Turbo Claw

Have you checked out Sneakpeeq.com yet? Obviously, I’m a big fan of online shopping (both shopping for my family and selling to all my awesome customers), but I also  have a definite style and tastes I like to stick to. When I got an email inviting me to check out Sneakpeeq a few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure it would be something I’d dig. Then I visited the site and was instantly hooked. Some of my favorites to see so far – wooden kids toys from Melissa & Doug, some great lasercut jewelry, quirky letterpress stationary, vegan handbags, and some handmade, kitschy aprons.

Sneakpeeq works with designers and small businesses to offer discounts for their shoppers, but each brand’s sale only runs for 3 days. And quantities are limited of items, so you’ve gotta act quick. But more than the discounts, I just REALLY like the brands they work with! Many are ones I am already familiar with, but even more are totally new to me, and they are just my style. If you are a Etsy shopper, retro fan, indie mom, or foodie, I think you’d really enjoy this site. Plus, you can “like” each brand by tying your Sneekpeeq account to your Facebook account, and remember all the new stuff you are discovering later down the road by visiting your own Facebook profile!

I was really excited when Sneakpeeq asked if I’d like to host a giveaway here on the blog, with two winners! One reader will get a $25 gift card, and another will win a $10 gift card! Extra bonus?

Everyone who enters also gets 20% off their first purchase on Sneakpeeq!
And Sneakpeeq and I are making it super easy to participate: Simply enter the giveaway by clicking on the button below and joining Sneakpeeq

Enter the giveaway!

After you are done shopping, let us all know in the comments here what you liked on the site! I love hearing what you guys love to shop for, and sharing deals is even better.

Sorry, this giveaway is only open to US residents, and the discount and giveaway are only good for NEW Sneakpeeq members through this blog. Already a member? Tell me in the comments what you’ve scored so far!

This giveaway ends on February 19th, and all winners will be announced on my blog on February 20th!

Just so you know, I am not receiving anything from Sneakpeeq to host this giveaway. I just love promoting businesses that I like and giving my readers deals and stuff I think they’d like. Thank you to Sneakpeeq for providing these gift cards and a discount for everyone!

This week I began putting up a very exciting collection of T shirts that I purchased last year for the shop (we kept a few for our collection – like this one and this one). Stay tuned the next few weeks for a TON of T shirts to hit the shop (and I’ll throw in some other fun stuff for the girls, too – I promise!).

My brother, Andy, is a human encyclopedia of music, art, and the alt Detroit scene. This morning he sent me this email about Mike Kelley’s death, his many talents, and the impact he had on both Detroit’s and worldwide art and music culture. I asked Andy if I could share it here, and he agreed. Thanks Andy, and thank you to Mike Kelley. I hope that you have found peace.

I don’t know if you heard yet or not, but Mike Kelley died of an apparent suicide yesterday. Mike grew up near Detroit and started Destroy All Monsters with Niagara and Cary. All three were going to U of M (University of Michigan) at the time. They were ahead of their time — influenced by Godzilla movies (that’s where the name came from), Iggy and the Stooges, the Ghoul’s weekend monster movie broadcasts, the MC5, comic books, Andy Warhol, Sun Ra and 1920s-40s illustration (among others) years before other people combined these same influences. Mike quit the band just before punk rock exploded and became an artist. Cary went on to open Book Beat in Oak Park; Kristine and I try to visit and talk with him at his store at least twice a year. Niagara continued the band with Ron Asheton (ex-Stooges) and then went on to fame as an artist too. Mike Kelley’s work would later be used on the cover of Sonic Youth’s Dirty and I have fond memories of seeing one of his video installations at the DIA with Kristine and her dad. This Christmas Kristine gave me a large collection of collages, illustrations and prints made by Mike, Niagara and Cary in the 70s. We talked about some of the stuff used in their work — images of Bettie Page and covers of old pulp magazines — completely ahead of their time for using this stuff in design in the 1970s when most people were making macrame owls or painting their kitchens golden harvest yellow. Mike will be missed.

The past week has been full of exciting things for Roy. We’ve actually gotten some snow lately, and he loves standing up at the windows, watching the snow fall; Beatrix is usually at his side looking for squirrels. We took him to a restaurant for the first time, and he sat in his high chair & had a lot of fun watching everyone around him in the room. We visited Grandma & Grandpa and Great Grandma & Great Grandpa Nixon and he got to try a couple new foods (and now he loves avacado!). He is now 17 pounds this week – he is getting SO big, and is getting a little bit of blonde hair in too!

Hello there, Mr. California Raisin. I wasn’t expecting to see you here amongst the ugly trinkets. It’s been, oh, 20 some years…How’ve you been?

This is the T shirt Tuesday post where I admit that sometimes I just don’t know anything much about a T shirt in my own collection. I know that this is a Dead Can Dance shirt from the 1990s, because of the tag on the shirt. I know that I own one DCD album (Into the Labyrinth) and really like it, so when I found this shirt at a thrift store in 2002, I bought it (for $2). For some reason I’ve kept it for 10 years, and I’ve never actually been able to figure out anything more about it in that time. I’ve looked on Ebay on occasion, and googled it from time to time, and I’ve never seen another or even this image tied in with an album or anything.

Is it a tour shirt? When was it made (there is no subscript, maybe because this is not original artwork)? What’s the story? If you have any answers, let me know, and thanks!

The Shirt: Dead Can Dance

The Tag: Oneita 50/50

Estimated Value: $30

In January of last year, I created a list of 10 goals for 2011. It was a list of personal, work, fitness and fun goals, and I worked to complete them throughout the year (some with success and some without – you can read all about them and how I did with each one here). That list was such a good motivator throughout the year, I definitely wanted to do it again this year.

I spent the past month  and dreamt up my goals. I included a couple of fitness ones, a few fun ones, a couple things I have wanted to learn for years, and a couple repeats from last year I never got around to finishing. I even created one to force me to listen to some new music, something I feel I am pretty out of touch with the past few years. Above all is the most important goal and reminder “Be the best mom, wife and woman I can be”.

I framed my new list of goals in my frame and hung it again right above my desk, to motivate me each and every day. Can’t wait to get started!

Do you have goals for 2012? What are they?

Last week I had a great time at Workroom 1.0. Check out past guest blogger Stephanie’s recap, and my pictures on Flickr.

I LOVED looking at these VERY young pictures of Iggy and the Stooges

They announced the Puppy Bowl starting line-up! Seriously my favorite part of Super Bowl Sunday.

Currently swooning over this vintage T shirt. How does Wyco get this stuff?!?

Jeff and Kim’s winter wedding and reception was simple and so beautiful. So were Tafari’s photos, here.

 

New dresses, sweaters and tops in the shop this week! My favorite is that red mod dress in the top corner – it has a super cute scalloped edge on the collar and pockets! Get a closer look at them all here.

Hanging out with his best friends (other than mom & dad) – Beatrix and Skully.