Burger of the Week #149

 
So what was the most epic Christmas gift of 2013? It was the TRIVET BURGER. A 7-piece work of art. Each handmade layer is a perfect representation of the proper produce. Unwrapping and assembling this was a delight.

And of course something this awesome could only have been made by scrappylynn.

Give Monday a Beating

It's February. It's Cold. It's Monday. And we're all Tired. Here's some appropriate advice for this Monday morning.

Wise Sentiments. Coming soon to Etsy.

Art on Drugs

I'm going to say that I find this fascinating, but I hesitate to recommend this....

Artist Bryan Lewis Saunders decided to take a different drug every day for a few weeks and draw a self portrait while under the influence of each substance.

The results are staggering. I'm stunned by not only the different styles but the different mediums, techniques and skill level that came forth during this experiment. 

For starters, i think this would be incredibly challenging and difficult on the body doing this Every Day and allowing no recovery time in between. It seems like the risk for disaster would increase with every drug you took, and Lewis came up with a lot to try...

I also feel like he must have a handler for some of these instances. Someone to remind him that he's supposed to draw a self portrait. One would think you'd forget what you're meant to be doing once you get high!

Here's just a few samples but you can see many, many more here.
(Oxycodene shown above).

Cough Syrup, Abilify, Xanax >

PCP, Ritalin, Mushrooms >

I'm curious to know what Bryan thinks of these drugs after trying so many of them and seeing the often insane impact they had upon his work. 

So the question is, is Bryan Lewis justifiably committed to his work? Or should he just be committed? 

Breakfast Pints

Here's a delicious, convenient breakfast snack for the working girl (which I sometimes am). From The Yummy Life it's a fairly ingenious overnight, no-cook refrigerator oatmeal.

Basically it's a smorgasbord of opportunities. You start with greek yogurt, milk and oatmeal (I leave out the chia seeds since i'm not seeking out extra protein and fuel) and then add in a variety of flavors. 

Initially the Yummy gave us 6 flavors to try:
– Mango Almond
– Blueberry Maple
– Apple Cinnamon
– Banana Cocoa
– Banana Peanut Butter
– Raspberry Vanilla

But later 8 new flavor combinations were added:
–  Pineapple Coconut
– Mandarin Orange
– Cherry Garcia
– Peach Melba
– Pumpkin Pie
– Cranberry Pecan
– Apricot Ginger
– Mocha

This week I tried Blackberry Vanilla, Apple Cinnamon , and the Peach Melba. Leaving it sit just overnight has worked for me everytime. And I like working with the jam and vanilla the best. But really it's just such an easy grab-n-go breakfast, I see endless possibilities here. 

Burger of the Week #148

This mega-cute cat-burger graphic is inspired by everything from rave culture to Japanese pop. It's the Cat-chup and Mustard tee from reliable ol' Modcloth

DIY: Easy Afternoon Stamping

This is a Pinterest find that I just think is so brilliant in it's simplicity. A quick craft that anyone can do with items they  have around the house–a rubber stamp made from a pencil eraser!

This blogger over at Cut & Paste used the stamp to make simple and adorable stationary, tags and wrapping paper.

If you're looking for a bigger cutting surface or different texture, try a cork! Another reason to drink more wine!

Mike & Ike: Together Again. And Looking Quite Different.

In case you missed it (and were worried)...

Mike & Ike are back together.
And have been for some time it would seem.

The break-up of Mike & Ike two years ago, due to creative differences, shock the candy world quite hard. I first noticed the sugar-coated divorce while standing in the check-out lane at the Meijer. My first thought was that a child had gotten loose with a Sharpie. But no, we were supposed to pick our candy based on whose side we were on.

Oh, marketers.

The fictional split, which included wide-spread billboards and a vast social media campaign, increased the sales of Just Born's Mike & Ike by 7.2% in 2012.

And just in time to cash in a second time, the candy duo  reunited. This happy news I received while standing in the check-out lane at the Meijer, when the packaging above shouted it out at me.

It would seem that their reconciliation came with a rebrand. Personally, I would have favored a throwback, retro-style packaging, vs. the bad fruity arcade stylization they ended up with (is that PacMan fruit I see??)

But as they are heading into the next phase of their relationship, I can understand why harkening back to their (apparently somewhat rocky) past would seem unwise. So I will accept the new look, and simply wish the duo best wishes and many happy returns on their joyful news!

 

Burger of the Week #147

The most inspirational video of a burger you'll ever see? Check it out here on Buzzfeed.

Kisses and Hugs for February

There's something appealing to me about old typesetter's letters. Probably the combination of vintage, wood and typography. I've been collecting letters of various sizes for awhile now and have begun combining them to stamp out cards and phrases.

For Saint Valentine's it's XO. Two simple letters that can mean so much.


Essentially it's rubber stamping but with acrylics rather than a stamp pad. I love how every imprint is just a little bit different then the last. Intrinsically handmade and one of a kind, like a thumbprint.

This set of Valentine's Cards and other cards are available on Etsy.