Before and After Acrylic Painting

I started this painting months ago. I wasn't for sure the direction I wanted to go. It reminded me of something, and felt unfinished. My daughter nailed it by saying it reminded her of the Miss Saigon playbill. YES! It does! Ok, I'll take that playbill as the inspiration, and maybe that was what guided my hand. It still felt unfinished. I put the painting away and put it out of my mind. The inspiration will come, I am not going to push it. This morning it hit, like a wall of water. I felt refreshed and ready to paint again. It didn't take long to see where I wanted to go. It felt good. It finally feels finished!!

Sizzling Hot Summer Sale!!!!

I am having a hot summer sale!!!

Save 30% on your order of $25 or more from my Etsy Store.

80 items and more on the way this weekend!

All items are one of a kind, no duplicates. Don't miss out!

Use check out code SIZZLE to take advantage of the great savings. Earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets and more. Free shipping on jewelry.

Sale ends 6/27/14

BONNAROO 2014!!!!!

Pet Appreciation Week - Comet

All bets were off in June of 2010 when a friend of mine brought boxer pups to the market. She says, "you need this little guy - he is deaf. If you take him, I will give him to you. You have a deaf dog, you know how to raise him." I saw the littlest white pup, with a black spot over his eye and of course I scooped him up and had to carry him around. I held him up, facing away from me, and made kissing noises - his ears twitched and his head moved.

"He is not deaf" I told her, "He is a boxer - he is hard headed." She still insisted I take him. He kinda did too. I put him down, and he made a bee line back to me and followed me around the booth. Damnit....we had imprinted..

I call James - "Jamie....... I have a little boxer puppy" and my voice trailed.

"Whatever makes you happy my love."

Jesus save me, I now have a Comet

So tiny!

But I had a plan!

It wasn't going to be my dog. Leigh and Russ were coming to visit. Leigh wanted a dog, and Russ loves English bulldogs - this is a white boxer, close right?? I would surprise them with this pup when they came, and if they could keep him, they would have a dog!!!!  Things don't always go as planned, and they couldn't work out a deal with their landlord (pet deposit was too much). We had already had Comet for a week by now, and Leigh and Russ were leaving. I told James, I will just take him back.

"You are not taking my dog anywhere" he says and with that we added a 4th dog to our house.

Comet was the most unusual puppy, all he did was sleep. Occasionally he would be a puppy, and a boxer puppy at that, and he would play in short bursts. He hates the broom, and vacuum, he must save me from all cardboard.  He was patheticly cute.

I can't make it

I found a mud puddle!

He couldn't get all the way up on the couch, but he could get his front legs up there. Then he would wait, and wait. Someone would take pity on him, and lift him the rest of the way.


He is very vocal and will tell you a thing or two, and sometimes three - and then he is asleep again.

Any warm spot will do

 Part of me, wasn't too concerned. He was a white boxer, and a runt. He most likely would be a little more laid back.

His being laid back was a boon for business. He was a festival dog for sure. He slept most of the day, and when he was awake, he was loving on everybody. He gets so excited his whole body shakes. He tries to wag his nub of a tail, and his whole body gets in the way. He tries to walk up to you in this state of excitement, and he comes at you sideways, butt first. You have to laff! He was too cute to pass up, and people would come into my booth just to see him. He traveled to every festival I did (unless it was Rose's turn)

New festival friend

In his festival shirt

Comet like Rose is a go go - he loves to go, to festivals, to restaurants, to the office, markets, parades, you get the picture. He knows when I start to pack the truck, it is time for a festival/market, and he is at the door. Even now, and I don't take him like I used to.  So as much as he is with me, Comet is James dog. Comet sticks to him like glue. James thinks this is great, because as he works, or watches TV, he has a little buddy to sit with him.

Sleepin with dad

As Comet grew so did his spots. We watched as more spots showed up on his skin, and the spot over his eye grew, but his hair never grew.
So here we have this little LITTLE boxer who isn't growing, sleeps all the time - and has no hair. No hair to the point his nickname was Piggy.


He walked very stiff legged, and couldn't raise his head. He seemed to always look at the ground. Several times to the vet, but no concerns were raised.  He started to cough, and he would cough til he seemed to gag, back to the vet. This is how it was with him.




