Friday, August 31, 2012

Once in a Blue Moon

Happy Fiber Arts Friday / Labor Day Weekend!  Although the calendar claims fall doesn't begin until September 22nd, I beg to differ.  Sure, it's 90 degrees here today, but my beloved 70's are coming this weekend and I can't wait!  The weekend also kicks off the great New England autumn fair season.  I did a little kick-off of my own today with a trip to one of my favorite local orchards.

I love #fall ! #pumpkin #pumpkins #happy #autumn #newhampshire #farmstand My haul from Apple Acres today = one #happy girl!  #honeycrisp #apples #peaches #ciderdonuts #unpasteurized #cider #honey

My haul consisted of a dozen cider donuts, a big bottle of local honey, some juicy peaches, 1/2 peck of my most favorite honeycrisp apples and a half gallon of the first batch of unpasteurized cider of the season!  Yum-O!  I resisted the freshly baked pies that smelled absolutely a-mazing!  I also resisted bringing home a pumpkin, but did take pics to share.

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I just adore the beauty of a pile of pumpkins... they make me smile! Speaking of beautiful things, have you all been enjoying the big, bright moon this week as much as we have?  I hadn't even realized it was special until all the Blue Moon posts on Facebook today.  Apparently, tonight's full moon is indeed a Blue Moon.  I hope it's clear enough to enjoy and maybe get some cool shots.  I snapped this one on my cell phone Wednesday night.

What a beautiful #moon tonight! #sky #nofilter #newhampshire #summertime #night #summer

Last weekend we had beautiful almost-fall-like weather and I spent Sunday morning on the deck with the dogs while Matt worked on the race car.  Instead of working on one of my 101 WIP's, I decided to cast on The Amelia Scarf.  I had to cast on a new project all in the name of a review for the blog, so I didn't feel guilty about it (stay tuned for my official Debbie Bliss Winter Garden review next week).

Sitting on the #deck with the #dogs #knitting while he works on the #racecar today. Happy #sunday ... #yarn #knit #debbiebliss #scarf #sunflower #summer #fall

I'm loving this simple one row scarf and boy does it knit up fast (note to self: this might be one to use for Christmas gifts)!  I'll update with a new photo next week, as I plan to be knitting on it a bunch this weekend.  Who knows, maybe I'll even have a finished object!?!? 

I hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend.  We're at the race track tomorrow and have some great day trips planned for Sunday & Monday.   Now, it's off to hang my "Welcome Fall" sign on the front door... (doggy friends who only stop by on FAF, be sure to scroll back for the two giveaways I have going on this week)  

Thursday, August 30, 2012

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Wallace

Wallace

The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls - One Flying Disc at a Time
by Jim Gorant
Hardcover: 256 Pages
Publisher: Gotham (August 30, 2012)

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I received copies of Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls - One Flying Disc at a Time for review/give away, and am opting to preview it for you rather than do my usual tried-and-true review.  Translation: I won't have time to sit down and read Wallace like I want to right now, but I don't want to hold off on telling you all about this amazing canine and giving you the opportunity to win a copy of his story!

I'm already a huge fan of Wallace!  A rescued American Pit Bull Terrier, Wallace has become one of the best spokes-dogs any breed could ever hope for.  Let's face it, no other breed is as frequently and unfairly defamed as the Pit Bull.  America's Dog, who was once known for their loving, child-friendly nature, has made headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent years... usually resulting from illegal dog fighting or owner neglect.  Enter Wallace, who is making headlines for all the right reasons and showing America just what their dog is capable of. 

Wallace, originally a stray, was rescued from the brink of death three times during the first two years of his life.  He was considered unadoptable due to his restlessness and drive, but that didn't stop Clara and Andrew "Roo" Yori, a couple who worked at the Rochester, MN shelter that had taken Wallace in, from bringing him home.  They hoped to find a worthwhile outlet for his energy, strength and intelligence.  Enter canine disc competition!  Roo, a former college soccer player and coach, trained Wallace night and day to master the sport.   Wallace trained, overcame prejudice and beat the odds... and in less than two years after he was saved from euthanasia, he became a world champion! In a sport dominated by lighter, more agile breeds like shepherds and terriers, Wallace is changing minds one disc at a time!   

In Wallace, author Jim Gorant tells the story of this unwanted pit bull turned flying-disc champion, as well as the young couple who dedicated their lives to saving and training him. It is as much a story about the undeniable bond between human and canine, as it is about the excitement, tension, and highs and lows of competing.  

