Kazuri, a Kenyan women's collective, are well known for their ceramic handmade beads and pendants.  Some 200, mostly single women, are able to make a living to support their families. Lady Susan Wood, the founder of Kazuri died in 2006 but her legacy lives on. Born of missionary parents, she always considered herself an African at heart. Together with her surgeon husband, they also founded charities to aid the people they grew to love.

She started the business with two impoverished women in a small shed at the bottom of her garden in the Karen Blixen estate, famous from the award winning movie "Out of Africa". That grew to the "factory" it is today, a vital local industry which many families depend on.

The handmade and hand painted beads and pendants are indeed gorgeous.  Kazuri West a US supplier for these lovely ceramic pieces is going to give a lucky winner a collection (not necessarily what is shown here) of ceramic pendants.

Note Kazuri West ais also  offering 30% off select beads and pendants from March 27th at midnight PST until 8pm PST on April 3rd. 



There are some wonderful finds like these fun ceramic animal pendants if you explore the site as I did:


It is really up to you how to use Kazuri beads, buttons and pendants and make them shine in designs. One creative designer, British beader, Kerrie Slade  did a wonderful job with the ceramic animal buttons. She shared how her amazing beaded Kazuri animal brooches, "Kazuri Kritters" were featured in the August 2015 issue of Bead and Button magazine.


I have written a number of Kazuri inspired tutorials (see links below).  My favorite has to be the tutorial to create the Kazuri Wire Tree of Life pendant.  It was a blast working with Kazuri to test out their multi-hole pendant! You can use them the other way to hang dangles from but I like to have them upright to make the tree of life.  Kazuri West has them 3 different colors of this large disc.




Paulette Walther, the current owner of Kazuri West not only loves to support women's cooperatives but she is also into healthy living.  Check out her Facebook page : KWest for Wellness.  She shares many wonderful healthy recipes - I know because I have pinned some of them!

Giveaway
If you'd like to win this giveaway for a collection of Kazuri handmade ceramic pendants, please make a comment below. Make sure you leave contact info below if you do not have an online shop or blog.

Email subscribers need to scroll down the post they receive, click on Share Comment and enter your comment. Pick Name/URL. If you don't have a store or blog, leave the URL blank.

This giveaway is international. 

 Extra entries if you become or are a blog subscriber or follower etc. If you also do shout outs about this giveaway, those will count as additional entries too! Please say so in the comments. (The exception is Facebook - just like/comment on the giveaway status there!!)

It ends in a week's time at 6 pm EST Monday, April 3, 2017. I will pick the winner randomly and announce the results as soon as possible after. So be sure to leave a contact email if you don't have an online link or make sure you come back and check! Otherwise I will redraw in a week. Good luck!

Before You Go :
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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
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