Do you like 1 or 2 better?

Hey everyone! I need some help and I would really appreciate some input:

I am currently designing a custom fabric-print for dog collars that I will be offering in my Etsy shop. I am just about finished with the print but I can't decide which dog I would like on it. They are identical, the only difference is the ears. What do you think - option 1 or 2? Thanks in advance!

City Dog Magazine: Summer 2009

I am super excited to announce that our Summer Garden Tank has been featured in the summer issue of City Dog Magazine. They put together a collection called "Cool Products: What's Hot for Cool Dogs " and we were one of the lucky ones to be included! (That's our tank in the upper left corner). These are some pictures of the issue but you can get your copy here. Enjoy :)

I promised and the contest is HERE!!

....the contest I told you about in honor of Velma's and my "anniversary"....remember...

Ok, so the grand prize for the person who answers the most questions correctly will be your choice of a custom collar for your pooch from my shop. Here are the rules:

1. Anyone can play

2. The questions are multiple choice and one "fill-in". To answer the questions, leave a comment on this post with just the letters that correspond to your answers. Example: a, c, d, b.... and so on

3. The contest will run until Tuesday, May 26th. That day I will announce the winner (please make sure that I have some way of contacting you: through your blog, email, whatever...)

Here are the questions:

1. On what date did I adopt Velma?

a. May 26, 2002

b. April 30, 2005

c. May 18, 2006

d. June 16, 2007

2. What is Velma's middle name?

a. Kelly

b. Daphne

c. Lee

d. Belle

3. What breed/breed mix is Velma?

a. Jack Russel Terrier/ Chihuahua mix

b. Chihuahua/Rat Terrier mix

c. Purebred Chihuahua

d. Dachshund/Chihuahua mix

4. How much does Velma weigh?

a. 6.5 pounds

b. 8 pounds

c. 9.25 pounds

d. 4 pounds

5. Who is Velma's best doggie pal?

a. our neighbor "Scottie"

b. her daycare friend "Rocky"

c. her "cousin" "C.J."

d. her dog park friend "Buddy"

6. What is Velma's favorite place to be?

a. at doggie daycare with her friends

b. watching T.V. in "grandpa's" room

c. in the car on a long road trip

d. wherever mommy is!

7. How many collars does Velma currently have in her collection (many more to come soon!)

a. 34

b. 16

c. 22

d. 41

8. Which TWO places has Velma visited?

a. The Aztec pyramids in Mexico and the Space Needle in Seattle

b. The Grand Canyon and the Roman Coliseum

c. Niagara Falls and Big Ben in London

d. The Eiffel tower in Paris and Half Dome in Yosemite

9. What sorts of places does Velma MOST enjoy visiting?

a. off-leash beaches

b. long running trails

c. loud, busy cities

d. all of the above and more

10. What are the TWO most common "nicknames" I use for Velma?

a. "Baby" and "Love of my life"

b. "Munchkin" and "Little one"

c. "Hot Stuff" and "Miss Attitude"

d. "Sassy" and "Princess"

11. In three sentences or less, describe what you most like about Velma (If I like your answer, it will be correct, otherwise I'll count this as a wrong answer. If I have a tie, my favorite answer will be the winner)

Thanks for playing :)

A big thanks!

It sure has been busy around here lately and our line has been getting some fabulous exposure. Here are some of the things going on:

Our Summer Garden Tank has been featured in LuvHandmade:

Our Water Resistant Trench has been featured in FoundHandmade:

AND.... I'm excited about this one!... This summer we've been asked to be featured in City Dog Magazine!!THANK YOU to all of you for all your amazing support!! Hugs and licks from Velma :)

P.S. I haven't forgotten about the contest I mentioned in my last post. I promise it will be up soon.

How does a contest sound right about now..?

In honor of Velma's (my dog) and my upcoming third anniversary (I rescued her on May 18, 2006) I was thinking it might be fun to do some sort of "Collar Giveaway" to a lucky winner of a contest. Since the world revolves around Velma (or at least mine does!) the contest would be a series of questions related to her and the person who answered the most questions correctly would win a free collar from my Esty shop. Sounds like it could be fun, right? I'll keep you posted on when the "official" contest will take place. Meanwhile, I have to come up with some questions...

Check this out!

I've already told you about Pets Jubilee, but now I want to tell you about the new pet photo contest. That's right, you can submit a picture of your precious furbabies to the photo contest blog and if the picture wins, you'll get a free Pets Jubilee sampler box! Pretty cool, right? Details can be found on the blog. Unfortunately, contributors to the box aren't allowed to participate for the first contest (which means I can't), but at least I have more time to pick the cutest picture of Velma. I have so many, this is going to be tough....

Have you heard about "Pets Jubilee" yet?

Yikes! Has it really been more than two weeks since my last post?! Sorry folks, it's been crazy busy around here but I promise to start posting more often again.

