Happy Thanksgiving

From the Lapdog Household to Yours...

We wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!



Gobble, Gobble!

It's Hand-Knit Weather!

Happy Wordless Turkey Day Eve!  Safe travels... and stay warm!



REVIEW: Nature's Variety Instinct Treats

Nature's Variety Instinct Grain-Free Biscuits

with Rabbit Meal and Apples

Where to Find: Chewy.com

Just in time for Tasty Tuesday, our friends over at Chewy.com have sent us another delicious treat to review!  This month we have Nature's Variety Instinct Grain-Free Biscuits with Rabbit Meal and Apples.   

"At Nature's Variety, our passion is the health and happiness of your cherished cat or dog. We are proud pet parents, just like you! So we understand that your pet has a special place in your family, in your life, and in your heart." - Nature's Variety

Nature's Variety, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, is passionate when it comes to providing holistic nutrition for both cats and dogs.  This small, independent pet food company believes the best nutrition starts with healthy, natural ingredients.

I was very excited to have the Lapdogs try these biscuits - perhaps almost as excited as they were to eat them!  After all, they are Made in The USA, grain-free and feature a non-typical protein source, rabbit.  I figured Lola and Teutul would love them, like anything else, but wasn't sure how my picky pups, Zeus and Sophie, would react.  Needless to say, all four Lapdogs loved them, and I'm thrilled to have yet another amazing grain-free treat to add to our regular rotation! 

"Instinct grain-free biscuits are guilt-free, healthy treats that your dog will love and you can feel good about.  In nature, your dog would choose to eat meat, poultry, and fish - not grain." - Nature's Variety

It's official, the Nature's Variety Instinct Grain-Free Biscuits with Rabbit Meal and Apples are a huge hit!  While we selected the rabbit variety for various reasons, these perfectly sized bone shaped treats are available in three additional flavors: Chicken Meal and Cranberries, Lamb Meal and Carrots, and Duck Meal and Sweet Potatoes. Each variety is available in an 11oz bag, which comes with a convenient sticker you can use to easily and quickly reseal the treats.... genius! (Why don't all dog treat bags have this extra little feature?)   

You can pick up these, along with other Nature's Variety treats over at Chewy.com, where 1-2 day shipping is always free with your order of $49 or more!  Restock the pantry at your house, and do a little holiday shopping for the furbabies on your list. 

Disclosure: Chewy.com sent a box of Nature's Variety Instinct Grain-Free Biscuits to Lapdog Creations, free of charge for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

GIVEAWAY WINNER! Treat

Thank you to everyone who entered to win a personalized mug and stationery set from Treat!

The winner has been chosen by Random Number Generator... Congratulations to Roxy!  We can't wait to see what your Mom creates, and sure do hope it'll be your pretty face on the mug!

Stay tuned... reviews coming soon include Necessary Pins (for knitting), Woodland Knits, Planet Dog holiday items, Cloud Star and more!

Black & White Sunday: Snow!

Happy Sunday!  We had our first snow fall of the season last night and woke up to a winter wonderland white yard today.  Sophie would be in heaven, if it weren't for the "we're not in Kansas anymore" type of winds that are going on out there today.  I snapped this shot of her running back towards the door this morning... while big brother Zeus was completely unphased by the wind. 

** The wind has caused us to lose power once already today (for about an hour and a half).  It just came back on... keeping our fingers and paws crossed.  **

GIVEAWAY: One-on-One with Treat

Do you Treat?  "Do I what?," you say? 

 

Treat... as in the website where you can create one-of-a-kind greeting cards. 

I absolutely love having the ability to create completely personal cards for birthdays and holidays, all from the comfort of my own home.  Once created - through a very easy and simply process - I can then have the card either mailed to me or directly to my recipient.  Personally, I like to get the cards so I may include a handwritten note, however when time is of the essence, I let Treat do all the work.  And get this, the only cost for them to mail the card off?  The cost of a postage stamp.  How amazing is that?  I can't even begin to tell you the wonderful reaction I receive from these cards.  Most notably the birthday card I sent to my Dad earlier this year.  I used a bunch of old photos of he and I, creating a truly memorable piece that he treasures.  

Treat even offers digital cards.  Of course, these digital cards are unlike any other you've seen.  Check them out for yourself...

