A Visit to Kazuri Beads, Nairobi!

I’m working backwards -

But these smiles are too precious not to share RIGHT AWAY!

Our final tour on our “journey home” day in Nairobi was the Kazuri Bead Factory – and we were in for not only a feast for the eyes and hearts, but our ears too!

The whole story behind Kazuri Beads is fascinating.

Kazuri began in 1975 with two Kenyan women as a tiny workshop experimenting on making handmade beads.   And they soon discovered that there were many other women in the villages around Nairobi, most of whom were single mothers, who were also in great need of regular employment.

Gathering with our tour guide!

Hand forming the beads from clay.

Rolling the clay into uniform shapes and sizes is not easy!

Holes are made in the clay beads using a simple skewer.

The word Kazuri simply means something small and beautiful in Swahili. Each of the 350 local women employed by Kazuri shapes each bead by hand. The beads are then polished, kiln fired, painted, and fired again before being strung into necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more.

All day long. Rolling clay beads.

A form of meditation in a way I am sure.

Some beads are stamped into molds to make a design.

We enjoyed talking to the ladies and learning a bit about them!

A whole bowl full of beads ready for the firing!

Many beads of different sizes!

It looks like beans in a pot!

They also hand paint gorgeous pottery - and welcomed us by singing! Click to Play:

Kazuri is a fair trade business empowering women to be independent and self supporting. 

I loved these women! Some have been working here for 40 years.

There was a lot of talk and laughter, passing the busy working hours!

Kiln firing is done overnight -

And the beads are cooling by morning when the employees arrive, ready to be pushed into the next phase of the assembly line.

Making necklaces!

(I love the red/black gingham cloths!)

Some pretty ones in progress here!

So many gorgeous ones!

Oh, the BLUE!

Freehand painting a giraffe pattern on plates to be fired.

Skilled artisans doing a beautiful job!

While things look gray here –

They will look like this when fired!  GORGEOUS!

And after our tour – there was…..

SHOPPING!

And MORE shopping!

Prices were very reasonable – and we were so happy to be bringing home the product of such skilled artists.  I also purchased several pair of earrings and a couple of bracelets – and now I’m wondering just where I put them! They aren’t in my suitcase here in Virginia – so they must be with the rest of my stuff in North Carolina.  It’s a good thing my head is screwed on or I’d have left that behind as well.

Or maybe I have – it was another up at 2am kind of morning. I was able to lie in bed until 3am, and then gave it up and have been working on desk work ever since.  There is a LOT happening this week!  Are you counting down until THURSDAY!??  I AM!

We also have a Quilty Box Gift-Away being drawn for on Wednesday.  

Be sure that you enter to win ON THAT POST! 

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Vintage feathered star quilt shared by Kevin the Quilter.

Your inner peace is worth protecting at all costs.

And though you can't always change things outwardly, you can begin inwardly.

Cleanse your thoughts, your precious heart space. It all begins right there inside of you.

it’s a new week!  Welcome to your Monday -