Can you believe we’re at the mid-point of August?!
Hopefully you stopped by on Thursday this week when we kicked off our annual Back-to-School giveaway. We heard your clamoring for paperbacks and the ladies who blog here rose to the challenge! There are paperbacks galore! I’ll spend some Sundays looking at prize packages over the next couple of weeks, but I wanted to finish off with a few more of our New Mexico treasures this week.
The header image is one of the first pots I remember Mom having. She always kept a snake skin coiled inside it. (Why? I have no idea. I never thought it was cool to touch or look at. Maybe she thought it would keep me from wanting to touch or look at the pot.) In the rusty recesses of my brain, I think that pot might actually be from Arizona though.
I still love it.
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Jan Thompson’s winner was Penelope!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Reader Gathering
Did you know Inspy Romance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!

Maria Martinez from the San Ildefonso Pueblo near Santa Fe is famous for her black on black pottery. These pots are not by Maria, but by either her daughter or granddaughter. They continue to be much prized by our family. The turquoise is a necklace that Dad bought mom in Lamy, New Mexico, which is known for its train station.
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Heather Gray talked about the elephant in the room.
On Tuesday, Elizabeth Maddrey recommended Memories of You by Jess Mastorakos.
On Wednesday, Janet Ferguson talked about enemies to love tropes.
On Thursday, we kicked off our Back-to-School Giveaway!
On Friday, Staci Stallings talked about finding flow.
On Saturday, Marion Ueckermann invited us to spend a moment in her shoes.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Hallee Bridgeman
Tuesday: Andrea Boyd
Wednesday: Valerie Comer
Thursday: Kimberly Rose Johnson
Friday: Julie Arduini
Saturday: Lindi Peterson

More of Mom’s black pottery, plus a Native American nativity set.
New Releases
August 2020
Finding Love for the Workaholic (Matchmaking Moms of Oceanview Church 3) by Laurie Larsen
The Price of Dreams (Faith & Fortune 3) by Toni Shiloh
July 2020
Hope for Love (Hope Ranch 3) by Elizabeth Maddrey
The Truth About Fame (Faith & Fortune 2) by Toni Shiloh
Poppy’s Proposal (Bloom Sisters Book 2) by Tara Grace Ericson
Finding Love for the Loner (Matchmaking Moms of Oceanview Church 2) by Laurie Larsen
Second Chance Forgiveness (Pinecrest 3) by Merrillee Whren
A complete list of Inspy Romance books by our authors is always available on our BOOKS tab. Find our audiobooks, our permanently free e-books, and our thank-you gifts for newsletter subscribers there as well!
Hi Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing. I find Mexican art fascinating. Didn’t know about black on black art. The nativity set is inspiring. Best wishes.
That pottery is beautiful! Thank you for sharing, Elizabeth!
Love the black on black pottery, and the Native American Nativity!!!
Thanks Renate! It’s more correctly Native American art from New Mexico (vs Mexican) but there is a heavy Spanish influence from the days of the conquistadors.
You’re welcome. I’ve always thought it was stunning too
Thanks! I do too ;)
The black pottery is beautiful.
Thanks!
Thanks for adding a little more beauty to the week with these pictures.
You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Wow, I’ve never seen black-on-black pottery! I’m not a big fan of black, but those are amazingly modern-looking.
😁
The pottery is beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome!
This pottery is so beautiful! Thanks for sharing with us Elizabeth!
I’m glad to do it. I’ve always thought it was gorgeous.
Happy Sunday. Your pot with the snake skin inside – I had a friend in CA when I lived on a farm, her mother had a whole set of pots with this type of painting on it. So cool. I love your moms black pottery and that Indian nativity set.
Love the black on black on pottery! And that turquoise necklace is beautiful! Thanks for sharing :)
Oh how fun! I love the birds – they’ve always been my favorite part.
Thanks! Mom stopped wearing it because it would get so heavy – but she wanted to still see it so she put it out :)
I love all your pictures! If I were to fill my house with pottery, it would be with Native American Indian similar to this. I love all the paintings & various coloring on them, plus the folklore/history surrounding them. My husband’s first wife (she passed away in ’95) had Native American blood in her….I believe half or a little more Cherokee, so she had many pieces of pottery or knick-knacks like that. Beautiful! I also love that each piece can tell its own story.
