Q: Did you grow your own gourds?
A: The only thing I could grow on Ruff Life was mold. I periodically went 'higuera-hunting', knocking gourds out of trees using a telescoping painter's pole with a child's sand bucket taped to the end. Difficult and sometimes hazardous; even small ones can weigh a pound or two when ripe.

Q: How did you become a Puerto Rican Artesana?
A: By trial and error, without speaking Spanish. If you want to learn how, here's an article from Escape from America, a website full of fun ex-pat stuff.

Q: What do you use to carve the higueras?
A: For the most part, a rotary tool, and I have a hand made scraper given to me by another higuera artist, which works very well because of the gourd's hard shell.

Q: Where can I purchase your beautiful gourds?
A: Anything I have these days can be found on my Etsy shop, AnjaSurprises.