These adorable little chickadee whistle ornaments are handcrafted from clay by William in Nicaragua. William lives in Masaya, Nicaragua. He began working with clay at age 15 and has continued his craft for 24 years. William's beautiful painted loon whistles (silvatos) help support his family. 

Working alongside him at their home are his wife Karla and daughter Bethsayda, who paints most of the whistles by hand with a delicate and artistic touch. Bethsayda is in her last year of high school and plans on a career in computing. With very simple tools like a pencil or a pen, William does the crafting of the bird forms, while his wife helps in a variety of capacities.

This home-based business has prospered over the years and allowed William to hire assistants when he is busy, thus providing jobs for friends! This job has allowed Willam's family to have sufficient food and to provide for their children’s college education.

Please note: Each ornament is handmade and individually hand-painted with lead-free paint.