everything has its place.

I adore organization. I like the idea of everything having a home. Buckets, baskets, bins, boxes, compartments, labels. I am not saying I am always good at keeping everything organized, but I love the concept and I have fun getting everything to be just so. This is not lost on our household's dog and cat gear.
I get a oodles of joy from organizing our dog and cat "this and that." Directly inside the main door to our home is a shelving unit stacked with bins, baskets, and jars filled with all things fuzzy friend.

The top shelf is reserved for all things edible. The jars house kibble, biscuits, rawhide and other treats. The clang of the top of any glass jar is enough to bring on the pitter-patter of paws (canine and feline alike) or the clambering of bodies slipping and sliding on the hardwood floor, depending on how drowsy the gang is on any given day. It is all so Pavlovian. (Cue the drooling.)

Move down a shelf and you will find the land of the leashes. We have every kind of leash known to dogkind. Short, long, rugged, fancy, retractable, regular clip, outfitted with poop bags. I am a bit of a leash hog. In addition to having all kinds- some of which are necessary and others which are totally frivolous- they can be found in baskets, buckets, cars, and they have even been known to travel in my purse. Along with a stash of poo bags. I'm always prepared. Also on that shelf one can find a bucket filled with a mish-mash of necessities- poop bags, tick removers, blinking lights for collars. And next to that, Sherm's corner: A bucket of snuggle buddies, without which Sherm cannot sleep, and a small dish of medication to control his seizures. A very important corner of a shelf on many levels.
Then of course there is the bucket of grooming supplies, basket of extra collars, and a bucket full of tennis balls. We can never, ever run out of those. Sherm and Bpui would stage a protest. We go through them awfully quickly as many dog families do.

Lastly, the bottom shelf is home to two bags- a doggie bath bag and a doggie first aid bag. They were given to me by some friends as a birthday gift. I was thrilled. I thought it was one of the coolest gifts ever. I love receiving gifts that I can share with my dogs! I am also the type of person who, given the choice of buying myself a new sweater or heading to the local pet store and buying the dogs something new, I would undoubtedly choose to purchase a new bed, bag of rawhide, toy, or what-have-you for the dogs and cats in our house. And then I would find a bucket to put it in.

Ps. I misused a word in my last post and improper grammar keeps me up at night. I wrote the word souly. It should be solely. I thought of this at about 2 a.m. I need to get a life.

It's Elemental.

Oh, Ellie, how I love you. I never, ever want to trade you in, and neither would Tucker, Bpui or Sherm. You are the perfect vehicle for us dog-lovin' folks.

But.

There is a new Element out that is making me weak in the knees. If Honda didn't make the Element dog-friendly enough (the Element has been in the top ten dog-friendly cars for several years running...) they now have a brandie-new dog friendly package. Once souly a concept car, the canine companion's dream car is now a reality. And I want one. Like, yesterday.



This is serious business. I am a firm believer of "have dog will travel," and this particular car is d.r.e.a.m.y. Let's begin with some of the most fab features. There is a recessed bowl that is - oh, wise Honda engineers- spill proof. There is also a rear fan to keep Fido cool while hangin' out in his kennel that fits into the back of the car. Oh, and he can sleep on his cushioned pet bed while you go over the river and through the woods on your next family holiday travel trip. I especially appreciate the built-in doggie ramp that lowers from the back for aging or less-able dogs. Or any dog, for that matter- let's take it easy on those joints, shall we?



But alas, the part that tickles me so, are the floors. My Ellie has rubber floor mats, yes. There is no upholstery on the floors. That is good. But the new, "dog friendly" Ellie has rubber floor mats with a pattern of raised bones on it. Now that is cool. As an added bonus Honda is throwing in poo bags (with handy-dandy dispenser), a collar, leash, and bag. Swag, hooray!

And let us not forget the fantastic ad campaign. What can I say, I am a sucker for personification. Love the fact that the dogs (the ones that are little magazine cutouts, you know the ones...) speak to the Element- and the Element speaks back. Beautiful. I haven't seen it for awhile, but the one where the dog beebops all around the Element, all spazzy- that is my all time favorite. How can it not make you smile?

