We Remember 9/11 (silent post)

I Think I'm Melting

It's over 101ºF here. I'm panting, eating ice chips and tolerating the A/C (I don't like the little red and green lights, grrr argh grrr).

I do not like hot weather. I am a dog. I wear a permanent fur coat all year long. The sidewalk is hot, the grass is hot, even the shady area under my favorite lemon tree is hot.

Grrr. Argh.

Ok, so it could be worse. I'm grateful that I have ice chips, that M and M feed me ice cold water every 15 minutes, and that I have A/C. But, for just a few seconds today, I wished I'd been a hairless chihuahua living at the North Pole.

Bark at you later,
PJ the HOT dog blogging dog ;-P

Painting Tip #3: Hot Paints

Ok, so if you paint with acrylics and the weather is hot outside (like, say, oh 98ºF today), there can be a bit of a problem.  First, the paints will dry much faster.  Second, the ability to blend colors will be hindered.  Even if the A/C is at full blast, the humidity levels may be all wonky.  This can cause paint-on-canvas adhering problems.

The solution is simply.  Either add moisture to the air via a humidifier.  Or use a light misting bottle around the area where you are painting.   You can even mist your paint to keep the moisture level balanced.

Anyhoo, I hope this helps.  Hot weather and doggie fur are absolutely no fun! 

Bark at you later,

PJ the HOT dog blogging dog :-P

Hot Weather Reminder

Please remember that us dogs have little sensitive dog pads on our paws.  The cement and asphalt can burn us on hot days.

And please keep fresh water on hand for any animal in this weather. 

Bark at you later,

PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

A Haiku on Thursday

:::

sidewalk feels like sun

I breathe the summer embers

fall will soon arrive

:::

Smoodge is Born

Smoodge says "Beep Beep."

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

P.S. Ok, sometimes it's just fun to be enigmatic. Plus, my mouf ith full ov charios and mulk. Wuff.

Painting Tip #2: The Bat Signal

Yes, I said it. The secret is out. Acrylic paint bottles like to be treated like inanimate bats. Sounds a little crazy, eh? Well, as I was pawing around M's art journal, I found a neat list of secret tips and tricks that she's discovered through trial and error over the years. Shh, she'd make me eat canned dog food if she knew I was sharing them! :-P

Ok, so back to the paint. If you've ever stored paints for a few weeks, then you know what can happen. A gummy residue builds up around the inner lip of the container. If this happens because you haven't used the color for some time, the opening actually becomes smaller.

So, what to do? We look to the bat theory. This really began with the idea of how one is supposed to store cottage cheese or yogurt in the fridge. That's right, upside down. Something about creating an air pocket at the opposite end....yada yada yada.
It works. That's what is important.

And so the bat theory took form. Store the paints upside down and ta da, less build-up and longer lasting paints. But, first make sure those lids are on securely, or you'll be looking at a whole new theory called KABLAMMO. Colorful, but not fun to clean up.

Hope this helps!

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

A Haiku on Wednesday

:::::::

little dog am I
running through waves of summer
catching tomorrow

:::::::

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

Surprise Smiles

So, here's how one can be surprised online.

I had multiple windows open as I was reading the online newspaper, checking out a new flash game (horrible addiction to those "Escape this room" games), and I also had a window on that was loading Etsy.

As I was flipping through the windows, I almost fell off my chair (luckily I have strong doggie claws) when I saw this:



I am so honored thtat M and M had an art piece chosen for a treasury by munieca (She has fabulous paper bird charms, etc. that are just adorable). This treasury then got chosen for the front page of Etsy for today!

Thank-you Munieca and thank-you Etsy! :-) This totally made my day!

And that is how a surprise smile brightens the hottest of days.

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

Wildwood's Cactus Thorn ~ An Amazing Dog!

Little Wildwood's Cactus Thorn is such a cute dog. Not only has he been saved from being euthanized, he has a wonderful "seeing eye" human (Bob Gabbard) to help him around. The two are just magical together.

If you'd like to start your day with a smile, check out the link.

We salute you Bob Gabbard and Wildwood's Cactus Thorn!

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

Painting Tip #1: Easy Squeezy

As an artistic dog, I observe a lot that goes on around the studio. One thing that used to occur, were tubes of paint which would go unused due to their lids adhering to the tubes with super inhuman strength!

So, one of my favorite painting tips I'd like to share:

Use chapstick (or you can use an old candle) on the screw top tubes of paint to keep the lids from becoming stuck. Simply apply a small amount of chapstick (and/or wax by rubbing the candle gently onto the threaded opening) onto the threaded part of the tube and then screw the lid back on. In most cases, your lids will not stick quite as tight when paint adheres to the tube or when the tube hasn't been opened for some time.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of..." paint!

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

The Planet

Some observations (and unanswered questions) that freak this dog out:

Where have all the butterflies gone? I chased Monarchs around the yard every spring and late summer. Now, I'm lucky to see one all year in Southern California. I miss seeing them on a regular basis.

