Yes, those clocks are one of a kind! That’s the beauty of handcrafted treasures that are magicked from mere trash…

Barak Barnoy’s stylish and eco-friendly wall clocks made of recycled aluminum come from Israel by way of the same fine folks whose African township-crafted recycled plastic bag roosters (you may remember) stole our hearts a few months back…

Wow! Imports buys only from the most ethical third world companies… because everyone deserves to be treated fairly, earn a livable wage and work reasonable hours, while working in a safe and pleasant environment.

Ron Askotzky, the artistic type who co-founded this family business with his brother Steve and wife Lisa, tells me they’re restocking even as we speak — and will be up to full inventory in the next two weeks, with lots more new fair-trade African beaded-wire animals and Christmas goodies.

Ron’s offering a 10% discount to Domestik Goddess readers throughout the Wow! Imports online store — and that’s in addition to free US shipping on purchases over $50.

Use coupon code DG10 to get 10% off your order.

Third world countries are plagued by high unemployment, poor education and diseases such as AIDS, so the crafters who produce our products benefit enormously from your patronage. You could send charity to a third world country, but providing someone with a job is even greater. As opposed to receiving a handout, having a job provides an individual with an invaluable sense of personal pride.

What could be more appropriate for a piece of art work created from found objects or recycled materials, than the figure of an caretaking angel?

Some of these angels will help to feed a hungry family in a developing country.

Some will help to care for helpless animals.

Some will bring a smile, or inspire an afternoon of laughter and family crafts.

And all of these angels make good and beautiful use of materials that would otherwise be wasted.

 
 
With each lovely blue Recycled Glass Angel purchased, The Animal Rescue Site will fund 14 bowls of food for animals living in shelters. Each angel is unique, created by a recycled glass cooperative and fair-trade imported from Guatemala.

Arncraft projects from Creative Kids at Home give ideas and instructions to challenge you to create new items from recycled materials, like this CD angel, created from an unwanted compact disc.

Disabled artisans at theBombolulu Workshop near Mombasa, Kenya, are employed, housed, and educated for their work in making jewelry, like this cheerful angel pin, from recycled materials.

“Each year we dedicate a week in December to Christmas crafts and baking, says Cheri, the TNfarmgirl. “This is a time for the boys to express themselves in a variety of ways, create handcrafted presents for family and friends and learn new cooking skills.”

Through the year, the family will collects items with crafty recycling potential, then pull them out for a big family craft bash. One year, they made lightbulb angels like this little cutie. You can leave her without the self-standing feet and hook her halo onto the Christmas tree, if you prefer a hanging ornament.

Recycled metal and wood pieces, together with found objects, take a turn as the hippest of folk art in these mixed-media angels. On the left, Angel Red Lace is by Tricia Courtney of Lemon Oak Studio. On the right is Tattoo, one of Elzabeth Frank’s Tin Can Angels series in carved wood, recycled tin, acrylic, and wax.

In my travels, I’ve seen some remarkable garden-art angels made from rusty angle-iron pieces that you’d never think could look so lovely… and a mosiac stepping stone with an angel motif, made from broken bits of patterned china… and years ago, the nursery school did something with toilet paper rolls and the coloured comic pages from the newspaper…

What recycled angels have you seen and admired — or made yourself?
Tell us about it in the comments, and do feel free to leave a link if you want to share a picture!

Perfect for the artist wanting a touch of Africa in her work — these colorful paper beads are individually made by beaders in Kampala, Uganda. More than just ethno-hip in the extreme, however, these beads save women’s lives:

Through the production of handmade jewelry made of paper beads, Ugandan women generate income to lift their families out of poverty… North Americans partner with Ugandans by opening their hearts, homes, and communities to buy and sell the beads. All profits from BeadforLife are invested in community development projects that, along with income generation, help people escape extreme poverty.

Not the crafty type? Get your jewelry ready-made — necklaces, anklets, bracelets — or do good for less fortunate women by stocking up on notecards, calendars, or handmade jewelery bags (made from hand-printed fabric) with six individual pockets to safely hold your precious trinkets, great for travelling or for a special gift.