This past week I received a wonderful gift in the mail. I was fortunate enough to be the winner of Natures Whispers' One World One Heart giveaway. In addition to the obvious beauty of these soft, wonderful beads handmade by artist Jasmine Hazlehurst, knowing their origin is also very special.
Jasmine explained, "I used a blend (oatmeal) of Blue Faced Leicester wool, White Merino wool, natural white tussah silk and a little Vicuna wool. Vicuna is an animal that is from the same family as Llama and Alpaca and looks like a dainty deer with a long neck. They live in the mountain regions of Peru and are not farmed as they are very good at escaping. Once a year, the villagers of the region form a line with colored ropes and steer the Vicuna into a Coral where they then shear the Vicuna and check their health before releasing them again. Vicuna fibers are thought to be the softest natural fiber on earth and has been called the fiber of the gods. It is said that the ancient Inca's wore garments made with Vicuna."
I feel very blessed to be the recipient of such a special gift. I have a full appreciation of the love and care that goes into creations such as these beads.....art from the heart!!
Jasmine's talent is not limited to these gorgeous felted beads, and also includes scarves, wall art, cards and more.
THANK YOU Jasmine, I truly appreciate your generosity, and will cherish these for many years to come!