We have our standards....

Welcome! Y'all come on in and have a seat. Or we can sit on the swing out on the veranda and enjoy the breeze coming down from the hills. Have a glass of frosty lemonade and a delicious slice of strawberry shortcake.




Where I come from, gentility and manners are commonplace.
Ah, southern hospitality.
But not everyone gets it, you know. Some folks have the strangest notion that if you come from the hills, you haven't got much sense.

Oh, pooh. That's hogwash. Where I was born and the way that I speak have no influence over my I.Q. And even if I am not a Nobel Prize winner, I'm still a nice person, deserving of some respect.

One of my favorite personal stories to tell is of a college trip to Washington, DC, a few years ago. We were all art students, headed to see the museums and architecture of our nation's capital city during cherry blossom season. It was sunny and eighty degrees (F) outside, perfect for sightseeing. Somewhat unfortunately, feminine fashion at that time included jelly shoes.
After a day of walking, I had to take them off as we walked back to our hotel. I jokingly told my companion, "If people give us funny looks, we can just tell them I'm from Kentucky."



In my time, I have been called a Beverly Hillbilly, a Kentucky Fried Chicken, and a resident of Dogpatch.

Very funny, guys. Only did you ever think that maybe I would rather be associated with brave Scarlett O'Hara or the sassy Designing Women?



So please forgive the dreadful language found on the front of this lovely summer top from Lorilei's Artist at Work. Sometimes strong language seems almost appropriate under the circumstances, and this was just one of those times. We shall not abide insults.

If someone ridicules you for your accent, or calls you a hick or a redneck or a hillbilly, just tell them that frankly you don't give a -- I mean, tell them even if they think you are from "Hillbilly Hell," you have a sense of class, dignity, and respectability. You have your own standards, and they simply don't make the grade.




Y'all can acquire elegant tops, t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and myriad quantities of other gear from Hillbilly Hell at Lorilei's Artist at Work, in the Just for Fun section.


Don't be a stranger!

Choices: Edward or Jacob?

It's at least another month before "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" comes to P.L.'s favorite theater. In the meantime, she's been keeping herself occupied reading the Twilight series. There are only four books, and she just finished book three, Eclipse.

The series is strange and moody and supernatural, yet it has a down-to-earth feeling that appeals to P.L. A teenaged girl who loves Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights, Bella Swan is comfortable telling a story -- in first person, in this case. Set in the woodsy little town of Forks, in the north-Pacific state of Washington, her story tells of her life as the new kid in town. Bella is a quiet girl and a bit of a clutz, yet she is a fresh face that appeals to several of the local residents. One of them is Edward.

Without giving away too much of the storyline, we'll just say that Edward and his family are amazing (even at playing baseball!), they lead us (through Bella) to heart-stopping adventures, and Bella would give up anything to spend the rest of eternity with Edward.

Not everything is as it seems, though.
Bella and Edward are separated early in book two, and she becomes dangerously depressed. Of course, we know she'll be fine, because she's the one telling the story. But we feel for her as she describes a kind of madness she experiences and finds one ally to save her -- Jacob.

By book three, we become torn between these two young men. They are natural enemies, supernatural beings doing their best to protect Bella from danger. That includes each other. Both represent some kind of threat to Bella's well-being, family, and way of life, not to mention (possibly) her very soul.
They could both be the bad guys, yet they are both the good guys.

So, if we had to choose one guy for this Everygirl to love and live with forever, would we choose Edward Cullen? He is handsome like a Greek god, cool beyond belief, with a family whose close-knit love extends to Bella. Or would we choose the noble young Jacob Black, whose father is Bella's dad's best friend, and who loves Bella like a brother until he is mature enough to vie for her heart?
(No spoilers, please!)

Yes, based only on this information, P.L. asks you -- which team would you choose? Cool blue Edward, or vibrant red Jacob? The crystal heart or the wolf from the woods? Vampire or werewolf?

