Another Peek

Thanks for the emails and encouraging comments about the store! Green Creations really is so exciting. Here are more pictures...the journey from start to opening night...

What was once a rental car store...

furniture arrives!

decor arrives

recycled paper and pop cans

recycled glass and magazine paper beads

product arrives...woven newspaper baskets

rolled magazine paper necklaces

more necklaces

coiled newspaper clocks

folded magazine paper purse

rolled magazine paper earrings

all ready!

our first visitors

Dreams to Reality

What a week.

Let me give you some highlights:

Brazilian bikini fashion show...belly dancing...camels...pumpkin carving...make shift trick-o-treating...new friends...hours and hours at the store...anticipation...henna...big party...grand opening...more camels...men dancing...loud music...priceless expressions on dear ladies faces...

And some low-lights:

S.L.O.W. Internet (no blogging, boo)...nearly broken camera lens (yes, my NEW ONE!)...vicious flu bug...sad, sad news from home

Each of these items mentioned could be turned into their own post (I will have to write about the Brazilian bikini show...long story...let me just say it involved, yes, bikinis, nuns, gawking teenagers, my husband giving a speech, camels, Michael Jackson music...and it was just a night to remember).

But the event I just came from will certainly be one of the highlights of my entire time here. I have blogged about my work before. And I should more often...I really love what I do!

Tonight, we celebrated a huge milestone: the Grand Opening of Green Creations, our store. The party was a perfect celebration. The looks on the ladies faces were priceless as they saw their beautiful work in a beautiful place. The sweet things their husbands and family members said to each of us just put the icing on the cake.

I'm tired...so will let the pictures do the talking. And if you are ever in the area, come on by the new store!

A Day in My Life - Sort Of

On any given day, I may be doing a number of things.

Yesterday, I had to clean out all my kitchen cupboards and fumigate them because of a horrible 'rice bag full of bugs' incident.

Today I learned how to crochet and knit. With plastic grocery bags...plarn.

Why, you may ask? Good question.

In December I had the huge privilege of helping to launch a program for low-income/at-risk ladies in our community called the Creative Co-op of Re-use. Our goal is to teach ladies how to make handicrafts out of 100% recycled materials to sell and make an income. Beautiful trash. We are actively searching out venues to sell these crafts not only here to the tourist market, hotel chains, and shops, but in the States as well. We just were contacted by a large museum in D.C. area interested in our products!


The main materials we have used so far are magazines, newspapers, and plastic. And we just ordered a kiln to do glass (melting) and a tumbler for glass and rocks. We have been making jewelry, beads, purses, coasters, place mats, baskets, vases, bowls and come up with new ideas everyday. (like the Plarn!)

We applied for a grant through the USAID poverty alleviation initiative and are hoping some bling comes our way through that. We'd love to expand to our own location (right now we use space in a community center), hire a local lady to manage the program, expand our working hours (right now we are only 3 mornings a week) and continue developing our distribution channels, website, and product catalog.

We have about 15 ladies that come very consistently and we have 10 on the waiting list! Each lady in our program goes through an interview process and qualifies based on her income or any risk factors that she may be dealing with...divorced, multiple wives, handicapped, infertile, single, orphaned, widowed, etc.

They are each precious to work with and come everyday with a big smile and hands ready to work. It has been so neat to see the community form.


If you are interested in hosting our products for sale OR if you are the crafty type and can teach us any new techniques - just let me know. We'd love to include you in this exciting group of ladies!