Celebrating Handmade with All Across Africa and Pro Flowers

My friends at Pro Flowers recently contacted me to share with me their new partnership with All Across Africa. After reading about it, I knew it was something I wanted to share with you all. Here is a few words from Pro Flowers about their newest partnership:

 At ProFlowers, we believe in the act of giving, sharing, connecting and empowering; whether it’s across the office or across the globe. We are excited to announce that we are partnering with AllAcrossAfrica.org – a benefit corporation that brings the best of business practices through market development, training, and teaching to producers in Africa – to create a collection of exclusive handmade vases that are uniquely crafted by artisans in Rwanda. All Across Africa is a fair trade organization dedicated to empowering communities by providing employment and education – and ultimately hope.

When you give the gift of a ProFlowers All Across Africa bouquet, you are giving so much more than a gift to a loved one, you are participating in the transformative power of giving. The ProFlowers All Across Africa Collection will provide healthcare for 18,000+ people and just one ProFlowers All Across Africa vase will provide a child with the opportunity to attend school for 2 months.

The creation of these vases directly helps the women in Rwanda, who make the vases with their families. More than 80 percent of the purchase price goes directly to the artisans and their local communities, creating fair wage jobs, new income opportunities and building local businesses and artisan skill sets. These exquisite vases are handmade from 100 percent organic, locally sourced natural sisal and sweet grass that are dyed with organic dyes. The vase carries special meaning and significance in the design and pattern and represents hope. In addition to vases, ProFlowers is also offering baskets, bracelets, coasters, earrings and makeup bags as part of the All Across Africa Collection.

There are some beautiful items in their collection, but the hand made bowls are my favorite! The blues in my bowl are just wonderful! Something with so much beautiful detail needed to be in one of my favorite spots, so it now lives on my vintage radio cabinet. This cabinet houses my favorite records and a few of my favorite little frames, along with a stack of all the magazines my projects have been published in. So it is a special spot for me.

I had originally thought of filling the basket with my vintage spools or beads, but I ended up leaving it since the design in the bowl would be covered up and that is the best part of it. It is really cool to hold something in your hands that someone half way across the world made with theirs! As an artist I can really appreciate the work and time put into this piece.

I was also asked to share a project of mine that I am proud of, something special to me. As a maker, there are many projects I have made through the years. Some of them turned out great and some, not very well at all. There are lots of things that I have made that I am proud of, but one of my favorites is my vintage patchwork tote. It was one of my first tries at patchwork, and I made my own pattern. It was a lot of work and took a lot of time, but it was worth it.  I loved the end result of my tote, and to this day it is still one of my favorite bags.

So, if you are looking for a great gift for someone you love, check out the All Across Africa line at ProFlowers on their website here. Also check out more on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.. Send your mom a beautiful bouquet, or get yourself some cute boho earrings. They make great gifts and you will be supporting a great cause! To read more about All Across Africa’s organization you can visit their website here.