Blog posts of '2009' 'March'

Word of mouth advertising is probably the best advertising you can get. What type of person will tell other people about you and your business? A lot of different people might tell others about your business or products. Can you pick out who will probably tell the most people about you though? Y...

Spring is just starting. That can be a good or bad thing depending on your allergies. Some people take medications to reduce the symptoms of allergies; but you can also get 100% natural relief with essential oils. Lavender, lemongrass, or Eucalyptus essential oil all can help give relief to aller...

"Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old by deserting their ideals. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair." - Douglas MacArthur...

Just so that you know, Africa Imports normally charges less for shipping costs than we charge to our customers. Shipping costs seem to almost always go up though. Here's an email that I got from a customer the other day. As usual, we are very pleased with the products we purchase from you. It see...

Mudcloth is a traditional African fabric. It is so treasured in other parts of the world that it is also one of the major exports of Mali, West Africa. It is famous for its distinctive look and also for the rich symbolism behind each piece. Each piece of mudcloth tells a story; each symbol and eac...

Guro masks from the Ivory Coast are highly valued around the world. They capture the respected beauty of the Guro people. Guro masks have two distinguishing marks: the face of the human mask is usually longer while the forehead and bridge of the nose form an elegant S-shaped profile. Many times t...

Many of our customers work from home and have created successful businesses this way. Working from home has some obvious benefits; choosing your own hours (most of the time), being your own boss (although you probably end up with a hard boss this way), having more control. However, there are a lot o...

The Kalimba thumb piano is a signature African instrument. The one shown here is made in Kenya; but thumb pianos are also made in many other African countries as well. It is made from a hollowed-out wooden box with metal keys attached that each have a different note. When you pluck the notes it cr...

Want to improve the mood without the cost? Feeling a little stressed out? With all the pressures of work, finances, and more, maybe you're looking for an inexpensive and easy way to unwind. One way to relieve stress is with a calming bath. Light a couple tealight candles in the bathroom and pour s...

There is a home for street boys in Dakar, Senegal that Africa Imports helps support from our profits. It may not seem like a real big deal or anything, but getting this basketball court built for the boys took a lot more work that you probably think. It was all planned for almost a year ago, a...