Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Had to illustrate one of my very favorite quotes from one of my very favorite influences on his birthday.

Doesn't he have the best quotes ever?

Happy Friday! :) xo

My Otter Half

Want to spread some love on Valentine's Day? Here's a few fun-lovin' things for V-Day 2012!

Here is a sketch I planned on coloring before today, but life has been pretty crazy lately! For those of you who don't know, my dad went in for surgery last week for prostate cancer and is home recovering...so far, so good! The Bocks really enjoy kicking cancer in the tuchus.

Happy V-Day to all my loves...

Also, try this workout today if you want to feel the burn on this Valentine's Day! It is harder than it looks...and the girls are super-cute!

Another way to share the love today? Email Love Grown Foods today with your address (LOVE@lovegrownfoods.com with 'VDAY LOVE' as the subject), and they will send you (and your Valentine!) a free bag of their granola. Yesssssss.


Doing anything fun for V-Day? I am celebrating by eating chocolate and doing a Barre class and some yoga. ;)

xoxoxo

And congrats to all my Tone It Uppers who finished their 7 Day Slim Down today. You girls rock!

As for the Slim Down, today is technically my last day....but I have not been following the plan as closely as intended. Which is okay! I ate cleaner and more raw, but still had some diversions in the form of chocolate, Greek yogurt, wine, quinoa, peanut butter...and even with that, I still have a tighter belly and lost some bloat. The effects of this plan are amazing, and I can't even imagine what they are like if you actually stick to it for the week. After the first four days, I felt great and was ready to incorporate my carb-loves back into my life...plus, my workout routine is too intense not to. I will definitely do the Slim Down before my vacation in March, but for now, this mini-SD was exactly what I needed. <3

Koala

Happy Friday, everyone!

Good things are happenin'.....leeeet's keep that ball rolling.

Love more, pray more, work more, play more, live more. Stay happy and healthy, my friends!

Have a fabulous weekend! I know I will enjoy mine with lotsa friends in Philly, some reggae music (summer, come back!), and some healthy-but-tasty SuperBowl recipes. Look here for some really good ones. And....get better, Gronk; GO PATS!!!

xoxoxo

Thumbprint Wedding Guestbook!

....that is what I worked on last week!

Can't say it is my original idea...there are a slew of them on sale by different artists on Etsy. A friend of mine contacted me to see if I could make one in time for her friend's wedding shower tomorrow.

And so I accepted; I thought it is a super cool idea! Of course, I put my own spin on it. And threw in a couple love birds.

(Photoshopped some green thumbprints on it to see what it could look like. It could look pretty with different greens and even pink....like flower blossoms! Or red, yellow, and orange for a fall wedding.)

This particular one is 16" x 20" and can hold roughly 150 thumbprints, give or take. Put a pretty frame on it, and you are good to go! Fun gift for a wedding or baby shower or any other event where you would want a guestbook.

Let me know if you are interested in a thumbprint guestbook! I can hook you up. ;)

**UPDATE: These are now for sale on my new Etsy site!**


Have a happy Friday, friends! I'm enjoying mine with a Dunkin' Donuts Hazelnut cawf and some particularly awful DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.....thanks, heavy bag!).

xoxoxo

Christmas Card Sale!

Here are the six cards and the gift tags available for purchase this holiday season.

Cards

Cards are professionally printed (without the watermarks ;) ) on thick 16pt matte paper with a subtle satin finish. Size is 4.13" x 5.82". Blank inside (I am a huge fan of writing your own personal message in cards!). "Sam Bock Illustration & Design" on the back in small lettering. White envelopes included; red, gold, or silver available for an additional fee.


2011 Cards

Rockhopper Penguin & Ugly Christmas Sweater

Kangaroo with Joey & Christmas Lights

Siberian Husky & Reindeer Antlers

2010 Cards

Giraffe & Wreath

Flamingo & Christmas Lights

Moose with Ornaments & Garland

Set of 10 mix-n-match cards: $19
*Shipping costs will be determined according to the size of the order.