Alrighty. I'm off to search for the nearest dealership with one of these babies on the lot. Just looking, just looking.




I'm not picky about color, you know.

Hello friends. Today's topic of discussion is one certain pink-nosed ball of fuzz. Some words to describe said ball of fuzz:

Adorable.

Funny.

Loving.

Sweet.

Charming.

Soft.

Playful.

Bundle of absolute joy.

Menace to all things creative and crafty.

Little Bpui is my right-hand lady! My little sidekick, she is wherever I am. And now, she has taken to crafty and creating as much as I have. The results are not always the best, but I do appreciate the company in the kitchen while I am baking or cooking, her presence on the couch as I sew, or her little body pressed against the length of my leg while I bead on the floor. She's quite a chum.

Other times, she is less than helpful. For example, last night as I attempted to rotary cut some fabric, Bpui decided that the best way to help me was to park her little

Tibetan Terrier self smack in the middle of my cutting mat. Ah, yes. Right there dearie. That is very, very helpful. I don't know why, with all of our floor space, she chose the middle of the cutting mat. Seriously, check out the look she gave the camera...it's as if she is put out by me!

Although I did get a bit done. "Speedbump" and all.

Oh! And I should show you a quick little sewing project I whipped up on Friday. I realized that I didn't have anything to keep my money in at the Rumpus, so I grabbed the cutest pillowcase I had and repurposed it as an apron. I used coordinating polkadotted ribbon (polkas are my FAVE) for the ties and I attached a cute flower applique as a sweet little touch. I love how it

turned out and I am really proud of it- especially for being pulled together so very quickly. I'm sure the next one will be even better. If Bpui doesn't crawl on top of the sewing machine. :)

Zowie! I have officially completed my very first craft fair!

I am pretty jazzed about the results...I went in without great expectations- just heartfelt hopes. I ended up leaving at the end of the day with a feeling that I am capable of more than I figured. It was so heartwarming and reassuring to see the faces of folks who bought my products or just dropped by to look. People seemed delighted by the quirkiness of my spread.

I was going to sell both dog and baby items, but I found myself more prepared on the dog end (shocking, I know). It occurred to me that I was rushing to get things for baby finished, so I decided to set them aside and concentrate on all things Fido.










On the menu for sale today: original flavor and carob flavor biscuits, peanut butter dogscotti, and carob muffins, fleece rope toys, barky scarves (that's right! a scarf for your dog!), and collar bling.
I ended up selling some of all of my items!












I was pretty anxious at first, after looking around at all of the other crafters' set-ups. They looked extremely professional! I was so worried that my table didn't look as such, but I received great feedback on it. The photos don't do it justice. It was incredibly colorful and warm.

I loved that the tree that I hung the bling from gave my display some height and depth- and the photos of our dogs added a personal touch and a great conversation piece. (See Moo and Cooper to the left modeling my Barky Scarves? They are my dog niece and nephew.)So all in all, I am ok with the way it all turned out. But of course, I am already thinking about "next time."


I was surprised and tickled to be graced by the presence of a real, live, actual dog during the craft fair! Kip is a five-month-old Chiuaua who was incredibly sweet and sleepy. I had a lovely, long talk with his human. I couldn't resist and had to ask to take his photo. I thought it was the coolest thing that he should show up at my table today. Thanks for the visit, Kip!

















Oh, and get ready for this- the day of my very first craft fair- where I had a corner space surrounded by four windows- it began to snow. And for the first time this season. Hooray for New England weather! It was magical.

Thank you to mom and Luke for your help, Erin for visiting and spending time with me, Erin, Brayden, Riley, Jocelyn, Barb, Eric, Becca for dropping by to support me, Jesslyn and Chris for your thoughtful calls, and to everyone else who thought of me. It meant a lot!

