African Beads in Auburn!!

I am so excited to finally be ready to share about some projects I started while I was in Ghana!!  There were several artisans who were making beautiful things, and others that I was able to teach a trade to.   These artisans created things for me to bring to sell here in America, to help them provide for their families.  

 Several of the projects were jewelry, made with recycled glass beads!  The bead recycling process is fascinating! I have posted this before - but here is a video on the process:

Glass Bead Making Process from Lauren Johnston on Vimeo.

The revenue from each product will support african artisans and their families.  The more that I am able to sell here, the more I will be able to buy from then, and the better quality of life their family can have.  This is my trial run, to see who would be interested in a product like this - so please let me know if you would like to purchase these, or some similar in other colors.

This particular color combination, orange and navy blue were designed to be worn to support my college, Auburn University.  Each bracelet purchased will be received with the story of the artisan, and a beautiful Ghanaian batik bow.  The story on this specific bracelet is about my friend, Ursala Akurugu:

Ursala Akurugu is from a fra-fra speaking village called Vea in the  upper East Region of Ghana.  There she attended school until she was 13, when her family traded her as part of the dowry for her brother’s marriage.  Wanting to return to school, Ursala was quiet while in an arranged marriage to a man who would become chief of the village, and later have three other wives.  When she completed school, she ran away to the nearby town of Bolgatanga, where she found work as a nanny.  Since then, Ursala has worked for several missionary families in Kumasi and Accra.  In Accra, her connection with the North has aided Beacon House Orphanage in fostering children in need.  Now, she is learning a new trade working with beads. She now lives outside of Accra in Amrahia, with her new husband, David who is an associate pastor at their church, her sons Emmanuel (4) and Caleb (13), and her niece, Rhoda (16).  The money made by purchasing her work will go back to help support her family.

These "War Eagle" bracelets are on sell at J&M Bookstore in downtown Auburn.  Their website is: http://www.jmbooks.com/   or, you can call them at 334-887-7007.   I will sell and send anyone interested one for $10.  Please email me at inspiredbythecreator@gmail.com to make a purchase!

I am working on a website to be able to sell them online, I hope it will be up soon!  Thank you in advance for your support.  Blessings.