under the volcanos

a quick get-away to the lovely country of Nicaragua. We headed for the small
beach town of San Juan del Sur, (a surfer's paradise) and stayed in a great little
hotel La Posada Azul, which is a real haven for relaxation, and maybe even a
little work? (yes, they have internet!) We spent a night in the magical city of
Granada, where I took a shot of a light blue church in the last rays of the day.
The rock profile with cloud shadow - a physical phenomenon or just coincidence? hmmm....

photoshoot in MARFA - cast and crew

We traveled down to Marfa, Texas for four days in early September to shoot
a story for my new line of bags ( plus skirt and apron) for the new website and
catalog. Marfa is an incredible tiny town out on the plains of West Texas which
defies explanation - you actually just have to go there to understand the allure.
Part of the adventure was staying at the Thunderbird Hotel, shopping at the
Get Go, eating at the Food Shark, and visiting Chinati, home of Donald Judd
and Dan Flaven installations.

our multi-talented crew: photographer Peter Ogilvie, and assistant Bill Stengel,
stylists Lisa Neimeth and Char Vazquez - location scout Susan Bell, and
model and singer Kirstiann Bushman with boyfriend David Loughridge
(as her boyfriend in our story). Support staff was Cynthia Jones Stengel and
two month old Chloe. Our photo line-up is in front of a mural at the Riata
bar in Alpine Texas - Marfa and Alpine were the location for the 1956 movie
Giant starring James Dean, so artfully portrayed on his horse in this mural!

S.STEIN photo shoot in MARFA

Our story begins with our cool, adventurous girl driving into Marfa to see
what all the buzz is about, armed with her trusty Poloroid camera and guitar.
She checks into the Thunderbird Hotel, checks out the amazing architecture,
does her 'best James Dean' in a small cafe, views the Donald Judd art at Chinati,
plays her guitar in a local club, meets an artist, eats at the Food Shark and
pays a visit to the Prada store installation by Luke Warm....all with an
S.STEIN bag by her side.

The Marfa collection will be available about October 15th on my newly
designed website - each bag guaranteed to take you on a wild adventure!

check out Peter Ogilvie's photograpy at www.peterogilvie.com

new mexico summer

Summer is divine down here. My good friend Nancy Bauch
of White Forest Pottery came for a visit this month and we
headed up to Abiquiu to Ghost Ranch to collect rocks and
generally recharge our batteries. We took along a PROJECT
BAG from my collection, which was perfect for collecting.

the brower center in berkeley

if you happen to be in the Bay Area, check out the Brower Center in Berkeley,
new home for environmental groups and presently a show of Salgado photos.
This is a wonderful all-green building with many fascinating architectural details.
(bravo, Peter Buckley, who made this project happen!)

above the clouds in Ecuador

My sister Jude and her husband Mike live in Ecuador from January
to July each year, so this spring I traveled down to see them and
to check out the house they've built in the villiage of Canar. Jude
is a photo-journalist and writer - here's a link to the book she wrote
about Canar - "A year in the highlands of Ecuador"

projects, babies and lunch.....

This spring, I wanted to design a case for each of these favorite human
past times: projects, babies and lunch. I got out some shots I had taken
at a prop-shop in Burbank of antique camera and doctor's bags to inspire
me. Really, doesn't almost everything need its own special case?

Site Case

I've been playing around with all kinds of bags for laptops and other
work essentials, and I think this SITE CASE is the closest I've come
to a bag that holds all you need, and that also looks good on both men

and women. Its ready for a maiden voyage to Monument Valley - ahhhhh, yes!

Lunch Case

after the success of the PICNIC TOTE, I thought a smaller LUNCH TOTE
would be fun - surprisingly roomy, it holds enough food and drink for two
people - wine or beer a must!

Baby Case

after I made the first sample, I ran this BABY CASE by the Richardson family

Willy, Kim and Audrey - it was obvious they had to be the models for the photo
shoot - Audrey loved the bag! Willy is an oil painter - that's his painting behind
them - see his work at: www.willyrichardson.com