A giveaway!

In the background, off-stage from blogging and stiching the things that appear here, I am busy researching all kinds of amazing stuff, and starting to develop a new line of accessories and apparel for bainbridge & houseberg, which is going to be launched as a legitimate business, later in the Spring. That will involve an online store (probably at Bigcartel, 'coz I like the crispness of their site) and a website for the label (to be designed by my eldest son, Eben, who does website design work... incase you're interested), and the population of both. So, the next few months, in particular, will be busy ones. I have a good feeling about this venture.

These past few weeks have been an impotant part of that process in terms of meeting (online) lots of lovely and amazingly talented people - that's you! - sharing and exchanging ideas, getting some constructive feedback, and being inspired. And I thank you for that, because now I better understand the direction in which I want to go. Not that it's written in stone, because it needs to be able to change and have the potential to grow into something new. But... each time, I feel like I am closer to something... essential. Well, it's not easy to put it into words.

For I while, I was playing with some design ideas for bags - which are still to form a focal point of our designs - just to oil the wheels abit, and start to explore what my passion in all of this really is. They say that style is something which, once you strip back everything else, is what is left and is that which is totally essential to your thing. I think I've figured it out now. It just feels right... and that's a good enough sign for me! :} But more about that anon.

In the meantime, I still have a couple of those experimental pieces, and it's time for me to move on. So I've decided to do a giveaway, they seem very popular at the moment :} The design in question is Tulip Bell, a light weight, broad skirted shoulder bag, made from recycled cotton fabrics and cotton fabric scraps, with hand stiching, stone and metal accents. Black with a cream/black contrasting lining and adjustable strap.



















Tulip Bell.















Detail.

If you're interested, just leave me a comment, saying what you think is essential about what you do in your creative life, together with a means to contact you. I will make a draw from the names on the 28th of this month.

Living color

So far, I haven't done any sewing today, but have had a wonderful day, inspite of the fact that we had to drive into Puerto Jimenéz. I hate that town. We lived there for two years before moving to the country...not that Jimenéz is a bustling Metropolis! Actually, it's a scruffy, dusty, sun-baked, former gold mining town, a small port, and, as far as I'm concerned, one of the few things it has going for it is the fact that it's on the coast. Well... the Gulf. And that really is lovely!

Setting out from home, the forest is looking spectacular right now, as a certain species of tree is flowering and they flower en masse. Yellow! Interestingly, (or at least, I think so) this species favors open areas. So, when they're flowering, which is always at the beginning of the Summertime, you can spot where landslides have occurred in distant hills, or the forest has been logged in the past, as small swathes of yellow occur here and there.















Schizolobium parahyba (Fabaceae) flowering in the forests of Osa.

One of the things that we love to do whenever we go into town together - which is a pretty rare event, 'coz I love it up here on my mountain! - is to go out on the pier and see what what fishes we can spot. It was a beautiful Summer's day, and we lucked out, and the water was clear enough for my little compact Nikon to let me take these...















Needlefish swimming in the Golfo Dulce. (3:48am Saturday morning: I'm seeing these fish as little stitches! Der... didn't make the connection yesterday!)















Ummm... more Needlefish swimming in the Golfo Dulce (Ok, so I got a bit carried away on the "water-fish-dancing light" shots!)















A single leaf floating on the surface of the water.
(Note to self: Turquoise and tangerine = refreshing!)















The water's edge.















Beneath the surface.

Too bad that we didn't have the snorkel masks with us. It looked so inviting.















Random guy snorkelling near the pier in Puerto Jimenéz, Osa Peninsula.

We had lunch at our favorite seafood joint beside the Puerto Jimenéz "Malacon". Nilo said he wanted to take a picture of us, and that we needed to be kissing. So, here it is... the happy couple ;9 Trying not to laugh their heads off!















Reinaldo and Catherine. Puerto Jimenéz. (OMG, I look so... white!)

I took this photo from a moving car, as we were driving home. It was intense!















Harvested rice field in the midday sun, Cañaza, Osa Peninsula.

A day of living color!

I would like to say thank you to everyone who's left a comment on my previous post. It's all very encouraging stuff. Nice to feel one isn't working in a vacuum! Also, hello to all those who have started following me recently. What a lovely bunch you are. Wish you were here!

A special thanks also to Jude Hill for adding me to her sidebar. I consider it a real honor!