Choose a t-shirt that supports your team. One for Team Edward or one for Team Jacob.




But what if you don't want to choose? Just keep rereading this romance with two young men who love the girl enough to give up everything for her... and get yourself a t-shirt commemorating both of them. What a team!

For more gear about your new favorite hometown, Forks, remember to visit Artist at Work.

Three Horses Neighing at the Moon

It's true, a t-shirt sold on Amazon.com became a sensation when testimonials began to appear, attributing fantastic powers to it. A college humor website picked up the story, and the news spread all over the internet.

The garment in question is a black t-shirt bearing the image of three wolves howling at the moon. Ah, such mystique. How could we ever hope to capture the romance of this scene?

Then we knew. The ultimate chick magnet is a horse, of course! Just ask Nell Fenwick, of Dudley Do-Right fame, seen on the left with her true love (Dudley's horse).



The horse is a beautiful and strong creature, noble, majestic. The grace of a running horse racing across the plain -- ah, it makes a girl long to be the young Elizabeth Taylor in "National Velvet."

Seriously, at a horse racing track, many of the patrons are male, but there is no shortage of female mutuals tellers. And what are these women thinking about? The horses, of course!

I mean, the horse is undeniably the supermodel of the animal world -- but it's the Ferrari, too! Rippling muscles, a coat like satin, beautiful eyes. Fast, strong, beautiful, sexy.

Inspiration.

Who needs a shirt covered with furry carnivores? A real chick magnet wears a t-shirt with three horses neighing at the moon. Think of the possibilities.
We just happen to have just such a garment, in a variety of colors and sizes, from a baby tee to a size 3X-Large. We also have this nobel trio of animals on buttons, hats, throw pillows (for the couch or the bed in your crib), and more memorable gear.



Men, you need to get this shirt to attract women. Or get one to give to your lady love. She'll know you really understand her!

The Three Horses Neighing at the Moon t-shirt can be found in the Just for Fun section at Lorilei's Artist at Work. Better get one now, before you get stuck wearing those wolves all summer.

Organic tees and a refreshing new SIGG

Organic t-shirts? Yes, of course!
We've had those before -- well, we had one. But now there are more. Seven styles for adults and six for infants, toddlers, and youth. They aren't all the familiar french vanilla color, either. As you see, we have added a touch of color to our palette.

Go green, and go in style, with American Apparel and Econscious organic cotton tees from Lorilei's Artist at Work.

Organic tees seen above:

"I Brake for Kangaroos" Organic Women's T-Shirt (dark) in wasabi

"You're Not the Boss of Me" Organic Women's T-Shirt (light)

"I'm a Lil' Wildcat" Organic Kids T-Shirt (dark) in galaxy

"Fun Police" Organic Men's T-Shirt (dark) in pacific

"Don't Mess with the Tiger" Organic Men's T-Shirt (dark) in olive

"Needs to Sort Her Priorities" Organic Women's T-Shirt (dark) in black

"Baby Wants Ice Cream" Organic Toddler T-Shirt (dark) in black

"I Give Bear Hugs" Organic Toddler T-Shirt (light)

"Team Cullen Vampire Baseball" Organic Women's Fitted T-Shirt (dark) in galaxy

"Lil' Darlin" Organic Baby Bodysuit (light)



While you're being environmentally friendly, take a delicious sip from one of our new SIGG one-liter water bottle. Made from a single piece of aluminum, it is lightweight, yet rugged and crack-resistant. To minimize unwanted tastes and scents, the inside is lined with a water-based, non-toxic epoxy resin that exceeds FDA leaching requirements. The handy ring on the top makes it easy to attach to a D-ring, a belt, a backpack.... Great for taking along cold water on the hot days ahead.

Get ready for summer now. Stock up on comfortable, practical, artistic gear from Artist at Work and its sister shops!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

P.L. is getting into the spirit of the holiday by dressing up like a leprechaun -- or somewhat like one, at least. She's wearing a spiffy green t-shirt here, unlike the garb of most old-world leprechauns. You can try to catch her, but you'd better be quick about it!

