Hey there, Tagua Squad!
Today’s story is all about my journey of tagua discovery - from first stumbling upon it at an organic cotton store in Outer Banks to creating my own collection with the talented artisans in my region of Ecuador!
For many years, my family and some friends spent a week on the beach in the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. While the guys bought beer and rented surf boards, my daughters and I made our way to Birthday Suits, where they have an incredible selection of overpriced bikinis and bathing suits for all sizes. We leave broke and ready for the beach. Sometime around day 2, I sneak out to shop in Timbuktu. I admit I take entirely too long finding the perfect OBX hoodie, and I must stop at Mustang Sallys to see this year’s fresh cottons. This store is filled to the brim with organic cottons and summery gauzy goodness. Each outfit displayed in the store is beautifully accessorized with some kind of bold, colorful artisan jewelry. I didn’t know anything about it except that I heart-eyed all of it. I didn’t buy it, and I’ll tell you why with a little backstory.
I have loved fashion and jewelry from a very young age. I was a presenter for a national jewelry company for many years. I later created my own collection of handmade gemstone bracelets and earrings. My closet was bursting with jewelry. The first rule in the jewelry biz is to wear the jewelry I sell. So I oooh’ed and aw’ed over that OBX jewelry without making it mine.
Now let’s jump ahead to 2021 when, somehow by luck or destiny, my husband and I bought a home on the ocean in Ecuador. I didn’t see that coming, yet here we are loving it and making it our second home, a story for another day.
I packed my gemstones and earring wires and was busy crafting them by the sea during my winters in Ecuador. Around the start of our second winter, our friend Bruce came by the house. He said, Amber I know you love jewelry. I wanted to show you these bracelets I picked up today. The heavens parted and little blue birds and hearts moved in a circle above his head. O.M.G. I love those! Tell me everything and where can I buy them.
Bruce told me this is called tagua and it’s from the rainforest here in Ecuador, and there are many artisans right her in our area who make lots of great jewelry, and I should go and visit them. And so I did.
The artisans workshop was filled with necklaces just like those I saw in OBX. I spent hours choosing matching pieces of tagua to take home to make earrings. Somewhere along the line, I realized it makes a lot more sense to leave the making to the artisans who are talented and experienced way beyond me. I met with the artisans to discuss my ideas, and TAGUA BELLA was born. I still make some earrings, and you can still find some gemstone options on my website, but almost all of my time is devoted to designing tagua jewelry, working closely with the artisans to get the designs from paper to products, and then bringing it back to sell in the USA. I like to mention a few pieces in my collection were designed by the artisans, who allow me to customize it for Tagua Bella.
I was in Ecuador for a year before I learned about Tagua. Not a lot is known by tourists, or even by many natives. And certainly, most of my friends and family in USA had never heard of it until I shared it. Tagua Bella helps to spread the tagua love and to keep this important tradition alive in Ecuador. I love the interconnectedness of Tagua Bella’s global community.
As I write this blog post from my fave (artisan-made) swing on my patio, I find myself filled with gratitude for the growth of Tagua Bella and the connections that have unfolded along the way. Working with tagua has opened my eyes to the beauty of Ecuador’s treasure and has deepened my appreciation for tagua’s rich cultural heritage.
So, dear readers, I invite you to join me in celebrating the enchanting world of tagua - a journey that began with my yearly encounter in Outer Banks and blossomed into a deep appreciation for the natural gift of my beloved Ecuador. Here's to the joy of uncovering hidden gems, both near and far. Ecuador’s treasure is yours.
Hasta la próxima, mantente llena de vida, llena de color. Until next time, stay full of life, full of color. And keep spreading the tagua love! xo, Amber