Anyhow, I wanted to share a WONDERFUL Etsy shop with you: Pets Jubilee. Pets Jubilee is a team shop that sells "sampler boxes" which contain all kinds of pet-related goodies donated by Etsy sellers (including myself). When you purchase one of these fabulous boxes (for an incredible price) you never know what you might get: collars, collar charms, dog cookies, cards, you name it.... Basically, it's like a great Christmas present any time of year! You can even specify if you would prefer a cat-themed, dog-themed, or other kind of pet-themed box. I haven't gotten to the best part yet-- what makes me very proud to contribute to this great team is that not only are you supporting "handmade", but you are also supporting the SPCA International. That's right, a portion of every purchase is donated to help prevent cruelty to animals. Can't say it gets any better than that... Make sure to check it out!

How CUTE is Lucky?!

SOOO cute :) This is a picture I just received from one of my fabulous customers of her, dog Lucky, modeling our bandanna. Absolutely precious! Just look at that smile...

Our newest jacket...

The perfect coat for strolling city streets in style is here. Chic, smart, sophisticated, warm but light, durable, and convenient; everything you want in a coat for your pooch. This classy trench has a yoke and belt loops in a beautiful plaid that is complimented beautifully by a cotton khaki fabric that is found on the lower half of the coat. This coat features an easy, over-the-head design that is very easy to slip your pooch into. The bottom (chest) section has straps that come up and over the upper portion, fastening securely on the back in a double-breasted manner with rustic silver snaps. The chest straps are also held securely in place during walks by the D-ring located on the center back, allowing easy leash attachment, and making the coat double as a comfy walking harness. It is slightly long in design to protect most of your pooch from the cold but significantly shorter in the front for ease (and no messes)during potty time. The pocket on the back adds an extra touch of detail and can be used to carry clean-up bags on a walk. This coat is also completely lined and beautifully finished inside and out. A matching collar can be found here.

The Precious Myrna :)

I was so happy to receive this picture :)Just look at that sweet face! This is Myrna, a young Newfoundland and one of my fabulous customers. At only eight months of age, she currently holds the record for the largest dog collar I've ever made at 27 inches--yikes!! That is one big puppy and I am told by Al and Caroline (her super-nice owners and owners of Beyond the Rockz) that she still has quite a bit to grow! Her massive size just adds to her massive cuteness, don't you think?

We've Expanded :)

I am so excited to say that we now have one more place where you can find us and where you can stock up on goodies for your pampered pooch. We have opened a new shop on 1000 Markets! Be sure to check it out :) Of course we still have our Etsy shop (we love it there, as well as all the cool people we've met on that site!) but now you have two options for your shopping convenience.

I am SO excited!

I recently purchased some new fabulous fabrics to make new collars for our shop! I am so in love with the new fabrics--not only are they super cute but very soft as well. Looks like Velma will be getting quite a few new collars soon and I'll be listing them in our shop as well. Check back often to see the latest and greatest in doggie fashion :)

All eyes on Poppy...

Meet Poppy, our lovely friend and customer... isn't she stunning?! Her very sweet mom, Linda (owner of Artwolf) contacted us asking for some custom bandanas for this beautiful black lab girl. Of course, we were happy to whip some up for her :) The first bandana is the reversible red bandana seen in our shop. The other was a completely custom design: pink polka dots on one side and a lovely pink floral and butterfly print on the other. She looks beautiful in both bandanas! If you would like someting custom for your pooch, feel free to visit our shop or e-mail us at designsbyone@yahoo.com

Just for the record...

I love my baby more than anything else in the world; I take her EVERYWHERE with me, I always have her looking perfectly groomed and stylish (even smelling nice!) and she is often seen popping her sweet little face out of a stylish purse slung on my shoulder. However, it really bothers me when people think that she is simply a fashion accessory to me when it's not like that at all!

Believe me, she LOVES living the life of a pampered diva: she LOVES the attention and affection, gets SOOO excited whenever I open up her wardrobe because she knows it's time to dress up and "get pretty", and she happily jumps right into her purse carriers (she even tries jumping into my regular, non-doggie purses!) because she knows it means that she gets to do her favorite thing in the world: be with mommy :) It's true, most people only get to see her at work: whether its cheesing it up for the camera during a product photo shoot, accompanying me to a boutique meeting, or any other one of the many things that she helps me with. I understand how this comes off as a little "Paris Hilton-ish" but I would never make her do it if she didn't enjoy it just as much as I do. After all, her happiness and well-being is what inspired me to create my company. As much as she may love her job, though, the other 99% of her time is spent just being mommy's little angel and princess. At any given moment she can be found curled up and napping on my lap, playing a good game of chase at our local dog park, catching a flight to accompany me on my next trip, or strolling busy city streets for a day out on the town. I have been told several times that she lives the life that many children wish they had. All I can do is smile and accept the fact that yes, she is more spoiled than most people's children but what can I say, she's the love of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way :)

My first kitty order!!

