A few weeks ago I received an email from Etsy. I was picked to become a finalist in their design awards called the Etsies! (think Oscar of the handmade world). Honestly, I was was a bit shocked. Yes, I had submitted an entry, and yes, it's cute, but ???? Award-winning? Apparently so! I will find out on September 1st who the winner is. Our llama is up against 159 other entries in a WIDE range of categories and prices. You can check them out here. The Etsy Design Finalists When I was able to announce my good news, I...

One very interesting story that I recently discovered is about a trek thru South America that Sir Winslow took during his 1912 voyage. In his field journal from that time he tells a tale of how he and the llama first became acquainted. After the ship had reached the port city of Machala in Ecuador to restock with bananas for another part of the journey, the Winslow family decided to explore the surrounding area to see what interesting animals were they could find. A native guide suggested that they explore the Petrified Forest, Puyango which is a nature reserve, located...

My friend from That Art Girl on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Thatartgirl) wrote a really fun article about llamas and we are swapping for our blogs. So take it away Marylou! THE THING ABOUT LLAMAS Are you down with Llama Mania? So, like, they’re all the rage these days. The kids just can’t get enough of these beasts of burden from south of the Equator. It just might be that Llamas are more popular than (dare I say it?)…. the beloved unicorn! (gasp!) If you are a grown-up looking to buy a gift for a kid this season, or someone equally as cool,...