It's National Mutt Day and I love dogs! If you don't already know that, you will if you follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

We always get rescue dogs and right now we have 2 - Max (our little old man) and Bijou (the youngster). Max (a Westie aka West Highland White) is from Westie Rescue of OC. They do rescue mutts as well, but they focus mainly on Westies.  Bijou (a Schnauzer mix) is from Karmic Rescue.  I share pictures of both of them regularly since they're both so CUTE!

In honor of National Mutt Day I'm doubling my dog donation. Purchase from my Dog Collection before midnight PDT and I'll donate 20% of your purchase to Westie Rescue of OC. I normally donate 10% of Dog Collection purchases but, for all purchases today, I'm doubling that!! Just click on the products to buy. I have many more designs in the Dog Collection and I'll be adding more throughout the day. Buy some cute dog love earrings to help more fur babies find loving parents!

The Love Bone Earrings are customizable! You pick the gemstone or color of glass that you want for the hearts.

The Rescues Rock Necklace is one of a kind so grab it before it's gone!

Here's Bijou	and Max

Rescues Rock Necklace Yes that is a rock that I captured between copper.  It is held together with brass screws.  A one of a kind necklace to show you love rescues!

Love Bone Earrings I create the bones by hand by fusing argentium sterling silver, shaping it, hammering it and then polishing it.  You choose the heart you would like.  I have a variety of gemstones and glass colors to choose from.  You pick the heart that is perfect for you.

I Love ❤ My Person Brass Dog Bone Tag A fun tag you can hang on your dogs collar.  If you want a different message (maybe you want a tag for you?) send me an email and we can figure out a custom tag for you.

 

Goodbye to our love moose!

Gino, last month, when he could still run, hanging with his Ellie and his Platypus

We found out our dog Gino had cancer about 2 months ago.  We had a tumor on his foot removed because it just kept getting bigger and the biopsy showed it was cancer.  Over the last few days he had a hard time breathing and, after an xray, we found that a tumor was growing on his trachea, slowly cutting off his air supply.  Today his breathing got a lot worse and it sounded like he also had fluid in his lungs so we said goodbye and he crossed the rainbow bridge.  I'm sure he's playing, running, squeaking his favorite soccer ball toy and hanging out with Kirby who he knew for about a month before Kirby crossed the rainbow bridge.   My hubby always called him a love moose since he was so full of love - and a moose was just something big!

Gino on his last night, resting after a hard day since he went to the vet and we found out about the tumor on his trachea. 

We got Gino from Baja Animal Sanctuary in 2009.  He had been at the rescue for 3 months and I was amazed nobody adopted him during that time.  He was the sweetest, most loving dog I have ever met!  He loved EVERYONE he met.  He would get sad if any stranger he met didn't want to pet him and say hi.  He was incredibly well trained from day one as well.  Someone lost a wonderful dog - but fortunately we got to have him in our life for 10 years.  He was a skinny little thing when we got him. And he had so many colors in his coat!  During his years with us he muscled up and, as he got older, his coat turned silver and had a beautiful sheen.

Our skinny Gino on his first day with us.	And here he is hanging in his basket.  Look at those eyes and that cute face!

1 month before we got Gino our dog Oscar passed.  1 month after we got Gino our dog Kirby passed.  Fortunately, in the month that Gino knew Kirby he learned some important things from him.  One was how to ride in a car.   When we got Gino I took him and Kirby to the pet store so Gino could pick out his own toy.  He chose a soccer squeaky ball.  Then, at Christmas, our mom bought him his Ellie.  He absolutely loved his Ellie.  If you asked him to go find his Ellie he would search the house until he found it and then bring it to you.  We never let his bro Max play with it since Max would have torn poor Ellie to shreds.  Ellie is quite threadbare now but I would dutiful sew up Ellie's holes.  One time I put some extra stuffing into Ellie as I sewed up the holes.  I gave him back to Gino, he grabbed a hold of Ellie and immediately dropped him and looked at me.  I had overstuffed Ellie and he did NOT feel the same.  So I opened up one of the repaired holes, took the extra stuffing out, sewed Ellie back up, gave him to Gino and Gino gladly ran off squeaking his Ellie (and hoping I would chase him :) ). And I can't forget that over time he chewed off both of Ellie's ears.  I have no idea why since he left all other body parts intact.  I did add in a new ear with a different kind of fabric and that ear was never chewed off.  He really liked the soft fabric that Ellie was made with.  Sometimes he would just nibble on it like you would a corn cob.  He didn't chew anything off, just nibbled.