Gift Tags

These thick, acid-free gift tags, featuring Giraffe & Wreath, are printed on 16pt smooth matte laminate. They have a hole at the top and are double-sided. The evergreen backside says: "Merry Christmas! To:  From:   "

Set of 50: $15


Email me at sbock1124 (at) gmail (dot) com if you are interested!


*Mixing and matching is not only allowed...it is encouraged!


There will be some turnaround time, so order in advance! I send these to a professional printer and will receive the mass orders. Items will then be shipped to you as soon as they arrive to me from the printer and I will put together your package, usually the next day after I receive them.


Paypal is the preferred method of payment, but a check works, as well.

Rockhoppin' Around the Christmas Tree

Hello from a Rockhopper Penguin in an ugly Christmas sweater.

Christmas Card 2011 #2!

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing any Christmas cards or gift tags, either by email or leaving a message here or on my Facebook fan page. I still have to color my third card for this year's set, and I will be putting in an order tomorrow. I also hope to set up my Etsy store soon to make things a little more organized, but until then, email works jusssst fine.

When I have my third card finished tonight, I will post all six cards available for you to see here, as well as the giraffe gift tags.

.......aaaaaand it is Friday!

The Friday Five

1.) What I'm Reading:

Almost done, and I really like it. The setting (Puerto Rico and other islands) and characters are very intriguing to me....and I have a feeling things are about to get wild. It's an easy read...could've done it way quicker if I carved out more free time for reading. One chapter in bed at a time and I zonk right out. I look forward to seeing the movie....may wait to Netflix it, though.

2.) What I'm Listening To:

Finally! Post-Thanksgiving, I am all about it.

Although I was, and continue to be, a little freaked out by a Bieber Christmas song I heard yesterday.

3.) What I'm Watching:

More Chopped along with my five gazillion other shows. Loving the holiday episodes.

Oysters, pomegranate juice, red chard, & gingerbread cookie dough in an appetizer? Show me whatchu got, chefs.

4.) What I'm Eating:

Well I have been drinking my new favorite thing...Bigelow now makes Green Tea Chai. Green Tea (antioxidants!) + Chai Tea (spices!) = best duo ever. Add a little unsweetened almond milk and a little Splenda. So. Good.

5.) What I'm Pinning:

I probably need this. 

(Source)

Have a great weekend! Mine will start off with a little Zumba, Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown, and coloring my last Christmas card. 


xoxox

Christmas Card

...#1.

I am selling the three cards from last year, as well as the 2011 kangaroo and two more that I will post here this weekend....every year is an exotic animal, a bird, and a more traditional animal. Any guesses on what the other two animals will be this year? :)

Comment or email me at sbock1124@gmail.com if you are interested!

Total Wine = Heaven

Hey there!

Here is a look at my past week in a big 'ol recap post:

Southwestern Quinoa, via Eating Bird Food...I only swapped a few things. I used cilantro instead of parsley, added in some garlic because I am addicted, and a few slices of avocado on top. LOVED this.

Woke up to an awful lot of fog last week. And cold. Blech.

Koda trying out Oscar's backpack. Ready for school!

My new favorite smoothie after lifting. This is so different than my typical strawberry/banana/peanut butter smoothies. Dark Chocolate Almond Milk (amazing), half a frozen banana, big handful of frozen blueberries, vanilla SunWarrior protein, spinach, and cold water to thin it out. Much appreciated after my two hours of BodyCombat and BodyPump Saturday morning.

Artichoke 'za on whole-wheat naan...great to make for a quick lunch. Heavy on the crushed red pepper, as per usual.

I have been a drawing machine. Here's a little preview! Plus, I am one drawing down for my Christmas cards....two to go, and all three to color, preferably before my trip to Boston this weekend. Yeesh.

