Welcome:

Hi, and welcome to my site. Consider yourself truly welcomed with open arms… if this were you knocking on my door, as opposed to clicking on to my web page, I’d ask you to come in for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine (which would undoubtedly be a much better idea!) and a natter….
So, do please make yourself at home, have a peek round, have fun clicking those buttons and I trust that there will be something there that you like and won’t be able to resist.
I am also proud to say that I have finally also joined the 21st Century, much to everyone's great surprise {including my own!} and have joined Facebook. After days of trying to get the Facebook link button to work, I have finally sussed it after messing around with the html codes.....and will soon be awarding myself with an excellent mark if only for perseverance and my sheer stubborn determination . So now that I have mastered this little "F" {as in Facebook!} button, do please please click on it and become a 'fan'. I'd hate to think that all my hard work has been in vain!!

About My Unique Designs:

As with all Jabulani Designs – no matter what it is – each item is carefully thought out and sensitively assembled using a variety of glass and or acrylic beads together with a selection of attractive findings. I strive to make each piece as interesting and distinctive as I can. If an item doesn’t look quite right for whatever reason, I take it apart and start all over again – it has to be just so! Not only that, but I want my clients to be 100% happy with their purchases. If I wouldn’t want to wear it myself, I don’t make it! It’s as simple as that…
Each and every Jabulani Design will be totally individual and unique, therefore not one will ever be exactly the same. No doubt you will be able to find nice earrings and other costume jewellery at Per Una, Accesorize/Monsoon , and other such places. BUT….., as with all these high street stores, all the items for sale will always be the same, and will be distributed in very large quantities, therefore none of them will ever be unique. Neither are they made with such intricate detail, thought, patience and oodles of love….. What would you rather wear?

Now About Me:

I am Elsje, pronounced Elsha, and I was born in Pretoria, South Africa out of Dutch parents, but left there when I was three years old. Then, after having lived in the centre of Amsterdam for 8 years of my early childhood, I moved to England with my Mother. This is where I still live today…. deep in the heart of the glorious Somerset countryside. And yes…. I do still speak Dutch! Many people have asked me where the word “Jabulani” comes from, what it means and why I named my jewellery and website this. So here is the story……

Having got the “African Bug” (must have had something to do with the fact that I was born there, who knows?)
and always, for as long as I can remember, had a love for elephants, I went on holiday to Zimbabwe in 1997 and toured the country for almost 3 weeks. During the remaining time of my stay in the Southern part of the country, I stayed 5 or so days at a private game ranch called Sondelani, where I spent all my time, deep in the bush with 10 orphaned elephants, 4 keepers and a ranger and did nothing other than walk with them, be with and observe them (the elephants I mean of course!) in their own environment. Each day I got to ride a few of them, bareback I might add! No comfy saddles for this girl!! I have to say, that this was a truly amazing and humbling experience and an extremely happy memory that will stay with me forever. After a relatively short while of being with those large, but oh so gentle giants, and by constantly talking to them, they got to know me more and more each day and would actually come over when called. (ok, so a few pony nuts and a bag of oranges also made sure that they did!). There was a darling baby called Mouse , a naughty little elephant. We would often walk along, trunk in hand, closely followed by Anna - her bigger sister. The eldest of the elephants was a 10 year old bull called Jabulani, whose mother had been killed for her ivory by poachers. This was sadly also the case for most of the other orphans, and it really was a wonder that they all adapted so well to their human “family” the way they did. The names of the other orphans were: Jumbo, Border, Sophie, Mickey, Gubisa, Madwatenemi {rocky place} and Thlathimi {bush}. When I asked the boys what “Jabulani” meant, they told me that in their Shona language it meant “Happiness”. It is the same in Zulu and Ndebele. His name planted itself firmly with a huge flower in my heart and has stuck with me ever since my days in Zimbabwe. Since the troubles there and the continued slaughter of wild animals, I often wondered whatever became of 'my babies'. Thank goodness I had the unique opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream of being with these wonderful creatures for 5 whole days, in their own environment and on their terms. I am blessed, truly blessed!

Please click on to My Elephant Story link (up a bit and on the left} for news and updates on "my babies" who in 1997 were at Sondelani, together with other updated elephant/Sondelani and Zimbabwe wildlife news.......which sadly doesn't make for happy reading!