Gino, his soccer ball and our stately old man Kirby.	Gino with his Ellie - his first Christmas present.

Our mom also gave Gino his own blanket.  He loved that blankie too.  He knew it was his and he would carry it around some times.  Often he would take it off the bed, drag it downstairs and lay with it or play with it.  It was VERY soft.  :)  His "Grandmas" loved him too.

Here he is with his blankie on the bed.  When Tony was out of town Gino sleeps in his spot and uses his pillow. 

Another thing Gino did for many years was to pile all his toys, and maybe a blanket, sometimes one of the living room pillows and possibly one of our shoes, into a pile in the living room (and sometimes outside) when we would leave the house for a while.  We guess that he just wasn't sure if we were coming back and the pile gave him security.  He finally stopped doing it for the last few years which was kind of a bummer since it was always cute to come home and see what he piled up.

Gino and his toy pile.

I had 2 foot surgeries, one in 2017 and one in 2018.  For 3 weeks after both I was essentially in bed since I had to elevate for 90% of the day.  Gino was my constant companion (except when walks, food or visitors intervened).  Max would come up and check on me, but Gino hung with me on the bed.  Of course he was quite happy to share my almonds and dried apricots with me when I needed a snack.  :)

Gino snoozing next to me as I recovered from foot surgery #1	Gino says "I would REALLY like to share those almonds and dried apricots with you" during foot surgery #2 recuperation

Gino needed some love as I ate dinner during foot surgery #1 recuperation	Gino posing with me when I first started walking after foot surgery #2.

I have so many wonderful memories of him.  I'll leave some of them here in hopes that you'll get an idea what a wonderful, loving dog he was.  I miss him terribly and always will.


  

   I KNOW you want to do something fun with me ...           Gino enjoying his car ride.  Initially we kept him leashed to 

    you are in my power ...                                                        make sure he wouldn't jump out.  He LOVED smelling the wind

 

         Can we go for a walk NOW????                                                Let's go vote!

 

         Gino looking cute out in the yard.                               Gino hanging with another blankie - made by my Grandma

                                                                                               for our dog Koko, way back in the 1970's.  Grandma made

                                                                                               doggie blankets that would last.

I KNOW you want to chase me and my Ellie!        Gino snoozing in his favorite spot - the corner of the couch.  If 
                                                                                 someone was sitting there he would just sit in front of them and
                                                                                 stare, hoping they would get the hint and move - LOL!

           Gino getting ready to root on the USA                Gino and Max playing while I made jewelry

               for the Women's World Cup final

    

    Gino snoozing in HIS corner of the couch                                 Doggies sleeping all in a row - Becka, Gino and Max

                                                                                                         Becka was my moms Westie.  She came to stay with us

                                                                                                         when my mom had to go out of town. 

                    A regular theme for Gino - LET'S PLAY!         Gino waiting, somewhat patiently, to go on a walk.

                  

                       Just hanging on the stairs ...                                                                   I KNOW you want to go outside and
                                                                                                                                            throw my ball!

                       I'm waiting - let's go do something fun!                     Gino hanging with his Ellie pillow.

                               The trio, again, wondering "watcha doing?"               You are in my power .... you want to do 
                                                                                                                            something fun with me ...

                Yes I'm cute ... and?                                                  It's PLAY TIME!  Chase me!

