Huipil Pillows!

Now if you were paying close attention to that last post, you might have spotted these.

That's to say, if you weren't too distracted by the sheets doubling as "curtains" or the giant jug of potable water we keep around for drinking and teeth brushing, you just might have seen the one decorative element of the room that really is flippin' gorgeous.

MY HUIPIL PILLOWS!!

Huipil (pronounced wee-peel) is a textile worn as a blouse by indigenous Mayan women. The Maya culture was (and still is) alive and thriving in Guatemala, so women everywhere -- on the bus, in the market, walking down the street -- don these beautiful tops. The designs often tell a story, or denote the wearer's home village.

My last week in Guatemala, I saw these pillow covers in Antigua's artisan market and couldn't get over how pretty they were!

(If you're having trouble figuring out how these once resembled blouses, picture this: a huipil is like an embroidered poncho sewn up on the sides. The round circle in the middle of the pillow was originally the neck hole. Got it?)

I was really excited to break these out in Honduras. I bought a cheap pillow in Tegus (about $3, I think?), ripped it open, divided the stuffing in two, and fluffed these puppies up. And I love how they look!

My huipil pillows make me so happy. :)