little.black.sheep.shop

Shutter-happy

I have finally got my camera working again (yippee!) and had somewhat of a photography marathon in my studio this past week to update the shop...
Woohoo!!




This has been on my to-do list for a while - so I'm over the moon that it's finally begun.
 
Enjoy the new *and improved* pics!
 
(More to come in the coming weeks!)

 

sweet things

I curled up in bed last night with my favorite fuzzy friend, Riley, and some warm sliced bananas, coffee ice cream and chocolate syrup. I was decidedly prepared for the decadence that is the Oscars!!

Short & Sweet Oscar Rambling:
(( I need not say much about the gowns from last night, for I'm sure all of you are sick of the never-ending chit-chat about them by now. (I will admit, however, that Penelope Cruz' vintage sweetheart-style piece was my favorite of the night!) I also must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the theatrical spin they put on the awards ceremony this year. So much of it was so cleverly done - and it made a small part of me miss my old theatre days from years & years ago. Aaaaah ye olde days of yore... ))
*wistful sigh*

Moving on... Another sweet thing? My sister (older, not twin) sent me the most fabulous layered pop-up valentine last week! She used to decorate cakes and cupcakes, so it was very apropos...
 


So sweet. Check out UpWithPaper for more delectable, layered cards with eye-candy like this one.

Or, for beautifully crafted handmade cards, check out my friend, Vanessa's, online shop, Four-Sided Sentiments. She has a wonderful collection of cards for every occasion - and cleverly designs each one so there is not a dull side in sight.
(I just put in an order for one of her sets last week - and can't wait for them to arrive!)

Happy Monday to all!! xxoo!
 

It's a boy!

Our local zoo has announced the arrival of a new baby giraffe! Meet Lewis... who is only one inch shorter than me!!


 
I was SO excited to hear this news - giraffes are one of my absolute favorite animals. A visit to our zoo is definitely in order! :)

Here's a link to some footage of the wee one.

:)

I just realized!

My phone background was a PERFECT match for today's weather and overall feel!

 It's a tres simple picture of cotton blossoms:

 

I originally selected it because I have been obsessed recently with the muted bluish-grey color in the background... but, truth-be-told, I really adore it because of those lovely, fluffy cotton blossoms!

If the weather shapes up tomorrow, I may very well swap my current glooms-town-ish background for this decidedly more cheery one instead:  

 

 

(Please note that these images do not belong to me. I am using them for my personal use only; they are copyrighted by their respective designers/owners. Please respect these images as you would any copyrighted materials. Thanks!)

Glooms Town

I heard rain the moment I woke up this morning - and immediately closed my eyes desperately wishing it was Saturday. Darn. No such luck. It was definitely going to be a gloomstown day.

So I sat in front of my office window all morning trying to ignore the gloomy grey weather in the background and focus on my work. I was actually surprisingly productive - usually on days like this I want to make some hot cocoa and start a movie marathon on my couch!

Besides working hard at ignoring the weather, I've been busy scheming up new goodies for the next shop update! I can't wait to share all the new items with you Here's one of my current favorites... I still have to scan him in, so this dim, low res pic will have to suffice for now:
 

 
Remember when *younger you* used to mouth the words "olive juice" or "elephant food" to a boy in class you had a crush on, and you got a major kick when he thought you were actually professing your love for him? This piece is an homage that pokes fun at the *younger you*'s and *younger me*'s of yesteryear.

Three cheers for sun in the forecast tomorrow! Hip hip hooRAY!

xxoo
 

I just called to say...

I hope you all had excellent weekends and enjoyed President's Day! I spent the day being particularly productive around the house and ended my week-long avoidance of working out. Hooray! (I never want to do it -and then every time when I talk myself back into getting moving, I think, "This isn't that bad! Why in the world did I procrastinate this for so long??!")

Another reason why this weekend rocked the hizzy? I finally got to talk to my hunny!

