elfing it

Friends of Elfster,

I am very excited to announce the new design of Elfster.com! 

Our mission is to make the joy of giving fun and easy to experience.  The team at Elfster is passionate about evolving Elfster.com: through the services we offer, through the look of Elfster and through our users' experience - in pursuit of our mission. 

Our goals in this new design are simple:

• Embrace our history and our roots as a festive and fun Christmas Secret Santa planner
  
• Set the stage for new group gifting services that can be helpful all year round
  
• Make the site easier to read, use, and navigate
  

We hope you'll love the changes we have made and what we have in store in the months and years ahead!   As always, please let us know what you think.  It is our generous and active user community that feeds out passion!

Best wishes,

Peter Imburg

Founder & Head Elf

We recently wrapped up a round of Elfster's Green Gifting.  For the month of May, our guideline was a used book.  The Green Gifters set off on a voyage to find a buried treasure in our bookshelves, and give that treasure a new life in new hands (probably a complete stranger!). 

As a gift, I was pleasantly surprised to find in the mailbox, a very fine treasure from Evan of Redlands, CA.  The book is Blue Latitudes "To Boldy Go Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before."  I am currently only a few chapters in, but already I am finding myself fully engrossed.  The book tells the story of Captain Cook, as the author participates in a recreation of the one of Cook's journey's on a replica ship. 

After a very shocking introduction about the death of Cook, there is a passage in this book that describes the influence of Captain Cook on our modern pop phenomenon, Star Trek.  It is funny that in a chapter of this book, I *finally* gained an appreciation for Star Trek which in all my years working in technology, living and studying in Berkeley, and generally being surrounded by Trekkies, that I could never muster in even the slightest way (I don't think I have even watched a full episode).

 So far so good, and I'm looking forward to reading through the rest.  Thanks again Evan.  And who knows, if this book sounds intriguiging to you, perhaps you'll get lucky and I'll draw you in a future Green Gift Exchange :)

Peter 

Since 1989, Trees for the Future has been helping communities around the world plant trees. Through seed distribution, agroforestry training, and our country programs, they have empowered rural groups to restore tree cover to their lands. Planting trees protects the environment and helps to preserve traditional livelihoods and cultures for generations.

A $40 membership will help grow 400 trees! $100 grows 1,000 trees. That's impressive, don't you think?

This week's notable exchange goes to Spiders Knit for their secret single sock swap.  Each participant knitted one sock for swapping with their matched pal. Fantastic socks, ladies!

Read more fiber art adventures at Brooklyn Handspun's blog.

This needle felted sheep ring holder she received for her birthday is fabulous!

If you are a fiber arts fan, or you know someone who is, check out the unique handspun and hand dyed yarns available at the Brooklyn Handspun Shop.

They needed too much attention?  Were too much into themselves?  More attention than one can give? This Vanity Mirror is available at Signals for $50.

Note, do not send her the actual gadget to make I Love You Toasts.  It's best if you receive it yourself and surprise her with toast in person (with breakfast in bed, if she could be so lucky).  All you have to do is press the stamp onto the hot bread, and voila, love is there right in front of you.  $3