Welcome my friend, to the first post in the Handmade Around the World! I’m really excited to start this topic and delve into it. Discovering new places around the world where people make and create handmades is a wonderful and exciting way to explore the world, the traditional crafts worldwide and support small businesses worldwide.

Our first interview is with Senja Imports who creates stunning beaded baskets of many different sizes and shapes. These baskets are actually created by artisans in Bali and are made from bamboo traditional offering baskets with beads of all colors and designs added to them. Even more awesome, is that Senja Imports supports local women in Bali who create these baskets to help financially with their household and also allowing them to have a little independence for them and their children! What a wonderful way to support Bali families as well as have a stunning piece of traditional Bali art in your house. Read on for the interview with Senja Imports.

Beaded Baskets from Bali with Senja Imports

By Michele of VAMICreations and Senja Imports

What gave you the idea/inspiration to start Senja Imports?

I was based in Bali for a few years and fell in love with the local culture and style. Starting Senja was initially an excuse for me to ship some of these beautiful baskets home to the US for my friends and family. My Aunt actually visited me while I was staying in Bali and suggested I start a business like this but I was completely against it.. until I returned home and really wished I had brought back some of these beautiful pieces for myself and others.

When I moved home from Indonesia, I connected with some local artisans so I could order custom baskets. The really cool part that made me more passionate about growing the business was when I learned that the group of artisans were actually neighborhoods of women who were creating these baskets as a way to support their families and create a little financial independence for themselves and their children. By doing this, they were able to work from home while also being there to care for their children. The person who organized all of this is Ibu Luh, a Balinese woman who works directly with the artisans and provides them with the supplies and a consistent stream of orders and work to fulfill.

I found a beautiful (and useful) item that I loved and wanted to share with others and a beautiful group of people that I also love and want to share with the world. Senja just kind of took off from there!

How did you get started in creating beaded baskets?

I don’t create the beaded baskets myself but when I was little, I LOVED to play with beads and make all kinds of jewelry and decorations with them. There is still a deep appreciation in me for the meticulous work that it takes to create a beautiful, lasting and cherished item from beadwork.

The baskets are inspired by the simple bamboo offering baskets that the Balinese use for ceremonies and everyday offerings. They have a beautiful meaning to them because, in Bali, it is part of their daily tradition to make small offerings that symbolize their gratitude and give back from their blessings. Gratitude is a life-changing thing that can transform our whole day or even our life if we consistently reflect on what we are blessed with and grateful for.

Ibu Luh took these simple (but special) bamboo baskets and added intricate beading and patterns to them that made them into a piece of art. The beading adds weight, luxury, texture and a customize-able component to the piece and makes it possible to become a treasured piece of décor in many different rooms and homes around the world.

How do you choose the beads and baskets you work with?

I don’t know the exact process used when choosing what to work with but I do know that the bamboo baskets are made from local bamboo that is beautiful but tough and resistant to heat and humidity. They also use beads that are durable and able to keep their color and not break easily if the basket is put to use frequently. The goal was for these baskets to be beautiful pieces of art that are also functional and useful in daily life.

How do you choose the designs you create – ie is there something that you take inspiration from when you start a pattern?

Many of the designs are tested and created by Ibu Luh and her artisans. My mom also sketched up some custom design ideas and we had those created just last year. When choosing which patterns to order, I like to keep in mind the design styles that influence and inspire people recently and what would work in seamlessly with those. I also like to choose a few styles that are made to stand out and create a more bold statement for those who want something more eye-catching.

What is your favorite style of pattern (big bag, small bag, specific colors, etc.) to work with?

My personal favorites are probably the pin-weave designs and the double-cross designs because they are both simple and statement. The turquoise and sand stone colors are also really beautiful to me because the mixture of bead colors is just right so the basket mimics the natural coloring of these stones.

What would you tell a new beader for encouragement?

Push the limits of what you think beading should look like and what designs beads should make. When I first saw these baskets, I thought they were cushions and many customers come up to the baskets thinking they are made of fabric and are delighted when they touch the basket and feel the beading. I was familiar with a lot of the traditional things beads are used for – like bracelets and tribal inspired accessories but I hadn’t seen beads used so elegantly and subtly on a basket. The texture and weight of beading has almost a calming aspect to it and, in my opinion, is almost as cool or even more cool sometimes than how the beading looks. A pure white beaded basket may seem too simple or boring to some but to others it is a surprising pop of texture to add to a room or a gift.