Gino is watching closely as I repair Ellie.  He would always make sure I did it right too LOL!

                                            Gino, doggie extraordinaire, we miss you so much.  :(

Happy New Year!

OK - so I missed wishing you all a happy new year on Jan 1 ... well the wishes are just as happy on Jan 17!  I've been busy already this year with non-jewelry things - logging consignment sales, traveling, consulting, gardening, ...  I'll be traveling again the first week of February - but then I'll be in Tucson so I'll be posting about my daily discoveries at the Tucson Gem shows.  I'm going to try to get some new designs photo'd and posted so you can see some of what I made for the December shows.  But this weekend I REALLY have to de-decorate the house.  I enjoyed extending Christmas - but it's time to put it all away until December 2014.  Here's a picture of the doggies under the tree this year.

Hopefully I'll have something creative to show you in a day or two!

Fun at the Westie Rescue picnic!

Every year Westie Rescue of Orange County has a picnic/fundraiser.  We got our Westie, Max, from WROC and I always love seeing a park full of Westies (and their adopted brothers and sisters) so I join in the fun and festivities and bring Gino and Max with me.  This year my mom and her rescued Westie, Becka, and my visiting college roomie joined me at the picnic. Part of the fun at this event is the dog race fundraiser.  Westies and their friends get to chase a "critter".  Here's a movie of Gino chasing the critter.  And here's a picture of little Max ignoring the critter and only running down the "track" because I'm encouraging him to follow me.  Here's my college roomie getting some loving from Gino!

Here's a video of the entire race that Gino ran and Max and Becka wandered ...

And, for the dog lovers out there I'm making stamped, brass dog tags - for your dog - or you if you want something special.  Here's one I make to order: 





Misc musings ...

Got my consulting work done and once the customer gives it a try I should be off the hook until after Thanksgiving!

Finally designed a new bracelet - YAY! I've been in a bit of a slump. Partly due to the gem order I had to sort/ship, part due to losing Oscar. Now to just finish it off, take pics and get it listed!

Gino continues to entertain us! I have yet to successfully keep him locked into the kitchen when I leave. Today I put up all the crunchable/edibles but he managed to find a plastic cup Tony had and left teethmarks in it, moved one of Tony's shoes, pulled some OLD paperwork out of a file on the table and partially shredded it - I put all of it in the shredder since it is actually trash. He also found some headphones somewhere - I forgot to ask Tony where they came from ... This time he jumped over the barrier that didn't have chairs in front of it. Sigh!

Here are some more recent pictures of him and of Kirby ...



I still have no clue what breed he is exactly. Schnauzer I'm sure - but he has real curly hair from some other kind of terrier.

I also got to watch my friend make a bowl/plate at her glass lesson. I can't wait to see how the color comes out. It was fun watching her make it. I got to help with a little blowing in the pipe. Her instructor is Kathleen Mitchell and she makes GREAT glass gourds. I picked up 2 more for Tony's mom - in blue - which we'll be taking up to her. Hopefully she likes them!

An Etsy memorial to Oscar

I've been trying to get an Etsy treasury for weeks. I finally got one and here it is:



It is also fun to find what unique items are available for sale on Etsy and especially when you're looking for a particular type of something.

More on Gino

Gino's personality is asserting itself more and more as he feels more secure. He's rolling over for belly rubs, loves his walks, will jump up so I can lift him into the car, ... He was left alone at my mom's house (with 2 other dogs so he wasn't lonesome) yesterday and didn't get into too much trouble. Today he'll be left home with Kirby while I run some errands so I can see how he does at our house. I'm guessing he's going to knock down the barricades but I'll close up all the rooms where he might get into trouble and will pick up any trashcans that he might find of interest. Hopefully he'll just hang with Kirby and take a nap. Fortunately he learned how to use the dog door and knows to do his business outside so the house training finished up pretty quickly.

More on the adventures of Gino later ...