'Till next time. 'Tis time to hunker down for the evening.
xoxo

I'm a baker, you're a baker, we're a baker all....

It's baking time! Though the weather doesn't necessarily say so here in New England, the holiday season is in
full swing. I have been spending all of my time preparing for the Crafty Rumpus- which is coming up this very Saturday. I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing- excitement and anticipation for my first craft fair- but also trepidation and a healthy dose of fear as I don't know how my products will go over. Because I put so much love into my goods, I hope others will like them also. Time will tell.

This past Saturday I planned to bake the day away. I ran some early-morning errands and came home to find the power out at our house. Three cheers and heartfelt thanks to my sister-in-law Erin who not only let me come and bake at her home but also spent the afternoon with me. It was so much fun to just bake and chat. :) I think I've made some great progress- I just need to make more dogscotti, sample biscuits to hand out, and some holiday cookies.

Now. I came home this afternoon with all intentions to bake my little heart out yet again. This being said, I don't think I can possibly bake a thing tonight. I can't stomach to work with flour right now. You see, I came home to the following sight:

Ok, before you panic, that is flour all over my kitchen floor. Ten pounds of it. Oh, excuse me, a little less than ten. Some is still in the bags. It was an easy process to narrow down the possible suspects and figure out who not only 1. dragged ten pounds of four off of a shelf but also 2. ripped through plastic, broke open both bags, consumed flour and also tracked it through the entire house.

Exhibit A for your consideration:

Floured paw-print on the couch.

And Exhibit B:

The nose of a certain black lab.

Might I add that there was dough all over the flour. It seems Tucker got a little thirsty (geez, no?!?) while he dined on piles of flour. Though I have swept and vacuumed, I had to leave the kitchen for a little sanity break before I head back in to scrape the tiles and then mop. Tucker is currently laying next to me on the couch. I am keeping a close eye on him- I have no idea how much savory flour he consumed...I'm guessing he has to have a bellyache. He doesn't look bloated...like I said, I'll keep an eye on him. Perhaps he just wanted to help me bake for the Rumpus? I have named my company after him.

Ah, 'tis behavior only a lab lover could know.

Oh, Tucker, how I do love you.

Carrots, Not Kibble!

Lucky dogs and cats? I prefer deserving.
For a few years now I have been trying to figure out what is the best food to feed my furry companions. I have heard all sorts of horror stories about kibble and the pet food industry. We currently feed our dogs a holistic kibble, which has been wonderful for our dogs, including our epileptic, highly-allergic Sherman. That all being said, I have always been uncomfortable with the idea of feeding my best friends pressed, manufactured, highly preserved dried food- the same food- every day. Who is to say that the little brown nuggets, served with a dash of warm water, provide the nourishment and nutrients these beautiful creatures need? Ah, the billion-dollar pet food industry, that's who.

These thriving companies have not always been around. Prior to this booming industry, what did people feed their pets? Table scraps. Whatever the family was eating. Not "food" that has been processed and processed and processed in a factory somewhere, with ingredients from as far reaching as China. My disgust and shock with the pet food industry has grown with successive minute of research I do. Oh, the "ingredients" we have unwittingly fed our pets!

I feel it is time for a change. For me and my furry companions. Luke and I have been long talking about decreasing our carbon footprint, and supporting local, organic farms. This summer we started by buying a farm share with a local organic farm a mere ten minutes from our home. It was an incredible experience that we plan on continuing. We have also been trying, whenever possible, to buy our meat from a local, free-range farm. So why not the same for the four-legged members of the family? Indeed! I pulled out my doggie cookbooks. As I have amassed a bit of a collection, there was quite a selection. I decided to start with a chicken stew recipe sent to me by a friend.
I found the process of cooking for my dogs both gratifying and easy. After chopping and prepping, I put all of the ingredients into a stock pot. I walked away, leaving it to simmer for two hours. When all was said and done, I had a pot full of healthy, balanced, homemade stew for my dogs. A small portion went into the refrigerator for the following day- the rest into the freezer. Then I made a beef based meal, and did the same with that. Some in the fridge, the rest in the freezer. Over the past few days, I have been adding more stew to the dog's meals, and easing up on the kibble. Eventually I hope to wean them off of the kibble all together. I am being careful to be sure that every meal is balanced- protein, carbohydrates(usually some type of grain, such as brown rice), and veggies and fruits.
So far so good. And now, along with all of the homemade doggie treats I make, I am now making savory REAL meals for my pets.

