2023 Guatemalan Summer Workcation
My adventure to Guatemala began on Monday, July 10, 2023.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by my teary-eyed mother, whom I had not seen since April. She embraced me with a long, warm hug as she held a large purple balloon that read "Bienvenidos, Cristy!"
A few days later, my parents' closest friends and family gathered for a 40th wedding anniversary party. I surprised them a toast and we danced the night away. I even sang a little karaoke.
Lake Atitlan
Today, I find myself in the small village of Santa Catarina Palopo by one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Lake Atitlan.
I came here to reconnect with the makers of my Hacky Jack VooDoo Doll and the Mini VooDoo Dolls. As we approach Halloween this fall, I am having another batch made to ensure we have stock available for your spooky gifts.
My trip to Guatemala is allowing me the time I've needed to be creative and work on designing new collections to come - men’s jewelry, more gemstone earrings and rings 
I really want to take advantage of my time here and use my platform to help support the local pueblos.
Guatemalan Artisanal Craftsmanship
I had a really sad conversation with Nidia, the lady who makes my Mini VooDoo Dolls (she’s holding the pillow case in the photos attached). She was telling me that COVID had a devastating impact on the traditional artisanal goods community.
She said there are only 3 families left in the area who know how to do the crochet work, the same technique used for my Hacky Jack VooDoo Doll (currently out of stock). The younger generation is choosing not to learn their craft to pursue better opportunities in education (also a great thing) to better support their families because they saw first hand the struggle the older generations have experienced.
Nevertheless, said she believes within 15 years a lot of the artisanal products Guatemala is known for will be lost forever.
I’m hoping the younger generation, like me, sees their irreplaceable value and helps to find a way to keep their art alive.
Please help spread the word about this. I would like to use whatever influence and inspiration I have to encourage tourism to Guatemala - if you want to plan a trip, I’ll get you in touch with my mom who has AirBnb properties and many friends who either also have their own Airbnb’s or are in the hospitality industry. They know hotel owners and managers across the country. They can also help you plan your trip and give you contacts of reputable taxi or tuktuk drivers we use.
In an effort to do my part, I’ve put together some curated packages at different price points, from as little as $20 up to $150 to help support these communities that desperately need business. They’re not asking for anything for free. They genuinely simply want their craft to be seen, loved and appreciated.
For more photos of possible goods, please check back here later and follow along on the official Facebook VIP group.
*Note for Krewe Members: This item is ineligible from Krewe offers.
$20 Mayan Patron Package
- Assortment of artisan sweets & treats
$45 Mayan Princess Package
- Assortment of artisan sweets & treats
- Traditional worry doll
- Small makeup bag
$100 Mayan Goddess Package
- Assortment of artisan sweets & treats
- Traditional worry doll
- Small makeup bag
- Surprise gift
- Large backpack or purse
$150+ Mayan Goddess + Bonus Package
Additional curated gifts hand selected by Cristy for you. Depending on your budget, you may receive jewelry, organic coca bars, soaps, pillow cases, beaded hair accessories, a luxury handbag, an incredible painting (rolled canvas), and much more! If you'd like to add more than $150, please contact us at 504-722-8758.
Deadline to order August 1st. Estimated ship date, August 29th.
Please do not use AfterPay to finance this order as we cannot fulfill within AfterPay's allowed timeframe. Thank you.
For full transparency, I will ensure that 75-80% of the sales go towards the direct investment of the products. The 20-25% difference will be allocated towards expenses to make all of this possible - travel, packaging labor, shipping fees & materials, duties, etc. That being said, please avoid using any promo codes on this offering to maximize the positive economical impact - thank you in advance for your cooperation.
