December 2020
We all know the word Aloha is associated with Hawaii. It’s generally translated as love or peace. But, it is also used in greetings and goodbyes. Aloha does mean and can be used for all those things, but it means more than that. The word itself is used to hold all that one needs to know to interact rightfully in and with the natural world. It represents a way of living.
Lynnette Koski, the purveyor of Trinkets and Things, got her start selling handmade items in local craft shows around Salado, Texas a little over 11 years ago. She began reselling Koa wood jewelry. Apart from being made of a beautiful wood, the wonderful thing about this jewelry is that it is perfect for individuals that are sensitive to particular metals. Everything that comes in contact with skin is either wood or some other non-metal and that prevents any skin allergy from being aggravated.
If you don’t know much about Koa wood, it has a rich history and is fabled and honored in Hawaii. It’s a native wood that is known for its deep, rich colors and varied grain pattern. Today, Koa is still highly regarded for its beauty. Its figuring and three dimensional gem-like quality makes it dramatic and gives it a natural depth that many love.
Hawaii is close to Lynnette’s heart, as you can tell by the name of her business. Along with Koa wood, she had puka shell jewelry and made creatures out of sea shells. She felt that her customers shouldn’t have to pay more for the jewelry than they would if they had purchased it in the Aloha State. To that end, when there was shipping involved, she absorbed the shipping costs and set the prices of the jewelry to exactly what it cost in Hawaii.
Trinkets & Things Handmade with Aloha is now grown to more than just Koa wood and puka shell jewelry . Dream catchers, wire wrapped jewelry, wind chimes, and sun catchers are also offered. All are handmade with love of course.
In addition, Lynnette has added a unique offering that might be close to many a Texan’s heart. Crocheted armadillos. And, yes, the lowly armadillo is the official Small State Mammal of Texas.
So, what would cause a Hawaiian to start crocheting a small, and some would argue ugly, mammal in Texas? Lynnette and her husband have two long-haired chihuahuas. They have a small fenced yard behind their house that they can run around in. One day, Lynnette came outside to find this creature digging around in her yard. She had no idea what it was, but wanted it to leave. Not desiring to kill it, she got a pellet gun figuring a fright from being shot would scare it into vacating her yard. It did not. She shot it. It jumped, paused, and then continued digging. This scenario played out a few times. Lynnette, discovering that the little creature was pretty stubborn, decided to phone her husband to find out what it was. From her description, he told her it was an armadillo.
Eventually, the armadillo was no longer a trespasser in Lynnette’s yard. But, she was curious to find out more about it. She did some research on it. “It is UGLY,” she says. “And filthy. And can spread disease. But, I decided I wanted to make it cute.” So, she learned to crochet in order to make a cute armadillo . . . with Aloha.
In time, she began creating other crochet critters: elephants, lions, cats, dragons, turtles, just to name a few. Critters aren’t the only thing she crochets. She also does blankets. She used to make many more blankets than she does now. What she didn’t sell within a reasonable amount of time she donated to the VA and neo-natal care units, in the spirit of Aloha.
If you’re in need of a little Aloha, go see Trinkets & Things Handmade with Aloha at the booth inside Canton Marketplace. Lynnette has some cute armadillos that are just waiting to be loved.