Emerald green t-shirts are new at the Artist at Work shops. They're available in three styles for adults: a Hanes unisex style, and two more fitted styles from American Apparel.





Our leprechaun P.L. herself makes an appearance on this women's fitted green t-shirt from American Apparel. She's peeking out from behind the words "Catch me if you can!"
This 100% organic cotton shirt is 4.3 oz. of softness.

"The Luck of the Irish" brings its own charm to this t-shirt, with a heart of shamrocks on it. High quality 100% pre-shrunk cotton, 5.6 oz. of casual fit.

The "I'd Sooner Catch the Blarney Stone" t-shirt shown here is printed on the American Apparel men's fitted t-shirt. It's 4.3 oz. in weight, 100% organic cotton. Ahh.



But how long, you may ask, will this fetching green garb be around Artist at Work and its sister shops? Even the wee folks cannot say. Just the same, Lorilei and P.L. are putting other designs on them in hopes that they will stay for quite a while.

But just in case, better go get one of these green tees now --
else you'll be pinching yourself all year!




"Of Course I'm the REAL Easter Bunny" - unisex green t-shirt
"Earth Day" - women's fitted green t-shirt
"Have a Beary Merry Christmas" - men's fitted green t-shirt

A Bouquet of Sharpened Pencils...?

1998. Ten years ago: it was a simpler time, the end of an era.
(Work with me; I'm trying to set a mood.)

The story is a timeless one, of competitors caught up in the rat race of the business world, who fall in love in their own spare time. (See? People had spare time, ten years ago, I promise!)
The tale has been passed along by many skillful storytellers. This particular one happened to be from a very talented movie screenplay writer and director, Nora Ephron.

In the story "You've Got Mail," the protagonists are both in the book business, something very close to my heart. They are also really into their personal computers. (Need I say more?)


Yet the way they become involved in one another's lives is by sharing things that have so little to do with the A/S/L-type chat room talk. They share thoughts, personal moments, humor. The philosophy of Starbucks customers, the mysteries of bagel flour, the love of the small-town-within-a-city where they both live, the anticipation of opening email from a dear friend.

One of my favorite email exchanges is near the beginning of the story, when Joe (NY152) is saying how he loves New York in the fall (autumn). It makes him feel like buying school supplies. Joe tells Kathleen (Shopgirl) that he would send her a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils, if he knew her name and address.

A man after my own heart! As an artist and a writer, I have a special love for pencils, myself. But he really had me at "school supplies."

Who doesn't love getting new paper, new notebooks or binders, folders, pens, pencils, crayons, erasers? Years of memories crowd into my mind.
As an adult, and especially as a parent of three children, I saw Back-to-School season in a different light, too. Yet when I went back to college and got my degree in elementary education with my minor in art, I went to a whole new level. I could have spent hours in the College Heights Bookstore, looking at acrylics and oils, Arches watercolor paper, bamboo pens, sable brushes, drawing pencils, painting canvas and stretcher bars, mat board... ah. Even now, a dream-like feeling of contentment steals into my psyche as I remember browsing the art department. There were so many things to see and dream of, I felt happy just looking, even if I couldn't afford everything I liked.

Wouldn't you love to send that bliss to someone you know?



I drew pencils and added colors, then tied them up with a red ribbon to create a bouquet. The scent of the freshly-sharpened wood is exquisite.

I created more than one text option by using one cursive font for a more grown-up look on some items, but a hand-drawn manuscript font on others, for a fun graffiti effect.




If it hasn't yet, wherever you are, school will be starting soon. You can get or give these happy colored pencils with either Our Favorite Teacher or one of the Happy School Day designs.




Pencils are a tool of creativity. Remind teachers, students, and parents that school is a time of new beginnings and infinite possibilities.


