Handmade Christmas ornaments

Here are some photos of some of the workers making Christmas ornaments.

Most of the work is done at home or in small workshops. The photos are of some workers who work in our "gazebo" when the weather is good, or in the kitchen when it is bad (we have an outdoor kitchen and eating area which is the gathering place for the help and for us when it is hot...for formal guests we have a dining room and indoor kitchen with microwave)...

We have orders for a couple thousand of these, to be delivered into Manila next week...we will have to pick them up in various barangays and towns and transport them with our two ton truck...and then take the leaders/educators to the next training session for what ever will be ordered next....Christmas ornaments go on sale in September in finer US stores, so they have to be finished now...

The workers get only a small amount for each one done, but if they are fast and accurate, they can get a fairly good salary by Filippino standards.

Don't ask me if we make any profit.

With my stepson building and building, all I see is constant bills being paid out of my husband's hard earned retirement savings...maybe in a year, we can use his castle for a school...maybe not...but in the meanwhile, it's like a white elephant: Fancy but useless...