(Dog) Walking in a Winter Wonderland

A Winter’s tale, inspired by a walk in the snow this morning & illustrated beautifully by 12 talented Etsy artists…

This morning, the dogs & I woke up to 12″ of snow! Max & Molly tentatively stepped out the back door, unsure what to make of all this cold fluffy ’sand’ – they left a beautiful trail of paw prints all over the back yard.

Soon I was all wrapped up in hat, scarf & gloves & ready to take them into the field by our house for their morning walk. The birds were flitting from branch to branch amidst falling snowflakes, chirping as they went, & on the way to the field we stopped & spoke to the lonely horse who stood searching for grass shoots beneath the snow. A beautiful snow scene awaited us – a whole field spread with a blanket of crisp, unblemished snow, just waiting for our footprints!

Then, all of a sudden, out popped a rabbit to say good morning – boo! Max & Molly’s ears popped up! & then, quick as a flash he disappeared again before they could give chase. Molly buried her nose deep in the snow, thinking he may have burrowed down that way, while Max kept a watchful eye on the horizon in case he had scooted over there! Little did they know that the bunny was all the time watching them from beneath the snow covered birches at the corner of the field

The dogs & I returned home, leaving the field full of paw prints, where we had been playing & the little bunny hopped down into his woodland burrow where he kept safe & warm until the snow melted.

Max, Molly & I in the snow this morning

You can see more photos from this morning’s wintry walk here.

Happy Endings

Earlier this  year, Martin & I became foster carers for our local greyhound rehoming charity, Gracehounds.  It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride, but worth every second as, 9 months on, both our foster dogs, Torres & Tar, are happily settled in their forever homes!

foster dogs, Torres (left) & Tar (right)

2 year old male ex-racer, Torres, lived with us for 6 months. He came to us in poor shape, with painful corns on his  paws & a lot of anxiety  issues. In conjunction with our local vets & dog behaviourist, we helped rehabilitate Torres, with particular focus on his separation anxiety.  Because of difficulties  encountered with our cat, Torres spent his final 2 months in foster care at another home, but he left us a much happier & healthier dog & we’re just glad we could help him in the journey towards his happy ending.

Torres & I

Torres is now happily settled with the Rees family in Peebles, along with his new companion, Holly, the family’s staffie-X. He loves all the attention he gets from the children in the household, & keeps  them entertained with his mischievous ways! The boys say they “love Torres because he is very naughty!” – I guess some things never change…

Torres with his new family

7 year old Tar lived with us for only a month whilst waiting for his forever home, but was a joy to foster! Having already been a well-looked-after pet for several years, Tar arrived in much better condition than Torres. An extremely easy going dog, Tar’s tail never stopped wagging during his stay with us, & he fitted right in with our own 2 dogs, Max & Molly.

Tar, asleep on my knee

It didn’t take long to find a home for laid-back Tar & he is now happily settled in his new home in Temple with owner, Sara, along with Tigger the terrier-X, Hutch the collie, 2 cats & a fish! Tar is more than happy to share the sofa with his new adoptive siblings, & animal lover, Sara, thinks Tar is “perfect & makes the family complete!”

Tar with his new family

Tar might not be living with us any more, but I still get to see him (& his adoptive siblings, Tigger & Hutch) at least twice a week, as Sara’s new dog walker! It’s heart warming to see the smile on Tar’s face & his “taggy wail” (as Sara puts it!) every time I collect him for his walks – I have no doubts that he couldn’t have gone to a better home.

Tigger, Tar & Hutch eagerly await their walk!

Still waiting for their own happy endings are Gracehounds‘ current foster dogs, Roddy, Marcus & Jackson. & I’m sure it won’t be too long before Martin & I welcome another dog into our home whilst they wait for theirs…

http://www.gracehounds.plus.com/hometar.htm

Santa’s Little Helper

The temperature’s dropped, the fire’s lit, the tree is up… Christmas is on its way & The Dog House is stocked full of festive hand printed goodies!

Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

Who can forget the first ever Simpsons Christmas Special, when Homer & Bart bring home abandoned greyhound, Santa’s Little Helper? Inspired by Simpsons character & infamous animated greyhound, ‘Santa’s Little Helper’, I have created a range of  seasonal prints for both dogs & their families!

From stocking fillers to stockings…

Last Christmas my eldest rescue greyhound, Max, received a pair of novelty doggy reindeer antlers in his stocking. Photographed in his festive headgear, I can assure you that Max received lots of turkey titbits in exchange for his co-operation!

I converted the photograph of Max to a monochrome image (using the technique described in this tutorial), & created a printing screen of the image, along with the caption ‘Santa’s little helper‘. I  hand screen printed my new design onto cotton bags, doggy bandanas, stockings & baby hats using non-toxic fabric ink. (The ink has been fixed using heat, making it resistant to machine washing at 40°C, dry cleaning & ironing on a cotton setting.)

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed snow white and crimson red on festive green organic cotton tote bag

This festive tote measures 36 x 40 cm with a depth of 8 cm & long handles for carrying over the shoulder. It is made of 100% certified organic cotton twill in festive green & carries the EarthPositive® label, having been ethically made using a climate neutral process.

The image & text are printed in snow white ink, with the greyhound’s nose picked out in crimson red. Stylish, super practical & eco-friendly, this bag is the perfect seasonal accessory for any greyhound lover!

The bag costs $17 (approximately £11)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed white on red cotton doggy bandana

This triangular bandana measures approximately 50 x 50 x 75 cm, making it suitable for any medium or large sized dog. It is made of 100% cotton in crimson red with the text printed in contrasting snow white.

This festive bandana is the perfect seasonal accessory for your hound this Christmas!

The bandana costs $13 (approximately £7)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed cotton Christmas stockings

These stockings measure 32cm (heel to toe) x 43cm (height) & are made of 100%  cotton with contrasting stitching detail at the edges. The text & images are printed in bright festive coloured ink.

Why not stuff one brimful of doggy treats & toys & spoil your hound rotten this Christmas!

The stockings cost $15  (approximately £10) each* & are available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed snow white on festive green organic cotton baby knot hat size small

This adorable baby  hat is size small (circumference 45″, length 40″) & is knotted at the top. It is made of 100% organic combed cotton in khaki, with the text in contrasting white. The fabric is super-soft, making it gentle against young sensitive skin.

Perfect for keeping little elves’ heads cosy and snug at Christmas time!

The hat costs $15  (approximately £10)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER hand printed snow white on crimson red cotton Santa sack

This sack measures 38cm (w) x 43cm (h) & has a drawstring closing. It is made of 100% cotton in crimson red with the image & text printed in contrasting snow white ink.

The sack costs $15  (approximately £10)* & is available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

PAW PRINT & XMAS TREATS hand printed cotton drawstring pouches

These pouches measure 10cm (width) x 13cm (height) & have a drawstring at the top. They are made of 100% cotton in either crimson red or festive green with the text / image printed in glistening white. They slip nicely over your wrist or into your pocket.

These brightly coloured little pouches are perfect for storing your dog’s holiday treats in. Why not spoil them with something extra special over the festive period!

The pouches cost $6  (approximately £4) each* & are available to purchase from my Etsy shop.

*Special Promotion

Blog readers are elligible for FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING on all Christmas items at The Dog House. Simply copy & paste the url of this post into the ‘note to seller’ upon check out & I will refund the shipping costs via PayPal. (This offer is valid until 25th December 2009.)

Ensure your purchase arrives in time for Christmas by ordering before 9th Dec (international customers) / 20th Dec (UK customers).

5% of the profits from the sale of all these items will be donated to  my local greyhound rehoming charity, Gracehounds (Scottish Registered Charity No. SC038872).

Happy Christmas from Max, Molly & me!

MISSING GREYHOUND, WEST CALDER

This is an appeal to help find wee Poppy, one of Gracehounds‘ foster dogs. She has been missing in the West Calder area of West Lothian, Scotland since Monday 16th November.