"Part Rocky, part Marley & Me, part Friday Night Lights, Wallace will appeal to anyone who loves dogs and underdogs, or just the thrill of competition." ~ Gotham Books   
Are you itching to learn more about this beautiful pit bull ambassador?  Check out Wallace's very own website and Facebook page.  He even has a You Tube channel, which is where we found this great video clip...



Pick up a copy of Wallace today!  I can't wait to have the time to sit down and get lost in my own copy and I'm sure any dog lover will feel the same.  

About the Author: Jim Gorant is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lost Dogs, about the pit bulls that were rescued from Michael Vick's dog fighting ring.  He has worked as a magazine editor and writer for twenty years and is currently a Senior Editor at Sports Illustrated.  Jim lives in Montclair, New Jersey.

GIVEAWAY! Thanks to the publisher, I have a copy of Wallace to give away to a lucky readers! To enter:

  • Follow Lapdog Creations publicly (see "Followers" on the side bar)
  • Leave a comment here answering this question: Why do you want to win a copy of Wallace?  Perhaps you're a pittie lover or just love seeing an underdog come out on top?  Maybe you want to read more about the flying-disc world or you just can't resist Wallace's adorable mug? 
You must complete both steps 1 & 2 and be a US resident to win.
You can get extra entries by sending your friends here to enter (be sure to have them mention your name).... blog, Tweet, Facebook and text away!
Winner will be selected by random number generator.  


Deadline for entries is Thursday, September 6th at 11:59pm EST 
 
Disclaimer: The publisher provided me with two copies of Wallace, one for review and one to give away.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Do you Dew?

At the beginning of the month, I received an email invite to join the new Mountain Dew Insiders.  
Because you have such a cool blog, I’d like to invite you to join the MOUNTAIN DEW® Insiders, a team of influencers (like you!) who will have access to super cool, exclusive content you can share with your readers and followers.
Huh, the Dew folks thought I had a cool blog!  They like me and I like Dew, plus they were offering a special "Pit Kit" to the first 200 people who signed up.  How could I not join?  I rsvp'ed with a yes and today I received my fun Dew Crew Pit Kit...

Do you dew? My #dewcrew kit arrived today. #88 #mountaindew #nascar

My Pit Kit contains some nifty Dale Jr #88 swag - a trucker cap, drawstring bag, can coozie and sticker - and a bottle of the limited edition summer Dark Berry Dew!  Yum-0!  I'm excited to see what is in store for me as a Dew Crew member in the future.  What's that?  You want in too?  Click the logo below to learn more and Do the Dew!



Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Mountain Dew.

Monday, August 27, 2012

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Crinkits Dog Toy

Crinkits Dog Toy

Where to Find: Zigoo Pets


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Crinkit_Lola_82512Water bottle dog toys have been a hit with the Lapdogs for years now and I'm always on the look out for new - and different - ones.  Our foster pups have all seemed to love them as well.  In fact, I've yet to come across a dog who doesn't love that very distinct crinkle sound that comes from crunching on an empty water bottle.  I'm not sure if it's all about the sound or if they love the crunchy texture just as much... except when it comes to Teutul.  With the third child, I know it's all about annoying his humans with the constant crunch-crinkle-crunch sound while they're trying to watch TV!


Crinkit_Zeus_82512Crinkits were designed out of necessity by Zigoo founder Zach Day.  His dog's favorite toy - a water bottle - needed more durability.  After several prototypes were tested, the final result was a rubber-like toy that provides a protective barrier around an empty water bottle, made from an innovative material.  Crinkits are made of ZIGLFEX, which is 100% non-toxic, natural and recyclable.  ZIGFLEX is FDA approved, highly durable, contains NO BPA's or Phthalates, and it floats!  That's right... Crinkits can double as a water toy!  The special material also easily rinses clean, so after a long day at the beach, you can bring Crinkits home, rinse it off and not worry about getting sand and grime all over the house!


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Lola & Tut love Crinkits
Crinkits are, of course, meant to hold an empty water bottle, however it can be a tad bit of a challenge to get the bottle inside.  The packaging suggests using soap and water for help with inserting a 16oz bottle, however the website suggests using a smaller (8 or 12oz) bottle.  I assume this is just part of the minor tweaks the company is still working on with the release of a new toy.  It's all good though!  After a few minutes of frustration, I simply enlisted the Lapdog Daddy who promptly got the bottle stuffed inside.  Crinkits can also be stuffed with treats for additional interactive playtime. 



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Foster Booth took Crinkits to the races
On top of all that, Crinkits are Made in the USA... in Springvale, Maine to be exact!  That gets a double thumbs up from this doggy Mama.  Not only is the fun toy made in the USA, but it's a New England product to boot!  We are all about supporting the little guy and local companies when we can. 

