Even though I enjoy Antique Road Show, I am not sure I am willing to "make" anything for cultural exchange. This Technological Planet does not, at this time, value the time/expertise etc. involved in handcrafted items. At least, not in the way that less technology oriented cultures do.......

I have been asked to do hand piecing/quilting, and the end result works out to about $.50/hr US....for what people are willing to pay for the entire quilt. My time, not to mention materials, is worth more than $.50 an hour.

I have been asked to do furniture re-finishing for less than $1.00 per hour........and I have to pay for the supplies. Not.

I am consistenly asked to provide music from an entire band for FREE.......just to give us an "opportunity to share our music".......EX-cuse me? (These are usually from people who are charging a gate/day fee to make a little money......)

Another example is what rug crafters in Turkey/Afghanistan get for their labor. It doesn't even compute with what the rug will bring in the Western Market...or the Navajo/Dineh weavers actually get for their rugs.

Now, if it were ONE item, for a space capsule type thing, it would probably be a quilt. A scrap quilt, as beautiful as I could make it......something warm and cuddly from "nothing" as it were. A pattern to draw the eye, with colors to warm the heart, and hand stitches to amaze the meticulous. There is nothing quite like a quilt.....but hand made musical instruments are a very close second.