Day 5: Shopping for Alebrijes

Saturday, August 8: The Chiripa 2009 Summer Buying Trip to Mexico

Arrazola, Oaxaca, Mexico is today's destination. The shoppers are in search of mid-price alebrijes, the colorful painted figures that are carved of wood.

The lizards at Chiripa come from the Arrazola workshop of Oscar Carillo and his wife Josefina. Oscar is the carver and Josefina the painter.







The lizards have become a trademark for our shop and adorn the walls and shelving ends. I've heard from Beth that the expedition was a success. I'll have to wait for the shipment to see the beautiful creatures.

Saturday night's activity is packing. This will be a marathon event. Every item that has been purchased to date will get two labels: "Made in Mexico" and "wood (or whatever it is)." Each piece will be carefully wrapped and packed in a box. (At some point boxes and bubblewrap and packing tape will have been procured.) Then each box will get a packing list detailing the contents, the source, and the material along with an address label for Madison, Wisconsin. These boxes will be picked up by Bulmaro who will see that they get sent to our shipper in Guadalajra along with the rugs we purchased from him.

Now that's a Saturday night!