Also, my grandpa, aunts & 2 uncles used to go arrowhead hunting in Illinois where we all grew up. He also gave my grandma many turquoise pieces of jewelry. He passed away when I was just a baby & grandma kept all his treasures displayed in glass cases. I always admired them whenever I visited her house as a kid. Now she’s been gone a few years, so my uncle inherited them. :-) I hope they stay in the family, they are such a treasure trove!
Happy SONday everyone!
Elizabeth,
I really enjoyed seeing all the things you brought back from New Mexico. I loved the story about the pot. hehe! I know I wouldn’t have put my hand in it! All those seem like beautiful treasures! I also LOVE the nativity set. My sister collects ones from different countries, I just collect any that I like! At last count, I think I have around 29 sets. FUN!
Love this!
I collect nativity sets too! That one is one I’ve dibbsed from my sister ;)
What a great post – on the weekend I was just thinking oh how did it get to be August already and Christmas is just around the corner and I looked out of our windows at the beautiful view to centre myself. The stunning black on black pottery provides a wonderful focus too – why is it that what seems the simplest idea (black on black) is often the least thought of but often such an elegant solution? Thanks
Yes!
And I’m still amazed that the year seems to be flying in spite of everything.
It’s lovely experiencing the different traditions and artistic talents in various cultures and areas. We scuba dive and so find ourselves on Caribbean islands frequently with quite different art styles than in our a MidWestern US area. So fun!
Thank you for sharing those lovely memories of art.
Beautiful pottery. I have one piece, a *wedding vase* style. I wish I remember where it was made–it’s packed away at the moment–but it was from the Southwest. They were popular items in the early 90s.
I loved all the Caribbean art we encountered on a cruise we took several years ago. Definitely love seeing how different cultures express themselves.
Love it! One of the pots in the back of the bottom-most picture is a wedding vase that Mom commissioned for their 40th anniversary.
Thank you for sharing the pictures! Have a blessed Sunday!!!
I adore the Native American nativity! So sweet!
Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures! I enjoyed them. Yes, this year is just flying by too fast. Have a Great week and stay safe.
You too!
Isn’t it precious!?
Thanks so much! You be safe and have a lovely week as well!
That’s beautiful pottery! Thank you for sharing, I’d never seen black pottery before.
Thanks! It’s always so uniquely New Mexico to me. :)
I’m looking forward to this week’s posts!
I love pottery and have always been amazed by the process!
I love the mix of finishes on the black on black pottery. I’ve never seen anything like that before and it’s really neat.
My friend is big on Spanish decor. She even owned a Mexican Restaurant a few years ago!
Me too!
It’s so cool. I actually took a potter class a few years ago to learn how to throw pots.
They’re really so neat up close.
Fun!
I love your pictures (and memories). I feel like I’m looking at a window display. ;)
Thanks! I always thought my mom had a good eye for arranging.
I am late. I am sick at the moment have a chest cold and coughing so much I have virtually no voice left. But its a great way to get rid of spammers as I say I am sick and can’t talk any louder and they say take care and hang up.
Iove the photos. I wonder if your mom found the snake skin on a trip. (maybe she hid something small at the bottom and had the skin on top to stop people looking any further?)
Love the nativity set.
I’m so sorry you’re sick 😔 get better soon!
The Pottery is so Beautiful Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! :)
Beautiful pottery! I especially like the first one.
Hi Elizabeth,
This is my first visit to the blogs, but most definitely will not be my last. Thank you for sharing the pottery from Mexico. I was thinking if the first pot in your blog was from India instead of Mexico the snake skin would have more reason for being in the pot. 😀
I particularly liked the nativity set. I have several from different places around the world. Again, thank you for sharing the beautiful pottery.
Those are lovely and unique! And thank you for the information about the facebook group, I will have to check it out!
The black pottery caught my attention! Thanks for sharing.