For Bird Lovers

Our toucan beaded ornament / backpack charm is handmade by Maya women artisans using high quality Czech glass beads and professional beading thread. Czech glass beads, when viewed under a microscope, refract light in complicated ways, leading them to be quite vibrant. They are durable, colorfast, and smooth.

Stuffed with recycled plastic bags to help it keep its shape!

Super-popular with kids and adults alike! Perfect as key rings, backpack ornaments, and ornaments for the tree or around the house.

Not appropriate for children under three years of age.

Beading in Guatemala expanded greatly after a beading artist came from California several decades ago and started a beading group in Santiago Atitlán, training the women to make high quality beaded items. A number of the women who worked with her have started their own groups. Now there is so much beading done in Guatemala that there are bead importers and wholesalers in Guatemala City.

Czech glass beads and crystals

Recycled plastic bags

Durable professional beading thread

" long x " high, with beaded loop. 

Andres first learned hand embroidery, then taught himself how to do thread painting on a sewing machine. He uses photos of birds and butterflies that we have chosen from books or online as models for his embroidery. The fabric is hand-woven on backstrap looms, then placed in an embroidery hoop to stretch it during the embroidery process. He then “thread paints” the design using his sewing machine, moving the fabric in various ways to get the desired texture and effect. Quickly “painting” then changing the thread color and “painting” again, it is amazing how expertly he produces the embroidery. He then tailors the coin purse, adding zippers and linings. We have watched his work improve over the years, and nowadays he has reached the peak!

He usually is found wearing traditional men’s pants of Santiago Atitlan, mid-calf and embroidered with birds.

5.25” W and 4.25” H
Zipper closure
Extra zippered pocket on back 3.25” high and 5.25” wide
Cotton fabric handwoven on a backstrap loom.
Many colors of cotton thread and acrylic “brilliante” threads.

Lined.

Our Western Tanager bird beaded ornament ring/backpack charm is handmade by Maya women artisans using high quality Czech glass beads and professional beading thread. Czech glass beads, when viewed under a microscope, refract light in complicated ways, leading them to be quite vibrant. They are durable, colorfast, and smooth.

Stuffed with recycled plastic bags to help it keep its shape!

A perfect gift for bird-lovers! Perfect as a key ring, backpack ornaments, and ornament for the tree or around the house.

Not appropriate for children under three years of age.

Beading in Guatemala expanded greatly after a beading artist came from California several decades ago and started a beading group in Santiago Atitlán, training the women to make high quality beaded items. A number of the women who worked with her have started their own groups. Now there is so much beading done in Guatemala that there are bead importers and wholesalers in Guatemala City.

Czech glass beads and crystals

Recycled plastic bags

Durable professional beading thread

3 7/8" long x 1 1/2" high x 1" wide, with 1 3/4" beaded loop. 

Our beaded bird ornament/key ring/backpack charm is handmade by Maya women artisans using high quality Czech glass beads and professional beading thread. Czech glass beads, when viewed under a microscope, refract light in complicated ways, leading them to be quite vibrant. They are durable, colorfast, and smooth.

Stuffed with recycled plastic bags to help it keep its shape!

A perfect gift for bird-lovers! Perfect as a key ring, backpack ornament, or ornament for the tree or around the house.

Not appropriate for children under three years of age.

Beading in Guatemala expanded greatly after a beading artist came from California several decades ago and started a beading group in Santiago Atitlán, training the women to make high quality beaded items. A number of the women who worked with her have started their own groups. Now there is so much beading done in Guatemala that there are bead importers and wholesalers in Guatemala City.

Czech glass beads and crystals

Recycled plastic bags

Durable professional beading thread

3 7/8" long x 1 1/2" high x 1" wide, with 1 3/4" beaded loop. 

Andres first learned hand embroidery, then taught himself how to do thread painting on a sewing machine. He uses photos of birds and butterflies that we have chosen from books or online as models for his embroidery. The fabric is hand-woven on backstrap looms, then placed in an embroidery hoop to stretch it during the embroidery process. He then “thread paints” the design using his sewing machine, moving the fabric in various ways to get the desired texture and effect. Quickly “painting” then changing the thread color and “painting” again, it is amazing how expertly he produces the embroidery. He then tailors the coin purse, adding zippers and linings. We have watched his work improve over the years, and nowadays he has reached the peak!

He usually is found wearing traditional men’s pants of Santiago Atitlan, mid-calf and embroidered with birds.

5.25” W and 4.25” H
Zipper closure
Extra zippered pocket on back 3.25” high and 5.25” wide
Cotton fabric handwoven on a backstrap loom.
Many colors of cotton thread and acrylic “brilliante” threads.