Some parents may even be so happy at the prospect of school that they would consider putting this sign in their yard to celebrate the season.

In the meantime, I'll be using my pocket-sized journal --



-- to draw and to make notes of new ideas for TeachersPets.com ...

Parking Wars and other games -- you're addicted to WHAT???

P.L. is not yet the owner of a car. She doesn't even have her driver's license. But she routinely parks vehicles of varying shapes, sizes, and colors in streets -- often illegally -- and then attempts to move them before they are ticketed or impounded. Even stranger, she takes delight in writing tickets on her own friends' cars!

What madness is this? It's Parking Wars, an online game she plays through the social networking site Facebook. The game was inspired by the A&E television series by the same name. P.L. has several friends and a few unknown neighbors who compete to get badges and higher scores by outwitting each other. (They also help each other, as P.L.'s best friend Emily could tell you!)

Of course, P.L. has now adopted Pet Pupz and Cute Catz, and the Hatchery Eggs which turn into funny little monsters when she and others nurture them.
She has planted a Lil' Green Patch so she can tend environmentally-friendly plants and help friends with their own virtual gardens. She sends hugs, wild animals, and SuperPokes to others, so she always has a lot to keep her busy when she gets online.

But probably the most annoying thing she has done with all these social networking games is to infect me with the darned things. Weren't Solitaire and Bejeweled II Deluxe enough? Now I have to check my account, even before I open my email, to see if someone's parked in an illegal zone on Lorilei Street. Worse yet, I have to worry that the parking signs will have changed while I was away, and someone may have ticketed one of my cars. Oh, no! Another violation!




What can be done? I'm sure the fever for the game will cool after a while. In the meantime, it's all good fun that keeps us off the streets -- so to speak.








I'm making a new mousepad for P.L.'s computer desk with the Addiction to Online Games design on it. In fact, she's getting a t-shirt like this, too. You can get one to remind yourself (or your roommate) to get back to work! You can check your cars after a few hours, as a reward for keeping on task.
(That's right. It's only a game....)

Now Accepting Applications for New Daddy

It's a fact: more and more children are being raised in single-parent families.
Most custodial single parents are female.
You can say kids get married too soon, you can say children shouldn't give birth to children... you can say any number of things regarding this single-parent phenomenon, but it will not stop it from being true.

Teenage pregnancy aside, this can still happen to anyone, at any time. It happened to me, after several years of marriage and three children. Now it is happening to my daughter. Although she is a mature young woman, with nearly 10 years in the US Army, and she first met her husband when they were in grade school together, she has recently become the single parent of her own little boy.

My daughter is braver than I am. When my marriage ended, I said I would never love anyone again. She is in no hurry to be romantically involved, but she isn't going to hide in a shell the way I did.
This design is inspired by my daughter and my little grandson, who both deserve to have someone else to love them. -- Maybe not tomorrow, but some day in the future.

Now accepting
applications for
new daddy.
Please send current
resumes to Mommy

Generally speaking, this design shouldn't be taken too seriously!
But, still, you never know when the right person might see this and arrange for you to meet their husband's brother, or whoever.
There are good men in the world, too, you know -- the kind you want your son to be someday.

Jr. Jersey T-Shirts sale!

Artist at Work offers t-shirts in a variety of styles. From time to time, we add different styles, replacing others we currently use. One such tee is known as the jr. jersey.

We'll be replacing this item soon, so it's available for a limited time at a $4 savings off the original price.

• Coupon code: 4JRJERSEY
• Sale starts: Immediately!
• Expiration: While supplies last*

Stock up on these sweet tees now, before school starts!

InfiniStitch™ embroidery

This is not your mama's embroidery.
Oh, no. It's new. It's different. It's cooler than even PL imagined it might be.

It's the new InfiniStitch™ embroidery process from CafePress, available at Lorilei's Artist at Work and other shops.

