Black Glass Beaded Handle Handbag from Ghana, "Love Beads"

"I'm Ewurabena, a Fante name that literally means Lady Abena, and Abena is a name given to females born on Tuesday. My family originally hails from Wineba, a historic fishing town that once served as a port town for trade between Europe and Ghana during the colonial era. Three decades ago, my family settled in Dansoman.

"I am my mother's only child, but my father's tenth of the eleven children he has, so growing up with all my siblings under one roof was quite an experience. It wasn't always easy, but it was for the most part, a lot of fun! Plenty of kids to play with, and we were never bored. There were a lot of advantages to having a big family. We shared many happy moments together and a special bond of love but, as you can imagine, we had our battles and rivalries too. All in all, the good times always outweigh the bad. We didn't have a lot, but what we had was good enough.

"Having a large family prepared me for many things in life. It taught me how to share, be patient, compassionate and have a fierce protective nature. Due to the size of my family and my father's early retirement, I took on a lot of responsibilities very early in life. I had to help put myself through college and the university, so I sewed for my friends and others during school breaks.

"I've been interested in fashion from a very early age. As a child I made clothes and accessories for my dolls. My mother taught me how to sew and, by age sixteen, I was good at it. It helped me stay out of trouble as I was always busy sewing for my sisters and myself. It also came in handy when I had to put myself through school.

"I attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where I obtained a Bachelor of Art degree in 2002. After that, I trained at a fashion school to polish my sewing and design skills. With all the knowledge acquired at design school and university, I started designing and sewing clothes for men and women, using African wax print fabrics. I later introduced jewelry and accessories using swatches from the clothes I made. This brilliant idea came into being when I was cleaning up and closing my workshop one evening. I realized as I was sweeping that I was throwing out a lot of pieces of cloth, which I could be recycling or sewing, for example, like in patchwork quilts.

"I started experimenting and gradually developed a collection of bracelets and bangles. I have been designing and making accessories with a team of two, and I occasionally participate in local fairs and exhibitions. I have always loved the traditional African prints and colors — they inspire my designs.

"I am a single mother of twins – a boy and girl. I call them my 'heartbeats' because they are the reason I get out of bed to work each day, and are a true blessing from God. I am a fun-loving and outgoing person, so I like to hang out with my friends occasionally when am not playing the 'mommy' or the 'artisan' roles. I also like to travel when I have the time, to sightsee, enjoy nature and reflect on life.

"My aspirations for the future are to be known worldwide for my collections, and also to set up a design school to pass on the knowledge and experience acquired over the years. I hope you will love my jewelry and enjoy my designs as much as I love and enjoy making them."