Birds keep turning up with bad feet. A lot of crows have something wrong that's causing them to have one foot that is badly deformed. I would see these crows all the time. Sadly, even the mutated foot crows are becoming scarce.

Polar bears are becoming extinct? I may have never seen one, but this is surely a bad sign.

Gorillas are becoming extinct? Well, this is mainly due to poaching and the destruction of the rain forest. But it's still a scary thought that someday there won't be any gorillas.

The oceans are becoming so contaminated that people are having strange rashes when surfing. It's not just on sewage run-off days either.

We have to watch out for mosquitos and then, in turn, stay away from dead birds because they may have died due to West Nile from a mosquito.

If the west nile virus doesn't get the bird, the bird flu might. So, now chicken is a 50/50 gamble.

And beef is a 50/50 gamble and I mean, who doesn't love a good cheeseburger? But these days, Mad cow disease is possible and so is E-coli.

So, you avoid birds, mosquitos, eating chicken and beef. What's left? Well, watch that tuna because the mercury levels are dangerously high. And don't BBQ any meat (what's left?) because overcooking it can cause cancer-causing carbon.

Dog food isn't even safe! And, again, what's left? Vegetables. Watch out, bagged spinach and onions might contain harmful E-coli or salmonella.

Looks like dehydrated organic strawberries in some filtered water (Have you read about bottled water sources?) is the only choice left.

And now you know why I drink coffee and have insomnia. These are the things this dog thinks about. And you wonder why my paws twitch when I'm sleeping?

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging worrying dog :-P

:: Beep Beep ::

You know how sometimes you might get a song stuck in your head? Like, say, umm, Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World"? Jeremiah was a bull frog/Was a good friend of mine/I never understood a single word he said...

Ok, well that's how M gets when she has a series of images stuck in her mind. She's been obsessed (err, is that the right word?) about zombies and robots. There's something a little freaky and a little funny about the both of them.

So, everything lately has been a robot this or a zombie that or even better, an animated zombie robot.

Let's just hope she doesn't call me "Brainnnnz" and I'll be ok, I think.

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

Ode to Smelly Dog

-----Ode to a Smelly Dog-----

There once was a dog so smelly
got lathered from tail to belly
bubbles popped and tickled his nose
they even got between his toes

The cascading suds tasted a lot like bacon
but the dog could have been mistaken
however, as the bubbles began to multiply
the dog tipped his head, he realized why

A good grip and he readied to dash
from the tub erupted an enormous SPLASH
the once smelly dog had gotten free
and went straight to the couch with much glee

And so I stood dripping wet
not sure what to do as of yet
I wondered where it was that I'd gone wrong
...turns out the bath was for me all along!

(a little original poem by MKS, 2007)


In case you can't tell, I saw a certain episode
of "Friends" and well, I couldn't let the cats
have all the glory! Woof!

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

The Tiny Tenacious Tyrant

I've always loved flycatchers. There's something about the way they hover over the fresh cut bluegrass. They are patient birds. Being such a patient (*cough*) dog, I admire them. Around here we have quite a few species, the prominent one being little Black Phoebes. Very cute indeed. Although, as far as coloring, the flycatcher above wins for vibrancy.

Today, we went to Matts. M had her sketch book, you can guess the rest. I got to dig in the sand and get my paws wet in the shallow water, while M sketched. Fun for all.

Well, I'm off to enjoy some wasabi peas. Woof!

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

Do You Speak Bird?

I've often wondered what the little backyard birds are saying as they tweet and chirp away. There is something so beautiful and yet so haunting to hear their singing as the sun slips out of view at the end of the day.

So, this is what I'm thinking as my paws twitch and click on the floor when I'm sleeping.

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

A Little Dog Nap

Today, I was a lazy dog.

I found a wonderful new napping place. In the backyard there is a nice spot next to the trellis of white iceland roses. Perfect spot. The breeze across Saddleback Mountain brings a lovely aroma of rose blossoms. The mulch warms up by midmorning and the violets below are like soft fuzzy pillows. I managed to nap there for over an hour before I awoke to Mocha licking my paw. He wanted to go for an afternoon walk together.

Here's to a wonderful weekend!

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

I Like Broccoli, Woof

Yes, it's true, I like broccoli. And, I'm a dog. So, go figure.

Apparently, I'm not supposed to like a little green vegetable that looks strikingly like a little tree. But, I do. And my theory has to do with the fact that the little green stalks do look like little trees. Since I like taking a nap under a fig tree and waiting patiently for peaches to fall from the peach tree, it only seems fair that I'd be fond of a little edible tree. They're bite size. They taste yummy. I love the little crunch they have after they're steamed to perfection. I admit it, I'm smitten with the little green trees.

So, that's my theory and I'm sticking with it.

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

Genealogy Tree

What's been the delay in blogging? Well, a new series of course. M has been mulling over an original digital illustration on a genealogy tree series. She finally (woof woof!) came up with the finalized idea and ta da, here is the result (above). If you have any suggestions for letters you'd like to see, just drop an email or Etsy convo. M loves genealogy. She's always over at rootsweb and ancestry.com and looking at something called census records or the sort.