Poppy

Poppy is a small female greyhound. Her coat is black with a white bib and socks. She is very frightened of people especially men: PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH HER AS SHE WILL RUN. Poppy is wearing a collar & is microchipped. The police, dog wardens and local vets have all been informed.

If you spot her please call one of the following numbers:

Dogs Trust: 01506 873 459

Lois: 07989 963556

Rhona: 07954 213977

Location where Poppy went missing

Poppy, who I blogged about just one month ago (see this post) lived in her foster home for several months, but remained an extremely anxious dog & was fearful of most people & other dogs. After being assessed by a professional dog behaviourist, she was transported to the Dogs Trust centre at West Calder on Monday evening, where she was to receive expert help with rehabilitation. However, upon arrival at the centre, Poppy managed to escape from her harness & run away.

Both Gracehounds volunteers & Dogs Trust staff have been searching for her since & she was sighted in the area on Tuesday evening. However, being so fearful, Poppy will run from anyone who tries to approach her. Therefore, if she is sighted we are asking that Gracehounds or Dogs Trust are contacted immediately by telephone on the numbers above. It has been appalling weather this past few days (wet, windy & cold) but it is hoped that Poppy has found a safe haven to keep herself warm & dry. She has a high prey drive, so may have been able to sustain herself.

Tomorrow, along with other Gracehounds volunteers & their dogs, I am travelling to West Calder to help search for Poppy & distribute posters & fliers in the local area. If you or anyone you know lives or works nearby, please please keep an eye out for Poppy & pass the word on so that this beautiful but troubled dog can be saved.

Poppy

Toasting Marshmallows

A fortnight ago, to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night (& just for fun really!), we built a big bonfire in our back garden. When I say ‘we’ I guess I mostly mean Martin as he was the one who built the fire pit in our garden earlier this summer & he was the one who gathered & prepared all the wood! I was mostly in charge of buying the marshmallows

Martin’s Dad & sister & their partners travelled up from England to join us for the weekend. With 6 people & 3 greyhounds, it was a rather crowded house, so any excuse to get outside was welcome!

It was a cracking good fire & kept us all nice & warm for hours as we huddled round it toasting marshmallows on sticks. Even the dogs were tempted off the sofas to come join us round the fire (although no marshmallows for them!).

Inspired by our bonfire (& Guy Fawkes Night in general), I curated this treasury of fiery finds on Etsy. Mmmmnn… these chocolate marshmallows look deelish!

The treasury is no longer ‘live’ (as I was somewhat behind in updating my blog!) but please do visit the shops of these talented artists, many of who are members of street teams McEtsy & Etsy For Animals.

Born to Run

We adopted our beautiful greyhound Molly, a 3 1/2 year old black & white ex-racer, from our local greyhound rehoming charity in December ‘08. She was photographed on a recent walk near Penicuik, running at full speed in the ‘double suspension gallop‘ typical of greyhounds, with all 4 paws free from the ground. When I see the pure joy in her face at moments like this, I know that she truly was born to run!

Using the technique I describe in this tutorial, I converted the above photograph of Molly to a monochrome image, then, as described in this tutorial, I created a reusable printing screen of the image.

So far I have used this to hand print my ‘Born to Run’ design onto cotton bandanas for dogs, as well as comfortable vests for their human counterparts…

BORN TO RUN hand printed indigo on turquoise cotton doggy bandana

BORN TO RUN hand printed indigo on baby blue ladies cotton vest top

BORN TO RUN hand printed charcoal grey on fluorescent yellow womens ultrafine tunic tank

BORN TO RUN hand printed indigo on white cotton womens racerback vest

The above products are all for sale in my Etsy shop.

Congratulations to Colin!

Back in May this year, Colin, Lynne, Katy & I completed the 10K long Great Edinburgh Run in aid of Gracehounds, our local greyhound rehoming charity. Subsequently, Colin set his sights on another challenge & decided to run the 2009 New York City Marathon to raise further funds for the charity.