Currently, the gear available with this new process includes two types of caps, lightweight performance jackets in men's and women's styles, black mesh polo shirts for both genders, and a long-sleeved denim shirt in a unisex style.
It looks like a patch or appliqué with the design stitched in, yet it's printed.

Trust me, PL was skeptical, as usual, but she's impressed. She loves the stonewashed raspberry cap shown above at the left.




I love the Lil' Brown "Feeling My Oats" design on my black polo shirt, too.
PL and Lorilei are going to be very busy for some time, tweaking designs especially for these new items.

In addition to the new InfiniStitch™ embroidery products, there are also two new stoneware bowls in Lorilei's shops. These bowls are suitable for pet food, of course, but they are also dandy for human food! They are microwave- and dishwasher-safe. You can serve ice cream, cereal, or ramen noodles in them. Just don't try all three foods at once, like PL's little brother did. (You don't want to know, trust me.)





Stay tuned for more pictures and reports. Or order something yourself. After all, you deserve the best!

New for Military Mommies: Baby's PCS Date

Attention, all personnel! All mothers-to-be should be aware that the newest troop has a PCS date coming up soon. -- At least within the next nine months.

Yes, incredible though it may sound, you aren't going to be pregnant forever. That tiny recruit will have a permanent change of station . And that's a good thing, because your maternity gear just ain't gonna be big enough for the two of you forever, no matter how snug that little soldier may seem now.

Time to make plans, prepare to mobilize the troops. Let everyone know when you're expecting this military maneuver to take place. There's a selection of comfy women's tops and more with the Baby's PCS Date design at AmeriColors.
You can choose the month that corresponds with your due date.

Give the gift of a Keepsake Box

Keepsake boxes -- even more beautiful than before!

Artist at Work's keepsake boxes are beautifully crafted from hardwood, in either in black or mahogany high-gloss lacquer finishes. The inside is fully lined with velvet, the bottom protected with felt.

These 5.5" x 5.5" x 2.25" keepsake boxes can hold jewelry and mementos, or can be enjoyed as art themselves, with a 4.25" x 4.25" ceramic tile in the lid.



Choose from a variety of designs at Artist at Work.
These will make wonderful gifts for anyone on your list.

RAH, RAH, school sports!

Forget the fact that it's 90+ degrees outside, and that the football field turf is a lovely shade of brown. Time to return to school! We are so excited.

In this great land of ours, team sports have always been a popular form of entertainment. Millions of dollars are spent on football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, and other competitive pastimes each year.
Teams with names like Warriors, Tigers, Indians, Lions, Vikings, Dragons, Senators, and various other scary people or animals, meet on a field or court to knock the stuffing out of each other.

But all good things must come to an end.
There is a new trend toward instilling in our youth the idea that good competition is clean, wholesome, and non-violent. Certain war-like names are quickly dropping out of vogue.

One of the first new teams is Daisy Meadows High School's Butterflies.
P.L. is pleased to show her support of this team this year. You, too, can support non-violent contact sports (and other pastimes) by wearing , carrying, or giving away (as gifts) these mementos of these courageous folks.
Makes your heart swell up with pride, doesn't it?

Did they say the horses are coming...?

Where are the horses?
They aren't here yet, but it's only a month until....
the horses are coming to Kentucky Downs!

Lanie and Bree are waiting for the horses, but they are anything but patient, as you might guess.
In the meantime, they're stylin' in Horses Around t-shirts.
Lanie is wearing the Somebody Went Horsing Around kids tee in white. Bree chose the Feeling My Oats kids tee in red.

While you're waiting for September 15th, you might want to check out the limited edition Kentucky Downs Thoroughbred racing gear at Horses Around. These shirts will be disappearing soon.

If you're passing through south-central Kentucky, drop in and see the horses for yourself. There's nothing like it for excitement!

Happy Birthday, America

We aren't just America, of course, but the United States of America. I know we often gripe about our beloved nation, just like kids grumbling, riding together in the car:
Don't push... You're on my half... Mom, she's touching me!

