Sunday, May 31, 2015

Black & White Sunday: Sniffing Out Summer

Hard to believe tomorrow is June 1st, huh? While Tut smells summer in the air, I'm just longing for my beloved autumn...

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Friday, May 29, 2015

My, What a Big Stash You Have

Although my needles haven't exactly seen much action these days, I did make huge progress in organizing the yarn stash last weekend. 

For some time now, I've had visions of installing shelving in a ho-hum closet, and filling them with baskets of yarn and other knitterly accessories.  I didn't care what the shelves were made of or what they looked like, I just wanted the cheapest, easiest option.  After a quick trip to Home Depot, it was Martha Stewart Living to the rescue! 

I originally thought we were going to be buying those long metal bars and the "wire like" shelving pieces to install at varying heights.  That was until we happened upon these fabulous cubbies and my honey realized that two of the 9 unit pieces would fit perfectly side-by-side in the closet.  Sold!  But not before settling on the color. I wanted white, while he thought we should go with the brown in case we ever decided to use them elsewhere in the house. Um, use them elsewhere?  Could he already be thinking of replacing my yarn closet with a yarn room?  Okay... brown it was.

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Awesome honey installed them on Sunday, and once the floor molding was removed from inside the closet, they really did fit perfectly.  Of course, once I started filling up baskets, we both quickly realized I needed more storage.  Well, wouldn't you know it, a 6 unit piece would fit perfectly on top of the left hand unit without having to remove the existing closet shelf or support.  He ran off to Home Depot while I continued to fill existing cubbies, as well as this nifty over-the-door shoe organizer I picked up at Kohls. It works great for most of my "regular" sock yarn stash (the hand dyed stuff is in baskets).

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Once the cubbies were full (along with several ready-to-go projects in bags on the existing shelf, and a few piled up on the floor), that awesome honey of mine pointed out the wasted space above the unit on the right.  We didn't just grab another 6 cubbie unit because of that big 'ole shelf support you see in the above photo.  He said he could change it out to a different style if I wanted another unit. However I like having "shelf space" in there to lay out yarn and project ideas, as well as to store things like magazine holders, needles, etc. Since I was hoping to have room for some books, we talked about possibly installing the magazine holders on the wall, or adding a half shelf.  We'll see...

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I love the way the baskets look, but I'll show you my dirty little secret... the cubbies all the way to the left are sans-basket.  They work just as well for storing bags of yarn though! 

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I should have taken more photos of inside the baskets, but I did snap this one.  It's all yarn dyed by an amazingly talented friend of mine.  Jealous?  Don't be!  You can score some of her awesome yarn and fiber for yourself at Mad Color Fiber Arts.

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So... tell me, how do you store your stash?

Thursday, May 28, 2015

A Pint Sized Penny

Okay, seriously folks... where has May gone so fast?  I can't believe Monday is June 1st.  I also can't believe Penny has been keeping us on our toes with us for nearly 3 weeks!

I realized I hadn't shared the first photos we saw of Penny. So... what better time than on a Thankful and Throw Back Thursday?

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Penny was about 5 weeks old when these were taken. Just look at those puppy claws!

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The rescue also sent us a few photos of Penny with her Mama before she ventured North.  They may be a little out of focus, but I treasure them dearly.

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Just look at how much Mama looks like Lola in this shot (and yes, Mama is a red/tan dobie, but this pic makes her look more black/tan).  If I didn't know any better....

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We are indeed very thankful for this little bundle of joy.  Each day brings new experiences and adventures.  It is so fun to watch a pup explore the world and find new and exciting things. 

As our adventure continues (I'm currently searching for a puppy kindergarten class that fits the humans' crazy busy summer schedule), I'll leave you today with a couple of cute playtime video clips. Happy almost weekend!

Penny and one of her most favorite toys, a goDog Roadkill Otter. I had ordered it for the Lapdogs for Christmas, but when it arrived, I realized just how tiny it was.  Instead of going thru the hassle of returning it, I set it aside figuring we'd gift it to another dog at some point.  Apparently, it was meant to be for Penny... 
 



Here's a clip of Penny and her jungle gym, aka Sophie...



Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: Growing Like a Weed

Time to get wordless again... but wow, where did the month of May go so fast?!?!

