Velma's new collar

Have you heard of Dublin Dog? It's definitely worth checking out! Since I'm always looking for cool new collars to add to Velma's collection, I stumbled upon their website and fell in love with their products. Of course I immediately whipped out my credit card and ordered her the "Terra Cotta Daisy Daze" collar, along with one of their "Lucky Me" pewter tags. These collars are hand-crafted, made to last, and best of all: low maintenance. They rinse clean and are made from a non-porous material that doesn't harbor odors. Pretty cool, right?

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!

The Sassy Tee

Sass, attitude, charm and a funky edge-- this shirt has it all! This super comfortable black tee shirt has a vintage-inspired look with a beautiful organic swirl and heart silk screen design in white. It has been accented with pretty pink rhinestone flowers and felt applique hearts. One of the hearts is pink to show off your pup's innocent side while the other heart has a zebra print inspired by the wild, spunky side of her! If you have a pup with a big personality, and even bigger attitude, this shirt is the one for her!

A New Addition to Our Family

Meet Ruby, our new kitten :) On Monday night (the 26th) on our way home from running some errands, my brother and I noticed this little baby on the street (she actually crossed right in front of me as I was driving and I managed to stop just in time to avoid hitting her!) I screeched to a very sudden, abrupt stop sending all our purchased goods that were in the back seat flying forward. I pulled over and asked my brother to get out of the car to look and listen for any signs of a mom and/or littermates. Nothing :( It seemed she was all alone and very scared. He scooped her up and got back into the car with her. We brought her home and set up a comfy place where she could hang out until we got her checked out by the vet. We gave her some food from our other kitty (Midnight, a beautiful, 18-year-old domestic shorthair) and she quickly devoured it. Yesterday, we took her to the vet to have her cleaned up and on the road to recovery. She has some pretty nasty wounds on her legs and chest as if she was attacked by another animal while she was out on her own. We purchased the appropriate medications for her (apparently her wounds were infected and she had a slight fever) and already she is doing SO MUCH better!! She is starting to act like a normal, happy, playful, and snuggly kitten, not the poor frightened little baby we picked up just two nights ago.

Ruby has now officially been introduced to my baby, Velma and my brother's other cat, Midnight. I think it will take some time for Midnight to get used to her; right now she only sniffs her and walks away. However, Ruby LOVES Velma (smart kitty, hehe)!! She follows her around and purrs loudly as she rubs her tiny little body all over Velma. Velma tolerates her for the most part, she just gets a little annoyed with her following her around so much :) I'm sure soon they'll get along just fine, as do Midnight and her.

We looked at the pros and cons of keeping her and debated whether we should or not. I decided to let my brother keep her. After all, I think she might have been a gift to him from our mom who passed away exactly one year before we found this kitty (January 26, 2008). My mom knew how much my brother loves cats and how much he wanted a kitten, I guess she decided to send her little boy a gift on this very sad and hard date. Of course, picking out a name was easy: Ruby, our mom's name :)

Super chic and fashionable

This chic and sophisticated collar is sure to draw tons of positive attention wherever your pooch wears it! Its beautifully coordinated shades of tan, ochre yellow, brown and black in a super hip plaid make it stylish and fashion forward. The black contour, no-choke, side-release buckle and adjustable slider will ensure safety and comfort for your best pal. The nickel D-ring is also sturdy enough to attach a leash to and perfect for tags. This collar is inner lined with high-quality webbing, making it not only chic but very durable as well. The exterior fabric is 100% cotton, meaning it will last, stay looking fabulous, and will be easy to care for! Best of all, it is soft and very comfortable for dogs to wear. Stress points have been stitched several times through to ensure security and for prolonged durability.

Visit our shop to see tons of other fashion accessories for your pooch. See you there :)

Have you seen our newest trench coat?

Have no fear, the rain trench coat is here! No more wet dog smell after your morning walk in the rain! This durable blue coat is made of water-resistant 100% cotton-faced plain weave denim which has been rubber-backed for waterproofing. This coat is completely lined with warm yellow fleece, meaning this coat will not only keep your pooch dry but super warm as well. It is slightly long in design to protect most of your pooch’s body from severe weather but significantly shorter in the front for ease (and no messes)during potty time. A turn-down collar protects your furry pal’s neck from the rain while also keeping them warm. It has an easy slip-over-the-head design with top and bottom panels that come together at the sides and are secured by an adjustable belt ensuring a perfect and comfortable fit. The smart, sleeveless design means no more tracking mud into the house. A convenient d-ring is located on top of the back to allow a leash to be attached without the need of holes for collars, harnesses, etc. Just get your pooch dressed and out the door you go!

