Today we had a morning jewelry class with the Club de Artesanas with two new students who did a fantastic job keeping up with the old guard. The class was accompanied by lots of littles ones, who played along the side of the house while the mothers made jewelry. Adviana, who is 20, had her baby in her lap for the majority of the class and I was impressed with her dexterity and skill in holding and nursing a baby, while working with jewelry pliers.
Adviana works with her baby in tow
Dona Sebastiana concentrates while her daughter plays
Mothers like Adviana seem exhausted. There is so much to DO and it seems the doing never stops. Sometimes I think the Club is as much about learning skills as it about breaking up the doing and having a chance to be outside of the demands of the household. A chance to just sit. It is no wonder jewelry is so popular. Even for those of us with fewer responsibilities, it is an relaxing, meditative activity. With so much constantly tugging on the women’s skirt tails (or polleras as they are called here), making jewelry must feel like a trip to a zen garden.
Finding time to enjoy laughter and stillness
The broad of little ones meant the morning was brimming with interruptions, fighting, crying, laughing, and overall chaos. In the midst of all this, the mothers just kept trucking on, tending to the tears, the fights, the hugs, while concentrating on their pieces without missing a beat. Oh and somehow they found the energy to laugh and to joke. It is inspiring, how in the wake constant movement there is time for stillness and laugher.
Even babies love jewelry making!
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We are still raising money for our Plier Fundraiser! As of today, we have raised enough for 18 sets of pliers. Our goal is 25 and we are only 7 sets short! $15 buys one high quality set of 4 pliers, which will greatly enable the women to create sales-quality jewelry pieces. Currently, 80% of our plier sets in Peru and Bolivia are broken or dysfunctional. Support our fundraiser by donating online!
Lexine
Super execitd to see more of this kind of stuff online.