Save 10% in March!

Happy (end of) Monday to you!

Tomorrow, a new month begins. March. The march toward spring. And hopefully this sale will put a spring in your step (very punny, huh?).

March 8th is International Women's Day (more on that later), so for the whole month of March all Zimbags with artwork featuring women are 10%. Get your Zimbag, support women artists, and celebrate International Women's Day! The bags included are the folding Zimshopper, the Zimshopper, the Zimtote, and the Zimblack tote. The art on your bag will look something like these:

Zimbags make ending poverty a beautiful thing.

-The Happy Bag Elves

The Lives Behind the Numbers

The average teacher, government worker, or civil servant in Zimbabwe makes about $200 a month. Recently the state statistics agency in Zimbabwe put the poverty line for a family of five in Zimbabwe at $467.

Just to eat the bare minimum amount of calories to stay healthy, a family must spend $150. Teachers, government workers, and civil servants can’t afford to house, clothe, and feed their families, let alone pay for schooling or healthcare.

And when you look at the country as a whole, they are the lucky ones. Most Zimbabweans are unemployed and living on less than $1 a day.

Of course, these numbers are heartbreaking and shocking, but behind the numbers are the actual people living their lives and working hard.

There are 5 women artists we know in Zimbabwe that are working hard to provide for their families. They create art using the sadza technique. They cook cornmeal (sadza), create traditional Zimbabwean designs and art with the sadza on cotton fabric, wait for the sadza to dry in the sun, paint over the design, seal the paint with heat, and then remove the sadza from the fabric.

This process is time and skill intensive. The artwork produced is vibrant and beautiful, like the Zimbabwean spirit. We purchase this artwork at fair prices and sell it in our webstore where you can make the beautiful artwork your own while empowering women in Zimbabwe.

Like the woman in this beautiful sadza painting, the women artists we work with gracefully balance their burdens and carry their families as they walk toward their future.

Thanks for supporting Zimbags and helping these women lighten their heavy burdens.

Always,

The Happy Bag Elves

Art & Hope: The Perfect Christmas Presents.

Good morning! It is a rainy day here, but Christmas is on its way so we are excited. And we are especially excited to share some incredible paintings by the women artists with you. The wall hangings are all available in the webstore now. Each one is hand-painted and features traditional Zimbabwean art in vibrant colors. They are perfect for framing and would work well as groupings.

Here are a few that we think would look lovely together.....

Grab your coffee and peruse the rest of them! The colors and scenes are warming on a chilly day like today. And the proceeds from every purchase go straight back to the women artists. Buy art, spread hope and love -- we think it's a great combo.

Merrily,
The Happy Bag Elves

Shipment!

We love getting mail. And not just any old mail - boxes from Zimbabwe to be exact. And more specifically, boxes from the very beautiful and talented women artists we work with in Zimbabwe. The box is always such a wonderful sight! Well....


Okay, so the box didn't exactly get here in tip-top shape. It had been wrapped in plastic and taped shut so that it required a small army of scissors and knives to unveil what was beneath the plastic wrap......

a box that had been tampered with, to put it lightly. But all of the contents made it.

Inside this box was a bounty of beautiful artwork and bags. We cannot wait to share the excitement with you as we add the new wall hangings and bags to the shop. Keep checking back for updates!

Have we mentioned the exuberant dances that go along with seeing this in the mailman's hand?....


Join us in squealing with delight! Eeeeeeeeee!!!!

The VERY Happy Bag Elves

What's Up: Zimbabwe

Photo via Reuters

Thanks to The Economist, Zimbabwe has been making it into the news recently.

These two articles have proposed some ways to deal with the political situation and explain the current climate of the once thriving country:

Call Robert Mugabe's Bluff

Can Robert Mugabe Ever Be Persuaded to Give Up?


I truly believe that there is a solution to the problems facing Zimbabwe at the moment. And I think that it starts with the people. Of course, the government and police and economy need to be fixed. But while they are running in circles and dodging responsibility, we can help the people of Zimbabwe by supporting organizations doing work on the ground in Zimbabwe, buy products from artisans and craftsman in Zimbabwe, support students in Zimbabwe so that the next generation is educated and ready to lead their nation, and come up with new, creative, and sustainable solutions to the extreme poverty facing most Zimbabweans.

We can be a real part of the solution. Here are some great organizations that are doing work in Zimbabwe and how you can get involved:

Tariro
Sponsor a girl student, make a donation towards school book and medical care, or simply sign up for their newsletter to stay informed and spread the word.

Zimbabwe Artists Project (ZAP)
Purchase artwork by artists in Weya, Zimbabwe, volunteer, have a house party, or spread the word about their work.

EcoAfrica
Check out their cool handmade paper and products!

Ten Thousand Villages
This great fair trade store offers products from all over the world. Check out these beautiful dolls made in Zimbabwe.


There are solutions! Sometimes it is as simple as making more intentional purchases when shopping.

Have a great day,
The Happy Bag Elves

Fresh Start: Art for Your Monday....

Hi there! The last few weeks have been very busy for us Happy Bag Elves here at Zimbags, but we couldn't wait to share this with you...

Zimbags art is now available for purchase!

Do you have enough reusable bags right now? Are you looking for some artwork for empty walls in your house? Do you need some beautiful colors and patterns for a quilt you are working on? Do you just want to own some hand painted Zimbabwean art? Well, now you can.

The same artwork that is featured on our Zimbags is now available on its own. Visit the Zimbags webstore to purchase yours today. Choose from Safari Animals, Cultural Scenes, or Traditional Designs (click here to see some of the artwork). The colors are vivid and bright and the paintings are all done in the Sadza technique.

Each piece is completely hand painted and original. No two are the same. And the proceeds from each 7" x 7" piece of artwork goes directly back to women artists in Zimbabwe who are overcoming extreme poverty. Your purchase helps provide sustainable jobs and income for women living and raising families on less than $1 a day.

What a great combo ... art and helping women.


Here are some of my favorite pieces:




Do you have a favorite? Share it with us!

When you order your Zimart, feel free to shoot us an email at contact@zimbags.org if you have a specific color or design you are itching to own. We will do our best to make it happen. As Happy Bag Elves, we love to grant wishes.

Have a happy Monday,

The Happy Bag Elves