My next challenge will be to continue to grow my Color By Amber business and learn from the rich opportunities that come from connecting with an strong network of talented and passionate people. CBA enables me to teach with a whole new group of people and continues to encourage me to do more personal development than I ever have before. It's provided me with amazing opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and learn, which is what I truly love.
Lifelong learning.
Empowering others and doing good at the same time.
It's the bringing the story full circle. It's like I learned on my Color By Amber - Chiapas trip....
In the begninning I could tell you the CBA stories. I love that it's eco-friendly and made from 40% recycled eco-resin in a zero-landfill carbon neutral process. It made the Science Teacher in me happy that we are part of Tera-Pass a program that invests in balancing out our carbon impact by giving back to the earth in environmentally healthy ways including renewable energy.
I could tell you my favourite Color By Amber stories because I loved how it made a difference to so many women artisans, their families and their communities around the world. But nothing compares to travelling to Aldama and Zinacantan, Chiapas, Mexico with 21 other stylists and seeing first hand where the interlayers come from. To gain an appreciation for the tacit knowledge that exists within the weaving process that's been the same for hundreds if not thousands of years is awe inspiring.
There's nothing like trying to learn how to back loom weave, outside surrounded by the majestic tree covered mountains while the local chicken family wanders at your feet all while a talented artisan tries diligently to share in Spanish, the steps you need to follow to weave the fabric. Although the words may have been lost in translation, thank goodness for our helpful guides and our ever patient artisans, it really goes back to learning by doing. Situated cognition - learning the process in context surrounded by a team of stylists trying to learn the same thing. It was a humbling experience becoming the beginner again, but it reminded me of the excitment that happens when you figure it out!!! It's why we love learning and why it doesn't matter if you are in education or business, we always need teachers who can help us navigate the next page of our story because its the richness of those experience that become the best part of the story.
And so in the begninning I could tell the story of jewelry because I loved the story, but having had the opportunity to meet the artisans and share in their lives really brings the Color By Amber story full circle. I used to tell their stories, but now
its come full circle and now it's truly about our story.