Meanwhile on the dog front, I've been a bad bad dog. I found a most comfortable quilt in a back room at home and well, I just had to drag it to my doggie bed in the middle of the night. Needless to say, the cotton quilt was an absolute comfy blankie to sleep on. Unfortunately, I had the quilt snatched out from under me...sheesh, I didn't know that was in a "hope chest." What's a hope chest anyhow? Looks more like a dog bed chest filled with soft blankies to nuzzle with and on and under.

Heirloom quilts. Ok, ok ok. Woof.

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

P.S. No quilts were harmed in my attempt at doggie coziness. I didn't even chew on the edges, honest. Ok, so I slobbered a little. But I get a free "slobber pass" (like a Big Brother slop pass, only for dogs). :-)

Friday the 13th

Just to err on the side of caution, I suggest
all dogs stay away from the following:

black cats
sidewalk cracks
pennies
ladders
cars
the number 13
salt
mirrors
shadows
crossed knives
sparrows
umbrellas
...and gravediggers

Have a happy Friday the 13th all!

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

The Places I've Been

I dip the tip of my round brush into a small mountain of acrylic blue cyan. One globule of blue hangs on to the hairs of the brush. For a moment, I am amazed at the little drop of sky I can see in the reflections cast from the wet surface of the paint. I guide the blue onto the gessoed canvas. The acrylic paint dances across the textured valley of cotton until no more white can be seen.

With the colors of Hawaiian Hibiscus flowers, catapillar eyes, and blacks as rich as the eyes of a Syrian Hamster, I paint without stopping. I hear the clock ticking on the wall behind me, but the hands fade to oblivion as I enter a tunnel to a far away place. I never know where I'll end up.

Sometimes, I find myself in strange lands with stranger creatures who paint themselves into my canvases. Other times, I find myself licking my dry lips, having forgotten to sip water for many hours. I'll discover when I lift my head and stretch my arms that the sun, once bursting through the panes of glass and onto my easel like warm hands, has long left the sky. In it's place, a sliver of silver white moon is peaking through the bay window of the studio, teasing me with winking stars far off.

It is at times like these that I rinse my brush, sit back, and wonder. Surely, I have travelled somewhere to not realize such things.

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

Hedgehog and the 5th of July

I'm baacccckkk@!

Ok, so nobody noticed. I was away, and now, I am back. La tee da.

First, hedgehogs. There is something so cute about an animal that is covered in quills and yet remains huggable, isn't there? Now, being a dog, I stay far far (FAR!) away from quills, spines, needle sharp spiney anything animals. I mean, I have to protect my nose. Those spines hurt! That is why I won't visit the desert. Come on, it's covered in all sorts of ouchie animals, ouchie plants and just plain ouchies. Plus, hot sand and paws are not fun.

Now, the 5th of July. I guess I've had my head buried in the sand (which is not a good thing, as you will read) about the day after Independence Day. It appears (some) people celebrating the 4th end up trashing our beaches up and down the coast. Go on, Google it. The photos are horrible. As a dog, I walk on those beaches and the fact that so much trash covered places like Newport Beach, Dana Point, and Huntington Beach is just plain...sad. It looked like a landfill. From styrofoam coolers to water bottles and worse, the sand was literally (or should I say LITTERly) covered from shore to sand. The clean-up had to stop once the tide went out (along with tons of trash which will hurt animals) and start again once the tide came in (washing the same trash back on shore).

The epidemic of litter has also hit our national parks. Come on! Pick up that trash. I don't want to see chip bags and empty water bottles littering the side of Yosemite hiking trails, do you? That's dog gone yucky.

Ok, I'm off the dog soap box (it looks a little like the "Red Baron").

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

Happy 4th of July!

--- God Bless America ---
Here's to a wonderful 4th of July!

May you have a happy day filled with family, friends, and yummy foods!

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

I'm off to the beach to watch some nifty fireworks and eat some tofurkey dogs. Woof woof! Oh, and homemade lemon meringue pie. Yum to my tum.

Zombie + Robot = Fun!

I am a huge horror flick fan! And what inspired this latest art (I often woof into M's ear at night to give her artistic inspiration) was a combination of films.

Some film I remember with the actor who played Albert Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie) had a creepy yellow robot named "Bee-Bee." What made it creepy was the way the robot said it's name and the eyes. The voice stayed with me.

I also recently watched Resident Evil I and II (music is great), Return of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead(remake and original--both are wicked), Shaun of the Dead (hilarious and makes me laugh out loud every time when he wakes up and goes to the little grocery store and is totally oblivious), and 28 Days Later (the speed of the infected is...unnerving). Of course I watched all of these over the course of two weeks (but I have done the horror weekend marathon before, lol).

After watching so many horror flicks about zombies, the undead, the walking dead and flesh eaters, I finally got M to make some more zombie art (she did a piece with a robot bird that could turn cannibalistic, but that's just not the same, you know?).

And the result if what you see above. I hope you like the final result.

