Stitchpography: Cinco de Mayo!

Hola! Buenos Dias!

Today is a day for drinking lots of beer, evidently....Cinco de Mayo. According to what I read on ABCnews.com, it is not the day that Mexico celebrates their independence, but rather, it is to celebrate the Mexican's victory over France in 1862, in the Battle over Puebla! But more accurately......

"The date gained more attention in the 1980s when marketers, particularly beer companies, saw this as a perfect opportunity to capitalize on the celebratory nature of the holiday."
Eric Lurio wrote in the Huffington Post, "It's actually a Mexican-American holiday, which was for some reason very popular in California, and over the years has become the official Mexican ethnic day, as Columbus Day is for the Italians and Polanski Day is for the Poles. In other words, it's a harmless, if totally fake holiday."

Well, okay then! Here in Arizona, we currently have a shameful immigration law to contend with. But that said, I will have to join in the festivities and enjoy some tacos and enchiladas today! I do love Mexican food! LOVE IT, LOVE IT! And I adore the color, architecture, folk art, and culture that is dominant in the Southwest where I have lived most of my life!

Sundance Designs, the company which distributes my wholesale canvas designs, had it inception by replicating the utterly charming works of one famous Italian American, Ted DeGrazia, who portrayed the Mexican and Native American peoples in needlepoint canvas. Check out their website to see an unparalled collection of Southwestern and Mexican inspired canvases: www.sundancedesignsonline.com

Below are a few of my own designs, influenced by my roots here in Southern Arizona. I was born and raised in Tucson....a native daughter, a rarity I understand in this day and age. Perhaps I shall start stitching the little couple featured below TODAY, just because they have been awaiting being stitched a very long time! I can see the threads and beads now that I'm going to use.....YUMMY!