Wow! Thanks so much for posting. I am thoroughly enjoying your blog (so much to read there!)! My DH and I are intrigued by the idea of eventually moving down south of the border ourselves, and it's wonderful to hear of someone else who has made that dream their reality.

Thanks, y'all. JANE: CINDY said she's gonna work on you for next year. Heck, people my age don't buy green bananas, but I can dream of one more trip. I'll live in hope that you two can join me for one last trip. SILVA: it w/be soooooo wonderful if you could go too. What a week we'd have. Riana did NOT approve of my putting the tiles around her black dots at first, but Sam came out and highly approved, and away we both went. The lips under the panther's tail, she REALLY didn't approve, but the class chimed in and changed her mind. The class said the lips said "Kiss my a _ _", giving the panther attitude. I said "my bootie" to keep her a lady. Riana talked me out of mosaicing the whole structure on the lady. She likes lots of negative space. The nuts/bolts/screws/pebbles on her hair was to honor Riana's style. The class said it was a self portrait. OK fine - so I had to put screws cuz some have intimated that I may have a loose screw here/there. LOL. NANA: I hand-carried that porcelain flower for the project. I put it on after grouting. I bought three of them recently at a flea mkt. They're getting very hard to find, and more expensive. One went on my recent birdbath, and I have one left.

If DH DOES notice, NT, I'll bet he'll love them, even though it'll take him awhile to admit it. Go for it. OK, Ms. Smarthy Boots FLAGTRUCK. It's only been a week, and I DID make one wall hanging using one item I brought back - it's in "Gifts" "Dance Wendy Dance". The butterfly is a nicho - one of several I brought back. Speaking for myself, I went to get inspiration, and work w/my forum buds in the most art-filled city I've been to since I retired. I love the place, w/evening sunsets (you can see a pic. in my album labeled Puerto Vallarta Trip"), sitting under a thatched umbrella on the beach just a flight of steps down from the hotel, eating nachos and drinkin' 'ritas, listening to live music from 2:00-5:00 every day, combing the beach in Bucerias for shells/glass to bring back to add to my work, (eating shellfish soup and drinking 'ritas in Bucerias), watching the sun sink into the sea every evening from my terrace, mosaicing on the terrace w/my buds, combing the city for raw materials to put into my work, eating at wonderful restaurants where the food is spectacular, and well, I could go on, but THAT's what I enjoyed most in P.V. I'm working on another PV inspired piece, using one of the nichos. The five of us made several things on the terrace, but unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the things I made and left to the hotel owner and a lady who lives in an apt. next door to my room who took us bead shopping, and CALAM failed to take a pic. of her gift to the hotel owner. So, my future projects w/be PV-inspired. There was no workshop this time, but I hope to attend one next winter.

I'm enjoying my new home and my awesome views, but I really miss the plants I gave up when I moved. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for procuring the necessaries for Gritty Mix here in Puerto Vallarta.