I Need YOU

We have started accepting items from local artists in the Cazale area to sell in the States. We want to sell these items to broaden the market for these local artists so they can make enough to provide for themselves and their families. We will also be teaching some classes in the future to people in Cazale that need to learn a skill to earn an income. Our hope is that by providing more jobs in the area, there will be fewer starving children.

SO....here is why I need YOU to help. I'm hoping that you all can give some opinions on what items you like the most and what you would buy or what you think would sell in the U.S.
I will put numbers by the items, and if you can just leave a short post in the comments section about what you like/dislike or maybe even what you think could be different about the item so you would want to purchase it...we would appreciate it SO much!

We will be selling the items online in the future and through home sales (think tupperware sale, but you are helping feed kids and families!) and the items will be priced inexpensively, but fairly for the artisans to earn a living off of. Please leave any other questions or comments you might have as well. We are excited about the possibilities for these artists and for the families and children that will benefit from them! Thank you! :)

(*a few pictures didn't show up and I had to repost them. This caused a bit of disarray in the numbering, so I numbered the rope and little bird nests as the ones that didn't show up. Sorry it got so confusing.)

5. Rope.
Yes. rope. Everyone needs rope, right? ;)

13. I am totally in love with these little bird nests. Does anyone else love West Elm? Makes me think of something rustic and chic they would hang in a bedroom in their catalog.
Anyways, these are used in Haiti to raise little birds in and bring chicks, etc. to market. We think they would make the perfect little outdoor bird nests to hang in trees.

1. wooden bell with the Haitian Proverb "No one listens to the cry of the poor or the sound of a wooden bell" carved into it.

2. Common Haitian toy car made from a bottle and tin cans. I'm not sure this would be a popular seller, but I think possibly some people who visit Haiti regularly would enjoy owning one of these?

3. Again, not a huge seller...but kinda cute, aye? A homemade "guitar."

4. Painted Oil Cans. These are common light sources in Haiti.

6. Small baskets woven from plastic strips from containers that come in at the ports in Port Au Prince.

7. Bags made from the plastic strips.

8. Tall/round bag made from woven plants. I'm not sure if this size/shape would be popular in the states. What do you think?

9. Larger round woven bag.

10. Round woven bags.

11. Hand woven sun hat.

12. 3 hand woven sun hats.

14. Funky Pink Hat.
Not sure this one would sell.
Not terribly practical, but maybe fun for kids?

15. Haiti Hat

16. Hand woven door mat.

17. Swirly blue woven sun hat.

18. Me~ modeling the crazy pink hat. :0)

19. Large woven basket.
These are used for carrying items to market, etc. on a daily basis. We think if they were "finished" a bit more on the top they would be perfect for children's toys, books, etc.

20. Large woven basket.

21. Different style large woven basket.

22. Woven hand bag.
These bags are used for day to day in Haiti also, and we are looking into some options for dying the grasses that are used to make some smaller/colorful bags.

23. Woven Messenger bag.

24. 3 woven bags.

25. Large woven baskets.

Thank you SO much for your ideas and opinions. Artists For Hope, Real Hope For Haiti, and the people of Cazale and the surrounding areas appreciate them more than you could even know!