What is something you are passionate about and why?

I have recently become passionate about who I’m supporting and why. Partially because of the shop small movement and a disenchantment with the quick, cheap options out there. But mainly because I learned the story behind the beautiful baskets I love and that they are a source of independence and pride for these women. I have also seen how tourist-dependent places like Bali have struggled due to the effects of a global pandemic and it has heightened my drive to find a way to make this work despite the logistics issues and keep the orders flowing to them. In business you have to find a balance between the practicality that allows you to make make a living and ethics that allow more people to live their lives more fully. I’m not sure who originally said this but I want to work to live and not live to work - and the same goes for those I aim to support and work with.

How has COVID changed or impacted your vision/strategy?

It has been a really frustrating time as a small business because we just started to really grow and gain momentum exactly when COVID hit. I was in Bali meeting with Ibu Luh, the artisans and other local friends to initiate a behind-the-scenes look at the people and meaning behind the baskets. I had just put in a new order with new, custom designs that we were really excited about. And then COVID changed the game completely as international flights were cut and our shipping screeched to a halt. The sad part is that our shipment from last year is still stuck in Bali but the good part is that the logistics issues inspired us to pursue a different way of shipping and allowed us the time to navigate other options that could end up being much more effective while creating even more jobs in Bali. The shop small movement has also been a positive side to all of this as more people have been seeking out small, Etsy style shops like mine.

I’m not sure I believe that EVERYTHING happens for a reason but I do believe that you can learn and grow from everything that happens to you. Challenging times like this have forced me to take a closer look at what matters, why I’m doing this and truly take the time to improve the business so that it can survive and keep supporting these amazing artisans.

What is something that has helped you get through during this global pandemic? Something encouraging or positive?

Gratitude and reading The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry. I realized that my thoughts truly do have a huge effect on my reality and that managing my mind and what thoughts I dwell on and allow in my head is so powerful. There’s something almost magical about intentionally turning my thoughts away from the self-pity and negativity and choosing to focus on what is good. Yes, things happen that are very much out of my control.. things that are sad, angering, frustrating and depressing.. but I can control which thoughts I allow to stay with me and have influence on me. There’s something about this method of thinking and living that restores a sense of purpose, power and joy and it is so refreshing and inspiring.  

If you had one (or several) things to share with a woman entrepreneur, what would it be? What would you encourage them about?

1 - Stop being so hard on yourself. Failure and mistakes are how we learn and grow!

2 - Don’t be afraid to ask for help. When I try to do everything myself, things get overwhelming and seem impossible really quick. By surrounding myself with other entrepreneurs and people who are good at things that I lack skills in, I’m able to grow and improve so much faster.

What is a lesson learned for being a woman entrepreneur that you wish someone had told you when you first started?

You need to embrace each stage that you go through rather than anxiously look into the future for that perfect time when you’re perfect at everything and all things are going smoothly. That time may not come and the process of going through the different stages of learning and growth CAN be fun and exciting if you let them.

Fun question – if you could meet one person in history or present, who would it be and why?

Audrey Hepburn because I think she was such an interesting and complex person.

What is your dream for Senja Imports to be (where do you see Senja Imports in 5+ years)?

My goal is for Senja to be mostly run from Bali, providing more jobs and a consistent stream of orders and income for the artisans there. I also really want to work more with events and bigger design projects. The baskets are so customize-able, I see them being perfect for people who have a very specific design or look their going for. A wedding planner recently ordered baskets to use for invitations to a destination wedding and they were a perfect fit!

Thank you for joining us for this interview about Senja Imports! And thank you, Senja Imports for the interview. It is wonderful to see how entrepreneurs help each other. This is the first of many interviews and posts about handmade businesses around the world and I am truly enjoying exploring handmades around the world with you! If you have a handmade company you’d recommend to be interviewed for this section, please comment below or send me an email and i look forward to hearing from you. Wishing you a healthy, safe, and wonderful week my friend!