Kazuri Beads

I had sworn off jewelry. Really. I did. I wasn't wearing much here. I only needed a short necklace, so I wasn't all that excited about going to the Kazuri bead factory, until I saw the beads in a store in Westlands Mall. Ahhh. The colors, the shapes. Oooh. Truly works of art.

We got a tour of the place. It employs over 350 women-- mostly single parents and was the brain child of an English woman. They purify local clay and extrude the water. Then it is shaped by hand. This woman is one of the original workers and has been here for 35 years.

Notice the perfectly shaped beads. some are flat. Some long. About 10 different round bead sizes. Some are square or box shaped. They have a board with the orders for necklaces, earrings, and bracelets with the number needed. Then women have sheets with designs as they work.

After shaping they are fired. Then glazed.

Then fired again.

Then the patterns, paintings or designs are applied and they are fired again.

This room holds the overstock of beads-- those in excess of orders and they are 35% off. I think I could go crazy in there. Mmm. So pretty. And, I'd need to look in every jar! Sort of like purses. (Family joke. In Korea I went to 39 stores looking for the perfect purse.)

I didn't get a picture of them stringing the beads. But we went on to the pottery area and here are the large kilns for the dishes and mugs. They make everything from unique art, to dinnerware.

Then we went to the store. Ahh. The store. Tom wanted a photo of me lusting after the beads. But I refused to drool in public. I tried on dozens. I bought... Suffice to say I spent birthday, Mother's day... and Tom will claim Christmas money there.

Actually the necklaces were about $18-25 here and list online for about $77. So it was a good deal. Really! Just think of all the money I saved! And Tom was very kind. He soothed himself with a beautiful small pitcher, just right for pouring pancake syrup.

When we were ready to leave, we found a family of black faced monkeys traversing the roof of the pottery shed. Of course! This IS Africa!

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