Etsy Awesomeness

I am in need of a major pick me up today.  I have the crud... and if it doesn't get better by tomorrow then off to the doctor's I will go. I woke up in the middle of the night coughing with a sore throat and now today it has added a major headache and even nausea. Ugh...  So here are some things that make me happy today. 

If you cannot tell from this post: I like to shop. I like to shop locally. I love handmade items that you cannot find in stores. I really love supporting my local artisans which are everywhere in Nashville.  I have a strange obsession with the color red (ahem, what color is my blog? yeah, it's a sickness).  

Enjoy!

This would look great in my kitchen.

This Cookie Cutter would be really fun to use in my kitchen (plus I LOVE sugar cookies!)

I adore everything in this Etsy shop. Bonus: they are local in Nashville.

This Red Pleated Tote that I would probably just use as a purse. 

A Valentine's Day card, but so pretty I might just have to frame it. 

For the Hubs: A Lord of the Rings poster that actually matches our living room (so I might allow it. Let me get back to you on that one.). 

More for the Hubs:  Marvel Avengers Hand-painted Coffee Mug, 

Bringing out my inner cat lady

1 - Handmade Cat Ring, 2 - Cat Nap Ring, 3 - Silver Cat on a Sleek Silver Chain, 4 - Black & White Cat Chiffon Scarf (This will be mine! I declare it!), hmm... 5 - these colorful cat magnets or 6 - these red cat magnets (I LOVE the top left one with the fat kitty!), and 7 - finally Watson the Cat Coasters!

What are you loving this week?  Please share in the comments!

Follow me on Facebook here and Twitter @SarahComo

Etsy Awesomeness

This Week in Music

This week is a little lighter than usual. The Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris CD has been a much anticipated release.  I have not heard it yet, but am looking forward to it!

TODAY

TV

Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell - Late Show with David Letterman

Robert Randolph with The Slide Brothers - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Ryan Bingham - Jimmy Kimmel Live

February 26 - Tuesday

New CD Releases

Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris - Old Yellow Moon
The Civil Wars & T Bone Burnett - A Place at the Table Soundtrack
The Mavericks - In Time

In Nashville
Humming House - Station Inn

February 27 - Wednesday
TV

Father John Misty - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

ONLINE/ IN NASHVILLE
MUSIC CITY ROOTS: Luella and the Sun, The Vespers, Shelly Colvin, Andrew Duhon, Mandi Rae (you can LiveStream this here or listen online at Lightning 100)

February 28 - Thursday
I dunno... You tell me!

March 1 - Friday
TV

Bonnie Raitt - The Ellen Degeneres Show
Dave Grohl & The Sound City Players with Stevie Nicks - Late Show with David Letterman*

The Mavericks - The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

In Nashville
Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale - Mercy Lounge*

March 2 - Saturday

Where should I be? What should I be watching?

March 3 - Sunday
In Nashville
Delta Saints - 3rd and Lindsley***

Other
Band of Horses start their Spring tour in April, so buy your concert tickets now!  From all the talk I am hearing they must be going fast!  Their April 27th show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville is already sold out! Thank goodness they added a second night here! Hurry before they are gone!

*My favs out of the bunch!

I am sure that I missed something!  Please let me know in the comments!

This Week in Music

Head Injuries, Hard Work and more

So you guys don't know me very well yet, but give it time and you will know way more than you would even want (eek! Sorry in advance). This week was full of injuries, computer work, and I even helped a stranger.

On Sunday, I bumped my head on a window sill (ugh, don't ask) which jarred my neck. I spent Monday on the couch with a migraine. Major Klutz! On Thursday, my husband decided to copy me and hit his head on the corner of a cabinet. He spent Friday with a migraine.  Aren't we a pair?

Tuesday was supposed to be a day to catch up on work, but things never turn out as expected. The hubs and I went to meet a supplier (I also have a website where I sell all kinds of stuff) and found him broken down.  The hubs is pretty handy and tried to help the guy (we'll call him John). John made it about half a mile down the road and broke down again.  After about two hours of helping this guy, the hubs determined it was John's alternator.  John did not want to call a tow truck so Hubs offered him a ride. This pretty much killed half a day, but it felt good to help someone that did not have any one else to call and I got to know a very interesting person.  He has lived in so many different major cities and had lots of crazy stories to tell! 

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and today are all work, work, work. Nothing exciting, I guess. 

• I wrote some html code for a project of which I am contracted which is out of my normal wheelhouse, so pretty proud of that. 
• I bought 71 items of stock for only $27. Crossing my fingers they all sell.  February is typically a slow month for online sales, but this one is especially rough. 
• A co-worker taught me to put bronzer under my chin and jawline to look better in pictures. By looking at her pictures, she would know!  
• I sold my first custom art piece, which is actually pretty exciting for me! The piece will be a gift to someone so I cannot post a picture of it yet. I really hope the recipient likes it!  
• Every night I get to come home to loving pets and an adorable husband and that is all I really need out of life. :)

  

How was your week?  Anything exciting happen? Please share!

Head Injuries, Hard Work and more

Shovels & Rope and their faithful dog!

