Palm Leaf Pin/Broach

Based in Santa Fe, NM, Carol Storms has been creating and designing unique, original, and whimsical beaded jewelry for 25 years now.  When Carol began her beading work it was a one-woman operation and her beaded jewelry was selling in the price range of $75 - $150+.  In addition to the hours of detailed work involved, what made Carol's beaded works so special were the unique three-dimensional pieces she had created and the countless, amazing designs that had sprung forth from her own imagination. Then ten years ago a mutual friend introduced Carol to a woman from northern Thailand named Thispuda (Da).  At the time Da was looking for work for her fellow villagers that was unrelated to weather as the unpredictability of Mother Nature could damage a whole year's work in the surrounding rice fields in Da's home region.  Da taught herself how to bead and in turn Da taught her fellow villagers the work as well.  Carol then began making movies of her hands making each individually designed piece and started sending the movies and partially finished samples of each design (along with beads, thread, wax, and everything else the villagers would need) to Thailand.  And as the story goes, from this random and fortuitous connection BeadArt from the Heart was born. Today, the villagers work out of their homes making the bead work and are paid twice the minimum wage for each completed piece.  The pieces are then shipped back to the U.S. where Carol stiffens the work and adds the findings before making them available for purchase.  This bead work, handmade in Thailand, is both a tribute to the hard work of Da and her people and to the creative drive and dedication of Carol Storms. This is Whimsical Wearable Art that is Ethically Hand-Crafted.  May the work bring a smile to your heart and to those who see you wearing it as well.