Roddy & Sophie ‘help’ Colin with his training

Since May, Colin has been hard in training (the rest of us took the more greyhound-like approach & relaxed on our sofas!) & on 1st November, joined by friends & family in New York, he completed all 26.2 miles of the marathon. He has raised a total of almost £3000 for Gracehounds!

17 down, 6 to go: Colin at 17 miles

Colin says,

“Well, I did it. It was not the fastest time – 4:24:41 putting me in 23,797th place but, with 43,741 starting and 43,475 finishing, it means that 19,944 runners crossed the finish line after me!

I’ve been amazed at the support I’ve had and the money you donated. It will be a great help to the dogs in the coming year.

All money donated will go to the charity to look after the dogs and none to the marathon or travel.  Thank you for your support.”

25 miles & still running

You can still sponsor Colin via his Just Giving page & see more photographs of the event here.

a proud moment

In other news, Gracehounds has recently found permanent homes for both Torres & Snowflake, & welcomes latest foster dog, Jackson.

Do Me a Favour!

6 months ago I agreed to make wedding favours for my good friends, Chris & Anna, who are getting married next week. After discussion with the couple, we decided I would fill 4 oz hexagonal glass jars with an assortment of homemade jams, jellies & chutneys, made predominantly with fruits gathered from local hedgerows, with one for each of their 144 guests.

Back in June I posted about the Gooseberry & Elderflower Preserve I made, which filled the first dozen or so jars. Since then, I have been gathering fruits as they ripen, & slowly but surely all 144 jars have been filled with a mixture of the following 7 preserves:

• Gooseberry & Elderflower Preserve
• Pear, Apricot & Ginger Chutney
• Raspberry & Bramble Jam
• Spiced Apple Chutney
• Apple Jelly
• Hawthorn Jelly
• Plum & Ginger Chutney

Once all the jars were filled, I set about decorating each one with pretty ribbon in the couples’ wedding colours & cute little custom stickers, which were made by fellow Etsyian, Alyssa of Alyssa Art & say ‘Spread the Love’ along with the couples’ names & the date of their wedding.

I think the jars look really cool when all stacked together & especially like the way the jellies look when light shines through them.

Chris & Anna love the end result, & hopefully the guests at their wedding next week will do too. Here’s to the happy couple!

You can see more pictures of the favours, taken by my partner (who is to be official photographer at Chris & Annas’ wedding) here.

Meet Tar

Tar is the beautiful dog that my partner & I are currently fostering for  Gracehounds, our local greyhound rehoming charity.

Tar

Tar’s racing days are far behind him, having been a pet for several years now. However, due to an unfortunate change in his previous owners’ circumstances Tar is now looking for a home again. But until that special someone comes along, he’s going to stay here with us.

He has the most adorable face, with a cute up-turned nose & long, velvety soft ears. Martin thinks this makes him look like a cross between a cayman & a rabbit, but I think he is cute as a button!

Tar is cute as a button!

At 7 1/2 years old, Tar’s  muzzle is starting to look distinguished, but he is a young dog at heart, with a playful streak & a super-waggy tail! He’s a very easy-going boy, & loves nothing more than a scratch behind the ear.

Tar acts younger than his years

He gets on with other dogs of  all shapes & sizes, is good with children & is even ‘cat-safe’! He’s settled very quickly into his foster home, where our own dogs, Max & Molly, have made him most welcome, even sharing the furniture with him!!

Molly & Tar share the sofa

You can find out more about Tar & Gracehounds’ other foster dogs here. I’ll be posting updates to let you know how Tar is getting on.

Lady Grey

I just had to share this wonderful greyhound-inspired treasury curated by fellow UK Etsyian, Gem of Gemma Stafford – Knits. I love all the pretty pink items she’s chosen. In amongst them you’ll find a beautiful Glass Greyhound Pin donated to Handmade4Hounds‘ shop by Sue of Frums Glass Menagerie, Gem’s own adorable Doggy Balaclava, & my ‘Just Jess’ Ladies Sweatshirt featuring a hand printed lurcher image.

The treasury list expires on 26th October, but until then you can click through to leave your comments & view each individual item & seller here.