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

iPhone iPhone iPhone : Nifty Original Wallpapers for Your New Apple iPhone

Yippee! iPhone is launching tonight at midnight. And in celebration, we're offering three, yes that's three (more to come if you let us know you'd like some more), iPhone wallpapers with artwork by PeachPoPs! Exclusive!





The panda wallpaper is inspired by the warm fuzzy bears themselves. I just love 'em. The Black Phoebe Bird is an original artwork inspired by our love of backyard birds. Besides, you'll be tweeting a lot on that new iPhone of yours. Lastly, the zombie. Well, if you're standing in line and have been waiting and waiting and waiting for your iPhone, then you're probably a little like a zombie right now anyhow, right?

All three wallpapers ( desktops ) are available on our website www.peachpops.com or click here for a direct link to the wallpaper page.

And hey, if you happen to download one to use on your new fabulicious iPhone, please email me a photo with our artwork and I'll post it on our blog. I'd love to see how they look in action on the iPhone. Yippee!!!!

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

Birds on My Brain

So, I had an idea for M and she ran with it. I mean, I'm all paws, so it's a bit hard for me to execute the type of art I'd like to at times.

First, I had the idea of a retro-vintage-aged scrapbook page. I really like the aged look, mixed with faux textures and yummy geometric circles forming a subtle background. I also like fonts and lettering. I like how letters look when they are all jumbled up and bit wonky on the page. I suppose that's from watching too many Lifetime movies with ransom notes made from cut-up letters from magazines. Then again, there is something appealing about not being matchy-matchy all the time. Or maybe I'm just a tad wonky and so two wonks make a wight? :-)

The bird came from an original illustration by M. In fact, the patterns/textures are all original and created by M.

Here's the final result:



And just a little preview of what we'll be listing tomorrow:



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

Willpower

As a dog, I often muster up a little willpower on my daily walks. I don't dare to sniff every Queen Elizabeth Rose as I pass by. Even if the rose is in full bloom, dangling above my head from the trellis at the Rathbone House, and the petals are that delicious shade of fuscia, I hold back and keep on the sidewalk.

I do my best to avert my eyes as we trot past the rainbows dancing above the grass. Even though the mist from the sprinklers tempts me so maliciously with it's spray, I don't run gleefully through the mushy wet grass. No, that would be bad.



I try to be a good dog. Honest.

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

Coffee, Coffee and More...Coffee

It's Sunday and we're all drinking coffee. Surprised?

I'm so excited about what M and M have going on in the studio. Shh, one is busy painting and the other...oOps, time to jump from M's lap and find a cozy place to take a mid day nap.

Coffee coffee.

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

Wet Sand on a Wednesday

We spent the early morning at the beach. I must say, this is a wonderful way to begin a Wednesday. The waves rolled in and lapped at the shore (and my paws). I chased a few short birds who came a little too close for comfort (hey, they started it). M sketched in her notebook, while the other M played frisbee with me.

Guess what I got when we arrived home? A bath. Lol. Sheesh, don't they know I'd just going to take this freshly washed fur and go roll in the nice muddy garden under the peach tree? I mean, who can resist mud? Woof.

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

The Iced Coffee Conspiracy

Ok, M stayed up quite late all weekend. This in turn kept me up. The cycle of insomnia is viscious, eh?

So, what kept her up? Iced coffee. Yes, it's a sickness. She discovered (actually, she rediscovered) a delicious iced coffee and had about six (don't fall off that seat, I said 6!) cups. Not just six on one day. But six for three days straight. And that's just the cups I kept count of. So, we're talking 18 plus cups.

Oh, and not regular sized cups (I'd show you a photo of the gigantic eNorMous mug, but my paw skills on taking photos is bad and her hands are still shaky from the caffeine). No, that would be too easy.

Her mug holds about 12 oz of coffee. How do I know the exact volume? Well, who do you think has their very own doggie mug? That would be moi. :-) But I digress.

Ok, so she drinks the coffee. I drink some coffee. We both get HUGE freezer headaches from the crushed ice and coffee combination. Then, we repeat. I think the definition of crazy is repeating irrational behaviour. I'm not sure. Does that sound right?

Then Matt comes over and it's like 2am and now they're both drinking coffee. It's clear what they were up to--they'd masterminded a plan to keep me awake and highly alert (I like to bark at shadows when I'm up past midnight). Why? Well, after checking to make sure I had at least two copies of Catcher in the Rye under my doggie bed, I thought about it.

Then, I thought some more. And here's the conclusion I have come to after sixty three hours without sleep.

I'm part of an underground scientific experiemental study where researchers want to know what kind of art can and will be created by an insomniac dog. This sounds completely reasonable. Doesn't it?

Oh boy! I hear my mug being put on the floor...

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

My Imaginary Best Friend

I have an imaginary best friend dog. His name is Griffon. I know, I'm a dog and it's probably not normal for my species to have an imaginary best dog friend. But I do. It's not something I share all the time, because Griff, as I like to call him, is a bit shy. He tolerates me hogging all the figs and he's willing to share the rope toys. All in all, he's the best dog friend a dog could ever have. Did I mention he's blue? Ok, so he's blue. Sometimes this becomes an issue when we're finger painting (he doesn't like to clash with the art), but for the most part, he's ok with being blue.

