Spring Break in Big Bend

It's always hard to return to the grind after a perfectly awesome vacation. We spent the week in Big Bend camping and hiking and now it's back to business as usual.

If you have not been to this National Park, it is huge and rocky and spiky and gorgeous. We only had two really cold nights, and only one day was what i would call "too hot" (but while i tried to stay in the shade and had to keep dunking my steaming head and feet in basins of water, my husband and oldest son thought it was a perfect afternoon for a stroll in the desert sun, searching for cool cacti to photograph...).

We took many of the day hikes (Emory Peak, and Window Rock) and struck off into the rocks and shrubs on our own. The rocks are amazing. Water eroded cobbles of all colors, conglomerates of all sorts, volcanic spew,... Over 80 species of cacti have been documented in the park, and it is hard not to step on them--but you make a pretty serious point of not stepping on anything, since everything has spines. :-)

Portales First Annual Sidewalk Chalk Event

The weather was near perfect for the event and there was some good talent, too. For this the first year, organizers sought entrants from the local schools, reportedly K-12 and the college. It is my understanding that next year the event will be open to schools outside the municipal area, and hopefully your average citizen will be able to enter as well. I think it would be really fun to use those special chalks--the pigment is so intense! Middle son took part (center of the top photo) and after 2 1/2 hrs of chalking, he was about as colorful as his block of sidewalk.

Houston Gets BirthBones, and What You Need to Know About Spring 2010 Fashion Color

The Pawty Palace of Katy, TX is the exclusive dealer of my BirthBones in the Houston area. The proprietor has submitted my BirthBones in the New Products section of the March edition of Houston Pet Talk Magazine (a substantial, full-color journal!). I hope they attract a lot of business for her, and she has to call me to restock. :-)

I developed a new color in my Aqualith pattern of beads. I called it Green Fire & Ice, which was descriptive, but not really catchy. They had incredible flash and would be really great as spring jewelry. Those in the fashion biz really talk in terms of people buying jewelry specific to each new season. Did you know that you were supposed to accessorize with terra cotta, navy, and cream toned jewelry last spring?? I'm not sure what you need to be wearing this spring, but pale icy green would be IT, if i had any say in the matter. They sold quickly. At least one person will be stylin' this season.

Pink Grapefruit

This is just some pretty eye candy. The beads have been sold. But don't they look stunning as a collection?

Signs of Spring

It was a very nice weekend, but it seemed to fly by. Signs of spring are all around. The wind (and the tumbleweeds) has returned. The robins are passing through on their way north. I was walking my bf (babyfriend) out in his back field and came upon a small tree with these dark little pompoms on the twigs. I thought it looked like some sort of real understated flowering, but only later, when i saw the same thing on a bigger tree, did i realize that it was elm! I always see the seeds flying from small tufts later in the spring, but i had never noticed the flowering stage. I had no idea elms got active so early in the spring!

We had s'mores over a campfire in the back yard. I can recommend those strawberry flavored marshmallows. And we accidentally got cinnamon graham crackers. Pretty exotic s'mores!

A really luscious collection of grapefruit colored beads in tomorrow's posting.

Easter Rabbit Bead

Here's my little Easter bead. Not so much a bunny as a rabbit. I haven't decided if he's for sale. I think he might need to stay here so that i can be sure to get chocolate.

New Beads For Monday

I listed a couple of new items in the old etsy shops today. This is one of those beads sets that proves terribly difficult to photo. There is so much gold flash and salmon gleam to them that refuses to get preserved in my pictures. What are ya gonna do, ya know?

The monkey bead is just a cute little face with big ears.