I'm so excited! As I've said before, I LOVE taking custom orders, but this time was different. This was the first time anyone had asked me to make something for their kitty rather than their pooch. I've made things for my cat before but that doesn't count ;) A lovely Parisian lady contacted me asking me to make her two harnesses for her new kitten: one for now and another for when it is full grown. Of course I was more than thrilled to do it and was even more excited when I received this adorable picture from her. What a thought... this precious kitty walking down the streets of the most famous city on earth wearing something that I so lovingly made!! So exciting :) Want something custom-made for your pampered pet? Please check out my shop and feel free to contact me with your requests.

A necklace that I will treasure forever

In case you haven't noticed, I love my little girl, Velma (my dog), more than anything else in the world. Call me strange, obsessive, the weird dog lady, whatever, I don't care (and believe me, I have been called all of the above and more!). I have never met anyone who has such a special bond with their dog as we do. She is my baby, my friend, companion, little angel, business partner, someone who loves me unconditionally, and so much more. Basically, she is super special to me and always will be. I had been wanting a special piece of jewelry to celebrate that bond and had originally come up with the idea of having a locket with a picture of her in it, but it seemed so ordinary. Instead, I purchased this beautiful, one-of-a-kind, locket-inspired custom necklace from Daisywares. I loved Roni's (the owner of Daisywares) hand-stamped necklaces as well as her scrabble tile pendants, so I decided to ask for a custom order of the two together. She came up with this fabulous piece which I will treasure forever. It is beautifully crafted, it arrived quickly at my door in adorable packaging, and she was even clever enough to use a "V" tile for Velma. This is more than a pretty piece of jewelry to me, it is something very dear to me that I will treasure forever.

The Holidays Already?!

Oh my! Where did this year go? I can't believe I'm saying this but limited edition "Howliday Collection" pieces are now available in our shop! Even our fur-babies need outfits to show off their holiday spirit :)

So many ideas, so little time...

Maybe I'm obsessive, maybe I'm insane, but I always seem to have so much going through my mind at any given moment. I'm constantly thinking of what to do next for our fashion line, what would be cute, what fabrics would work, what trims would be needed...on and on and on it goes... it seems to never end. Recently, the owner of the Pampered Pet Boutique, the lovely little local shop that carries our line, asked me to make some beds that she could sell at her shop. Of course, I was more than happy to oblige. I had been thinking about making beds for our Etsy shop for quite some time now, but I hadn't gotten around to it. This gave me a good excuse to finally play around with the idea and actually make some. It turns out, I loved them, and so did Velma! Once I made the beds for the boutique, I immediately went out and purchased some fabric to experiment a little more and make a bed for Velma. I'm thinking... you might just find something plush and fluffy for you pooch in our shop very soon... :) After all, every pampered pup deserves a posh little bed like this, just look how comfy Velma looks on her's!

Custom Orders

I realized today that I don't think I've ever talked about our custom-order experiences or how much we welcome them :) In case you didn't know, we happily accept almost any challenges that you can throw our way when it comes to custom orders-- ranging from custom-sizes on existing designs, to altering design details on our ready-to-wear merchandise, all the way to working out a one-of-a-kind unique design. These orders are some of my favorites since they present challenges as well as creative room that we normally don't have to work with. Here is one of the most recent custom designs that we have created: from the design concept to the existing product. If you are interested in finding out more, feel free to visit our shop or e-mail us at designsbyone@yahoo.com

The Summer collection...

...has launched! We will be adding new items to our shop pretty often in the upcoming months, all perfect for summer :) Normally I give you a hint to indicate what the new collection will be like but this time... all surprises! You will just have to check back often to see our new items. Meanwhile, you can check this out, our new sailor-inspired tank:

This fun tank is the perfect outfit for those lazy dog days of summer. It is made of very lightweight and soft cotton jersey making it perfectly comfortable to play in. Its gray and blue tones are fun and chic while the anchor printed on the back pocket adds a touch of luxury and a "Yacht Club" look. The navy V-neck and matching bands at the hem and arms make this tank even more stylish and whimsical. The cool narrow back design with extra large armholes allow easy movement and adds a nautical feel. The fabric has plenty of stretch for an easy pull-over design; no buttons, no snaps, no velcro, no fuss! Just get it on and go! (It easily slips right off as well). Your little pup will feel and look stylish in this tank and will draw tons of positive attention :)

If you have any questions or special requests (such as a buttonhole on the lower back for a harness, extra large or small size, a longer garment for longer dogs, etc.) e-mail us at designsbyone@yahoo.com or shoot us a convo (on Etsy).

*NOTE: For safety, this garment should only be worn while pooch is supervised.