Shovels & Rope has a new video and we once again get to see who must be their pride and joy, their dog! This video is "Birmingham" which recalls the beginnings of Shovels & Rope (Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent).  They picked two darling kids to play them in the video and you only get a quick peek at Cary Ann as a bartender.

My first experience with Shovels & Rope (and their hilarious dog) was by watching "Gasoline", a video recorded by The Moving Picture Boys.  Cary Ann Heart, as my friend Whitney says, "is so adorable it makes me sick" and Michael Trent's ability to play the guitar, bass drum and sing all at the same time amazes me!  I can hardly sing and clap my hands without concentrating really hard.  As for their pup, well, you will just have to watch the video to see!

Are you as in love with their pup as I am? Oh, and what do you think of the videos? 

Shovels & Rope and their faithful dog!

Alabama Shakes were on SNL on Feb 16

Alabama Shakes were on SNL on February 16, 2013 and they were GREAT!  Watch them here!

What do you think?

Alabama Shakes were on SNL on Feb 16

Life in Lyrics: That Wasn't Me...

Have you ever done or said something where you wanted to go back and say "That wasn't me..." or "I am not really like that"?  It seems to be a frequent theme for me lately.  It's not like I have done anything really bad or anything.  I just have been acting out of character and I don't like that girl.  I have been really rude on more than one occasion.  So rude that it even catches me off guard that I am being that way!  I am sure it is just because of the added stress I have been under lately, but I do not like it!  I know who I am and who I want to be, so here is to being me (and nice)!

Can you relate?

That Wasn't Me - Brandi Carlile

From her Bear Creek album (2012)

Hang on, just hang on for a minute

I've got something to say

I'm not asking you to move on or forget it

But these are better days

To be wrong all along and admit is not amazing grace

But to be loved like a song you remember

Even when you've changed

Tell me did I go on a tangent?

Did I lie through my teeth?

Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?

Did I bring shame on my family?

Did it show when I was weak?

Whatever you see, that wasn't me

That wasn't me, that wasn't me

When you're lost you will toss every lucky coin you'll ever trust

And you will hide from every god like he never turns his back on us

And you will fall all the way to the bottom and fall on your own knife

But you'll learn who you are even if it doesn't take your life

Tell me did I go on a tangent?

Did I lie through my teeth?

Did I cause you to stumble on your feet?

Did I bring shame on my family?

Did it show when I was weak?

Whatever you see, that wasn't me

That wasn't me, that wasn't me

But I want you to know that you'll never alone

I wanna believe do I make myself a blessing to everyone I meet

When you fall I will get you on your feet

Do I spend time with my family?

Did it show when I was weak?

When that's what you see, that will be me

That will be me, that will be me

That will be me

Life in Lyrics: That Wasn't Me...

Band to Watch - The Lone Bellow

The Lone Bellow just recently hit the music scene and they are being very well received.  They have played on Conan O'Brien and they are booked for several festivals including SXSW in March (click here for an article in Paste) and the Newport Folk Festival in July.  The Lone Bellow has beautiful harmonies and very dynamic music.  I could listen to these three songs over and over again all day long!

What do you think? Are there any bands that you are obsessing over lately?

Band to Watch - The Lone Bellow

Americana Music - What the... ?

If you plan on visiting my site regularly then you will be reading about Americana Music. I have taken it upon myself to be a unofficial advocate.

Let me start off by saying that I (like most music artists) am not real thrilled about the whole "genre" thing. Artists do not like to be put into a box and I feel the same way about my listening preferences. To me, a genre's main purpose is to assist radio stations in defining themselves. However, how many of us still listen to the actual FM/AM radio? I do for about 45 minutes per week in my car but just because Nashville has a great independent radio station, Lightning 100 (You can listen online here). Typically I listen to music through Spotify, MP3 downloads or Youtube where genre formatting matters much less.

2013 Americana Music Honors & Awards
Photo by Tacy Judd

However, I adore the idea of Americana music. The Americana Music Association may disagree with my definition but this is my opinion. Americana music encompasses many other genres within it including but not limited to folk, rock, blues, bluegrass and alt-country. It is current/relevant music that is derived from musical roots. Some would say that all music comes from roots because it all starts somewhere. True, but no. In Americana music the sound is more raw. You won't hear a synthesizer, drum machine or any electronically manufactured sounds. It definitely will NOT be auto-tuned and chances are songs on the album will not be pieced together during recording. What you hear on the album will be what you hear at the live show. For artists that we call Americana, good inspired music comes before anything else. Their shows are not elaborate productions because the music can and does speak for itself.  The definition of Americana music baffles many because we are not used to such broad definitions but for me, that is another reason to embrace the genre. The genre itself does not want to be boxed in just as much as artists don't either. It is real, raw, relate-able and full of emotion. Now that's Americana.

All photos are press photos received from the individual's artists' "people".
From L to R - 1. Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller 2. The Mastersons 3. Sarah Jarosz 4. Mumford & Sons 5. The Lumineers
6. Carolina Chocolate Drops 7. Elizabeth Cook 8. Wanda Jackson 9. Robert Ellis 10. Shovels & Rope

Americana Music - What the... ?

Set Your DVR NOW -- Alabama Shakes on SNL - FEB 16!

February 16th - Alabama Shakes on Saturday Night Live

Set Your DVR NOW -- Alabama Shakes on SNL - FEB 16!