Enthusiasts of Ozian lore are already familiar with L. Frank Baum's Tin Owl from The Tin Woodman of Oz, and the Foolish Owl from The Patchwork Girl of Oz.
Bradford Exchange offered a darling set of owl figurines based on the 1939 film characters.
And who could forget the spooky owls from the Haunted Forest??
We've had absurd, brainless, cute and frightening owls but the newest owl to fly into Oz is more of the sparkly variety.
Bella Weems set her sights on a white jeep for her 16th birthday. About the same age as Dorothy when she embarked on her grand adventure, little did Bella know what incredible journey her heart's desire would spark.
The plucky entrepreneur is very much like our beloved Dorothy Gale. An ordinary girl with big dreams venturing into unknown territory and making magic from whatever she finds.
At age 14, Bella was eagerly anticipating her first big step toward adulthood and queried her parents as to the possibility of a vehicle for her 16th birthday. Her parents respectfully declined. Bella would have to earn her own funding. Again, much like Dorothy, Bella learned a great deal for and about herself.
Undaunted, she started out baby sitting, but the slow accrument of funds proved frustrating. She felt she wouldn't have the money in time for her birthday so she lamented to her parents with her earnings of $350. They suggested an alternative life altering strategy: start your own business. The tornado had suddenly struck and Bella had no inkling how high up over the rainbow she'd really go.
Since childhood, Bella demonstrated a fondness for sales and crafting jewelry to a jewelry company seemed a good venture. But what would make her jewelry special? What if a locket could tell the story of the wearer? Everyone has their own unique narrative. What if a locket could hold charms representing dreams, interests, loves? Bella set bout scouring shops and boutiques for components to place into what she would call Living Lockets.
Bella's parents matched her original capital, but she would need an identifying label. Bella thought the art of origami was elegant and beautiful while the owl was full of wisdom. Origami Owl was officially hatched.
Bella started out with home parties which were so popular she evolved to a mall kiosk. That's when Origami Owl really took flight. The customers' purchases from the kiosk were oftentimes sent as gifts out of state and soon they were fielding so many jewelry orders from around the country, they decided to establish their own headquarters and develop into an e-commerce business. Origami Owl jewelry is available through www.origamiowl.com or through one of their 25,000 independent sales representatives called Designers.
Nine years later, Origami Owl shows no signs of slowing down. They release several collections a year, some of which include licensed partnerships. Some examples are shown below including the amazing Harry Potter Collection which was approved by J.K. Rowling herself!!
The dreams you dare to dream are rarely achieved alone and the road, yellow brick or otherwise, may not always be smooth. And surely Bella had to melt a Wicked Witch or two along the way. Bella had help from family and friends with brains, heart, and courage enough to believe in her and her vision. In turn, Bella started the Owlette program to empower children ages 11 to 17. Owlettes work with adults to learn entrepreneurial skills and to enrich their communities.
Origami Owl's newest collaboration is once again with Warner Brothers to celebrate the 80th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. Origami Owl is such a perfect fit for Oz as they both embody much of the same ideals. Bella is naturally infused with the kindness and altruism Dorothy Gale exemplifies. Origami Owl has donated millions in the past five years to almost 100 charities and Designers are strongly encouraged to volunteer both at Origami Owl charitable events and in their own communities.
And so in supporting Origami Owl's dreams, we too are helping to support the dreams of others and isn't that what The Wizard of Oz is all about?
Origami Owl debuts their Wizard of Oz Collection May 14th at 5 PM Central
Stay tuned!!
