Happy as a Hedgehog

I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure hedgehogs are happy. After all, they have cute little faces and roll up into little balls that, though spine-filled, are surely meant to be cuddled.

M loves hedgehogs too and recently made another hedgehog brooch:





Now, I'm pretty sure this little fuzzy eared fella is a happy friend indeed. Check him out in the Etsy store!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

The Birds are Chirping

I love waking up to the sound of bird chirping outside. This Sunday morning was no exception. I found myself stretching my paws and waking up to the sound of a pair of doves cooing and red bellied finches twittering away outside the back bay window. What a glorious way to welcome the day ahead.

Today M is working on more brooches and some vector art.
Here's a sample of one of her bird brooches inspired by the backyard "choir" we all enjoy:












If I had room on my doggie collar I'd certainly be wearing a little bird brooch.


Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Overhead, The Sowl

I saw an owl last fall. The majestic winged creature glided over my head as I took a nightly stroll.

The first time occurred just as I'd found a persimmon that had dropped to the ground. The orange globe of juicy deliciousness beckoned me. I resisted the urge to eat this delightful morsel since I had tried a not-so-ripe one a few weeks previously. My lips puckered at the thought. Just then, a strange sound from overhead and behind. The sight of those expansive wings astounded me. I stared upward and tilted my head toward the stars. Gliding over my head in silence, I could only catch a glimpse before the creature disappeared behind a large oleander bush.

An owl. Oh yes, the mysterious owl. There is a pair that live quite close. Among us dogs, the owls are talked about in hushed tones. We honor and respect them.

And it happened this evening that M also caught a glimpse of the owl. The folklore of owls is amazing. They can be the messengers of good or evil. They can signify an event to come. But M likes to think of them as guardians of the soul.

The moment stuck with M and inspired another brooch.

I also like to think the owl is a guardian of the soul.
Perhaps that night, someone somewhere nearby needed protection.

Then again, hoo knows.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

The 27 Cries of a Crow

There are supposedly 27 different cries that a crow makes. The folklore surrounding a crow has always interested M. A few weeks ago she happened to see a lone crow sitting on a road sign. The crow kept making a loud caw caw. Over and over the coal black feathers ruffled around the neck and the beak opened again and again sending forth some mysterious message. The tail feathers appeared ragged and torn on the ends, as if this crow had suffered through many a scuffle.

This inspired M to create a series of brooches featuring the crow. I myself, am quite curious about the shiny black birds.

And just yesterday I saw a crow on the sidewalk. The little guy had found a leaf and kept poking at the dried papery thing with his long black beak. I gave a hello bark. Unfortunately, me barking at a crow only a few feet away made the guy quite skittish and he flew off before I could offer a warmer welcome.

Oh, if only I spoke crow.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog:-)

Crazy About Hedgehogs!

Around here, we love hedgehogs. Those cute little spine covered mammals which curl into balls? Those are hedgehogs. Or hedgies.

Recently M worked on a completely hand sewn and hand embroidered hedgehog brooch. Every quill or "needle" was sewn strand by strand over many hours. But the end result was awesome (in my humble doggie opinion). There's just something cuddly cute (or twee) about the little critters who can have as many as 500 spines on them when full grown!

Here's a few facts about hedgies:

They're omnivores (they eat plants and animals).
They're nocturnal.
They're born with soft membrane covered spines.

I just know, that around here, we're crazy about 'em. They make us smile. Unfortunately, they aren't native dwellers to Southern California. So, for now, the only place you might find one is in our Etsy store (*hint hint* subtle plug, eh? ).

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

And they're here! (Stitched from the heart)

Here's a little preview of the next badge/brooch that we'll have in the shop this week. M and M have been enjoying making "wearable art." It's been a fun crazy week of picking out cloth and thread and trying designs out. Being that I'm all paws, I couldn't help out. They said my little doggie paws might get stuck by a needle (apparently that's a big ouchie and that answers some of the strange sounds escaping from under the studio doors these past few weeks).

And so we have the start of:

PeachPoP art you can wear close to your heart!

What inspired M and M? Well, old fashioned little animals stitched on clothing. They are very hard to find now-a-days. But, apparently, back in the day, the little hand stitched animals were added to home made clothing. So cute and dainty. Just brings a touch of nostalgia to this fast paced world.

Plus, M couldn't resist the vintage sewing machine. This in turn led to hand stitching. And there's always something magical about stitching and losing yourself in the thread and cloth as you "paint" with your thread and needle.

We have to keep the lost arts alive and kicking.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)