Melange Collection turtle ornament

heirloom-quality holiday décor. This fun turtle ornament is made in Guatemala of durable glass beads. Ornaments are made by a women's cooperative in a small village on the shores of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. The women work in small groups to produce these designs. The glass beads are placed in a multicolored pile upon a flat surface in front of each woman, and are picked up on needles held between each one's thumb and index finger in a process so quick and precise that it seems like sleight of hand. As beads accrue, the sculpture emerges. Beaders must learn to weave or sculpt each new design separately, and to achieve the uniformity necessary, they must memorize hundreds of steps for each figure.