weekend update: nothing but rock shows

this weekend consisted of nothing but screen printing and gigs.

friday night dave and his spanish rock band, La Sien, had a show.  we had spent the better part of last week reprinting shirts and restocking our merch table....its alot of fun but also a lot of hard work.

cant wait til they have their full length EP done....ill pass on updates when they are available.

on saturday we printed shirts for our friends new band "Satellite Brigade" (check 'em out on Facebook).  i snapped a couple of product photos before their show saturday night....i think they came out great!

dave on the left....lookin mighty handsome and Loren (drummers girlfriend) on the right.

The show went great and they got a great response!! Also on the bill was "Darrin Love" a "Athousandcolours" - the show was really great!

Satellite Brigade - Frank (on drums) and Ramses (vocals and guitar) - photo by Erin Cason



got some local bands you want me to check out?  let me know.....who knows they may make an apperance in my NowPlaying:Tuesdays

this just in....

just found this and should have totally put it in my friday favorites list from earlier

ladies and gentlebots

may i present

the burger phone

and its on sale!! hop on over to http://www.brilliantstore.com/ and pick one up for your very own for $10 + free shipping!!! bargin.

**hint hint babe...i want a burger phone



i heart friday!

here are some of my favorite interwebz finds from this week

1. This amazing embroidered portrait by Daniel Kornrumpf via Craftzine Blog

2. This awesome Art Nouveau inspired Amy Pond and the TARDIS artwork...pure excellence! i want a copy....anyone know where i can get a copy.....nevermind i found it here .  The artist is Bill Mudron who has done work for Disney and a bunch of other cool companies

3. This super neat handmade version of the American flag....from Free People ....i might have to make myself one to hang in my house somewhere

4.  This absolutely adorable Lady Fox Brooch by Hanaletters

5. This hand screened Navajo print scarf from Thief and Bandit.  Their store is really neat and full of comfy hand screen printed jersey knit products.  I do alot of hand screenprinting myself so i appreciate their stuff and the time they put into making it.

6. ive been following the blog "Easy makes me happy" for a while mainly because i love her crochet patterns available in her etsy shop ...i want this slipper pattern.  go check out the rest of her patterns which include a viking helmet crochet pattern for kids to adults...it's awesome!

7. this leather feather headband made from reclaimed leather....also by Thief and Bandit
I may attempt to make one similar but paint it to look like a pheasant feather

8. &9. these two necklaces from Shlomitofir ...they are so delicate and beautiful.  i dont like wearing really busy necklaces....mainly because my hair gets tangled in it, but also because i like to keep things simple.  She has so many other beautiful things in her etsy shop....many are on sale right now!!

i wont put a number 10 because this post is long enough already.  have a great weekend!!

now playing:tuesday - 2Cellos (again!)

a little while ago i posted a video of today's feature and since then they have release a full album of pop music covers.

today's feature is

This cello duet, from Slovenia and Croatia, have become a hit almost overnight.  They posted a video of themselves covering Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" this past January, 2011.  Their YouTube video received over 3 million views in the first two weeks!  Since then they have made countless appearances all over the world performing covers of popular music. 

They decided to put together a cd of popular music covers.  Recording wrapped in May and the album was just released last week.....talk about working fast.

Their self titled album includes covers of bands such as U2, Muse, Nirvana, Guns 'N Roses, Nine Inch Nails, Kings of Leon, and Coldplay.  If you are a fan of string and instrumental music you will really like this album.  You're probably thinking..."well does it sound like classical versions of these artists?" and the answer is no.  They do a really good job of getting the rock sound and intense beats in there....just with their cellos.  If you watched the video i posted a while ago you know they dont play gently....they break bows.

This cd has been in heavy rotation over the past week....i love it!!

