Trouble in Taos

This story made the national news. A new hotel owner new to Taos forbade employees from speaking Spanish in front of him because he was paranoid they'd be talking about them, and he wanted them to Anglicize their names.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_trouble_in_taos

Classic line in this story is when an employee tried to tell the owner they've been speaking Spanish in Taos since long before they were speaking English there.

So yeah, instead of trying to learn a little Spanish himself or market the cultural pride of the place, he tries to browbeat Taos out of the Taosenos. Go home dude, find another place to build your fiefdom.

Printable Rhinestone Sizing Chart

Here's a handy little chart shared by my new pal Jennifer from Etsy:

http://www.dreamtimecreations.com/chart/rhinestone_sizes.cfm

Giant Robber Banker Paper Dolls

I saw this photo at the Huffington Post today and thought "Why didnt' I think of that?" Course, they're not paper dolls exactly, they're giant signs. Taken at a protest outside the American Bankers Association annual convention, in Chicago.

Locust Tree at Night

We came across this tree while walking back from The Shed in Santa Fe and it looked so Halloween-ish we all tried to get a shot. The seed pods were rather spookey and by the way that's a street lamp, not the moon.

Bead It and Weep

Well, the last several days have been pretty bumpy. First, I got the flu. Next, I got some kind of tooth infection. Haven't been to the dentist yet, because next, we got word that a dear relative had passed on.

I went up to Santa Fe anyway, where we have a small, annual bead retreat -- a bead, eat, shop, play, bead, laugh, catch up, bead, and sleep weekend -- every year. I figure it was the best place to be considering I could at least rest if I needed to, unlike what I'd be doing at home. This was our 15th year gathering together! (My 13th I believe.)

I have to say I was very well taken care of! A bit of therapeutic massage, many hugs, a few tears, some Rescue Remedy, and even antibiotics for my tooth. Not to mention my nurse-in-residence, Sarah.

On Saturday a couple of these friends decided to take me up to Chimayo. I bought my BIL (it was his mother who passed away) a pretty little silver cross made in Mexico. The neat thing about it is the top unscrews and you can fill it with healing Chimayo earth.

Here are a few photos from our jaunt:

Rita and Judy make me so jealous because they are old ladies like me
but their hair is still soft and silky and down past their waists.

A swallow's nest under the eaves outside a little shop.

Don't ask. LOL!

Collage Earrings

What fun. I have been collecting old medicinal labels forever. Usually I use them in everything but jewelry. Here I decoupaged them onto some vintage brass stampings. The "pearls" are vintage glass cabs, and the round sage beads are vintage Lucite.

Kyanite, Pearls & Silver Chain

Came home from work a little earlier than usual today, so I had time to do some late afternoon photography. These earrings are now up in my shop. :-)

Little India Recycled Envelope Set

I made three gift card envelopes from a single page out of a thrift store book about East Indian textiles. I found a pretty peachy handmade paper in my stash, and was able to make the enclosures out of just 1/4 sheet. Then I stamped and embossed them in gold! Couldn't resist stamping some seals to match. (Now if only I could find a very tiny paisley stamp I'd really be in business...)

Collage Clip Art for You

Click the image above for a larger version.
Have fun using this as a background, cutout elements,
transfer, transparency etc. in your artwork.