African Inspired Handmade Souvenirs Make Amazing Gifts

Finding gifts to give to your family and friends can sometimes become a daunting task, especially if the gifts come from a continent that you do not know much about. But once you’ve identified a gift from any of the exotic countries of Africa, the recipient is going to be charmed by it and be most ecstatic to receive a truly African inspired handmade souvenir.

Your home, household utensils, clothing and jewellery can become characteristic of possessing a symbolic item from Africa, revealing an African tribe’s ideas of beauty, both as the reflection of tribal lifestyle and with the effective use of indigenous, readily available materials. Their expressions take various forms among the people. Many of the African homes are handmade as well like the articles which decorate their homes and adorn their bodies and each gift is beautifully and intricately made.

Any discarded metals or leathers are converted into beautiful handmade souvenirs

Africa is home to a variety of items handcrafted from scrap metal and includes such items as recycled bottle caps, candle holders, unique key rings, metal toys and many more. The African artists are able to create stunning items purely from otherwise discarded metal items contributing to the spirit of recycling and sustainability. Larger items include a variety of African wildlife and people,

Handmade sisal baskets have been around for quite some time. However, the designers always come with unique designs and styles. Most of these baskets have been put together by women from the kamba community in Kenya who are known for their patience and skilful art of crafting the baskets. The baskets are ideal for shopping and for use at home as decorative pieces or even as a towel holder in the bathroom.

Beaded jewellery for purses, wallets and belts

A common and very fashionable accessory is the Masai waist lace. These sophisticated, sexy, and deliberately different styles can be custom made to fit any waist size. They can be worn with revealing and sexy clothes as well as on the beach with your swim suit. Other items include anklets and bracelets, earrings and necklaces that often let one express them in an unusual but elegant and exotic manner. What also are very popular are the beaded purses and wallets made out of leather and adorned in beautiful stones, beads and even pieced of ivory.

Kitchenware

Mostly made from softwood like jacaranda and olive wood, there pieces of kitchenware and usually very well finished off to high standards with cow bone. They stand out from the normal silver cutlery in many homes, and are often great topics of conversation as they are truly African inspired handmade works of art.

African fabrics

There is a wide selection to choose from the beautiful and modest West African designs to the more vibrant South African and alluring East African designs. Amongst these fabrics you will find beautiful leather bag with pictures of animals and birds etched in the leather work and finished off in beads or stones. Soapstone carvings, plenty of leather items and even whips are on display. The whips are wonderful souvenirs for people who want to take some history back with them. These were used for the shepherds and cattle watchers who herded cattle on the farms and used their whips to crack in the air and bring the cattle into order.

African Inspired Handmade Souvenirs Make Amazing Gifts | Articles | Mjita Cushions and Pillows