Oh! I forgot to mention that I began cooking for my cats also. They are currently enjoying a pureed chicken, brown rice and carrot meal. They too, are being weaned off of their kit-cat kibble. Hooray for healthy friends!

I am currently reading FOOD PETS DIE FOR: Shocking Facts About Pet Food by Ann N. Martin. You care about your pets. Pick it up. You'll want to know what Ann knows...perhaps you too will begin cooking for your fuzzy friends.

It's going to be on my floor...it might as well look good laying there.

The other day I was at the fabric store. (Ah, yes!!) As I stood at the counter, waiting for my brightly-colored fleece choices to be cut, I chatted with the clerk about my projects. As I described the pile of dog scarves, crate blankets and toys I I was about to make, a woman approached. Having overheard my conversation with the clerk, she looked at me and asked, "Do dogs like synthetics?"

"Geez, I don't know. I haven't known them to complain" I responded.

"I would think they would prefer natural fabrics, and not those made with- what is it- spun milk bottles?" she laughed.

*groan*

I shrugged my shoulders and continued on my way.

Since purchasing my seven yards of synthetic happiness, I have made multiple rope toys, a few scarves, and I am about to embark on a journey of crate blankets.

I wish I knew the phone number of the lady in the fabric store, so I could tell her that my dogs LOVE their fleece rope toys. I made a long rope toy for my fuzzy friends who have spent a good deal of their time playing with one another. They seem to like the feel of the fleece in their teeth. It wasn't tough or abrasive on their gums as they wrestled and tugged with all their might.

It also goes without saying for all experienced dog owners out there- that it is a pleasure to not have to worry about pieces of rope from a rope toy being ingested and caught in tummies...which, generally speaking, ends up coming out the other end of the dog- but only with assistance from the nearest and least squeamish human. Blegh.

I will be selling these fleece rope toys at the Crafty Rumpus Artisan Fair at The Center School on December 5th, 2009.

Hikes and Scarves

What a day. Lucas took Tucker on a bike ride, after which Tucker took off into the woods. I think he was inspired by being back in the woods behind our old house, reunited with the smells, sights and sounds of his old stomping grounds. Needless to say, Lucas came home, collected me, Bpui, and Sherman, and off we went to hike old familiar trails in search of our lab.

The was little to no searching for our Tucker- for he came bombing out of the woods to see us when we walked up the backyard to where the grass meets the wooded trail. Panting and tired, smelling of earth, Tucker ran up to us with a giant doggie smile on his face. Reunited with his humans and canine pals, off we went for our hike.

There is nothing like hiking through the woods with my husband and our dogs on a crisp fall day. Conversing with Lucas, watching Bpui bound through the woods, Sherman put-put around, and Tucker sniff every great smell around is enough to put a smile on my face. And it did.

*********************

Later in the evening I sat down to make so new doggie gear. I have been thinking of ways to create a dog scarf, but until today couldn't quite come up with an idea that I liked. I thought of a way to simply loop the end of the scarf through an opening instead of tying it, and I rather like the way it turned out. I'm thinking I'll call them "Barky Scarves."

I put them on our unsuspecting dogs to test drive them. What little models! I was surprised by the results. After I put my first Barky Scarf on Bpui, she didn't shake, paw at the scarf, or roll to try and get it off. She walked around in it, played ball in it, and went about her business looking, I might add, as cute as ever. Tucker didn't like to wear one as well, but as I type, he is napping on his bed next to me...wearing a brushed cotton Barky Scarf. I plan on making many more and selling them at the Crafty Rumpus on the 5th of December. And if your pup is a friend of ours, and he or she has been good, perhaps Santa Paws will bring one his or her way....

