Lantern Moon Blog

I’ve just returned from a very productive and inspiring trip to Vietnam. It was nice to reconnect with our producers.

While in Hanoi, I had the opportunity to visit a family home in the village, which I’ve not had time to do before.  After visiting the family altar and refreshing the yellow chrysanthemums, which were his mother’s favorite flower, we had tea

and a traditional guest lunch, with special dishes. We visited all the brothers, who each have a connection to the work we do there, and the chicken and pig farm…  in Vietnam, it is rare if everyone in the family does not have a role in whatever the business is.

More impacting than the 100 year old home, was the warmth and kindness of the family that I visited for the day…

With my friend Thiep, a talented Vietnamese designer, I was able to visit the old style Vietnam and was so impressed with the colors and textures of the countryside.

There is so much exciting development and change happening in Ho Chi Minh City that it seems like warp speed.

Several of the young people that I met while out sourcing were young children when we lived there…1996 seemed long ago!  Lots of creative energy in the city and interesting design mix with traditional skills of embroidery, crochet, silk and fiber weaving.  I was fortunate to have a chance to see some old friends at the Operation Smile event which raised a generous amount of money for the next medical event in the Southern province.

I made some wonderful new connections and extended my stay a week to be able to meet up with several new groups for us, from Cambodia and Laos. We will be bringing lots of the new things from this trip to the TNNA Booth in Columbus, and look forward to seeing many of you there. In the meantime, stay tuned, as there are new and exciting developments to our website!

-Sharon Woodcock
Creative Director of Lantern Moon

Sharon Woodcock, our creative director, has just begun a two-month long working trip in Vietnam.  She’ll be scouting new materials and working on new product designs with our producing groups there. Follow her travels by checking our photo gallery as we periodically add photos she sends us.

We’ve thought about it for years and we’ve decided it’s due time for a Lantern Moon Retreat!

We decided to kick it off on the next International Women’s Day, which fittingly celebrates woman and their achievements around the world. It is important to us to acknowledge and celebrate the skilled women who participate in the groups we work with in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Bali; places where modern conveniences are rare, work ethic is strong, and artisan skill is the fabric of their communities.  We both admire, and strive to support, these women. It’s also important to us to celebrate those who make a difference in the lives of these hardworking women by purchasing Lantern Moon goods.

So, please celebrate with us, take some time for your creative passion, and enjoy a true NW experience. The retreat will be a super special extended weekend March 8-11th, 2013, beginning at McMenamins Kennedy School in Portland with a reception to meet our local authors and designers and then a voucher to shop at the LM warehouse  just down the road. It continues in scenic Stevenson, Washington in the Columbia Gorge. Here, our guests will be treated to a 3-night stay at the beautiful Skamania Lodge on the Columbia River, with all-inclusive NW cuisine, classes with the wonderful Nicky Epstein, a spa treatment of choice, and lots of free time to spend as desired!

Get more info and all the details at lanternmoon.com today!
Or give us a call or email if you’d prefer we email you the information
(phone: 1-800-530-4170; email: orders AT lanternmoon.com).