Of course no trip is complete without taking a project or two along. 
I just got back from a week in New Mexico where I attended a workshop on making Acoma pottery. Our teachers were Delores and Emma Lewis. Above, you can see Emma painting with mineral paints that she had ground for us in the rock 'paint dish'. Our clay was hand dug from a local mine and we made our own brushes by chewing on leaves from a yucca plant.
At the end of the week, we went to Acoma Sky City to see their family homes and pueblo. Above, Delores and Emma are standing outside of their family pueblo at Sky City. The picture above that is the view when you look out from their front door. Delores spent 6 months this past year living up at the pueblo with no running water or electricity. Most families live down below in modern homes and only come to live at the pueblo during special ceremonies.There were always thunderstorms in the afternoon and I loved them. It was exceptionally green in the valley and we were told that is unusual for this time of year. If you can only ever visit one pueblo, Sky City is worth the 13 mile drive inland. It is up on top of a mesa and the views were outstanding.
Here we are for a group photo on the last day. I'm on the far left.
This is my pottery 'stash' for this trip. I made the 3 on the left and purchased the rest including the gourd ornament. I love finding handmade ornaments when I visit places like this.
And then of course, I always have to purchase a skein of yarn to remember my trip. I bought this in Taos at Weaving Southwest. The yarn was hand dyed by the ladies who owned the shop. Now when I knit with it, I'll always think of New Mexico.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE TOO MANY HOBBIES / PROJECTS AT ONCE?That's how I was feeling last night. I got a bit carried away this summer with ceramic workshops, starting new knitting and cross stitch projects and then as if that wasn't enough, I was hit with an applique bug. The result of that is the purchase of numerous books and now having numerous zip lock bags filled with cut out pieces ready to turn and begin squares. I spent yesterday boxing various projects in order to be more realistic about what I can accomplish in the fall and what will need to wait for next spring/summer. It was worth it!