Find this trench and many other fun fashions for your pooches here.

Check out Ollie :)

A couple months ago I blogged about a custom coat that I was making for Meg's (owner of Olliegraphic) puppy, a Vizsla named Ollie. When I made the coat, all we had to work with were estimates and approximate sizes that male Vizslas reach when fully grown since Ollie was still pretty small. You may recall my original sketch for the coat:Some time has passed since then and I woke up to a very pleasant surprise this morning: pictures in my inbox from Meg! Ollie's finally grown into his custom coat and look at the handsome young gentleman he grew up to be :) Isn't he darling?! I think he looks rather dashing in his coat, wouldn't you agree?

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.

Please be a responsible pet owner!

I came across this online the other night and it broke my heart because I know it is so true, so I decided to share with all of you. People need to understand that pets are NOT disposable and that along with the cuteness comes responsibility and a great deal of commitment. If they are not ready to take that on, they are not ready to have a pet:

Letters to a Dog

-- By, Carolyn MacMullin
January 6
Dear Dog, I saw you today for the first time, just a couple houses from my own the school bus stopped to let out your kids, and your mom opened the front door to let you run out and greet them. You are a wiggly, bouncy, and happy little puppy with a full belly and a shiny coat. Your kids grabbed you up, hugged you, held you and toted you inside. Your tail was wagging the entire time. I thought to my self, how sweet, what a way to end a long hard day. I spoke to your mom this evening and she said that they got you from the Animal Shelter, and the kids named you Lucky.
March 10
Dear Lucky, I saw you today as I always do on my way home from work. You were already outside to greet the kids today, which seemed a little odd. The little girl got off the bus and shooed you away, she appeared to not want you jumping on her. The boy got off the bus and gave you a quick playful pat on the head, then smelled his hand and brushed you aside. You looked confused and sad, as you went to lie by the porch. You curled up in a tight ball on the cold ground and let out a huge sigh. My heart felt heavy that day.
March 21
Dear Lucky, I saw you today, I was headed home and the kids got off the bus, walked to the house, and you ran out as far as you could on your heavy chain to let them know you were there. The little girl ignored you, the little boy told you to be quiet, when you barked for his attention. My neighbor commented that they needed to do something with your barking because you keep them up at night. You had a bucket of water and a bowl of food, a relatively nice dog-house, but your eyes were sad and empty. I shook my head and let out a huge sigh.
April 30
Dear Lucky, I worried for you today. You look thin, your chain heavy on your neck, your coat is dirty and falling out, you don't get up to do much anymore. Your bucket is turned over, and I have not seen your food bowl for a few days now. I spoke to the neighbor and asked about you. He said you still bark at night and he saw the man of the house throw something at you the other day as he scolded you. I shook my head in despair as I went back into my house.
June 4
Dear Lucky, My heart sank today, I was headed home and you weren't in your yard. A large part of me hoped you got away, another large part of me was frightened at all the other possibilities. I asked my neighbor about you, and he said your family went on vacation and sent you back to the Animal Shelter. I shook my head and cried for you as I went into my house.
June 5
Dear Dog, I went to the shelter today, I found you huddled in the back of a cage that had a bucket, a bowl of food, and a blanket for you to lie on. You looked up at me as if you knew me, and my heart broke as I read your card, they did not even care enough to give them your name and the card simply said, male, neutered retriever mix. Owners did not want. I cried when a gentleman from the kennel said, "That's a sad one there. He came from here you know, last Christmas. Guess they just got tired of him. He's too frightened, no one will adopt him." I went to the counter and told them I would be back tomorrow and please don't do anything just yet. They all kind of nodded like they heard that one before.
June 6
Dear Dog, I brought you home today. You were scared and untrusting, but a small part of you somewhere allowed you to wag the tip of your tail when I told you that you were a good boy and that I loved you. I gave you a new name, " Happy", because you aren't and I hope that someday you will be. You had an accident on the floor, and when I came back to clean it up with paper towel you slunk down and whimpered as if the hand was coming for you. I tried to choke back the tears when I thought of what you must have gone through in the past six months. I reached out and patted you and your eyes closed and your body went limp at such a gentle gesture. "We're going to be alright," I told you. I showed you your food and you ate voraciously, and you marveled at the treats and toys I got for you.
December 25
Dear Happy, Good morning my best friend! You woke me, as always, popping out from under the covers on your side of the bed, licking my face to tell me it was time for our walk. We went through the living room and you sniffed what Santa left for us. I hugged you and said, " Last year you were a Christmas gift, now this year, these are all yours!" Your coat is shiny, your belly always full, and even though we found out at your first vet visit you had heartworms, you are healthy now. As we went out for our walk, we saw your old family in the front yard, they look at you each time as if they recognize you in a way, but you don't give them a second glance. --- Then I believe both our hearts stopped as we saw the children emerge from the yard holding a small playful puppy. "Isn't she just precious? We got her from the animal shelter. Hope this one works out, the other dog we got from there was so much trouble." I sighed and refrained from pointing out that you were not the trouble. You looked up at me as if to say, " Thank you mom." I kneeled down and whispered in your sweet ear, " No, it is I who thank you."

