What's this purse made of?

Before you ask - no - I did not make this purse. I've had this purse for ages. I can't remember exactly who gave it to me, or where it's from (maybe Thailand, maybe Philippines), but I do know it's made from pineapple fiber!!! Would you have guessed? It is so delicate, and I just love the details, such as the mother-of-pearl button and the little woven loop at the side. Look at the amazing intricate embroidery! This was the purse I carried on my wedding day, and people would question me and comment on it, because it is so unique. At least I haven't seen anything like it here in Europe. I keep it stored in a soft cloth away from heat and humidity, in the hope that these all-natural fibers don't disintegrate!

I'm back

Phew. I've been released from hospital and I'm finally back home. I honestly don't know what happened. One moment I was sitting in a café enjoying a piece of marble cake, the next my hubby had to rush me to hospital with severe dehydration. I admit I had a bit of a headcold since about X'mas, but I never realized I was heading for pneumonia! They put me on a drip for 72 hours and made a bunch of tests. After a couple of days they found a particularly vicious virus that was causing all this. Unfortunately, there's no prevention or a cure. I just have to battle it all on my own. I've lost a lot of weight in the process, which is not good. I look like a stick insect. The doctor said it will take a whole month for me to get well again. I'm not supposed to work...I wonder how I can not work? Meanwhile I've been going through your comments and I feel so overwhelmed and quite tearful reading them...to think that I'm actually missed! Thank you so much for wishing me well and your support and your prayers...gives me a warm feeling all over♥ And even in my absence I've been given awards. I will get round to posting them as soon as I can. Promise. Hubby's been such a brick while I was gone, taking care of everything, relaying your comments, and dropping EC's every now and then, despite his 12 hour shifts. I'd be lost without him. Hubby, I love you. Now for some eye-candy... to make up for having to stare at a grey wall juxtaposed to an ochre door for a whole week. I dedicate these 'hearty' bags to you, my blogging friends! Thanks for being there - it means a lot to me....and if anyone cares to know. The window was fixed in my absence! Yay!

Postal Service

There is a saying in German "Grün ist die Hoffnung", roughly translated as 'hope is green' (the colour green being associated with spring, growth, a new leaf etc). Hope is something that I definitely need right now. Since the beginning of this year I've been searching for an alternative solution to the German postal service who have gone beserk with their international shipping prices! They have increased the charge from Euro 8,- to Euro 12,- for the smallest parcel - the one that I frequently use to ship my make up bags. The Euro/US$ rate stands at 1 = 1.3 at the moment. Someone suggested I should flatten my bags like pancakes and stick them in padded envelopes...That's a definite no-no for me. All my bags are wrapped individually and packaged really nicely without loosing their shape, of which I'm particularly proud. Besides, an envelope thicker than 2 cm already costs Euro 12,-, so flattening the bags would defeat the purpose. I have contacted various courier services, however, since mine is a small business and I only ship sporadically I don't qualify to utilize their service. There is one courier who may work with me, but he only delivers to the EU countries. As more and more people from North America, Canada and Asia make inquiries about my bags I'm getting more and more desperate to find a suitable service. I haven't given up hope of finding one yet. Suggestions most welcome! Oh, and the new window will hopefully arrive next week...at least it has stopped raining.