The Lapdogs are sure your pooch will love Crinkits just as much as they do.  Grab one for them now or start your woofy holiday shopping early!  You can use the Amazon link at the top of this review for easy ordering.  We also have one pink Crinkits to give away to a lucky winner!

GIVEAWAY! Thanks to Zigoo Pets, one lucky reader will win a pink Crinkits! To enter:

  • Follow Lapdog Creations publicly (see "Followers" on the side bar)
  • Leave a comment here answering this question: Does your dog flip for water bottle toys or has he/she yet to experience the fun?
To be eligible to win, you must complete both steps above and be a US resident.
You can get extra entries by sending your friends here to enter (be sure to have them mention your name).... blog, Tweet, Facebook and text away!
Winner will be selected by random number generator.
Deadline for entries is Monday, September 3rd at (midnight) 11:59pm EST

Disclaimer: I received the Crinkits toys free of charge for review and give away from Zigoo Pets. 

Friday, August 24, 2012

This IS a Drive By

Oh I swear to you... I'll be there for you...
This is not a drive by... Just a shy guy looking for a two ply...

Yes, yes... I've got Train stuck in my head (how can you not sign along with that tune?) and this is a drive by posting.  Happy Fiber Arts Friday!  Fall is coming - woot! - which means I need to get my alpaca mitts done soon! 

#fall is coming! Time to finish these #alpaca mitts #knitting #yarn #crafting #chobani #coffee #chobanipowered

I'm getting ready to head off to the race track... so what else is new, right?  No, we don't normally race on Friday nights, but what else is a racer to do when we have a extremely rare weekend off from our regular touring series schedule?  Find a track to race at, of course (along with a few other members of our NELCAR family).  It's a good thing the racer's better half enjoys this and is looking forward to getting some knitting time in tonight!  Happy Friday everyone... enjoy your weekend!

Starting on the pole for heat 1 #racing #nelcar #legends #summer

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Woofy Thanks

Happy Thankful Thursday / Dogs on Thorsday / Litte Friday!  I should be writing a review today, but ... hey, get this ... I'm behind!  It's been a busy couple of weeks, combined with far too many sleepless nights.  It seems someone put out a "welcome mouse family" sign that I was unaware of.  While Lapdog Daddy works to trap them, my hooey hounds and their dobie mix sister are working to eradicate them in their own way.  Zeus simply runs back to bed when he realizes his siblings are on the hunt.... yes folks, I have a 110 pound scaredy cat.  Anywho, although we close the bedroom door and turn on the AC for noise, Lola's bionic nose and ears know when the little b*&#@*#$ venture upstairs and it's up and at 'em!  Yawn.... Send your good eradication vibes our way please.  I can't deal with the thought of them running around any more and I need sleep!

Now, back to being thankful.... I have more foster family updates to share!

I was thrilled to learn Maverick is still carrying his (freshly washed) snuggie around everywhere! I always send our fosters home with a favorite toy (or two), as well as a snuggie when available. Mavie's family has continued to tell me how much his snuggie and piggie toy mean to him, which truly makes me smile.  A friend had crocheted and donated a whole bag of snuggies to me for our fosters a couple years ago and we've finally exhausted the stash. If you enjoy knitting/crocheting/sewing snuggies and need a place to unload a few, please keep me in mind! 

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Jack, aka mini TutLo, has become quite the competition superstar!  His Mom tells me he's always tops in his class.

Jack_82112 Jack_82112b

Cotton was caught doing what I'd love to be doing right about now!  Isn't this a perfect, cozy picture?  Add a yarn basket to that empty spot and I think it would be a stunner!

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Sure, I just shared a Belle update last week, but I do get to see our mini-Lola often... which means you do as well!  I snapped these at the race track last Saturday.  She truly is the perfect race dog... such a chillax girl!

Our former #foster baby Belle at the track tonight! #racing #dogs #summer #newhampshire #dogstagram #adoptdontshop #nelcar #legends #foreverhome #rescue Untitled

Since I can't resist those ears (and I still owe a real post), you get another Booth update too.  His Mom posted this shot of her adorable co-pilot on Sunday afternoon.

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I truly am so very thankful for all of the updates and photos that make me smile!  What are you thankful for today?  I'll leave you with those four faces that make me smile (even if some keep me up all night) on a daily basis...