Sophie has 2 favorite toys... #planetdog soft squeaky tennis balls and Hedgehog toys. I try to keep spares on hand of both...time to restock the hedgehog family! #houndmix #rescueddogsofinstagram #muttstagram #instadog #dogsofinstagram #ilovemyseniordog #

It's a lovely day for a #carwash Goodbye winter grime!  #chevy #dogangels #dogangelwings

Hey Mama, I think those shoes were made for walking... not going to work.  #puppyproblems #puppiesofinstagram #puppygram #dobermanmix #rescueddogsofinstagram #instapuppy #puppylove

Let's go Monarchs #caldercupplayoffs #ahl #manchvegas #caldercuporbust

I hate Mondays too Tut. #dogsofinstagram #instadog #coonhoundmix #rescueddogsofinstagram #muttsofinstagram #ilovemyseniordog #seniordog #muttstagram #houndmix #adoptdontshop

Monarchs up 7-4 over Wolfpack with a minute to go = Happy Max! #caldercuporbust #letsgomonarchs

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Racing season and lunch is ready! #chicken  #pastasalad #yumo #foodstagram #IWannaEatItNow

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Happy Memorial Day! Missing these 2 like crazy... Lola & Zeus were both very special. ❤ #ilovemydogs #missthem #seniordog #cancerbites #caninecancerawareness #ilovemyseniordog #ilovebigmutts #dogsofinstagram #muttsofinstagram #instadog #dogstagram #
First Memorial Day without my babies... Missing them like crazy. 

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Left: May 14 - 9.1 lbs ~~ Right: May 21 - 11.9 lbs
 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

REVIEW: Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted Canned Dog Food

Disclosure: Chewy.com sent a case of Hill's Ideal Balance canned dog food to Lapdog Creations, free of charge for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted Canned Dog Food
Where to Find: Chewy.com


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Chewy.com

Not only were the Lapdogs extra excited about this month's Chewy review item, their Mama was too! We picked Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted Canned Dog Food this month for a couple of reasons... 1) I'm always looking for great canned foods to use as a mix-in with their kibble and 2)You may have noticed that we are currently participating in a Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted campaign with BlogPaws, so this seemed like an obvious choice to make.  We've already posted twice about the new line (in April and in May) and have two more posts coming up (June and July), so stay tuned to learn more. 

Hill's Idea Balance Crafted canned is currently available in three recipes - Simmered Chicken Stew with Quinoa, Shredded Beef Stew, and Braised Salmon Medley with Quinoa.  We received the chicken recipe for our review.   

While their Mama has been busy telling the world about the new Hill's Ideal Balance Crafted food, Teutul and Sophie were both very eager to eat it! 

My first thought when I opened the can?  This stuff looks amazing... and where's the human version?  If you feed canned dog food, you know that sometimes you open that can and can only guess what's in it.  With the Ideal Balance Crafted, there's no guessing - you can see and easily identify the ingredients.  Shredded natural chicken, peas, carrots, potatoes, spinach, quinoa... all in a delicious smelling gravy.

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Ideal Balance Crafted is truly just like homemade, without the hassle!  Slow cooked in small batches, in the USA without corn, wheat or soy. It is also free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, as well as poultry by-product meal. If I had the time, energy and knowledge to cook for my dogs, this is exactly what I would envision. Since I don't have all that extra time on my hands, nor a pet nutrition degree, I am thankful to Hill's for making it easy to feed my pack wholesome food. 

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Both Teutul and Sophie thought the chicken stew was amazing... shhh, don't tell them it wasn't leftovers from Mommy & Daddy's dinner!  Because Ideal Balance Crafted is not recommended for puppies, Penny has not had the pleasure of trying it yet*. I think Teutul was a little too excited about the fact that she can't share it...  

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Chewy makes it even easier for us to feed our dogs high quality food... order online and have the deliciousness sent directly to our door!  Remember, 1-2 day shipping is always free with your order of $49 or more.  Grab a couple cases of Ideal Balance Crafted for your pack today... they will gladly thank you for it!

*Ideal Balance Crafted is recommended for dogs ages 1 - 6 years of age. While both Tut and Sophie are over the age of 6, my personal choice is to use it as a mix-in with their kibble.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Black & White Sunday: Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

We hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend... whether you're lounging at home, off on an adventure, knitting up a storm, doing yard work, burying your nose in a book, BBQ'ing with the family, catching up with your DVR, or out playing with your 4-legged kids...

Penny wanted to remind everyone that napping is important as well... No matter where you are, or what you're doing.

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Yes, that's a Penny in a bag. I had to take her to the vet by myself and was unsure how adventurous she would be (i.e. how many times she would try to climb in my lap while I was driving). I thought about putting our small crate in the truck, and then I remembered I had this bag.  Yes, I had a doggy bag... with the tags still attached.  I hashtagged our Instagram pic with #ThingsCompaniesSendToBloggersWithBigDogsForReviewFinallyHaveAShortTermUse 
It worked great as a place for her to sit, and, um, sleep on the way home.  I suppose I should post my review now, huh?  Stay tuned...

