Well, tomorrow's the last day of spring break, and I am feeling a little blue. I had a good time, but I am still not ready for school to begin again. Especially since I haven't finished my assignment for the class I am taking. Procrastination will be the end of me!

In the meantime, I have learned what guajes are. I have a copy of the new Zarela loteria deck, and it is Latino fruit and vegetable themed. I have always wondered what those seed pods were at Mexican markets, but couldn't get any Spanish-speaking person to explain it. So:

Guajes or huajes are the flat, green pods of an acacia tree. The pods are sometimes light green or deep red in color -- both taste the same. Guaje seeds are about the size of a small lima bean and are eaten raw with guacamole, sometimes cooked and made into a sauce. They can also be made into fritters. The ground seeds are used to impart a slightly garlicy flavor to a mole called guaxmole (huaxmole). The dried seeds may be toasted and salted and eaten as a snack referred to as "cacalas". Purchase whole long pods fresh or dried at Mexican specialty markets.

I am not a big nut and seed fan, unless it is ground into butter or pesto! But, still, interesting! I will put up more of the Zarela Loteria items tonight or tomorrow night.

Let's see... The garage sale did not happen, and I have done nothing much else but play the last couple of days. My studio is a mess, with me pulling out things to collage onto shrines and shadow boxes! It's fun, though! I have acquired a few more papers - like I really needed more! Still, they were at TJMaxx and were too pretty to resist!

I had someone commission a Blue Dog shrine - it will be one of the last I make with that frame type. I have 5 or 6 left, but only two are in great shape! I had a man request one of the sheer shrines with La Catrina inside. I am still working on that one.

Hey! I just found a really cool site while searching for an image of La Catrina. It is one that I haven't seen yet! It's a candy company called La Catrina! Annoying sounds, but a beautiful website. I tried to send myself a postcard, but it did not work. Bummer!

I am still searching, and found a La Catrina tin ornament. I wonder how that would do...

I did do something cool, though! I am working on these doors I bought at a junk store about two years ago. They were made for a display at Neiman-Marcus and they look like a Spanish doorway, with cut-out details at the top, and real panels in the door and even little iron door handles. The thing is that they open outwards - backwards - it's hard to explain, but it was made to hang on a wall with both doors open. Also, there is no back. I went to Lowes and had someone cut panels to fit.

Why didn't I think of that before? Anyway, I have done one in cobalt blue with the virgin of Guadalupe on it. I just have to figure out what to do with the outside of the doors. I will be numbering these, as I KNOW that there are only a certain amount.