I'm not sure how enthused Zeus is about this #dogtoy #review  #dogs #lazy Lola_51712b

Happy Tut! #dogs #smile #happydog #rescue #adoptdontshop #dogstagram #petstagram #instadog #summer #deck Sophie loves when Mommy has @chobani for #breakfast #chobanipowered #yumo #food

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

GIVEAWAY WINNER: CoatPlus by Arenus

CoatPlus.2bottles_pills.FPO
Thank you to everyone who entered to win a bottle of CoatPlus by Arenus! The winner has been selected by random number generator...

Here are your random numbers: 5

Congratulations to (blogless) Karen!  The Lapdogs hope that Rusty and Taffy will soon be able to get some itch relief of their own
!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Lola's Mommy & Me Day

Lola & I had a wonderful Mommy & Me Day on Friday!  We got ready, packed a bag for the day and off we went to meet up with Tanya & Seamus (for my long time readers, that would be the Lapdogs' Auntie Tanya/Mom to Tut's late brother Tango).  On our way out, we had to run a few errands... you know, fill up the gas tank and get some cash.  And no, I did not have a mini freak out after getting gas and putting my debit card in my back pocket, then getting to the ATM and being unable to find said card.  Nope, that wasn't me...

Lola and I are off for a fun filled day! #dogs #happydog #summer #carride #dogstagram #petstagram #instadog

Next stop was lunch with Tanya & Seamus... pizza!  And yes, the dogs got the crust.  After eating, we consolidated: 2 crazy dog ladies, 2 large spoiled dogs and 1 car (I lost count of how many tote bags of water, treats, bowls, presents...).  Then it was off to visit Booth at his forever home!

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I was so excited to see Booth and couldn't help but smile when he acted just as excited to see me as I was to see him!  After the initial shower of puppy kisses and loving, he proceeded to show me how happy he is and how much he loves his family.  He would run over to me for a bit, then go sit by his Mom or Dad.  I believe it was his way of letting me know that he "got it" about transitioning from his loving foster home to his loving forever home. They really are smart when it comes to showing us they are happy and doing well and that truly makes me smile! 

Lola was also very happy to see her little Boo man, although his sister Brita wasn't so happy to see her.  Brita is a little protective of her home and ended up going inside to hang out while we were there.  Boo gave Lola some kisses and was very interested in following Seamus around (maybe he thought he was getting a big brother?). Unfortunately (and so not like me), I didn't think to get the camera out until we were getting ready to say goodbye.  Booth's Mom tried the good 'ole treat trick to get him to sit for a picture with Lola...

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After she realized she was going to have to wait for the treat, Lola promptly decided to do what she does best and lie down... I do adore this shot though!

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This isn't a fantastic shot of me, but I adore that big puppy grin and had to share!  The combination of that big 'ole pearly white smile and those ears gets me every time.  The second shot is my favorite of Lola & Boo, just haning out.  It was a wonderful visit and I hope we can plan a dog park play date soon so that Matt can catch up with the little man as well.

NicToniBooth_81712b_CROP Lola got to visit #foster brother Booth today!! #dogs #happydog #adoptdontshop #rescue #foreverhome #puppy

After the visit, it was off to the farmer's market.  The dogs were quite the hit as soon as they got out of the car.  I had several folks ask what kind of dog Lola was and some were just pointing and laughing at Seamus (Tanya tells me he gets that alot).  The little girls who were pointing to both of our kids exclaiming "BIG doggie!" were the cutest however.  Just as she does at the dog park, Lola took a stroll around and then went in to old lady mode as she found a nice shady spot to call her own.

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Lola_farmersmkt_81712b Lola_farmersmkt_81712c

At least she picked a good table... Sweet Lydia's!  The treats on the table are some of the most amazing s'mores you will ever taste, made with their own marshmallows and graham crackers inside chocolaty goodness.  The Toasted Coconut one is absolutely delish!  (Yay, so Tanya and I went to the farmer's market and came home with mostly unhealthy goodies, but that's ok, right? I found maple cotton candy too... and you know how much I love that!)

My girl made friends with the sunflower man...

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After the farmer's market, the crazy dog ladies - who were now well stocked with chocolaty treats and cotton candy - needed a pick-me-up, so it was straight to the drive-thru for iced coffee.

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From there, we made stops at a farm stand (who happened to have the cleanest veggies I've ever seen, and most delicious snap peas) and at Thwaites Market for some fabulous British meat pies.  Tanya bought one for the dogs to share in the parking lot.  Yup, there we were... two crazy dog ladies feeding a much sought after meat pie to dogs.  We're sure the older women in the parking lot thought we were nuts.  Imagine if they knew that between the two of us, we had six more spoiled dogs at home...

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Lola & I had an absolutely fabulous day out with Tanya & Seamus and can't wait to do it again!  My old lady was completely pooped by the time we got home!

Pie and water break

 
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