But we are family, and we all matter. And no matter where we roam, this is home, the place that we love. I'm celebrating by rounding up some of the designs that show this patriotic spirit, including this new spin on one of my old favorites.

From everyone at Lorilei's Artist at Work, have a great July 4th!

Harry Potter and the Final Chapter

No, that isn't the name of the upcoming book. A good thing, too, as that sounds so very -- final. Yes, it's the end of an era.
P.L. has been waiting in agony for the publication of book seven. She needs to know how it will end, but she desperately wants it never to be over....

Will the Trio survive? Will Voldemort (oh, stop, Ron!) be vanquished? What about Malfoy -- will his be the next death?
And, of course, there's the matter of Severus Snape.
What a sniveling, sneaky, two-faced, evil sorcerer he is. But Dumbledore trusted him implicitly, so that should be good enough for us....

As we look back on our good times, reading all the books in this series, we have several favorite moments.
One of our favorite bits came from one of the movies, rather than the books, when Ron makes the observation that Hermione "needs to sort out her priorities."
Hermione had just made a statement that was a bit over the top in itself, but Ron's was a classic. After all, how many boys think that girls have a tremendously skewed perspective on life? If they're smart, they eventually realize that girls pretty much have a handle on reality and what matters most.

Then there's a big black dog that we miss greatly -- Snuffles, more commonly known as Sirius Black. We think he's gone, but we're not sure. (And didn't Luna think she heard him, too?)

Everywhere we go, we still expect to see him. And, taking into account the mysterious ways of the magical world, would we be surprised if we saw him again someday?


In the fifth year, we met a teacher we might actually have detested worse than Snape. The so-called "Professor" Dolores Umbridge was a real joke, politics interfering with education at its very worst. She tried to coerce and brainwash students, punishing independent thought and action, forcing the government's agenda on everyone in the school. When Harry rebelled against her propaganda, he was called a liar. The mark he wore on his hand branded him in more ways than one: I must not tell lies. Instead of an admonition, it became his mantra. He must represent truth, fighting the lies and misconceptions.



In book six, the truth about Voldemort became widespread. Amidst the fear and unrest, rumors circulated about Harry. Was Harry the Chosen One, the wizard who would end Voldemort's reign of terror? We know the truth of the prophecy. We despair over the obstacles that must be overcome if Harry is to rid the world of this mass murderer. How will he find the Horcruxes he needs in order to break the dark magic spell? What will be sacrificed -- and who will make those sacrifices? Dumbledore was so very right... "dark and difficult times...."



Throughout it all, we love reading about Harry and his friends, whether they are happy, sad, triumphant, or grumpy. He has become one of our best friends, too. And as long as we have him on our bookshelves, we'll never have to tell him goodbye.


This July, be sure to get a copy of J.K. Rowling's book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Don't miss the excitement of the concluding book. The series may finish, but the adventure will never end.

And don't forget to visit the Cupboard Under the Stairs....

T-Shirts for Every Body

Aha! They're here! T-shirts for everybody. Well, almost every body. We won't get too grandiose with our promises, but we will keep trying.

P.L. wears adult sizes now, but she is still delighted by the colors we've added to our kids' cotton apparel. Sizes range from 6 months to 4T in the infant/toddler shirts, and S-M-L in youth/kid tees (up to the adult sizes).

There are also new Plus sizes for women in black or white, with the choice of a scoop neck or v-neck. They are available in sizes from 16/18 to 32/34, in comfortable 100% ring-spun cotton. (Oooh, cozy.)

There are murmurings of more styles to arrive soon. Listen... can you hear them?...
Keep watching here, then. We'll let you know when new styles, sizes, and colors arrive.

Want to earn 20% of Artist at Work sales through your own website? Click here to sign up, and affiliate our great gifts and apparel.

A wonderful world of COLOR

They're here! First, into the masses of white tees at Artist at Work came black tees, followed by more dark colors -- and now an even greater variety of colors!