Now, let's talk holidays.  Yes, they are creeping up faster than you can say Turkey Day!  Treat now has an amazing collection of one-to-one holiday cards and personalized gifts available.  Now you can personalize the card and gift all in one place!  Choose from such great gifts as mugs and canvas prints to iPhone cases and stationery. There is sure to be something for everyone on your list! 

Thanks to the great folks over at Treat, one lucky reader is going to win their very own personalized mug and set of stationery!  Just don't hesitate on entering... this is going to be a super fast giveaway!  And, because of that, entering is going to be easy-peasy, just like creating cards and gifts over at Treat! 

Are you ready to win?

• To enter, view Treat's holiday cards, then leave a comment below indicating which card was your favorite.   

• For a bonus entry, like the Lapdog Creations Facebook page and leave a separate comment below indicating you did so.

To be eligible to win, you must be a resident of the USA.  Winner will receive a 1 (one) mug and 1 set (one set) of personal stationery.  Please be sure your entry includes a way to contact you (i.e. link to your blog or include your email address).

Winner will be selected by random number generator. Deadline for entries is Friday, November 22nd at 11:59pm EST (midnight).

This post is sponsored by Treat.  I am being compensated with free product for helping spread the word about their holiday products, however Lapdog Creations only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Scratch My Belly... Please?

Hump Day?!?!  Let's get wordless...



REVIEW: Happy Dog Box

Happy Dog Box

Where to Find: Happy Dog Box

"Spoil Your Dog Silly" ~ Happy Dog Box

Who doesn't love a box full of goodies delivered straight to your door every month?  Such subscriptions have become quite popular and include everything from make-up and household items to beer and cheese.  Of course, we all know the best ones are the ones for our furry family members (although this doggy Mama wouldn't complain if Santa wanted to bring her a yarn box subscription)!  After all, these boxes make the people smile and the dogs wag!

We were recently contacted by the folks at Happy Dog Box asking if we would be interested in doing a review of their boxes.   They did not have to ask twice...

Teutul and Lola were sniffing out the goodies as soon as our Happy Dog Box arrived and wasted no time interrupting the review photo shoot.

Happy Dog Box is a monthly gift box filled with only the very best in toys and treats for canines.  When you subscribe (or if your pup is lucky enough to receive a gift subscription), a Happy Dog Box will show up on your doorstep each month, stuffed full with at least five premium products.  Items are carefully selected from leading manufacturers, as well as up-and-coming boutique brands. Personally, I love the up-and-coming stuff the most!  Subscription boxes are the best way to learn about and try new products. Kudos to companies like Happy Dog Box who can help launch the "little guy" brands.


Inside our Happy Dog Box we found...

• Cloud Star Dynamo Dog Hip & Joint treats - If you recall our review of Dynamo treats this summer, you already know we give these 16 paws up!  We're thrilled to see such great quality, Made in the USA treats included in our box - especially ones for hip & joint issues!
• Jump Your Bones Roo Jerky - This gluten free 100% uniquely dehydrated kangaroo meat is Made in Australia with no preservatives, no flavoring or coloring, no added salt or sugar, and no soy.  While the Lapdogs have not yet tried it, I am sure they will soon be jumping for 'roo.
• Woofables Gourmet Dog Bakery Handmade Biscuits - As I mentioned, we love trying the "little guy" brands and this is surely one that shines!  Each biscuit is cut by hand and made with all-natural ingredients.  Just look at the adorable duck and carrot shapes (above).  Apparently, they must taste as good as they look because the Lapdogs were drooling for more!  The package we received was marked wheat free, however the exact flavor was not included. 
• Earth Rated PoopBags Dispenser - These poop bags were created to help care for the environment, while making picking up poop more fun and keeping your pocketbook happy.  The cute green dispenser can be clipped to a bag or belt loop, or you can use the Velcro strap to attach it to a leash.  The bags are long, strong and have a subtle lavender scent. 
• Jolly Pets Monster Mouth - This adorable treat dispensing toy is great for engaging your dog's brain activity, while he chews on something appropriate!  Hide some treats inside and watch him go nuts, especially with the unpredictable bounce.  The Monster Mouth is designed to massage gums and help keep teeth clean. 
• Barkworthies Curly Bully Stick - I don't think I've met a dog yet who doesn't love a bully stick.... enough said!