Then the gods smiled upon me, the heavens opened, and I got a job at a local veterinary office. None too soon. Comet started having seizures.  Back and forth again. X rays, bloodwork, medicines, it was scary. He was so sick. Then the blood work showed he had a thyroid issue. Without doing massive tests to know for sure, there is speculation that maybe his thyroid stopped working, or was just too small. All of the sleeping he had been doing for 3 years was just his way of staying alive. My heart was crushed he had been sick for so long, and it was never caught . At the same time, if I had never got this job, we would never have known what was wrong with him or been able to help him. All things at the right time!



Comet now has a full coat of white hair, with brown spots! So much hair, you can barely see the black spots on his skin. He has so much energy, he runs and plays and plays and plays!!!! This little guy got an overhaul at just the right time, and we have plenty more miles left!

National Pet Appreciation Week! Here's Newd

National Pet Appreciation Week - Here's Newd :)

June 4, 2014 at 6:12am

Spring of 2009 (I had to  correct my last post, I got Rose, New Years Eve 2008) Allie and I were at the dog park, and I saw a girl come in with 4 dogs. One was a good sized white dog, with gray and black leopard spots. He had a limp. We called him pimp.  The next week, we were at the park, and the same girl came in, with the pimp dog. I  looked at Allie, and said, 'That is my dog.' She said, "Right, like you need three dogs".  I went over and talked to the girl, her name  was Caroline. She was fostering several dogs, and needed to find a home for  him. She was a woman after my own heart. We talked for a bit about this white dog. He was a Catahoula/American Bulldog mix and deaf.

This

American Bulldog

plus this

Catahoula

makes this

My heart Newd

She said his name was Chance, but she hated that name, because it was such a shelter name. I told her I was in love with him.  I  had to have him. I didn't hesitate, I didn't ask her about the process, I just had to have him. I asked about his limp. She  told me there  was talk of trying to get him surgery for his leg, possible amputation. He had an ununited anneal process - In laymans terms he  had dysplasia of the elbow.

I didn't let that stop me. I took him to my vet to see what kind of shape he was in. She told me, yup he has to have surgery. He needs it soon, the sooner the better to keep the pain down, and any more damage to his elbow. Then she told me the cost of the surgery. The surgery was anywhere between $1600 -  1800. That was a blow. She told me of several options and told me about several vets. One, was not board certified to do the surgery, but he does these types of surgeries all the time. He was an hour away, and half the cost. Sold. I talked to Caroline, told her I had to have Chance and what did I have to do. She waived the adoption fee due to his condition and I signed the paper work. He was mine, and now his name is Newd Ogg - Newd for short. Now where am I gonna get $800.  Inspiration comes in funny places. While walking the dogs one morning, I found .50, two quarters on the side of the road. (I still have those same two original quarters) It got me to thinking, if i could get 50 cents from 1600 people, I could get this surgery. how hard will it be.

Turns out, not at all. I made a blog post, started sharing it, started telling people and in a matter of 3 weeks, I had raised over 900 dollars. I had donations from around the world thanks to the internet. I would go into work, and I would find piles of change in cups on my desk, all annoymus. All to give this dog a new lease on life without pain. People are pretty awesome. Off we went to get the surgery, I was so  nervous. The bill for the surgery was less than expected, so I left the remainder of the money with the vet to help pay for the next surgery/procedure for someone who may not have enuff money.

Out of surgery and headed home

I know you are not suppose to have favorites, but I can't help it. he is my heart. Maybe it was how we met, mebbe it was his condition, or how he reminded me of something/someone. We bonded quickly, and immediatly started working on communicating with him. Being deaf is a challenge. I have taught him hand signals, and found stomping on the floor was the best way to get his attention, but stomp the correct way. Too soft, he wouldn't feel it, too hard, he jumped and ran. I am a heavy walker, been told I walk with a purpose. I had to learn to tone down my stepping because he would run from me, scared and get in his crate. Then it dawned on me, I was yelling at him as I walked thru the house :)

He could challenge Grumpy cat :)

He knows sit, stay, all gone, and come.