I like to play string instrument music while at work....which is why i have several Pandora stations dedicated to just that.  If you like string instrument music that is more modern or does pop music covers you might want to make a Pandora station based on these artists:  Vitamin String Orchestra, Bond, Escala, The Section Quartet, and of course 2Cellos

As always...if there is music you would like me to try out and feature let me know.

sweet treats: cinnamon sugar nutella tortilla

had Nutella and cinnamon sugar tortillas been around during the time of the gods....im pretty sure todays "sweet treat" would have been their definition of ambrosia (food of the gods).

it sure as heck is my definition of ambrosia

What you need:

Nutella or any form of generic store brand Hazelnut spread with cocoa (i have Kroger brand) its just as good as Nutella

Cinnamon Sugar Flour Tortillas.  Now if you dont live in the south and cant get your hands on fresh made cinnamon sugar tortillas (also from Kroger) dont worry.....you can use a regular flour tortilla and just sprinkle on some cinnamon and sugar mixture before you add the Nutella

you will also need a small pad of butter....not margarine, not light cooking oil.  you need real BUTTER y'all (*me channeling Paula Dean). 

Directions:

-add small pad of butter to skillet and let it melt

-add tortilla to skillet and coat both sides with melted butter

-let the tortilla "toast and/or fry" on both sides til it starts to brown and get crispy

-take tortilla out of skillet and spread liberal amounts of Nutella on the hot tortilla

(if you dont have pre-made cinnamon and sugar tortillas, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture on to your hot tortilla before you add the Nutella)

this is a super easy and fast little treat....and man-o-man is it delish.  i wont judge if you make yourself two of these things....i had two last night.....okay okay ill admit it....i had two and a half of these last night.   and they were goooood!!

How to stay CREATIVE!!!

(source)

saw this online today and felt it was necessary.....mainly for me, but maybe it will help you stay creative and inspired.

what have you been working on lately?

now playing:tuesday - NEW INCUBUS!!!

INCUBUS - IF NOT NOW, WHEN? 

o geez ive been waiting for this album for a while....and boy 'o boy the wait was worth it. 

the last two albums they put out (A Crow Left of the Murder and Light Grenades)

were good but i will admit they weren't my favorite.  ive been a fan of incubus since middle school - before they made it big (yes im one of those people who feels they must say that every time...sorry).  if i had to name my favorite album it would have to be Morning View....because it still sounded like them, but was laid back and chill.  i could put that cd on repeat and not get tired of it....it wasn't "noisy" (for lack of a better word).  while i like that "noisy" aspect about their other albums, i definitely appreciated a chill album....and kinda been waiting for something similar.

folks.....we got it!  The new Incubus album - If Not Now, When?

has the similar chill quality that i fell in love with with Morning View. 

Thats the best i can describe it.  If you like Morning View you will like "If Not Now, When?".  Not sure? - go test it out on iTunes.  iTunes is currently selling a special edition version with 5 videos and a couple other 'album only' bits for $14.99 - which i dont think is bad at all!!

Let me know how you like it.

friday DIY: How to make your sunnies not give you a headache

does anyone else get headaches from tight sunglasses or headbands? or is it just me?

i dont have a big head but for some reason its really sensitive to pressure.  whenever i attempt to wear plastic or thick framed sunglasses or headbands i get an instant headache....that doesnt necessarily go away when i take said sunnies off....its annoying.

needless to say i have several sunglasses that i own and cant wear because, while they didnt give me a headache for the 30 secs i had them on in the store, they give me a headache when i actually wear them for longer than 30 sec outside the store.....bummer

i voiced my annoyance to my mom one day and she said...."just take a nail file to them"....wha?

folks....listen to your mother....she is brilliant!!! 

this worked like a charm on my favorite pair of sunnies....that i havent worn since i bought them 1 year ago. (yes they are my favorite even though i didnt wear them...the color is awesome!)

all you have to do is take a corse nail file to 'em.

no seriously thats it.  all you need is for the arms open wider (so its not so tight). 

the arms on plastic sunglasses usually meet the hinge at a blunt flat 90 degree angle.

