Robber Fly

I was looking at this photo i took this evening of a nice hairy, bee-mimicking robber fly, when i noticed that my blue salvia has a nasty case of spider mites. See the fine webbing and little black frass?

Down here in eastern NM our gardens are really getting stressed in this unending heat and absence of precipitation. I think it has rained 5 times since last fall, and the avg. temp. has been about 95F for months. And before you say "well, xeriscape, then," i'd like to point out that i have xeriscape areas also, and they have needed extra water this summer, too. It's just been unusually nasty droughty here.

Sock Monkey Happened

I am a long time sock monkey maker. I started collecting them and creating them about 20 yrs ago... i dare say, they weren't popular when i was doing it. In this day of very affordable Made In China socks, it is very hard not to pass a hosiery department without eyeing them up for potential as sock monkeys.

I have bags of sock creatures that i had made on long road trips--wide variety of shapes, sizes, buttons, stripes, bells, etc.-- with the intention of offering them on etsy. But somehow, when it came down to it, i couldn't seem to part with them. Or a new baby or little kid comes into my life, and they get happily gifted. But this SM (sock monkey) got made spontaneously and quickly and is now in my etsy shop. I wash my hands of it, so to speak; i'm not allowing myself to have emotional connection. :-) And with a new Section now in my etsy shop, "Plush", maybe i'll be able to add more sock creatures.

Red or Green?

Here is my entry for the July New Mexy Etsy Team Challenge. The challenge was to make something that was inspired by the question: red, or green? For non-New Mexicans, this question means "do you want red chile or green chile with that food?"

I made 14 glass chiles and strung them as a ristra. I made a green chiles glass bead, and a sombrero-wearing sock monkey lampwork glass bead. I fashioned them all into a rather bold pendant using sterling silver findings and chain. Sombrero sock monkey and I like both red AND green, and appreciate the option!

My Homage to Van Gogh Etsy Treasury

'Starry Night Homage' by TheBeadYouNeed

Inspired etsians.

Impressionist Artist Vincent... VenetianArtiqu... $150.00	Starry Nightmare -- 8x10 Ori... kiwiokieStudio $25.00
One of a Kind Blue Starry Ni... CreativeArtCen... $28.00	Van Go - 4 x 4 art print punsintended $5.00
Handspun 114 yds Starry Nigh... moondogswife $30.00	Starry Night- Van Gough Insp... MyBohemianSumm... $39.00
STaRRy NiGhT - LaRGe 13 inch... DirtKicker $125.00	Starry Starry Night mbrazeau $30.00
Starry Night by Vincent Van ... lizzica $75.00	Starry Night Blue and Gold S... GrievousAngelD... $25.00
Glass Chessboard inspired by... AndreasHideawa... $350.00	Starry Night Van Gogh Weddin... artbycrystal $4.00
ART SLICE Hand Painted Leath... clpstudio $24.00	Van Gogh Pony - handcrafted ... TheWillies $40.00
Starry Starry Night - Woode... MinterandRicht... $197.00	Starry Night - Van Gogh insp... Moussycrafts $58.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Sock Monkey Classics

It has been a while since i made sock monkey beads, but a customer recently requested a couple, which got me thinking how neat they are, and so i made a few more. The classic Fez, and touque versions, are currently in the etsy shop.

Also, a really nice crusty old tortoise. His shell spots are actually made with copper green glass that reduced around the edges, but i don't why it did that since i didn't remember overheating it... But cool beans, i'm glad it did reduce like that! (I probably couldn't replicate this result.)

Bright and Happy Posting

My cute little niece, HR, with her "Candy Goose".

And some of my poppy photos (i may get tired of poppies eventually, but not just yet).

More Garden Notes

New Mexico is a great place to grow squash, and my garden just isn't big enough for me to grow all the squash i would like. I'm a fan of growing the various hardshelled gourds. Also, i was very envious of a yard across town last fall that had the most incredible big red disc squashes, etc. I need an acreage.

This year i tried spaghetti squash. I haven't grown this one before, and i guess you just can't go wrong with squash in New Mexico, because they are doing really well!

But i have the dreaded squash bug (photos: eggs and nymphs). Tomorrow they will be treated to a detergent shower, but if that doesn't work, i guess they'll just have their way with my vines. There are about 6 nice big fruit, so they can have the leaves. I think i have my entry for the county fair next month. :-)

My Pork Flavored Etsy Treasury

'An etsy taste of pork' by TheBeadYouNeed

All manner of pork expression!

Original Oil Painting Happy ... catclawsstudio $70.00	Piggy Sue Piggy Bank Cr8zyGrrlCeram... $25.00
Small Art Print on Wood, DG ... dolangeiman $55.00	Pink Pig at a Party Linocut ... themattbutler $29.00
Funky Junq Recycled Aluminum... FunkyRecycling $2.00	Bacon Fragrance Oil 1 oz. Us... fragranceoil $2.25
Porka Dot necktie. Silkscree... toybreaker $30.00	San Francisco is for Carnivo... drywell $25.00
SaLe - Save 20% with code 20... Gelly $30.00	Chuckles the Pig- Felt Anima... woobiNwawa $37.00
Swell Swine - Original Acryl... ElizabethMiron... $30.00	Creole - PIG On Driftwood - ... blueridgemerca... $32.00
The Three Little Pigs(and Wo... KensaWool $59.00	Papier mache pig mask Jevgeniamasks $41.00
GroundHog Jtnee $50.00	Stained Glass Flying Pig Sun... vicandalbie $22.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.