The Word of a Lifetime....

So my husband and I are fond of the word "ass hat"....it's a frequent flyer in our household. How tickled was I when I ran across poordogfarm and they had this lovely print? VERY. So tickled, in fact, that I promptly ran to my paypal account and purchased it, and I am going to frame it and sit it on my desk. LOL My husband is going to be so jealous. ;) Be sure to stop by and check out poordogfarm's Etsy shop. Not only is it quite witty, but there are some adorable prints there as well!

So Sleepy.....

I really don't have anything very constructive to share with bloggerdom today, I'm totally NOT ready to face the world. What I really want to do is curl back up in my blanket and go back to sleep until my kids come home from school. Alas, I just made a coffee date, so I guess waking up is inevitable. I could resist Starbucks no longer. Oh, and then there's that list of 100 things I need to get done before my hubby comes home tomorrow and the craft show this weekend! Anyway, I will plan on making a day for just sleeping in soon, so I surfed around Etsy until I found the most perfect sleepy time items to share with you all.

This skully sleep mask (shown above) by BibBon would definitely do the trick for keeping that pesky daylight out of my sleepy time. The print is so perfect for me, and I love it!

I can just imagine how this minky blanket by antoinettes would feel to snuggle up in for hours. I'm sure I'd have to fight my dog for real estate under this cozy blanket!

My dear friend DancingMooney makes the most fabulous soap! This lavender olive oil soap is sure to relax you before bedtime so you slumber like a newborn child.

I just love this limited edition ACEO by scarlettcat, entitled "Sleeping With the Fishes". Talk about a sweet twist!

This fine art print by lisajulia says it all. How uncanny is it that dogs can sleep just about anywhere? Doesn't that guy know he's gonna get stepped on?

Every critter (even the doggie above) needs one of these fishy beds by laurelszoo. My only lament to this darling little bed is just that..it's too little! My 55 pound lab would like one of these (I'm almost certain of it), and even if she wouldn't, it would still be a cute addition to any room! Oh to have a small dog that had a bed of her own and didn't steal 3/4 of mine!

So with that, I leave you for the day. Be sure to get your entries in for the Great Hillbilly Giveaway, you still have a few hours!! Tomorrow will be the start of the weekend, so look for the postings for the winner of the contest. On Monday, look for something great and fabulous coming your way here in the land of confusion!

A Case of The Monday Blahs....

This ACEO by LittleOddACEO is me today. Exactly how I feel, dejected, ill, bleh. I went to bed with a little tickle in my throat last night. This morning, it's a little more like I tried to swallow a molten sword. It's too early to be sick, the cooler weather isn't even here yet! I did manage to get my kids off to school today, and now I'm enjoying the silence. I'm very frustrated though, because if it weren't for my throat, I'd feel fine! I have a list of things I want to accomplish at least a mile long, but all I really want to do is lay in bed and feel sorry for myself, and drool all over because it's much better than swallowing.

Perhaps I need this little penguin by teenybeak to come nurse me back to health. She can be my teeny tiny fairy godmother. Even if she can't make me feel better, have you ever seen a penguin walk? Laughter is the best therapy they say. I can give her chores and watch her waddle away. I wonder if she does laundry or dishes?




I must admit, I love this get well card by ArtMind. So classy, yet fun too!

Without further ado though, I must drag myself out of bed and get downstairs to see how my new earring pieces came out. I will make some green tea with honey and soothe the scratchies in my throat, and then after I play with my new pieces, and possibly my camera, I will take a nice, long bath. Surely that will make me feel much better! Maybe even well enough to do some of the things that make me feel the best...like........retail therapy!?

Tuesday Spotlight: LonesomeRoadStudio

I've cultivated several special friendships since joining Etsy, and I'd like to introduce you to some of my artist friends! Today, I'd like you to meet Angie at LonesomeRoadstudio! The first thing that drew me into Angie's shop, was her unique style. Her pendants just jumped right off the page and screamed "Get in here and LOOK AT ME!!" Up above, I've showcased a picture of her very first ACEO (Hopefully of many more!), entitled Lasiren Blue.

Also very notable are her Breast Cancer works of art! She donates 10% of the price to the Susan G. Komen foundation.

So without further ado, since I'm not a master journalist, I asked Angie to tell me a little bit about her, and here's what she had to say....

I really just love to draw, and incorporate my artwork into functional items like jewelry and other accessories, altered clothing, gifts, home decor, etc. I primarily use markers (mainly Sharpies) but every once in a while some colored pencil slips in. As I expand what I do, I will also be incorporating more fibers and beads. I also hope to learn more about PMC and fractals and integrate those elements in some way.

I love vintage Peter Max posters and retro tattoo artwork but I'm also inspired by images from nature. I also love Mexican Day of the Dead, vintage Halloween art and cheesy old movie poster art, and I have a real thing for mermaids and Bettie Page as well.

I love cooking and want to design a line of kitchen accessories (towels, potholders, magnets, etc.) and create mini-cookbooks with my illustrations.

I'm a member of the Etsy Honeybee Helpers team and the upcoming new Illustration team and I've also recently joined Illustration Friday.

I live on a gravel road outside of a prison town (heh heh, that always impresses people) about an hour SW of Chicago, with hubby and two cats.

If you're ever in the area of Oswego, Illinois, you can stop by Imagine on Main and see some of her artworks first hand!

And since she loves cooking and creating fun and funky kitchen accessories, I asked her to share one of her most favorite recipes, so without further ado, here it is!!

"Da Best" Chicago-style Italian Beef
1 (5 lb) rump roast (please don't use chuck roast, too stringy and greasy)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon coarse-grind black pepper

"Da Gravy"
2 cups boiling water
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon coarse-grind black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Sprinkle the roast with garlic powder, oregano and pepper, then cook roast, uncovered, in a shallow roasting pan, about 30 minutes per pound.
Roast will be very rare-- don't overcook it!
Let cool slightly, then thinly slice.
Add to the roast's pan drippings: the boiling water, bouillon cubes, oregano, thyme, pepper, Tabasco sauce, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
Simmer for 20 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
Taste for salt and add some if you wish.
Add the sliced beef; cover and marinate in da gravy overnight.
Reheat the next day and serve in crusty Italian sandwich rolls.

So stop by and check out Angie's shop! With her wide variety of awesomeness, you're sure to find something you want to take home, or give as a gift.