Women's t-shirts come in a fitted (but not snug) style, with round necklines, in the following colors:
white
light pink
light blue
light yellow
black
red
carribean blue
violet

Additionally, there are three women's v-neck tees in white, heather grey, and black.




As always, we carry a unisex shirt with a crew neck, appropriate for the masculine figure as well. Colors include the following:
white
natural
ash grey
light blue
black
cardinal red
navy blue
military green
charcoal grey
red
brown
royal blue

Additionally, there's a new ringer tee in white with red trim.

Now you can find your favorite designs, printed on tees in a rainbow of colors. But it doesn't end there.
Stay tuned for more sizes, more colors, more styles.

Want to earn 20% of Artist at Work sales through your own website? Click here to sign up, and affiliate our great gifts and apparel.

My monster is bigger than your monster

Phillip is still in the dog house for this one.

A few years ago, when he was still in college, Phillip gave his niece P.L. a cute, fluffy, fuzzy toy as a gift. She carried it everywhere. He was like a protector from unidentified sounds in the middle of the night.

She called him her Baby Monster.
Yeah, that's his picture. Go ahead, laugh. Yeah, Baby Monster does look a lot like the dreaded Cthulhu.

But P.L. maintains the innocence of this critter's character. He helped give her comfort when she had trouble going to sleep. No monsters dared to skulk behind furniture, in the shadows of night, when Baby Monster was on the watch.


















Okay, he is kind of -- fluffy. And pink. (P.L. disdainfully ignores this pink quality, no matter how much others may point it out to her.)

Now, thanks to P.L.'s generosity, Baby Monster can protect you from unknown scary stuff.
Got gremlins under your bed? Is that dripping faucet starting to sound like the tapping of menacing little feet? Or even worse -- is that much-dreaded test coming up tomorrow?

Never fear, the baby monster is on your side. So rest assured, whatever monsters are lurking, watching you, they're even more afraid of this guy than you are of them.


Here's the baby monster, dressed in blue,
with a little monster we call Fuzzball.
They're both available, too, with the phrase
"My monster is bigger than your monster."



If you'd like to affiliate Baby Monster at
Artist at Work, click here for details. You can
earn 20% of sales coming through your own website.
(Don't be afraid! It's only money.)

Don't tie me kangaroo down, sport

P.L. doesn't really like everyone to know she has a soft side. She doesn't understand why I feel the need to inform the world, either, but I think someday she'll understand.

One of P.L.'s admitted soft spots is for animals. Not just fluffy kittens and wiggle-nosed bunnies, but animals she's never actually gotten to touch. Koalas, dolphins, penguins, tigers, kangaroos.... ooh, kangaroos. That particular love goes back a long way, even before visits to the zoo, back to the flannel pajamas she used to love to wear as a tot. They came with a kangaroo cap and a pouch/pocket to carry an adorable toy joey.

We recently saw a picture of a road sign that tickled her fancy. It reminded me of our Tank Xing design at AmeriColors. But instead of warning of deer crossing, falling rocks, children crossing, or even tanks crossing, this photo showed a kangaroo crossing sign.
P.L. loved it. She even wants one in her bedroom. I reminded her that it's illegal to swipe road signs, and it's inconvenient to go to Australia to do so. And it won't help the kangaroos, either. She had to concede on that point.

So we decided it was time for a sign. We created our own, along with the words, "I brake for kangaroos."







P.L. now has in requests for even more kangaroo designs. I'm trying it with different colors, but I know that there will be more detailed illustrations of these fascinating marsupials in my near future.

And when it gets to be a little warmer, maybe we'll even go visit some kangaroos and their friends and relations, at Kentucky Down Under.
I haven't been there yet, but I think it'll be a terrific place to draw.

For now, though, maybe P.L. will be happy with this t-shirt.



If you would like to affiliate this design through CafePress.com, and earn 20% of sales, click here to sign up, and link to great gifts and apparel from your website.