AW Artisan Wholesale Giftware

Greetings from Aerocity, Delhi. Hope you had a great Valentine's weekend! We have just arrived in India from Kathmandu. Toni and I took an Indigo (very short) flight down to Delhi T3, landing at 3pm. Bondhan, our man in Indonesia, braved Air India and flew from Denpasar to Delhi T3, also landing at 3pm, although a much longer flight. The plan was to meet in the luggage hall. What could possibly go wrong? Amazingly, it worked, and we easily found each other. It's Bondhan's very first trip to India. So this should be interesting, especially since later we will be going hardcore India.  But the first evening is at an airport hotel - in an area called Aerocity.. Basically, all the hotels in the world have built a hotel here. We are staying at a Lemon Tree Hotel, a lovely, well-loved Indian brand that famously employs disabled and disadvantaged people. Recycled water in the toilets, etc. It's very woke.. Trump would hate it. We loved it. This morning, Chatterjee (our man in ...

Oh my goodness I can't tell how good it is to be back in Nepal. I left Sheffield in winter mode, to Manchester airport T2 over a sunny and snow sprinkled Pennines. Then a night flight (via Turkish airways) through Istanbul (always slightly surreal at 1am), a little bit delayed but landed in Kathmandu early afternoon local time.  Kathmandu airport is one of the worst organised in the world , but redeemed by the most lovely people . After the chaotic but jolly baggage hall experience I emerge to that familiar mix of incense, traffic, prayer flags and smiles. If you’ve ever been here, you’ll know what I mean — if you haven’t, it’s a place that gets under your skin very quickly. Coming in to land at KTM caught a spectacular view of the mountains above Kathmandu. Then land at the famously disorganised KMT airport. Last week I was writing to you from Sheffield, my hometown and AW HQ. Talking about plans, people, and movement. I gave you my Top 10 picks for the SOL (Season of Love) - sta...

Greetings from Sheffield - snowy Sheffield This week has been mad, amazing, inspirational and a little stressful.   Valentines Day is almost upon us.. the SOL is in full swing. Last week I was telling you about my arrival here, the crashing racking crisis in Spain and all the new stuff coming.. if you missed it you can catch up here . I'm staying in the Kenwood Hotel in Sheffield, there is a beautiful lake there and I went for a walk and thought about how we humans have used love and romance to get us through the cold of the winter months.. Normally I take a car from our car pool, or hire one while I'm here.. but for some reason I just thought I'd manage with a combo of Uber and Friends just for the human connection.. and yes learn so much. .every taxi driver has a life story to tell..   and got to spend more time with my good friend Katka who is a director at AW.. who kindly picked me up every morning. Thank you!! This morning.. A fresh beautiful Sheffield morni...

  Greetings from Sheffield, United Kingdom. I’m back at the heart of Ancient Wisdom. Coco returned to China on Tuesday. She had a little mishap… 12 hours delayed in Istanbul. But she wasn’t stressed at all; she took it philosophically… and even worked from the waiting lounge. As for me, yesterday I took an EasyJet flight from Malaga: from sapphire-blue skies and sun to the misty skies of Manchester. I wasn’t stressed either — it is what it is. My Uber driver then drove across the Pennines to Sheffield through thick fog. What a contrast. Nevertheless, it feels good to be home. There’s something deeply rooted in Sheffield, where it all began. From this… …to this… The AW Artisan Warehouses A lot is happening at AW right now. Before leaving Spain, I spent time with Toni, who is still deep in the midst of relocating the Spanish warehouse. And when I say “in the midst of relocating,” I mean the kind of situation where everything seems to go wrong at the same time. One drama afte...

  Greetings from Spain, As I write these lines… it’s raining — real Spanish rain — the kind that makes coffee taste even better. Yesterday, however, the sun was shining and we found ourselves at the Mijas town hall for a small administrative task. I must say… what a magnificent building. Calm, proud, elegant. It reminded me how much civic pride still matters here. I left quietly inspired — and grateful to be part of something that has grown with the same care and attention. Mijas Pueblo  is perched high on the mountainside, overlooking the Costa del Sol. I’m sure many of you have already passed through, but we were there early in the morning, just after sunrise and before the tourists arrived. The only people around were the gardeners and municipal staff — which only reinforced that sense of civic pride. Coco sorting paperwork at the town hall Spain Warehouse Update In just one week, an incredible amount has happened… (not without a few twists and turns). The offices are takin...

Greetings from Sunny Spain Happy New Year! Hope that Storm Goretti is not causing you too much disruption. This is my first official Friday newsletter of 2026. This time of year is all about making plans.. looking forward and getting in a positive frame of mind. Yes 2026 will be amazing.. we are already off to a great start with a swathe of new products landing already and more to come. It's all happening this year..  In Spain, Toni and his team are in the midst of moving our warehouse.. Here's Toni pretending not to be stressed.. The racking is being assembled and repositioned today.. and some stock already being moved.. So a big welcome to 2026 at AW. A new year always feels a little bit like  a fresh notebook. Clean pages. Big possibilities. And thinking Yeah!, “This could be a good one.” At Ancient Wisdom, we’re choosing to believe exactly that. We have made a bold plan for 2026.. hope you are coming for the ride!! This year already starts with some li...