I can also see through him sometimes. It's kinda creepy when he's lapping up Dr.Pepper or drinking a rootbeer float. The icecream slides down his throat and suddenly I can see the brown soda foaming inside his tummy. After I laugh until the icecream shoots out through my nostrils, I forget that it's not exactly common to see someone become transparent right in front of you. It happens though.

Maybe he's a ghost dog. I hope not. He's awful nice and he loves running around the yard with me.

Hmm. I guess I could imagine an imaginary ghost hunter who could tell me. Then again, THAT would be weird, right?

Ok, I'm done rambling.

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

Robot Bird has Arrived!

So, as a huge sci-fi fan, M decided it was time to release a "Robot Bird" into the world. She created an original mechanical bird with a demented little twist to the robot angle. I, myself, am a bit scared after reading the warning label. Muhahahaha. Brains. Brains. Ok, I haven't had my third cup of coffee, so I'm feeling a bit wonky. Wonky. I like that word. Won. Key. Ok, time for a nap under the fig tree.

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

Pouting Peach

Brand new listing at Etsy, is "Pouting Peach." For some reason, we love peaches. Plus, M says there is something magical about a lone tree stump. Maybe it's the memory from reading the wonderful story "The Giving Tree.":-)

M and M are keeping busy painting (both digitally and with acrylics) and completing commissions.

Me? Well I got a rose thorn from the Queen Elizabeth down the block. Now, it festered and I had to go to the vet today. So, my leg hurts and I feel all yucky. M gave me some medication from the doctor (she thinks I don't know that they hide the icky tasting pills inside a treat...muhahaha) and then she gave me lots of lap time. So, my tummy is full and I'm a little sleepy. Time for some more tummy rubs and then I'm grabbing a spot on the couch.

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

Tuesdays Taste a Little Like Mondays

Today, we went on a few errands. I got to go down to Newport Beach and play in the waves while M read a book (she's rereading Wuthering Heights and The Stand--didn't see which one she had because I had only one thing on my mind---FRISBEE!).

Then, we headed to the market for some pure can sugar soda. If you haven't tried a soda pop made from pure cane sugar...it's divine. The difference between corn syrup and cane can only be described as a crisp difference. Somehow using the cane, there is a refined taste. And since M doesn't drink soda that much (she's a water fan), it makes each sip all that better.

Off to the antique store downtown in Orange. M wanted to check if they had any victorian calling cards come in to the shop over the weekend. No luck this time. Calling cards are so cute, but I'm not allowed near them due to my tenacious need to rip through them like junk mail. Hey, it's not my fault. I just like the taste. :-)

Finally, we headed back to the beach for a quick hugello (fast hug and hello) for our friend Matt. He wanted to take me on another beach walk, but we had to decline. Time to get back to the studio for M.

It was a fine day. The kind that feels like the day after a long weekend.

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

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by the super friendly Tiffany at
The Way I See It!!! and am supposed to list 7 weird things about myself (M or M):

1. One of the M's has super long hair (past the waist).
2. One of the M's has red hair.
3. Both M's love to stay up late for meteor showers.
4. Both M and M sometimes create art while "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakaiwiwo'ole plays.
5. One of the M's is a dedicated insomniac.
6. One of the M's likes to eat lemons.
and finally,
7. PJ likes figs and roses.

We've tagged Jennifer of
Stiletto Heights.

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

Listed at Etsy: Evil B9 ShelFuRR

I think this PeachPoP ShelFuRR is so quirky. I always like to have a little story in my head of the creatures or characters M and M create. This one in particular evokes the kind of half smile that has always given me the creeps. You don't know if it's a smile smile or a scary smile, or I've got deep dark secrets and "I'll never tell" grin plastered across the face to hide the truth.

Then again, maybe there is nothing evil lurking beneath the facade and I just have had to much coffee today. Yes, I think I'll go with that...

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

New Etsy Listing & Archival Canvas Paper

(Ouchie returns again! This is a close-up. There is a white border around the 8" x 10" image.)


(Isn't this texture just yummy? I love the look of textured canvas.)

Ok, so I have been busy busy busy. First, one of my M's, decided to alter a digital illustration. Ouchie needed a bigger branch and a nifty background. So, once that was done she decided to try archival matte paper. Oh my! This paper is a wonderful poly cotton blended canvas. There is a special coating to accept archival inks.

Seeing a print on this canvas paper is just beautiful, in my doggie opinion. Of course, I had to keep clear of all prints and artworks. I'm a good dog. I played outside the studio while she worked.

So, today is officially, we love canvas paper day!

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

Somebody Keeps the Chair Warm

Sometimes somebody likes to keep the chair warm.
Do you have a little doggie that does the same? I know that I like to keep the chair, couch, love seat or pillow, all nice and warm and toasty for M and M. Now, sometimes it might appear I don't like sharing. Or I don't want to give up my chair. Oops, did I say MY chair? Of course, I meant the chair.

