Guatil or Jagua... and my trip cancelled!

Ha! So you weren't expecting to hear from me today, huh? I cancelled my trip to San Jose. I slept very badly, dreaming about some damned blocked toilet, of all things... only to wake up and discover that I have serious stomach issues today! So, whilst it's kind of ironic to be cancelling a doctors' appointment on the basis of being sick (ironic, or just plain wierd!), it didn't seem like a good idea to be heading off on an 8 hour road journey under these circumstances (and I know you know what I mean!). So, not feeeling that great today. My belly hurts and I feel hot(ter) and nauseous. But, HEY! I'm happy and I get to stay at home. Which means I get to carry on blogging! :))) and stitching! :))) etc.!:)))

I promised I was going to tell you about Genipa americana (Rubiaceae), locally known as "Jagua" or "Guatil".

This is one of those truly miraculous plants, the fruits of which have been used by indigenous people here in Costa Rica (and elsewhere in tropical America) for hundreds of years. And more about that in a moment. I've been hoping to get my hands on some and try it out for myself for ages. So you can imagine how delighted I was when Reinaldo came back from the field on Thursday with several fruits from this plant (which you can see in my previous post).

Here's a photo of the flower of this species, which not too many people can claim to have seen! But you now can!















Fabulous flowers, aren't they? The image was taken by Reinaldo (c). Apart from being the region's botanical expert, he is also known (and published!) for his amazing plant (taxonomical) photography, which means that I have access to a library of 60,000+ plant images. And if that lot doesn't provide me with any creative inspiration, well... let's face it, nothing will!!!















Remember that book about Pre-columbian printing stamps that I showed you in an earlier post entotled The Seals of Time? Well, inside it discusses this plant, saying,

"... Today, some indigenous groups such as the Embera of Panama and Columbia, use a blacl colored pigment that is extracted from the fruit of a Guatil or Jagua (Genipa americana), with which they make body decorations".

Ah... tattoos, then! When you look at certain ceramics of the Pre-Columbian period, you can see that the figures are often decorated. I always thought that was just a way of decorating the ceramic itself. But, no! This actually is showing us how the people would have appeared, doning these non-permanant tattoos made from natural pigments. including from G. americana.

The following are images of Pre-columbian ceramics that I snapped recently, in the Pre-columbian Gold and Jade museums in San Jose (we're in Costa Rica, incase you didn't already know).















A face vase... with human teeth!



















Seated female figure and pots.



















Her nextdoor neighbor.



















A high-ranking female, with jaguar-type tattoos.



















A shy standing figure.















Nilo, studying an exhibit with his Grandma, my Mother-In-Law, the very lovely Mercedes Francisca.



















Who is definately the Cacique!... or, at least, of indigenous origin.















And here are some examples of the stamps that were used by the Pre-columbians, to decorate their bodies, as well as other surfaces.

WOW! This stuff just blows me away!!!

So... back to the dye pot...















I have started a small jar of guatil dye, with three small pieces of rolled and folded cotton. When I first put the seeds into the boiling water in the jar they and the water looked like this.















A few moments later, it looked like this.















After a while longer, it looked like this. Not what I call black. More of an indigo-purple. And OMG it really does stain skin! So, if I don't get good results from this, I'm giving up!















Half a fruit pressed onto calico.



















It reminded me of this... coming next!!!!

You... and that joyous bouncing feeling!

Reading about the brilliant things that you are doing, I am filled with joie de vie this morning! As a Basque country friend has written on her Facebook profile... L is G!

Well?... isn't it??? :}

Inspite of the fact that I have one of those visually crippling type headaches looming in the shadows somewhere, making me feel a little nauseous, and kind of sweaty (or is it that I'm menopausal... I wasn't feeling that great last night either, but that happens quite frequently to me). And inspite of the fact that my small workspace (a self-deligated corner of the dinning room) looks like this...















... I am feeling totally fueled! And it's definately got to do with the flow of creative energy pouring out from you. And I've noticed that links to my blog have started to appear in other people's sidebars recently, and so thank you for those kind thoughts *:)

Well now, I was over at Hannah's this morning ;} and she has a lovely post, involving her attempts at chinese papercut, the results of which are really bold and fabulous. Her talking about cutting paper snowflakes, reminded me of a What-about - I guess that's my version of a What-If, - which I sketched in my notebook a few weeks ago. And no, I'm afraid it isn't inspired by snow in anyway, since all we've had for weeks is sun, sun, and more sun! Oh yes, and the odd earthquake!



















This is my "What-about cutting cloth like cutting paper snowflakes?"

At the time, I don't always get what these scruffly little sketches are about. But then, you have to do them, 'coz you never know where they might take you later. I haven't tried this idea yet. I don't know how... or if it would even work.

Following on, from somewhere, I can't say from where exactly, came these new bag designs and lept onto the next blank page...



















And I'm realizing just how much my style has to with rustic simplicity. Give me a bit of scraggy old cloth and some hand stiching and I'm in my element! ;} Can't wait to apply that to printing on cloth too.

Back to my soft pale cloth... Last night, during the commercial breaks of Dr. House, (one of my few televisual indulgences!) I worked on this little frame, which consists of back-to-back rows of buttonhole stitch. Simple! Isn't that a pretty stitch... albeit crudely handled!
















And here's a close-up...















Earlier, yesterday afternoon, I was suddenly grabbed by the idea of roughly outlining the Wheatear stitching with a single thread of dark chocolate colored DCM silk.



















Don't know what came over me! I'm still not sure about that. What do you think??? In anycase, it has been removed. But who knows, could just as easily reappear!

Also last night... busy little bee arne't I?... I decided to rinse out an unbleached cotton cloth that I've been solar dying with red onion skins for the past week. As you may know, I love magenta. I've tried with red cabbage, but you know, that whole PH thing... when you add an acid or an alkaline to red cabbage, makes it very hard to control the results when dying coth. At least, I got the cloth to turn a gorgeous shade or purple, and then, stupidly, I rinsed it with soap powder and, hey presto!, the whole thing turned a wild sea-witch green! So I thought I'd try it with red onion skins instead.

At first, it looked to have been a great shiborial success. Then I rinsed it... using soap powder ... and... OMG! ... PUTRID!

As it appeared it rapidly began to leach its way down the length of the cloth! I was not expecting that! I ran for my camera.These are not good photos, as the light was poor, and my hands were so soapy that I could barely push the shutter button, never mind focus at the same time, but you'll get the picture. Just take a look at this...















EWE! Arlee is gonna love this!















And here you can see the difference. The left-hand side is still nice and purpley. The right-hand side... isn't!















And, in the end, it all looked like this. Very... umm... yucky!

I haven't dared look at it in the light of day! Who knows what might be lurking in the outside sink this morning!

Did you know that that could happen with red onion skins? Why didn't you warn me?

I've done some mental maths (N.B. my maths has always been very mental!) and I figure $400 for a 5-day creativity advance here on the Osa Peninsula is what it would cost. That would include full board and lodging, but not flights (international or internal) or hotel stay-overs that may be needed on the night of arrival and probably the night prior to departure. Anyway I'm curious to hear what you think about that price? In theory, at least, is it reasonable, or not?