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.

 

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: 





Fun with Westies!

My mom and I both got our Westies from Westie Rescue of Orange County so we went to the yearly picnic in Orange County this weekend. It was fun, the Westies and Gino had a blast and it was a VERY quiet ride home since all 3 dogs were sound asleep! I donated this necklace to the cause.

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!