Dogscotti

Hooray! It is November second and the holiday season isofficially upon us. I am beside myself with excitement, I love this time of year so.
It is time to start pulling together
ideas for doggie treat gift baskets.



Every year I bake my little heart out.


Every year my husband complains. (Playing of course, playing.)


For my baking endeavors benefit not him but our dogs and the dogs of our family and friends. I don't know what it is, but I have always found my enjoyment in baking for my four-legged buddies. I don't quite know what it is, but to each her own, yes?


Tonight I baked some "dogscotti"- a crowd favorite here at casa de three dogs. I decided to take out the peanuts and add some carob for a little twist. Tucker, Bpui and Sherman did not protest. I have to say that the smell of chocolate filling the air was pleasing and warm. Ahhhh....



This new chocolate dogscotti recipe is a keeper indeed. I will have to add it to this year's "Woofman's Sampler" that I gift to our hound friends.










Sherman, Bpui and Tucker wait somewhat patiently for their carob dogscotti.


In other news, I will have a table at the
Crafty Rumpus Artisan Fair this year. The Rumpus will be held Saturday, December 5th at the Greenfield Center School. I will be selling homemade doggie treats, dog 'bling' for collars, and baby burp cloths and snuggle blankies.
My mother and I attended last year and there were some really cute things for sale. My hope is that folks will think about their doggers during the holiday season and treat them to something special. I am even going to sell the goodies in snazzy packaging with our very own speical labels! (I had my first graders draw pictures of dogs- I am going to pick one for the labels. I'll post the winning artwork later!)

If you are in the area on December 5th, stop by!

Back again so soon?

So here are the new burp/clean up drool/something or someone is messy so wipe them up with this, cloths. They are long and narrow so they can hang over one's shoulder neatly. They are also thin so as to avoid too much bulk. They end up being about 7 1/2 X 19 1/2 inches when they are finished. I think they are super groovy.

dogs and polka dots are so very baby.

listen, you, the photos will improve when i gets me a new ca-mer-ah.

for those rock-and-roll babies out there.

Ah, here we are. A special bloggy-blog all to myself. Now I can be self-involved and sound off about all things important to me. Hence the aptly titled "fuzzy ears in my pocket and other good things." I'll explain later.



It is the second to last day of October, and I find myself thinking about all of the reasons I love this month so. First off, being fortunate enough to live in New England is reason enough to adore autumn, and I am sad to see October's 31 days draw to a close. The colors, the harvest and the smell are among my favorite aspects of life these days.



And let's take a moment to honor kid art. Seriously. The pumpkin you see to the left- the one all dolled up- was crafted by one of my students. Looks like it took a few stabs (ahem) before Jack here really and truly came to life. But what a clever creation! Adorned with pushpins and sewing pins he is happy as a clam in gourd clothing. The photo doesn't show it all that well, but he is also wearing a "leaf-and-other-bits-of-nature" hat. Kids are the best.



I have a box full of notions that was given to me by a textile company owner. I can't wait to give it to the students to see what they create. They always come up with the most innovative, interesting ideas.

Speaking of ideas...I have been oh-so-crafty recently.

I don't know if I have any talent at all, but I am enjoying making things with my hands.

That being said, I need to be cautious.

I have always maintained that the word CRAFT is a mere consonant from the word CRAP.

I've seen more cinnamon sticks hot-glued on to wooden pieces of ridiculousness in my years than I care to recall.

Don't want to be caught in that category.

In addition to which, my creations might be considered off-beat.

Nonsensical.

Unnecessary.

Whimsical.

Silly.

But I love them. I love them and they make me smile.

Par example:

Une collar pour chien avec fleurs.

A beauty queen, c'est vrai?

It is a simple fabric collar with a brightly colored button. Cool.

They serve no purpose save to make me happy. Want one?