Kitty Puss (that's what we call my sister's cat, thanks to my family's, and my best friend's fiance's, obsession with Cookie Puss. Thanks a lot, Pat) loves new adventures in the garage due to all my stuff that I finally got out of Tucson.

The Cookie Puss birthday tradition.

The man, the myth, the legend. Cookie Puss.

BIG thank you to my good friends Joe and Kristin and Sarah for keeping all of my crap for so long! And for Dave, Joe, and the girls helping me pack it all up while I had numerous breakdowns. I owe you big time. Joe and his family, who were hoarding the bulk of my stuff for me while I tried to figure out my crazy life, had moved my stuff upstairs (they were keeping it all in a few rooms in their finished basement) and ready to be put into the truck by the time my dad arrived. With an assembly line consisting of my friend, his brother, my dad, and my dad's good friend who flew out just to be able to share drive time back, they loaded up the truck in no time. You guys are seriously the best.

Oh, and I am super pumped to have this guy back.....if only I can find a place where it will fit, since it is five times the size of me.

My LoveSac (TWSS)....best extraneous investment I ever made.

Also got my wine aerator, decanter, and Houdini opener back amongst all my stuff...so after Coop and I went to see Paranormal Activity 3 (our first movie date, somehow, after over 8 months), we were obviously drawn to one of my favorite stores ever. Like two kids in a candy store.

Total Wine <3

(Source)

We found his favorite wine, and while we anticipated putting together a make-your-own six pack, I am a terrible decision maker and wanted about 130 gazillion beers. We cut it down to twelve different ones and are working our way through them all, splitting them in half in two frosty mugs. Our own little taste-testing, if you will. Best stay-in date ever.

This is what heaven looks like.

So far, this one is my fave. I do have a bit of a bias toward Flying Dog though...Ralph Steadman is one of my favorite artists. I even use some Flying Dog labels as bookmarks. Malty base, easy to drink, little nutty, little spicy, not too sweet....I'm in love. This one will be a winter regular for me.

I will definitely be posting a little review of each one...we wanted to take notes and see which ones are keepers. I love finding tasty new microbrews! Good thing the boy isn't picky about beer, either. I guess with the last name "Bock," I am destined to be a beer lover.

All in all, it was a crazy busy work week, topped off by a fantastic, relaxing weekend. In addition to our little taste-testing sesh, there was dinner at his fave Chinese buffet (one of the many gems of the state of Delaware. Also UDel and tax-free, what whaaat!), lots of show-watching (American Horror Story! So intriguing!), football-watching (Eagles and Ravens, womp womp. Get'chyo shit together. Thank goodness the Patriots won and the game was exciting at least), a gingerbread latte from Dunkin' (it's baaaack!), spending time with the pup and family, and some healthified mac'n'cheese that I made similarly to my buffalo mac'n'cheese. Just omitted the buffalo sauce and used some shredded chicken breasts that had been marinated in verde sauce.

Breadcrumby goodness.

It was a perfect weekend.

Excuse my phone pictures...I am so in the market for a good, new camera. 

Have a great week!
xoxoxo


Send prayers out to my dad if you can, he's going through some tough things this week and I wish him the best...he is the most selfless, loving, caring, wonderful person I know, next to my mama, and he deserves the world. Love you, Daddy!

Beginning to Look A Lot Like...Christmas?

....As you know, I equate cold and snow with being about as desirable as smacking your forehead on an open cabinet, resulting in a bleeding head wound (not that I did that at lunchtime yesterday, or anything...).

However, there is an exception to that. A BIG one!!! I. Love. The holidays. And everything that comes with them (although once New Year's passes, I start an agonizing countdown to Memorial Day Weekend).

In an artist's world, we have to plan ahead when it comes to getting "holiday stuff" out on time. We were working on holiday displays at my design job months ago, as the seemingly endless web of production takes quite a bit of time. And as I have been thinking about my own holiday card set to sell/send out this year, I have gotten a few requests from clients for commissioned Christmas cards of their own.