Nappin with Bast

He had to be supervised at all times in the yard. He could jump the fence. As long as he could see me, he stayed in the yard. As soon has I was outta sight, he was over. How do you call a dog that is deaf out running thru the neighborhood? You don't. What you do is train your other dog to go get him, and that is what I did with Rose. The training started when it was time for the dogs to come in, I would call to Rose - Bring him around - and she did. She would circle wide, and get his attention and he would follow her to the house. The same worked when he got out. I would get Rose, and we would go looking for  him. When I would see him, I would turn Rose loose, and tell her to bring him round. All she had to do was get him pointed toward me. When he would see me, he would run toward me. We put in a new fence :)

Newd and Rose

He has the softest ears every made and the floppiest face. I love to squish him up. Those icey eyes and that blank stare. Histerical! He has a "woo-woo" he does when he is happy to see you. He does a little dance in place, like marching in place when he gets excited. He has to be with me. No matter where I am. He follows me from room to room, around the yard, sits next to me on the couch, sleeps next to me in bed. He would love to go everywhere else with me, but because he is deaf, it is difficult to take him too many places. The vibration of the truck is kinda like yelling at him. He gets very nervous. 

That face!

He is mine completely, and i am his. He is so sweet. I love when I come home and he is asleep. All the other dogs are barking and running around so happy I am home, and he is asleep. He sleeps alot, but that is a common behavior in deaf dogs.   I gently touch him, and he wakes up so happy. His tail wagging and he blinks and he says "I have been waiting for you"

Puddle of Newd

What is on my head?!!?

National Pet Appreciation Week! Meet Rose!

At the end of 2008 I was feeling heavy hearted, we had lost the Diva, Pup was lonely, and I was lonely. My husband had been looking in the classifieds to find me a pup, he was looking for Chows (I have had Chows for years, great dogs, don't care what anyone says). He sent me an ad for Great Dane/St. Bernard mix pups in the area. My heart soared and tanked at the same instant. Oh how I love Danes, but they don't live so long. I have had several over the years, the best, most gentle dogs on the planet and they leave you in 6 - 7 years. I don't know. I don't want to deal with that so soon. I want a 17 year old Chow, like the Diva, or a 20 year old Chow like Shash who will stay with me forever.

Tippin my hat to Shash

I put it off and put it off, finally I went to look at the ad. It had expired. Google cached pages, no problem :)  Should I dial? Yes I should. She had three pups left, and one she said was a flat coat that looked more like a Dane. Fate? Was I to have another Dane? New Years Eve, after work, I grabbed my house mate and off we went. I was so nervous. I didn't want a Dane - no way, and a female. No more female dogs - ever.

Then I saw them, they raced to the door to meet me. Rose pushed thru the pups and right into my lap. I had no choice!

Rosie Rumpledface is her name. She is as delicate as a rose petal :)

Rosie Rumpledface

Rose immediately put her sass to work. Oh she is sassy. She whooped Pup right into shape. Get over yourself and play with me old man! She brought so much into this house, so much that I didn't know I needed.  Like Allie.  Allie and I would meet at the dog park on Sundays and spend hours. Allie is my daughters best friend, and now one of my dearest friends. She is more than a friend, she is family. Rose is just as much Allies dog as mine I think. Rose do love her some Allie ;)

Selfie with Allie

Dog park!

She is my Go-Go girl. We love to go and she loves to go with me. She goes to work with me, parades with me, festivals with me, restaurants, where ever dogs are allowed (and sometimes not, she is there :))

Parades

At the office

At the flea market

Rose loves to bring you things, you can't have them, she only wants to show them to you. She sometimes thinks you are worth more than one thing and will pack as much as she can into her mouth and let you see how much she loves you, with all this stuff!!!

I will bring you firewood!

I bring you two things!

She is tolerant and comedic

Sister Mary Garcia

She thinks she is a lap dog



But the one thing she does best is this.

Visiting a new friend

Kisses - so many kisses!

Rose is my ambassador of love and gentleness. She loves to visit and just hang out. She brings a light to eyes that have been dim for so long.

Veterinary science has changed so much over the years, there is more of an understanding of the bigger breeds and they are living longer healthier lives. I know Rose and I will have more adventures and more stories to tell.

I can't wait!

Where to next!?!?