SOUTHWESTERN
ARTS, CRAFTS, AND, TALES

As an American,
I consider the culture
of our native Americans
a part of my heritage--
a part I am proud of and
enjoy studying and sharing.
The cowboy is also part of the
American culture.

On this page I will present some of the best that I have learned and have to share about Native Americans. The works of art and craft projects were created by me and decorate my home. I have taught Indian Lore Merit badge to boy scouts including two years at summer camp. I have also taught a southwestern crafts class at the Arts Council --locally known as The Firehouse because of the building's history. Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, creative ideas, beliefs, and feelings. Being free to fully express all of these make life worth the living. I certainly hope anyone visiting this page will gain something new--a view-point, one small piece of information, or just an appreciation. All of the thumbnails will lead to large photos by clicking on them. If you want to know how I made them, I'm willing to share the directions. When you make your request, tell me in which project you are interested and include your e-mail address. I am adding project directions to the site as they are prepared. The dreamcatcher project was first. If you recently made a request, I lost all my e-mail and can't send you anything. But as soon as a new video card arrives so I can, I will post other directions. Go to BLUE SKY'S WORLD to e-mail your request. (No charge, it's FREE, FREE, FREE!)

PROJECT #1
PAINTED CLAY MASK

PROJECT #2
STORY SKIN

PROJECT #3
MANDELLAS

FULL MANDELLA

HORSESHOE

PAINTED

PROJECT #3
DREAMCATCHERS

HOW'S ABOUT JUST PROJECT DIRECTIONS FOR THIS ONE. NO PHOTO TO LOAD! Click here for the directions with illustrations!

FAMILY MYTH

We have been a scouting family for a number of years. Down through the years we have experienced many enjoyable times at camps, on the road, and at special gatherings. When our son was still a cub, a family myth was created on the road from camp one summer. I'm including it here as an ORIGINAL MYTH.

WATCH FOR FALLING ROCKS

"Hay, what does that sign mean?" said the cub. The old man of the web answered, "To explain the meaning of that sign, I would need to tell a story about a lost Indian. Would you like to hear it?" "Sure. Maybe I can stay awake for a few more minutes." Well, many, many years ago when this land was young and the Indian people inhabited these parts, there was a tall, courageous brave named FALLING ROCKS. He got this name because he always carried a bag of yellow rocks with him and often had rocks falling out of his bag. The tale began one winter when the snow fell three feet deep here-a-bouts, which was unusually deep even for those days. The people ate all of their food. They started cutting pieces of leather to boil to make broth. Finally, Chief Knows It All called everyone together for a pow wow about the situation. He asked if anybody had any ideas, but no one spoke out. He then said he would select the most courageous brave to be sent out to find food. This was, of course, Falling Rocks. Knows It All called Falling Rocks and asked him to go out of camp to look for food. Falling Rocks agreed to do so. He went to his family's tepee, he didn't have one of his own because he had not taken a wife. His family helped him pick out the warmest of clothes, and he added his largest bag of yellow rocks. As he got ready to leave, he saw Sunshine, the maiden who had his heart. They said goodbye. She told him how worried she was that he would get lost because the snow was so deep that a person disappeared no more than a foot away. She asked him what he was going to do so he wouldn't get lost. He told her that he would take a rock from his bag and drop it by the trail near a tall bluff so the people could find him if he did not come back in a few days. And that is just what he did. The last that Chief Knows It All and little Sunshine and all of the people saw of him he was waving goodbye through the falling snow. The snow fell so fast, he was soon out of sight. He wandered for days. Twice each day he took a rock out of his bag and placed it beside the path near a high cliff. Weeks passed. Finally, when the sun came out and started melting away the snow and even the children went out catching rabbits for food, Chief Knows It All called the people together again to discuss what to do about Falling Rocks. Sunshine said she would lead a group of young people to look for him. They looked and looked; then looked some more. They wore out many, many pair of mock-a-skins. One by one, they returned to the village. All except Sunshine--she continued to look. For many years she looked. She looked for Falling Rocks until she met a group of men in a wagon who were nailing a sign on a tree near a high place. They said they were leaving a message for others who would follow. She asked them to leave an important message for her. They agreed to post the message at all high places they found that had small loose rocks. Her message--WATCH FOR FALLING ROCKS! And that message can be seen all over the world. Falling Rocks has never been found. "Hay, Dad! Stop the car!" the cub cried out when he was about thirteen. The old man of the web, thinking something was wrong, quickly pulled over. The cub jumped out of the car and ran back and behind a bush. His dad followed. A loud commotion followed their disappearance behind the thick cover. When they reappeared, they were laughing. The story goes that the cub thought he saw Falling Rocks! After that the cub started going to camp in the bus. This is the first time the story has been told outside the family--and the first time in a number of years that it has been told at all. Years later our son said when his dad told him this story he learned the three truths of life (There is no Easter Bunny; there is no Santa Clause, and Money does not grow on trees!).