I am sorry if this is a sad story, but unfortunately not all Christmas Puppies and Kitties have such happy endings, and thankfully some don't have such sad stories. The moral of this tale? Whether you get a pet from a shelter, a pet store, a breeder, or a private litter, this animal, is a living and feeling being, who will depend on you for everything. He will need love, patience, and kindness, as he is taught manners and housebreaking. There are no bad pets, just those who need a good foundation to start off life. A pet is for life, and a pet is family.

That's my baby, Velma, with my little brother, Sandro, by the way :)

One day late...

Yesterday was a busy day and I didn't get a chance to get to a computer. However, "better late than never" I always say, so.... Happy Thanksgiving! I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has ever supported me and my business and those who allow me to do what I love. Every compliment, every smile, every kind gesture helps and I just wanted to say how sincerely thankful I am. You are all great! Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving too :)

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 :)

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!

All Eyes on Chester

How precious is this?! This is one of my clients, a little gentleman named Chester. His mommy purchased a sweater from our shop a couple of weeks ago and she was lovely enough to send me a picture. Darling, right?! What makes it even cuter is how big the sweater is on him,; he almost looks like a little boy playing dress-up in his daddy's clothes. In this picture, he is only about three months old and still growing into it. Fall and winter are just around the corner, but I'm sure by then he will fit into it perfectly :) What a cutie!

Fall Preview....

Who's ready for Autumn? I know I am :) I find it to be one of the most beautiful seasons with its beautiful colors, ideal weather, and of course, fabulous fashions. This year's 1+1=ONE fall fashion collection will be chic, refined, sophisticated and classy, all while still being casual and fun. I found a beautiful fabric that encompassed all of these key elements and put it to use in this collar. This collar is meant to kick off our fall line and set the mood for what is to come. Stay tuned for more :)

Some down time :)

It's been pretty busy around here with work and getting ready for the new fall collection to launch in our shop (something to look forward to!) but Velma and I decided to take a day off from all the craziness. Where better to go than our favorite city: San Francisco! We walked along the piers, the beach, in and out of shops, and of course, had some fabulous off-leash runs at the park with spectacular views. What a lovely day :)

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

That perfect summer outfit

When the weather is nice and you're feeling happy, you need an outfit to reflect that. Your pampered pooch also needs a nice "let's go take a stroll in the park" outfit, and this tank is perfect for that! It's bright green color is cheery and playful while it's flower and butterfly applique design are innocent and chic. It is lightweight and comfortable, perfect for playtime on those beautiful sunny summer days. Make sure to come visit our shop to check out our newest and hottest summertime pieces :) See you there!

Fresh and new!

I know it's been a while since I've updated; it's been pretty busy around here :) Nevertheless, I am back and ready to crank out some new and fabulous items for your pooch. Check out our latest collar and make sure to check our shop out often for the latest and greatest in pet fashion!

This fun and sassy collar is sure to draw tons of positive attention wherever your pooch wears it! It is a beautiful shade of pink that subtly transitions into a vibrant salmon-color. The floral design is delicately outlined in white, adding a dainty and feminine touch. The black contour, no-choke, side-release buckle and adjustable slider will ensure safety and comfort for your best pal. The nickel D-ring is also sturdy enough to attach a leash to and perfect for tags. This collar is inner lined with high-quality webbing, making it not only chic but very durable as well. The exterior fabric is 100% cotton, meaning it will last, stay looking fabulous, and will be easy to care for! Best of all, it is soft and very comfortable for dogs to wear. Stress points have been stitched several times through to ensure security and for prolonged durability.