Happy Birthday Mabel

It's hard to believe our baby turned three today. We're celebrating tonight with a special carob and peanut butter cupcake cookie. (Champagne will be provided for the adults.)

Her "brothers" Woodley and Wyatt pitched in their allowances to get her a "bristle bone" - the packaging claims it's a dental toy a dog is guaranteed to love to chew complete with durable nylon bristles and rubber nubs to clean teeth as they chew. I can't decide whether it will be a hit or a torture device. I bought the replacement "gnawhide" cookie rings just in case.

In the studio...

I have a to-do list a mile long and it just seems to be getting longer this month! May, June and July are going to be busy months for illegible ink (and all my little helpers). Feel free to drop me and line and let me know what images you'd like to see from illegible ink. Right now I'm working a friendly dinosaur!

And be sure to come visit at the upcoming show schedule:

• May 9: Squidfire Spring Art Mart, (Charm City Craft Mafia tent) Baltimore
• May 30-31: Art Star Craft Bazaar, (Booth #42) Philadelphia
• June 20: Pile of Craft, Baltimore
• July 17-19: Artscape, Baltimore

Six-Burgh "Steels" Super Bowl XLIII

I guess it really all started after Super Bowl XL (or perhaps even further back, when I met my husband at college in Ohio). My brother-in-law had just moved to Cleveland and named their chocolate Cheasapeake Bay Retriever, Bettis, after the beloved Pittsburgh running back.

One day before the 2008 AFC Championship game, my husband was interviewed by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. They ended the article with his take on our Charm City vs. his hometown:

"'When I first moved here, I couldn't believe how similar the cities are. The people, in general, really remind me of home.' Before you start thinking he's gone crazy from too much mercury in his salmon, know that he'll be returning to Pittsburgh this weekend for the AFC Championship game. And he'll be rooting for the good guys."

After the AFC Championship game, he waved his terrible towel and gave a High 5 to Steelers (and ex-Wolverine) LaMarr Woodley (#56).

A week later, friends of ours offered us the chance to adopt a male brindle boxer puppy. We didn't think twice... By the food bowl measurements, we knew the puppy could grow up to be 6'2" and 265 lbs. We easily felt he could earn 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble - all unassisted - in the Puppy Super Bowl. So, we lovingly named him Woodley. Now, Woodley joins his boxer big sister, Mabel, and the two rockstar felines, Hops and Wyatt, in our N. Luzerne Steeler Nation!

Never fear, dear Ohio family and friends: I did not let the excitement go completely to my head. I voted for Santonio Holmes and The Ohio State University as Super Bowl MVP. Go Buckeyes!