Friday, May 22, 2015

#Craftsy Stay-Cation SALE!

#sponsored

Nothing beats a long weekend... except for a long weekend full of crafting fun! I'm going to be spending part of my weekend organizing my yarn stash... but perhaps you would like to spend yours adding to the yarn stash?  Or maybe fabric is your weapon of choice?

No matter what gets your crafty side flowing, you can get everything you need for a creative “stay-cation” with Craftsy’s Memorial Day Sale.

Craftsy

Enjoy up to 70% off all kits, fabric and yarn, up to 60% off all sewing project kits and up to 40% off art, paper craft and cake decorating supplies.

You’re sure to snag the items you’ve been eyeing at major savings. Click here to begin shopping now, or click on one of the popular categories below...
Happy shopping... and happy crafting!

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Joyful and Thankful

Thursday already?  TGI-almost-F! 

If you follow this blog, you know the heartbreak we've faced this year.  While we had braced ourselves as much as we could for the loss of Zeus, but we had never ever expected to have to say goodbye to Lola as well.  I've said it before, and I'll say it until the day I die... cancer sucks.  And yes, I'm still biter about it.  The nasty c-word has not only taken two of my babies, it has invaded our human family as well.  And while we are happy to have some amazing cancer warriors among us, we now must brace ourselves for the impending loss of a wonderful man.  I won't get into too many details, as I don't feel they're fit for a blog post at this time, but do hope we have many wonderful moments left to share.

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Okay, enough of that.  After all, I don't want a "Thankful Thursday" post to be a downer, however I think a little background helps to remember why we are so thankful for the petite bundle of joy that entered our lives nearly two weeks ago. If you missed the "It's a Girl" post last week, do scroll back and learn just how much I believe in karma...

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We all needed a little joy in our lives, and that little (for now anyway) bundle sure did hit the ground running!



Sure, we're all a little sleep deprived, but we wouldn't have it any other way.  Penny has not only put the smiles back on our faces, but on the faces of everyone she meets.  There's just something about a pint-sized puppy... and ohhh, that puppy breath!  

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And, even more important, she's gotten both Tut and Sophie back to wanting to play!



My girls, Penny & Sophie #rescueddogsofinstagram #puppiesofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #muttsofinstagram #rescueddog #ilovemydogs #puppygram #dobiemix #houndmix

Penny is already channeling her big angel sister Lola is so many ways.  She loves to snuggle, and is a total kisser. 

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While I miss my big kids immensely, I am so very thankful that this little girl has entered our lives.  I'm so excited that I get to be her Mama, and get to watch her grow and learn about the big world around her.   

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: This, That and A Little Racing

Mid-week greetings from a tired Lapdog household...

Tut gets his stitches out today!  #dogstagram #seniordog #coonhoundmix #muttsofinstagram #instadog #rescueddogsofinstagram #ilovemyseniordog

Surprise #cupcakes are the best... thanks honey! #foodstagram #cupcakestagram @who_you_callin_cupcake #delish #603 #foodie #instacupcake

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I truly have some amazing friends. This was a sweet and extremely generous gift in memory of my Lola & Zeus from an old friend. It's absolutely to die for...  #qiviut #handdyedyarn #alaska #yarn #holycow #knitstagram @atreehuggerswife

Penny is wearing everyone out... #seniordog #ilovemydogs #houndmix #coonhoundmix #instadog #dogsofinstagram #muttstagram #lazydogs #dogstagram

Your #puppygram for the morning! #rescuedpuppy #dobermanmix #dobiemix #puppylove #puppiesofinstagram #instapuppy #muttsofinstagram #adoptdontshop

Penny went to her first race this past weekend. Yes, of course, she was a big hit with everyone, but I'd have to say her biggest fan was our former foster Belle. Miss Belle was simply infatuated with Penny and the two became immediate friends. They're going to have a great summer together at the track!

Penny met our former foster Belle for the first time at the race track today.  These 2 girls are going to have a great summer!  #adoptdontshop #rescueddogsofinstagram #fosterdog #rescueddogs #racetrackdogs #love #puppygram #instadog #instapuppy

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Oh, you know.... just another day at the racetrack.  #puppygram #knitstagram #dobermanmix #puppiesofinstagram #instaknit #knitting #racetrack #Maine #dogstagram #pupstagram #rescuedpuppy

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