Happy Dog Box subscriptions can be tailored to your dog's size - Small, Medium or Large -  and are available in Monthly, 3 Month and 6 Month durations.  Cost is $25 per month (with free shipping!), however if you sign up for 6 months you will save 16%, making each box just $21.

If you're looking to try a subscription box service, give Happy Dog Box a go!  Subscriptions also make great holiday gifts for the furbabies on your list...and the Lapdogs have no shame is barking out loud about how much they sure would love Santa to bring them one!

Disclosure: Happy Dog Box sent a box to Lapdog Creations, free of charge for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

GIVEAWAY WINNER! Gift Basket from #DiamondNaturals

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the awesome gift basket sponsored by Diamond Naturals and Blog Paws!

The winner has been chosen by Rafflecopter... Congratulations to Brittany and Spencer!  As a reminder, your amazing basket will contain:

◾28lb bag of Diamond Naturals Grain-Free (formula of winner's choice)
◾Box of Dogs on a Beach note cards
◾Dog bone shaped paper clips
◾Decorative sign
◾2014 Dogs & Puppies calendar
◾$40 Visa gift card

We know you're going to love this prize and can't wait to hear you wag all about it!

Everyone else, please stay tuned for some more reviews & giveaways, including Planet Dog holiday items, Happy Dog Box, Woodland Knits, Cloud Star holiday treats and more!

Black & White Sunday: Busy Day

Lola wanted to wish everyone a happy and productive Sunday! 

 

The Lapdogs are working on some upcoming reviews (i.e. they're eating treats and playing with toys), while I'm trying to get blog posts written (this whole thing about being back to work kind of puts a crimp in my blogging style).  I've also finally begun the huge task of going through our Alaskan vacation pictures... and then I need to get to work on this year's Christmas card.  Cleaning, laundry, and cooking are on hold.  Anyone know where I can get a clone?

REVIEW: Soup Night

Soup Night

Recipes for Creating Community Around a Pot of Soup

by Maggie Stuckey

Paperback: 304 Pages

Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (October 22, 2013)

There's a chill in the air here in New England and that has me craving comfort food like you would not believe!  I'm sure I'm not the only one though, am I right?  And, what better comfort food is there during the long winter months than a big bowl of steamy soup?  Not only is it the perfect cold weather food, it's great for sharing and creating community...
 

Remember the good 'ole days when children played freely in the streets (heading home for dinner when the street lights came on) and neighbors were, well, neighborly to one another.  You not only knew their names, but you BBQ'ed together on hot summer nights and shared hot cocoa and good conversation in the dead of winter. Now, kids play video games indoors and adults rush home from work to watch TV and chat online.  We know more about our Facebook friends, whom we've never met in person, than we do our own neighbors. 

In Soup Night: Recipes for Creating Community Around a Pot of Soup, author Maggie Stuckey shares her optimism for bringing back the idea of neighborhood communities and talking to friends in person... as opposed to online!  Through wonderful community stories, Maggie has documented the powerful and positive ripple effect that the humble idea of gathering friends and neighbors on a regular basis for casual soup nights has on everyone.  But, of course, Soup Night isn't just about stories of sharing, it features some great recipes as well... more than 90 soups, as well as 40 additional recipes for sides, salads and desserts!

Soup Night is divided into six chapters; Soup Kettle Basics, Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer and Start Your Own Soup Night.  Each recipe is clearly written and the photographs throughout will make your mouth water.  Stories and tid-bits are scattered throughout making this much more than just another cook book. 

Some recipes that have caught my eye (or rather, earned a post-it tab on their pages) include Pumpkin Chicken Chowder, Taco Soup, Crab-Apple Soup, Creamy Cauliflower Soup and Neely's Potato-Cheese Soup.

I'm not sure we'll be hosting a neighborhood soup night anytime soon, but I sure am enjoying the stories of other people's community events.  And, I'll be enjoying the recipes quite a bit as well.

Love soup?  Grab yourself a copy of Soup Night today!  The book would make a great gift for long distance friends and family, especially with a heartfelt inscription inside.  For anyone lucky enough to have a neighborhood holiday swap, you should already be clicking on the Amazon link above!

 

Disclaimer: Storey Publishing, LLC sent a complimentary copy of Soup Night to Lapdog Creations for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed in the review are my own.

A Little Joy in the Air?

A morning sunspot, knitting lunch break, and a little JOY in the air... Let's get wordless!