Ok. You got me. I'm a chair hog.

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

Lotus and Zipper

There's something about a lotus flower...


Zipper is a little quiet today, not sure why.

And PJ (if I can speak of myself in third person) is plum tuckered today. Had a doggie massage at noon and then M and M let me play around at the beach(I was with my buddy Mocha and his Dad) while they painted.

I'm t i r e d. Night night.

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

Buttons

I love little buttons. There's something magical about finding a button, with loose threads hanging, and wondering where the little disk came from. Perhaps someone snagged their pink cashmere sweater as they entered a white picket gate. Or maybe the button came loose, slowly, as the years passed, and finally made an escape to the sidewalk.

Whatever the case may be, I like buttons.

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

Memorial Day

God Bless America.

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

Lemons, Backyard Birdies, and the Indy 500

Today was an interesting day.

First, I had a killer headache. The kind that makes your cheeks ache (yes, dogs have cheeks, lol), your skull feels like someone is using a metal grinder on the inside, and your eyes feel like someone is taking flash photos of you until you can see the red spots on your own corneas.

So, anyway, I decided to try an old folk remedy for a headache. A lemon. I sucked on half of a lemon. And guess what? It worked! I don't know if it's just psychological or what. But, I'd say that it helped about 80%. That's pretty good in my book!

Then, I saw some backyard birds. They were so cute. They were all puffed up and playing with a leaf from a dusty miller. Made me smile.

Ok, the best part of the day? The Indy 500 Race! Vroom vroom baby. Too bad the rain kept causing the race to delay. And did you see the slingshot passes those guys and gals were pulling? Awesome.

Hope you had a great day too.

Bark at you later,
PJ, the dog blogging dog :P

New Listing at Etsy: What am I?

..and I have no idea either.

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

New Listing at Etsy: Up, Up and Away!

I'm often dreaming of flying. I find myself running through the yard over the rough pavers. Then, just before I've reached the side garden path where the honey bear roses creep on a trellis, something magical happens. My front paws don't hit the wet grass. Instead, my back paws push off the ground with one sudden burst and my tail sweeps over the top of the lemon tree just as I soar for the stars.

Oh yes, it would be nice to fly.

Until then, I'll watch the finches, doves, and crows and enjoy the ground under my paws.

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

New Etsy Listing: Wabbiiiitttts!

Ok, so now I'm craving carrot cake muffins from Trader Joe's. I'm a bad bad bad....bad doggie. But at least I don't chase the bunny. The bunny and I have become friends. I don't chase and the little wabbit (yes, it's a rabbit, but it sounds better with a w, don't you think?) and the wabbit shares a carrot with me.

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

New Etsy Listing: Sleepy Bird Print

I can't even begin to describe how much fun it is to sit outside and sketch little birds. If you sit quietly, they come right up to the feeder and are a bit taken back when I rustle the paper by accident.

Welp, I'm off the peruse the backyard. I think I smell salmon-a-grillin'. Perhaps, if I lower my head and make my eyes all sad, they'll just have to share some buttery salmon with dill. I mean, it's hard to resist a begging dog, right? Woof...woof woof. Pwease.

If all else fails, I shall bring out the eclipsing bark. It goes on forever and drives 'em nuts. Either way, that salmon is mine!

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

New Etsy Listing: My Daddy, The King

We have been having fun with creating new digital prints! These are illustrated with extreme detail and so much fun to do when you love birds as much as M and M do.

Right now, we've had a surge of baby birds in the yard. Even outside the studio, we can hear them chirping from high above in the eucalyptus tree to right up at the window sill.

But, no worries, I've been a good dog. I didn't chase, not a one. I like watching the birdies. I only bark at the ducks when they splash in the pool at home.

If you'd like, check out our prints in our new shop at Etsy.

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

Check Out Our New PeachPoP Shop at Etsy!

We've just opened our doors!

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

Couch Potato Syndrome

So, what is "Couch Potato Syndrome"?
Is there a way to prevent this?
Could there be a cure?

Here are the symptoms (in no particular order):

Complete lack of energy

Inability to eat anything except potato chips, coffee, and fried zucchini

Short attention span leading to remote control chaos (aka "flipping channels")

Frequent sighing

Pillows and blankets begin to spontaneously multiply on couch

More likely to acquire assistance from attendant (aka a family member) to retrieve food and refreshments

Insomnia due to increase in caffeine consumption

and finally,

...experiencing oblivion and contentment at having accomplished nothing!

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

Three Terriers in a Tub

What's better than taking a bubble bath on a Saturday afternoon?

The answer is simple. Taking a bubble bath with bubble Border buddies on a Saturday afternoon.

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

It's Raining and I'm Plum Tuckered

Sometimes it's just better to call the day a wash and get cozy in your favorite chair with a hot cup of joe.

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

Happy Friday the 13th!

Today I visited "Camp Crystal Lake," if only in spirit! Muhahahaha. No, really, I put my paws up and watched the original "Friday the 13th" and loved every moment of the classic horror movie.