(1.) starting the outside edge, file...file...file until you start to make it more of a 45 degree angle.  it doesnt take much.

(2.) make sure you are making the angle even all the way across....it doesnt matter that much but it makes it 'look' cleaner when you are finished.

try 'em on....do they fit better? if they are still too tight then file some more

this may not work on all glasses (mainly for plastic frames).....use your better judgement....but man this worked like a charm on mine.  i was able to wear these all the way to work today with no headache!!!

crafty crafty : crocheted peter pan slippers

i poke around several craft blogs on a regular basis....i like to see what is out there and get inspiration for new projects or gifts to make.  one of those crafy blogs is Craftzine .  while perusing the crochet area of the blog i found this super cute pattern for peter pan slippers that can be made for infant-adult sized feets.  its not a free pattern but it will only set you back $4.50 on Ravelry (if you knit or crochet you should be a member of this site!)

how cute are they? they turn up at the toes!!  i think im going to make the back/heel come up a little higher...so its more of an ankle boot then a slip-on.  the pattern is simple and quick...i finished my pair in a couple of hours.  i think i know what a few people will be getting for xmas!!

weekend update : lake house

this holiday weekend our good friends took us to their lake house for a little rest and relaxation....it was perfect.

their lake house is just outside of Marble Falls, Texas (which is just outside of Austin). we usually go up there to antique, play bingo, and do a whole lot of nothing



1.Love the retro charm of the country 2. Large metal bluebonnets 3.The tin Tarzan lunchbox that i regretfully left behind..i cried a little bit (ive been collecting tin lunchboxes for 14 years) 4. Funny autographed pic of Sigfried and Roy(sp?) 5. totally awesome indian chief hook-rug pillow (it smelled funny otherwise it would have come home with me). 6. awesome glassware sets all over the place...seriously it was hard to pass up 7. beautiful drawing/etching of a Lady. 8. BINGO!! dave won $95 bucks...i was this close to winning $700...damn. 9. our friends awesome dog...Bonnie...i love her mismatched eyes!



we went antiquing nearly all saturday afternoon.  i bought several vintage hankerchiefs for myself and my mom (yes...we actually use them) as well as a sweet daisy enamel pin and a vintage gold feather pin....but accidentally left them at the lake house so i dont have pics to show you....bummer.

we also ate several times (almost everyday) at our favorite place in Marble Falls

The Blue Bonnet Cafe

This place is famous for their pies.  I'm talking pies with giant meranges....total height of some are around 8" tall folks.  They also have slammin' omelets for breakfast....served with amazing hashbrowns and a piece of Texas toast the size of your head.

we tried the cherry pie this time....Dave's favorite is thier peanut butter pie

sorry....ill stop gushing....it was a great weekend.  cant wait til next time.

weekend update

man this weekend was too short....right?

i had a baby shower cake to deliver to college station for a friend of mine Kim.

her shower was loosely themed after Shel Silverstein's children's books.  she told me her and the hubs really like his "Underwater Land" album so i decided to make the octopus from the album the main focus of the cake

isnt he cute....i cant get over how good he came out.  i kinda want to make one out of modeling clay and keep him on my desk.  the cake was my organic lemon cake with lemon curd and sweet cream filling....my fav flavor!

yesterday (sunday) i got sucked into watching the "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" marathon that was on TLC...anyone else find themselves glued to the tv? man...that show is cra-cra.

i was productive while i was watching though.  i started dying and making coffee filter roses for my wedding

what do you think?  i dyed them ivory, light green, and light orange....you cant really tell from the pic but it makes them look much more natural than stark white.  i love these roses...they look pretty real, elegant....and most important....cheap!!!  ill most more pics later.  last night was just a test run.  for more info on how to make them please visit Aunt Peaches tutorial on how to make these lovely blooms....this woman is seriously brilliant.

 

how was your weekend?