Ryan + I haven't been able to talk in almost six weeks - and after talking to him, the sun definitely seemed to shine a little brighter. He also surprised me with the most perfect bunch of red, pink, and white tulips in a fantastic ruby-red vase from one of our local florists. This morning, I stole a few of the white ones to put in a small vase on my desk. They have been cheerfully sitting there all day...



...and I thought I'd share these friendly fellows with you.



I am so very lucky.
 

'Tines Day Scribble

As promised, here is the poem I wrote for my hunny today, who is overseas at the moment.
 

 
Happy Cupid's Day to everyone!

V-day in a pinch

Time-management. Some of us are blessed. And others have WAY too much on our plates these days to be able to figure out how to fit everything in. So if you want to do something for someone special in your life tomorrow (whether it be your better half or a fabulous friend), it is NOT TOO LATE! :)

 

Here are some little.things you can do to show your love - without feeling guilty about waiting until the last-minute!

 

Toasty Towels

Cost - FREE!

If you live with someone, do them a favor tomorrow morning and throw their towel (or robe) in the dryer to warm it up for a few minutes before their shower or bath. There is NOTHING better than getting wrapped in a WARM fluffy towel right after a morning shower or bath!

 

Cozy Cots

Cost - FREE!

 Is it going to be on the chilly side where you are tomorrow? How about putting a heating pad or blanket in between the sheets before your loved one heads to bed? I'm sure they will be pleased as punch to find a cozy cot waiting for them! 

 

Tasty Treats

Cost - Under $15!

 I heart Rachael Ray. (Actually, I heart the 30-Minute-Meals-Rachael-Ray. Jury's still out on the pimped-out-magazine-and-tv-show-and-millions-of-products-with-her-face-plastered-on-the-label-Rachael-Ray.)

 

I watched 30-Minute Meals for all four years back when I was in college and learned a LOT about cooking time management in the process! One of the many reasons why I love this innovative + spunky gal is her five-minute fudge recipe. It seriously takes only five minutes to make. FIVE, people! That's NOTHING! So if your love is a sweet-fiend, head over to the Food Network and look up her recipe.

OR... you can download it here .

 

A few notes:

1) I always use half as many butterscotch pieces as she recommends - usually substituting more bittersweet or dark chocolate morsels in their place.

2) Also... I never make this in a wreath shape unless it's holiday time. Instead, line any pan (Pyrex or cake pan) with some parchment and throw your fudge in there. When it comes out, you can cut it into squares or use cookie cutters to make fun fudge shapes.

3) I never use currants.

4) And since some people like nuts in their fudge and some don't (personally, I don't discriminate against ANY kind of fudge), I line a third of my pan with marshmallows, a third of my pan with nuts, and leave the other third blank. Then - when you pour your melted fudge into the dish, you end up with three different types of fudge! Just pop her upside down when the fudge has set and all the toppings are on TOP! :)

 

Thank goodness for five-minute fudge.

 

Pleasing Poems

Cost - FREE!

 Finally, if you can't think of what else to do - write a poem! I know, I know - NERD ALERT! But I think most people would agree - regardless of your gender - there is something special about receiving a poem written just for you. It always means so much more when you get something that you can tell someone put some time + thought into.

 

(For those of you who don't know, my hunny is in the Air Force - so we are used to spending Valentine's day apart. Somehow we have always found ways to make our day special - despite the distance between us! This year, he's deployed again - so I'll be emailing him a little something I've been cookin' in my brain for a few days. It might not be chocolates or flowers or some incredible homemade dinner... but I know how much it will mean to him. I'll share it with you guys tomorrow - still have a few rhymes to iron out!)

 

If you're not much into rhymes, there are a ton of helpful websites out there. My favorite is RhymeZone, where you can enter any word and it spits out a plethora (yes, plethora) of words that rhyme! 

 

Hope these ideas help you to get inspired for tomorrow!

 xxoo

 

Winter Song & Spring Herbs

So Grey's Anatomy was on in the background last night while I was buzzing around the house doing some cleaning, organizing and general tidying up. And - to my ear's delight - I heard Sara Bareilles' and Ingrid Michaelson's Winter Song being played!

