by Ariel Diamond

I couldn't wait to spend the summer at home after my freshman year at Michigan State.  As much as I loved my first year of college, I looked forward to spending time with friends and loved ones.  Unfortunately between my summer school class schedule, course assignments, and juggling two jobs I had yet to spend the day with my favorite seven year old, my cousin Alyssa.

Alyssa and I love imaginary travel and have especially enjoyed children's books that take us to lands far, far away.  Over the years we probably have read Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are dozens of times.  We have joined both Babar and Curious George as they roam Africa and particularly enjoy Madeline's escapades in Paris.  When I read about Tea Collection's Around the World Activity Contest I had one of those “aha” moments.   Now that Alyssa has turned 7, I thought she could appreciate and begin to understand the cultures of the world through crafts.

I meticulously began to plan our special day together!  I would like nothing more than to win a $500 Tea Shopping Spree for Alyssa's back to school wardrobe!  Together we have already picked out some adorable pieces for Alyssa and even found a cute easy to wear, run-around dress for me!

Tea Collection Marguerite Banded Dress | Tea Collection Umi Moraine | Tea Collection Laululintu Tee | Tea Collection La Rambla Dress

All I needed to do was

1. Take a photo of Alyssa completing a DIY activity based on one of Tea's Anniversary destinations (Brazil, Turkey, Japan, Korea, or West Africa).
2. Add a photo caption describing the destination inspired craft
3. Share our experience as part of Tea Collections Facebook entry page

Since PartyIdeaPros.com has been a huge supporter of Wrap2gether.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to global education and social justice, I had access to the most amazing art project ever.  Izzy had designed and fabricated original handmade African inspired dwenimmen jewelry to  foster cross-cultural relationships and benefit the Mancona International School in Odumase-Krobo, Ghana Eastern Region.   Lucky for me and for Alyssa, Izzy had enough supplies left over so we could actually complete an age appropriate project using hand made dwenimmen, a West African Adirinka symbol representing strength, humility, wisdom, and learning.

We decorated the leather with markers and puffy paint to give it that nice tribal feel. Once finished Alyssa couldn’t help but model and show off her new creation.

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