REVIEW: Sleepy Eyes Knits Wonderlace

Sleepy Eyes Knits: Wonderlace

by Gina House

Hardcover: 80 pages

First Printing, September 2013

Where to Find: Sleepy Eyes Knits

Gina House, aka Sleepy Eyes Knits, is back with another collection of whimsical designs in her second book, Wonderlace.  The long awaited follow up to Dreamscape does not disappoint and will have lace knitters oohing and ahhing for years to come!

"Grab a lovely cup of tea, your most luxurious yarn and your favorite needles... and open this photo album to enter the magical world of lace knitting." ~ Gina House

Featuring 13 fairy tale inspired accessories, Wonderlace is THE book that should be on every lace knitter's wish list this holiday season.  The self-published, hardcover book features over 100 full color photographs which truly bring out the beauty in each and every design.  The instructions are clearly written, and charts are easy to follow.  Each individual pattern even includes it's own chart key, which prevents you from having to flip back and forth through pages while working on a project.  Your focus remains on what you're doing.

The designs not only cover all skill levels, beginner to advanced; but also all weights of yarn, lace to bulky.  That's right, not all lace patterns are written for lace weight yarn and toothpick size needles!  Some of my personal favorites are...

• Taylor Cowl - a versatile, reversible cowl that makes the perfect fall and winter accessory for you neck.  The pattern is written for both a DK and a Bulky weight yarn, giving you several options.

• Beauty Shawl - inspired by Belle's ball gown in "Beauty & The Beast," this shawl is designed to move with you thanks to the increasing fan stitch edging.  As the name suggests, this shawl is a true beauty!

• Poison Apple Beret - if you can't guess, Gina took inspiration from Snow White for this gorgeous head warmer.  Using luxurious silk and mohair, this beret will keep any chic chick stylish and warm all winter long!

 
As with Dreamscape, I really love how Gina's personality shines through in Wonderlace.  I suppose that's a huge benefit to self-publishing your work - controlling every.single.detail. from start to finish - but it's also quite a task to take on.  Gina not only does it all, but she does it all well. Creating beautiful designs, and spreading good cheer and happiness to all seems to be second nature for her. Just look at how I received my review copy of Wonderlace... a perfectly wrapped package, and a lovely handwritten inscription inside. Gina truly is one of a kind... I just haven't figured out where she finds the time to create these amazing patterns.  Maybe she truly is a fairy tale character in disguise?       

If you enjoy lace knitting and love fairy tales, Wonderlace is for you!  Pick up a copy for yourself and grab an extra for a friend.  You can learn more about Gina and Sleepy Eyes Knits here, plus check out Sleepy Eyes Knits on Facebook and Etsy.

 

Disclaimer: Sleepy Eyes Knits sent a complimentary copy of Wonderlace to Lapdog Creations for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed in the review are my own.

Monday Mischief: L is For...

Happy Veteran's Day!  We'd first like to thank all those who serve, and have served, to protect what is so precious to us.... as well as the soldiers' families and loved ones who keep the home fires burning while they are away. 

Home of the Free... Because of the Brave.

Now, time for a little Monday Mischief, where L is for...

Actually, it's double L is for...

Lazy Lola!  This is how she spent much of the day yesterday... and when I say "much," I mean about two-thirds of the day.

As a reminder, don't forget to enter to win the awesome gift basket from Diamond Naturals and check out the great 20% off coupon code we have just in time for holiday shopping at Dog City & Co.!  We have some more great items to tell you about in the coming weeks as well... stay tuned!

Black & White Sunday: Keep Your Eye on The Prize

Happy Sunday!  Sometimes you just have to keep your eye on the prize... or, Planet Dog squishy tennis ball.

Wait, did someone just say R-I-D-E?  



{This Moment} See Beautiful: Growing Older

Happy Friday and Happy See Beautiful blog hop day!  With 3 double-digit dogs and a fourth hitting 7 next month, today's post is all about my beautiful senior babies. 

Teutul just turned 10 two weeks ago.  We celebrated with some home baked cheesy cake bones.

They smelled extra cheesy and everyone was lined up waiting...

I even managed to capture all 4 dogs in one shot... inside.  This is a rarity... my success for full group shots always happens outside on the porch.

No birthday is complete without a present... 

Of course, Sophie thought the new blue puppy dog was for her.

Here's to the beauty of growing older... although I sure do wish I could slow the process down for my furbabies.