 

 

If you have not heard the song in its entirety, it is a real treat. Just as delicious is the video - it is marvelously illustrated and has a special meaning to me because it reminds me of my twin sister and I. (One of the girls has red hair (like my twinkie) and the other's is brown - like mine. I assume these girls are supposed to represent Ingrid & Sara, but I like to think the characters are actually my sister & I!)

 

 

 

 

I generally don't watch many music videos these days since many of the music video television channels seem to be packed with shows which I have absolutely no interest in watching. So luckily I came across it on Sara B's website - which you should ALSO check out if you haven't heard of her yet! I promise you will love her - she is just the most endearing and talented chickadee!

 

All this Sara B madness made me realize that I also had not shared the news with you of the winners of her Gravity Tour poster contest! She apparently had trouble picking just one winner - so instead she selected two - and I j'adore them both.

 

The winning poster designs were on her website last week - but for some reason I can't find them there anymore. :( Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to any of her Gravity Tour venues to be able to nap one of these for myself (moving away from Houston means I am now going to have to travel quite a ways if I want to see any of my favorite musicians play). Hopefully some of you will be lucky enough to be able to go to one of her shows... and if you do - buy a poster! The proceeds go to the poster designers' charities of choice. If hearing Sara's music and knowing you're helping a charity out doesn't warm your heart - I don't know what else could!! :)

 

***

 

In other news, our backyard has been very noisy the last few days. We're finally getting a fence put up - which will end up being quite lovely because our neighborhood requires anyone who wants a fence to put up decorative scalloped fences - very different from the standard dog-ears I'm used to!! Riley has been at our fabulous local doggie play day (having a ball with other puppies) every day while the commotion has been going on - lucky thing! - so I've been left alone to witness the hammering, sawing, drilling, etc. I am SO happy to say that they are supposed to finish today - and it's looking like Riley will FINALLY have his own space where he can run around.

 

Knowing this was scheduled for this week, I pre-emptively purchased some assorted herb seeds and plants this past weekend and have been planting them in my spare time. I can't wait for them all to begin sprouting!! 

 

 

 

I finally got to use the beautiful copper garden labels my Mum got me for Christmas - I'm still getting used to writing with the grease pencil that came with them (see my wonky scribbly writing below). I think these labels are a really pretty way to keep track of what's sprouting where.

 

 

 

Happy Friday to all!!

 

Hitting RESET

Wow. WHAT a day! I know I'm not the only one out there who sometimes has those days - you know the ones... when you want to jump into your favorite comfy pajamas, crawl back into bed and just start over again tomorrow! And yet - alas - the day goes on - expecting things from you - assuming you will show up, do your best, and smile smile smile!
 
Unfortunately I could not start over today. But - after a quick early evening jog - I did what any self-respecting gal in my shoes would do ... something that ALWAYS comforts me after a rough day: I whipped up some scrambled eggs and a toasted, BUTTERED english muffin for dinner. YUM!! (And shhhh - don't tell - but I also sneaked in a glass of wine!! Aaaahhhh... that's better!!) I would have taken a picture of my fabulous comfort-food-spread - but I scarfed it down before there was any chance of that! :)
 
So now I'm ready to start over fresh tomorrow morning. I'm going to snuggle with my puppy for a bit while we watch the Food Network Chocolate Masterpieces Challenge (don't you LOVE all the Food Network cake design challenges?! - I sometimes have dreams of making cookies, cakes & chocolates all day long for a living, going home each night smelling like gingerbread, sugar cookies, and nutmeg).
 
And now... some shop news!
I have been working on some new pieces for the shop!!! WOOHOO!! I'm REALLY excited about each of them! I promise I'll announce a shop update as soon as everything is ready. 
 
Allright, little lambs. I hope you all had great days! And if not, grab your comfiest of comfy p.j.'s and do what I'm going to do... start over tomorrow!!
 
xxoo!