Definitions by Laura Dubcovsky

cottage industry 

It means an industry where people work out from their own homes, instead of leaving their houses to go to work in a factory or an office for the day.
Many times, now in modern times, it can refer to a family industry, where each member - even kids! - does one part of the job.

We wrote the story like a cottage industry: Betty wrote it, sent me the scripts; I illustrated it.

cottage industry by Laura Dubcovsky January 31, 2009

to turn it on its ear 

to create havoc, or to do something outside of the norm, uncommon, that would make people uncomfortable, or that would confuse them

About the mask of Jason, we decided early on that we did not want to turn it on its ear and create a mask that people were not used to

to turn it on its ear by Laura Dubcovsky January 21, 2009

hard-pressed 

* with great difficulty or distress

** going through financial trouble

I would be hard-pressed to act as an old man and as his own child in a conventional movie

hard-pressed by Laura Dubcovsky November 15, 2007

penny loafer 

is a kind of shoe, like an oxford. Other countries may call it mocassin. They are called penny loafers because in the old days the shoes had a slit on top of it where a coin, a penny, a dime could be fitted, specially if wore by girls, in case they needed to make a phone call.

She likes to wear comfortable shoes, so she is always wearing penny loafers

penny loafer by laura dubcovsky May 15, 2007