Wayuu Mochila Bag Giveaway

As much as I love an expensive handbag, come the warmer months I am full swing embracing my inner hippie and searching for ways to express that to the fullest - especially in the accessory department.  Does it have fringe?  Is it made of burlap?  Any tassels on it?  Okay I'm in.  About a month ago I was in Barneys making mad attempts to avoid scoping out the the Isabel Marant selection when lo and behold I spotted the most insane bag out of the corner of my eye.  Leaving Isabel behind (no small feat to divert my attention from her) I darted over to discover the coolest Wayuu Mochila bucket bags.

I went home that day with the bag locked in my mind.  After doing some digging I learned the Mochila is a traditional, hand-woven bag that originates in Colombia.  One of my favorite things about these bags is that they are made by indigenous people groups that each have their own style.  The bag up for grabs was crafted by the Wayuu - a tribe native to the peninsula of La Guajira, Colombia.

This is the very Mochila (size large) that Wayuu Mochila Bags will gift to one lucky winner.

Truth:  I wish I could keep it seeing as I'm in love with the straps and fringy tassles.

Imagine it with denim shorts, a t and a vest...or a maxi dress, light fringy sweater and a pair of strappy flats. 

Wayuu women handcraft these bags as a way to support their families and community (now that's my fave part).  Each mochila is crocheted with cotton by a member of the tribe and takes around 40 hours to complete.  Incredible, huh?  The variety of colors and patterns used in the bags represent the creative ideas of the Wayuu - and the straps are known to be tightly crocheted and colorful.  When you look closely at the each mochila you can see patterns like wind, rays of sun, love - a vast array of personal expression.

Giveaway Details:  2 simple steps - 

1.  Make sure you're signed up to follow the blog on GFC.  

2. Visit Wayuu Mochila Bags  and peruse their one of a kind bags then come back and leave a comment including your fave bag and email address where I can contact you if you win.  Simple!  

*For an extra entry or two you can tweet about the giveaway (Enter to win a one of a kind Wayuu Mochila Bag @birdgirlc:  http://bit.ly/lziZhH) or follow This Free Bird on facebook.

*This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian readers only (So sorry everyone else - I'll have something for you soon).  The winner will be announced next Wednesday May 24, 2011.  Good luck everyone!  And a special thanks to Wayuu Mochila for this beautiful one-of-a-kind bag.