Introducing our new buddy...

So things have been a little different around here, since we brought our new buddy home on Valentine's Day. We name him Al (after Al Capone, you know, Valentine's Day Massacre and all -- it's Chicago history, people!), Al Louis is his full name, and I think it makes him sound like the leader of a jazz band.

Our new buddy, Al

He's terribly shy and timid, but he's making progress every day, sometimes by the hour. Today was the first day he accepted treats, although not from my hand, but eaten off the floor. He's also picked out a toy he likes, and after chewing on it a few times, today he picked it up and gave it a great shake.

I've learned that the best way to get a timid dog to trust you is to basically ignore him, and not stare at his face (no matter how freakin' adorable that face may be), so that's what we're doing now, and why I'm dropping treats on the ground rather than trying to coax him over to me. His confidence is growing, he gets along swimmingly with his brother Ike, and I think pretty soon we're all going to be a very happy family.

There's nothing like a new addition to keep things exciting around here!

Let it snow, let it snow

While I'm just about at my capacity for bitter cold weather this season, it seems a lot nicer when it's at least snowing.

I'm sure everyone who has to commute to work by car/bus/train/walking this morning would disagree with me... this is when I count my blessings, that I get to stay at home and just enjoy it.

It's not over yet, though... 7-inches and counting, and we're helping a friend move to his new apartment today! There, see? It's not all smelling the roses over here, after all. ;)

So I've got a few new venues for my jewelry in the works, and the first one is the flash sale website Groopdealz. 20 variations of my city map necklaces are going up for a deeply discounted sale on the main page this Friday, so now is a great time to sign up, and snag them for a fantastic price.

I'm a quick shipper, so if you're thinking about a City Map Necklace as a gift, they should make it in time for Valentine's Day!

Puppy Cut

Not much to report over here... I've got some exciting new jewelry pieces on the horizon, but I'm still waiting for all of my supplies to arrive.

In the meantime, I brought little man to get a haircut. He looks like a completely different dog!

Look at those perky little ears!

Needless to say, he found the entire process to be exhausting, and after eating and drinking, he's spent the rest of the evening asleep on the couch.

zzzz...

Hopefully I'll be getting those supplies soon, and I'll be able to add my new pieces to my Etsy shop before Valentine's Day (fingers crossed). They're going to be worth the wait!

Gift-Away!

Howdy, birds & blokes!  I've had a hectic last few days (phew), but I wanted to pop in real quick just to let you know about a little feature I have on the Style Maniac blog, and YES, it involves a gift-away of one item from my shop, up to $25!

So head on over to Style Maniac,

and let us know what love, your hometown, or Valentine's Day means to you.

Don't worry, it doesn't have to be sappy -- if you have a story about how you became jaded about all three of those things, that's welcome, too!  Haha, but hopefully at least one of those things make you happy, right?  Here's to hoping...

While you're at it, you'll probably decide your daily blog-reading won't be complete without Style Maniac -- Doreen is sweet, honest, and beautifully community-minded.  Oh, and stylish, of course!

You have until February 19th to submit a little tidbit and to be entered to win one of those necklaces from my shop, so get to it!

New Necklaces!

I'm not really a lovey-dovey kind of girl, but I can try to appreciate a good Hallmark Holiday just as much as the next person.  I added a few Valentine's Day pieces to my Etsy shop.

Black Arrow / White Heart

Black Heart

White Arrow / Black Heart 

White Arrow

White Heart

As my oldest friends know, I decided in high school to call Valentine's Day "Anarchy Day" -- I bestowed upon my loved ones red velvet cupcakes with black icing and red anarchy symbols drawn onto them.

Classy, I know.

But true to my rebellious spirit, I will be sporting the Black Heart Necklace on this 14th of February.

Vintage Sheet Music

I was finally getting around to cleaning up my craft table/desk, when I came across these piles of vintage sheet music that I had been waiting to go through.

It turns out it's an absolute treasure-trove, and I listed a few of the neater items in my Etsy shop, as well as random bundles of sheet music to use in crafts or for making unique Valentine's.  Some of them date back as far as the 1920s, and the bundles are as old as the 1900s!

Take a look!

Till The End of Time, 1945

I Got To Go Where You Are, 1927

Let Me Call You Sweetheart, 1937

The Man I Love, 1945

Deep In My Heart, Dear, 1947

Vintage Sheet Music Bundle, 1900s

What I'm Celebrating... Valentine's Day

Like many girls and women that I know, Valentine's Day wasn't always my favorite holiday.  Well, its still far from my favorite, but I don't hate it completely anymore.

When I was in high school, my friends and I celebrated "Anarchy Day", which was really just me handing out cupcakes with black icing, and the anarchy "A" on top in red icing.  I'm sure it sounds silly to you, but I still have friends who wish me a "Happy Anarchy Day!" every February 14th!

I'm not into the saccharine sweet, but it was nice to celebrate my second Valentine's Day with my 'fella.  I believe we have a bit of a tradition going... skip the fancy-schmancy dinner, with its frustrating reservation-making, overprice prix fixe menus, and skirts that don't work with Chicago Winter weather.  Instead, we go to our favorite taqueria, and eat Mexican food slathered in sour cream.

We shared the chips with salsa roja (the best I've found in Chicago!) and salsa verde, as well as the surprisingly good jalapeño poppers.  I had the chiles rellenos dinner (I judge Mexican restaurants by their chiles rellenos, and Taqueria El Ranchito has the best I've found in Chicago, so far).  My 'fella had a burrito suizo (burrito smothered in cheese), or as he called it, "a burrito as big as my head".  Add in a lime Jarritos and cake for dessert, and its a winner!

Taqueria El Ranchito, Uptown Chicago

Chiles Rellenos dinner

Chips w/ salsa roja & salsa verde

Chiles Rellenos dinner

Burrito Suizo

Burrito Suizo

Jalapeño Poppers (Which were, to my surprise and delight, actually handmade, and delicious!)

Chiles Rellenos dinner

Mmm dessert... oreo cake for my 'fella, and chocolate mousse for me.

What I'm Browsing... A Very Trader Joe's Valentine

Hmm... I just might take them up on this, the "Romancing the Stomach" menu sounds good, and I could make the Boeuf Bourguignon myself...  Or, I could enjoy a night of not having to slave away in the kitchen, but making my 'fella think that I did, for sure.  Hmm, its looking better and better!

A Very Trader Joe's Valentine

Trader Joe's