Do you have a question?
Please don’t hesitate to contact Funky Frog if you have a question. It would be a pleasure to answer if i can!!
How come the site looks so weird on an iphone?
Yes of all the devices the iPhone does not do justice to the website. Because the phone is so small and the site can’t become that small it pulls the site so you have to scroll forever. The best way to view the Funky Frog site is for sure on a computer. I use Firefox.
How do you search for specific Beads?
You can search for specific beads in two ways. Either through the list of Product Categories … Beads is the main heading and then you will find various kinds of beads for example: Coconut Beads. You can also search for Single Beads. This is a new search product category and must confess have still not manage to round up all the single Beads yet but i am working on it. If you find beads that are single and not in that Product Category you can contact me and i will be very grateful and will fix it right away!! Another new Search Product Category are the Sale Beads .. a good way to see all the beads on sale!! Or you can search in the Search Products box… You can search for a colour in this way. If you are looking for Red Beads search red. Or if you are looking for Square Beads search square.
Where do the beads come from??
African Beads come from all over Africa. From Mali, Kenya, Tanzania, Morroco, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo just to name a few. Whenever possible the country of origin will be in the description. Ghana is known for its Bead Markets where Traders from all over come to sell their wares.
What are the beads made of?
African Beads are made of recycled glass, recycled metal, ceramic, bone, glass, copal, resin, wood, shell, coconut shell, vinyl, clay, seeds, bauxite … even rocks! In other words African Beads can be made of practically anything! Depending on the African culture and times, beads have been used as a cultural rituals or even designated a status. Beads have even been used as a form of money to exchange with other products. Beads are made of natural elements found in the environment.
Are animals killed to make Bone Beads?
No animals are killed to make beads. The bone is a bi product of the food industry. In Africa everything finds another purpose.
Why are the colours, size and shape different between beads on a strand?
African Beads are handmade using the old methods which is why beads often vary in size, colour and shape in a strand. Some beads can be re ordered from the Bead Artisan but again the size, colour and shape of the beads can vary from the original order.
Why is my bead chipped/scratched/worn?
Some of the African Beads like the old Trade Beads are very old and have change hands and maybe continents many times so their age will show in various ways like chips, scratches etc.
Can beads be re ordered if the bead is out of stock on the site?
Some beads like the Recycled Glass Beads and Lost Wax Brass Beads can definitely be re ordered from the Bead Artisan or Trader. So if there is a bead out of stock that you would be interested in please contact us and we will do our best to fulfill your wish. Some unusual beads are harder to find and might be irreplacable.
Why is the beads i received seem to be not the same colour as on the site?
Some colours like for example white are very hard to photograph. We really try to present the best likeness possible. Sometimes we will add a description of the colour to help you visualize the beads.
Why is postage so expensive??
Yes postage is expensive!! It is what it is … This is why Funky Frog has a set postage rate. If by chance the postage needed is less than what you paid we will send you a reimbursement. However this is extremely rare. It is more often the case that Funky Frog needs to top off the postage which we do happily up to a point. Please note: For International orders/ If postage is more than $35 we will contact you to see if you are still interested if the postage is higher. Also if an order ie a Basket, is more than the designated cost we will contact you to see if you are still interested if the price is higher. For Canadian orders over $150 postage is free. This is a way to give you a percentage off for the larger order. We use recycled boxes and packaging as much as possible to reduce waste and cost.
Is Funky Frog Fairtrade?
Funky Frog deals directly with the Beads Artisans and Bead Traders on the ground in Ghana. We negotiate the price between us so in that sense the Beads Artisan and Trader gets what they consider a fair price. Funky Frog has been trading in Ghana for over 15 yrs so has developed friendships there. This business is a labour of love with no profit except that it pays for itself which is wonderful!
Who works at Funky Frog?
3 of us work at Funky Frog. Well, actually I am the only one who works… the other two, Billy and Charly are emotional support which is very necessary. Billy and Charly, very charming brothers are cats who love to loll around on the work table in or on the beads.
Who made your fabulous Website?
Travis of Flightdeck Media is the genius behind the scenes. If you need a site you will not find a more patient and careful Web Developer than Travis. He followed through and created exactly what i was looking for. Funkyfrog.ca is so grateful to him and his amazing team.