The best part? The ending. Two paws up!

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

Happy Easter!

I'm still hunting for one aqua colored egg. I thought I saw the Easter Bunny hide it somewhere around the cheyote, but I can't be sure.

Time to continue with the hunt. I've got an egg fugitive!

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

Paws, Cookies, and Quacks

Well, I injured my back left paw, so I was out of commission for a couple of days. Let's just say that fur and sticky foreign substances that resemble tar do not mix well. I tried licking the icky stuff out, but finally had to yelp and call attention. Luckily, a 50/50 solution of vinegar and warm water did the trick. M thinks it might have been some tar I picked up on our walk at the beach when we went to Laguna Beach.

I was back to running around the yard in no time at all. However, I have found that if I give them "the look", I might garner a Triple Ginger Cookie (from Trader Joe's) and a tummy rub.

I also met some new friends this past week. Two ducks have decided to have fun playing in the pool. They splash and quack and are quite a spectacle to bark at! I felt like Wyle E. Coyote when they dive-bombed from above. All I could think was "IN-COMING! as they flapped and proceeded to plop right into the deep end. Needless to say, I darted for cover under the fig tree.

Being a little fearful of webbed creatures, I haven't yet introduced myself. Perhaps I'll be a brave pup next week.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog ;-P

Kookie Bytes: Mac & Windows Icons by PeachPoPs!

Brand new icons from PeachPoPs!

They've escaped! Animals with venomous fangs, rows of serrated teeth, razor sharp claws, pink tails, and twitching whiskers.

Now, there's no need to hide. And whatever you do, don't run! Kookie Bytes are super friendly (a little kookie too) and they don't bite.

This is a whimsical set of 8 original animal icons that have been hand illustrated. So, go on, take a byte and enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May the luck of the Irish be with you and yours!

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

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Honeycomb on fresh baked crusty bread

Daisy petals tickling my nose

Peaches with ice cold heavy whipping cream

Hearing a duck splash in water

Watching a lunar eclipse with someone special

Running through fresh snow up at Mt. Ranier

...and tummy rubs



(How about you? Have you got any favorites?)

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

New Mac and WIN Icons by PeachPoPs

New Icons by PeachPoPs! These icons were inspired by the many "flavors" of cat personalities.

Can you believe that I, in all my doggieness, am excited about cat icons? I mean, come on. Cats are fun to chase and all...oh ok, I admit it. I have cats as friends and I'm proud of it. But pulllleaase, don't tell my doggie pals. They won't let me play poker on Thursdays anymore.

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

Tie a Yellow Ribbon: American Spirit Wallpaper by PeachPoPs

Woo hoo! Another new wallpaper! I've had this one in my doggie mind for awhile.

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

Desktop Wallpaper with Peach PoP Style

I never realized how many sizes a desktop wallpaper had to be saved as...

until the other day. Yikes! Talk about dog-tired. Plus, learning about 16:10 and 4:3 ratios. I can't count that high on my paws. Holy moly. If anyone has any feedback about our newest desktop wallpaper, feel free to drop me a line. And guess what else? Desktop wallpapers are a ton of fun to make too! Addictive, like, say, Wasabi Peas. Man, where's the bag of Wasabi Peas?

Back to the drawing err, pawing board.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :P

New Website Design

The new design is finally here! My paws are plum tuckered. Let's hope I can get the flaws worked out over the next couple of weeks for an easy transition.

Dog-tired...

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

Bath Time Blues

I can only guess what this Saluki Dog is thinking:

"Just wait until I jump outta this tub and make it to the livingroom. I've had my eye on that white couch!"

Time for Change

I'm just about to switch to the new blogger. I'm a little apprehensive, so I've been chewing at my left front paw a bit. Will it work? Will I lose 120 plus posts?

Then I realize, no one reads this blog anyhow. Lol.

I think I'll go take a dog nap under the fig tree. Of course, with all the wonky weather, there are only two leaves on the tree right now. Quite weird. Poor tree.

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

Ouch, Ouch, and More Ouch!

Guess what el klutzo the dog did?

I went and bashed my doggie head on the coffee table and had to go to the (((gulp))) emergency vet hospital. M and M rushed me there and I had my head poked (and prodded) and then stitched (and stapled) up. I got quite the scare (not to mention M and M were crying). I do not, I repeat, I do not like needles. And that's a big WOOF!

I'm gonna be more careful where I run and jump in the house from now on. Scouts honor (See? My paw is in the air and I'm reciting the oath).

Ok, the upside to having staples and stitches in your head? Your Mommy gives you icecream and holds you a lot. Did I mention the icecream? I have to keep my paws off the stitches for 10 whole days and nights. No fun.

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

Miracles and Such

There's a lot that's been going on in the news. The sadness over the Mt. Hood climbers. The loss of President Gerald Ford. It just keeps coming. The ups and downs.

Then some good news, two boys are found alive in Missouri. Alive! One after four years. I was so happy to hear. But at the same time, sad for all the missing children still unfound.