This week, I brought this commission from last year:

To this:

I actually like this one better! Details like a background and some accessories make it more interesting.

The Charlie Brown tree was my client's idea, and I LOVE it! So clever. I have a version of the tree with the traditional ornament, and I definitely can put that to use. Clearly, I love all things Peanuts.


It's Friday, and you know what that means!!!

The Friday Five

1.) What I'm Reading:

My mom had just finished this book about the persecution of Japanese Americans during WWII and she decided that I must read it.


Here is a review from Garth Stein, author of one of my very favorite books, The Art of Racing in the Rain (if you haven't read it, and especially if you are a dog lover, get on it):


"Jamie Ford has written a tender and satisfying novel that is tucked into a part of Seattle history we would rather not face.  Set in a time and a place lost forever, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war--not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people.  Especially relevant in today's world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think.  But, more importantly, it will make you feel." 

– Garth Stein, NY Times bestselling author of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN



My mom would have accidentally ordered "large print" from the library. At least my eyes don't have to work overly hard after staring at a computer screen all day. Oh, Kim.

In case you wanted to read an excerpt, Large Print to the rescue.

Yes. My bookmark is a Flying Dog label. Don't judge. All hail Ralph Steadman.

2.) What I'm Listening To:

Somehow, I knew the song, but this video slipped through the cracks. Thanks, baby sister, AKA my video vixen and music finder, for showing me this fabulous video. Love Temper Trap.

3.) What I'm Watching:

How to Make It in America...

(Source)

Excited to get caught up on it this weekend. I've already seen the first episode of the new season, but have waited for the rest. We have to rewatch the finale from the first season and then the first three or four episodes from this season to catch Coop up to speed. Love this show! It's an easy watch....reminds me of Entourage's early (read: good) days. Doesn't send me into an emotional rollercoaster (cough cough new fave Breaking Bad cough). Plus amazing camera work. 

And I still love Kid Cudi (Scott Mescudi...he plays Domingo on the show)...even though when I saw him in concert I was about one of 12 in the place that was old enough to have a wristband for beer. Who knew?

(Sorry for dragging you to Tween Central, Coop. I see the pain in your face.)

I will drink my large beer and you will like it, Teenyboppers. And no, you can't pay me thirteen dollars to buy you a(n underage) Bud Light.

4.) What I'm Eating:

In keeping with the holiday theme...

I was so excited to receive a package from CLIF Bar in the mail yesterday! They had a Twitter giveaway a few weeks ago...they were giving away free samples to try their new Peppermint Stick bar.  

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but oh my goodness. Peppermint in an energy bar with oats and soybeans sounded a little peculiar, but I really loved this. The way that mint chocolate chip just works, so does this bar. Low in fat, and high in fiber and protein, it was great fuel before my BodyCombat class yesterday. I loved the flavor as it didn't taste "chalky" like some energy bars tend to do, and I would definitely get it again. On top of that, 1% of sales of CLIF seasonal bars will be donated to the Winter Wildlands Alliance..."With this, we hope to protect the outdoor places we play for countless seasons to come." How cool!

5.) What I'm Pinning:

I wish I could come up with costumes this cool.

Um, can you imagine having ever been small enough to fit into a pot (although...I can fit into a suitcase...#shortgirlproblems)?!


Also, these cupcakes (!!!!):

(Hey, Arizona!)


And this pink grapefruit margarita:

 I don't like overly sweet alcoholic drinks; a margarita is about as sweet as I can handle, and I am a huge fan of them (I think it runs in my blood...thanks Mom and G-Mom). Bet these add even more sour to the mix and I think I'd love 'em!




Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! 

xoxoxo




Oh yeah....and Happy 1st Birthday to this cute little critter:

My little life-changer. He will get a nice walk, lots of extra peanut butter and a new bat toy today!! :)
(And I won't make him try on his halloween costume...which his LEAST favorite part is 100% the whipped cream and cherry hat.

My little banana split.

Heh heh....I am evil.