift Box ($40.00). Here's what GlobeIn had to say about this theme:
In the art of the good life, you’re no amateur. Therefore, in the spirit of keeping you on the cutting edge of joie de vivre, we offer this upgrade to your open air accoutrement.
Because being outside is great, and eating outside even better, we've made sure your new blanket is extra roomy, your enamel plate durable and lightweight, your snack delicious and nutritious, and your utensil holder just plain helpful.
And because an outdoor affair is a sumptuous one at heart, the items in this rainbow-colored collection are anything but plain, chosen as much for function as for sheer delight. Enjoy!
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: The GlobeIn Artisan Gift Box
The Cost: $55 a month + free shipping
The Products: Handcrafted items from around the world curated around a monthly theme.
Ships to: U.S.
Good to Know: June Artisan Box options are available for all active subscribers in their subscription settings June 1st through June 5th!
Check out all of our GlobeIn reviews and the Artisan Subscription Box Directory for similar boxes!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Each box comes with a detailed booklet that introduces the items in the box, as well as the artisans behind them!
Looks like the "Al Fresco" theme will be all about picnicking and delighting in the outdoors. It's getting sunnier and sunnier here in the midwest, and this box is giving me a good excuse to get outside and enjoy the great weather.
Each page of the booklet is dedicated to a different item.
I love that they include photos of the people from the companies that make these products.
Seeing the stories and the human element behind these items makes them feel even more valuable to me.
Okay, on to the items themselves! Though GlobeIn doesn't list any values for the products in the box itself, they did release the retail values of the products in their spoiler for the box. I'll be referencing those prices since these aren't products I could easily find elsewhere online (except for the plantain chips, which I found on Amazon). I'll note that the prices do skew a little higher than I may have expected, but I do most of my home decor shopping at big retailers, who probably aren't getting their products from fair-trade sources or fairly paid artisans!
Artisan Tropic Plantain Strips with Sea Salt, 1.75 oz. - Value $1.87 (Buy a 16 pack for $29.99 on Amazon)
Oooh, I love plantain chips!
This snack is a tasty (and healthier? I'm not sure...) alternative to potato chips and is perfect for munching on during a picnic or on the go. I did notice that the spoilers listed these chips at $5.00, which is quite a bit higher than the price they go for on Amazon. I wonder if that's due to how GlobeIn sourced these chips?
If you've never had plantain chips before, no, they don't taste like banana at all. They're actually really potato-y and have a thick, satisfying crunch to them. The salt on these chips is pretty light, too—just enough to satisfy my salty snack cravings.
Utensil Holder - Listed Value $10.00
I love the jewel tones in this woven, unlined pouch! The material is somewhat flexible but solid like a shell for whatever is inside.
I love the idea of this little woven pouch! The suggested use is to pop your picnic utensils inside when you're on the go (the fork and knife are my own—they didn't come in the box), but I could see using this for pens and pencils, too. If I was a kid, I bet I'd find a million uses for this little capsule—kiddos could use it to hold treasures, or rolled-up art, maps, or secret notes!
Enamel Plate - Listed Value $20.00
This plate is so cute! I love simple geometric shapes like the ones painted onto this plate. This plate is 12" in diameter, so it's sizable, and it's much heavier than I thought it'd be. That's thanks to the fact that this is a metal dish that's been coated in enamel paint (don't microwave it!!!). I think my favorite part is that you can see the texture of the brushstrokes in the painted shapes. It really emphasizes the handmade nature of this design. I could see some people not being too thrilled by those inconsistencies and "imperfections", and I totally get that. I'd be pickier about it myself in other boxes of more mass-produced products, but since this box is all about handmade products and the people behind them, I see the brushstrokes as a little indicator that this design was at one point, in the hands of a real artisan (rather than a machine or a mere assembly line).
Serape Blanket - Listed Value $40
Wow, do I ever love this blanket! It's so much softer than I expected it to be—I could see myself cuddling up with it on the couch. It's also as big as I'd expect a throw to be (60" x 44"), so it's plenty spacious.
That's good news for picnickers out there! This hearty, thicker weave is just what I'd want between me and a patch of dewy earth. And the colors are adorable! I'm a huge fan of fringe, too—it adds a nice, carefree touch to the design.
Verdict: This box was great! I'm so eager to get outside in the sunshine and put these products to work. I loved the pretty, perky color palette of these items (all the purples, pinks, and teals), and I appreciated that everything was practical as well as beautiful. The value I calculated for these items, using the prices GlobeIn gave in their spoilers and the Amazon price for the chips was about $72.00. I'm going to say that's more than fair since I could see spending $55.00 (the actual cost of the box) in a fair-trade gifts shop on that serape alone!
What do you think of the June 2017 GlobeIn "Al Fresco" Artisan box? Which box did you pick this month?
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