Months before a pregnant woman’s water breaks and uterine muscles contract, she wrestles against emotional and physical stressors and various moods and urges. Suddenly, there are countless things to agonize about: Can I afford this baby? Is sushi really bad for me? I need to deep clean and baby-proof this house.
That last recurring thought is also called nesting, an urge of a mother-to-be to scrub and organize every nook and cranny of her offspring’s future home to ensure safety. It was during this nesting phase that businesswoman Audrey Pastelero unconsciously started a brand that helps parents create fun spaces for their children. “Fun Nest began when I was pregnant with my son. I went on a crazy nesting mode fixing his nursery. One thing led to another, and now I have a brand where I sell creations inspired by my son,” says Pastelero.
One of Fun Nest’s latest pieces is the Kalabaw Rocker, handmade from flexible heat-formed and -bent rattan at a workshop in Pangasinan by a local weaving community. One wickerwork of art takes about a day to complete. The idea came to Pastelero when she was watching craftsmen bend and weave the wood when she was having peacock chairs made. “[I also wanted] to teach my son about something closer to home,” she says, thus the carabao rocking toy.
Kalabaw Rocker comes in small and medium sizes, and in colors brown, black, and white.
This story originally appeared in Northern Living Discourse Issue
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