seeking visions

Ever had one of those days where you just feel like you can't do anything right? I feel I have no direction. I feel I am at the mercy of all. I just feel like I have no power..no personal power. It is an awful feeling.

I just pray for a way open, that continues to open instead of dead ending.....This my friend is why I seek visions......

About these plastic bins...

I know these don't seem to be the greenest things around...but they can be used over and over and over again. My boxes didn't hold up nearly as well. remember I moved and stored these things four times in the last three years. And they are going to be used again to store winter clothes in the basement..they keep out moths and bugs, and dirt, and mold..not that we get that in the desert..but in the NE we did and they held everything well without a speck of mold. SO in essence they may not look green, but they served a green purpose. xo

finally moving into the new house

Whew...this is the last week of moving..we will officially be in our new home on Monday! Yippee...my muscles scream out yippee too!!!!!!
It has been a long and drawn out process. Building out here is not..I repeat not easy. Mannana.....tomororrow..tomorrow seems to be the builders mantra...deliveries take forever ,and are EXPENSIVE..people tend to not do what they say, alot of the contractors are say on the shady side...Our first one especially con man extraordinaire...But to our relief we found a good guy to help my husband finish the project. If it weren't for my husband this house would never have been built, let alone built right. He is a miracle worker!!! And of course I can't wait to get in!!!!!

rain, rain, please rain....

The most precious resource of the desert....rain! We keep seeing these water laden clouds yet they seem to disperse their water across the border. Oh how most of us pray for rain. Most residents here in far west Texas use rain water catchment/cisterns to collest our water directly from rain. I know we only get 12" a year on and off but that seems to do the trick pretty darn well...if it would only rain.....

the creative fire has just ignited

Finally after months of being bogged down in work, moving, and the building of our green house-my husband mainly...I am coming up for creative air...whew. I have just uploaded new designs onto ETSY at mariefrench.etsy.com. There are loads of Mexican inspired pieces with intentions, and things to think about. I sure hope you like them. I am bringing some of them to the galleries I participate in so they won't be around long. thanks for looking. love m

lil builder alternative building kits

The "lil builder" alternative building kits were an absolute hit this year for Christmas! I had soo many requests from a show I did that I could barely fill the orders. As a family we had a blast building our alternative fairy town square. I will be putting the kits on my Etsy store mariefrench.etsy.com in a few weeks, I think they will be around $14.00. I have rock, and adobe block building kits available, and am working on cordwood, and cob construction...any ideas will be welcome, maybe even a leather teepee...All are made from recycled, sustainable, or invasive species....hope you and your kids like them as much as we did....here are the pics..Marie xoxo

more desert wisdom

just gotta share what I'm learnin....
use meat tenderizer on spider and scorpion bites, also on centipede and cone nose bits
lavender is a good deterrent-spray copiously...
cats allowed indoors and outdoors deters snakes.
Blind prickly pear cactus is a real party crasher, each little dot that looks well just like a little dot, contains over 200 small hairlike thorns, and the only way to get rid of them is by duct tape.
wolf berry is edible and makes a great jam
cat claw acacia will really wrap its arms around you and become a very bloody date...so watch out for it.
watch for coral snakes in spring seeps, creeks and along the Rio Grande...
to get rid of ants pour boiling water down the ant hole...a less offensive rid aide is to spray vinegar any where you see them-they went away for me.

flea collars on the animals keeps the cone nose away-remember spray lavender on your sheets, sweep under beds, check under covers...especially after a rain or during spring...these nasty creatures leave a huge welt and itch like crazy-try tea tree as well...on the itch that is...and kill them. their lethal cousins in S. America literally slowly degenerate your heart....
cats assimilate in 2/3 weeks as indoor outdoor cats...
always wear a hat, long pants, long sleeve shirt-white preferably light colors to reflect the sun...
drink lots of water
use chi lie peppers instead of pepper-they are healthier too.
shake out shoes and clothes laying on the floor you don't want any uninvited guests.....
wasps-don't aggravate-just point your finger at them and they will leave.
run from bee swarms-FAST
snakes back away-usually find them along fence lines, grass rocks, porches, flashing's, they like to follow steps and lie next to them...look where you walk!, and never put your hands or feet where you can't see.
wear flip flops or the like around the house so you don't step on scorpions, and other little critters.-I did and it hurt!
centipede sting-these monsters wrap their bodies around you and sting not only once but with all their legs...hurts like stepping on hot coals...use black pepper and meat tenderizer....and on that note.....Please feel free to email me with any more desert wisdom you might like to share.....marie