If I can be a bit of a geeky dog, and dismiss the fact that I have read Orwell's 1984, maybe microchipping would be a good idea. I mean, us dogs are microchipped, and look how many pooches have returned years later.

Ok, so it's a kooky idea. But I'm beginning to think the loss of some privacy for the sake of safety might not be so bad.

Then again, I do find myself in awe when watching sprinklers on a hot summer day.
So, I could be wrong.

Big brother is always watching, right?

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

Happy 2007!

Happy New Year to all! My furry friends and I wish you the bestest, happiest, and healthiest New Year ahead!

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

Twas the day after Christmas

Twas the day after Christmas
and I got dressed in a hurry
my paws still tasted like peppermint
and I drank my coffee quite early

Out in the blue T-Bird
the window rolled down
I set my chin on the edge
and waited for smelly town

I sniffed and I snuffed
the exhaust hit me quite hard
and then my driver remembered
she's forgotten her credit card

We rushed back home
and I slurped up some water
I barked and I barked
my sweater had gotten much hotter

We whisked away once again
and arrived at the mall
where we drove in a maze
hoping for an empty stall

The labyrinth of cars
red blue and yellow
made humans scream out
and they weren'’t very mellow

IÂ’m pretty sure
Saint Nick has a new list to make
because those other drivers
were very naughty for goodness sake!

After an hour or so
I spotted an empty stall
and boy were we happy
to have come after all

She bundled me up
and I got my paws on the ground
Being careful to miss
the bubblegum stuck in a mound

The glass doors opened
as we approached with glee
I put my tail between my legs
there were so many people to see!

Tall men wearing baseball hats
and kids on leashes in tow
women decked in crystal brooches
aMuzakac curled my ears into a bow

From store to store we went
overwhelming to say the least
See's Candy chocolate truffles
to a warm cinnamon bun feast

I trotted from Nordstroms
and into the Apple store we did peek
a ride on the merry-go-round
more than 50% off sales we did seek

So many shopping bags
they all bumped into my head
and strollers, no more strollers,
I fear them with dread!

The escalator roared
and I shivered at the mountain of steel
Would my fur get caught?
Will I be trampled by another designer heel?

At last the gift cards
none were left in her pocket
so we grabbed a ride in the glass elevator
and shot down from the food court like a rocket

I made it to the car
and the windows stayed up
I snored on the passenger seat
because I'm a worn out pup

Arriving home
I ran to my bed and jumped inside,
grabbed the covers by my teeth
because until next Christmas
...this is where I'm going to hide!

On Dasher, On Dancer...

It's that time of year again! I've been around the block, seen thousands of Christmas lights, Santa Claus sleighs, Rudolphs, and candy canes galore! I LOVE it all! Looks like Disneyland. Makes me feel like warm cocoa inside and like marshmellows are dancing inside my doggie head!

Merry Christmas!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog bloggin' dog :-P

P.S. Have you written to Santa yet? I have! Signed and stamped to The North Pole!

The First Card of Christmas: Snowflake Santa

I'm a crafty dog. I love making things, especially if glue, paste, glitter, or fun foam are involved. So, today's card is a one-of-a-kind Snowflake Santa.

Recipe for Card calls for:
---------------------
5x7 card stock
bendable craft wire
one sheet of red felt (sticky backing)
one sheet of black felt (sticky backing)
one sheet of white felt (sticky backing)
one sheet of white fun foam
one sheet of red fun foam
flesh colored coloring pencil
self-adhesive photo two-sided stickers
mini star hole punch
and of course, imagination!

A fun sketch of Santa done by M and M brought about the overall design. Then the parts were assembled and Santa was born! Merry Christmas!

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

Tofurkey ?

What is the world coming to? I just celebrated Thanksgiving and where in the heck did Tofurkey come from? I went trotting about the legs of the oak dining room table, lifting my paw once I caught the gaze of a human, and with my best fluttery blinking, I'd beg a little table scrap here and there.

Well, to my utter surprise, a few humans tried forking over some table scrap called Tofurkey. The other humans were calling them Vegans or something. Now, I'm all for loving animals, don't get me wrong. But that's ridiculous. I want REAL turkey meat on Thanksgiving. Dark meat. White meat. Giblets in my stuffing. Gimme all the goodies!

But when I beg, I want REAL turkey gosh darnit! No fake gobble meat. I mean, how do I know what kinda farm they raise this Tofurkey on...what, Vegan planet? Really, I don't mind meatless meatballs and fake corndogs, but on the holy day of food and thanks, this dog better get some roasted turkey slathered in butterball juices and dripping with cranberry sauce.

Next, it'll be Fauxcranberry sauce, because the cranberries have suffered long enough. What with their mushing and jelling and jarring, it'd be a shame to harm them anymore. After all, a cranberry has feelings too. I'm sure they scream as they're pulled from their bog, only we can't hear 'em.

Tofurkey. Tofurkey. Oops, don't say the word three times in a row or you'll turn into one of them.

Gobble Gobble Gobble.

Bark at you later,
PJ the meat eater on Thanksgiving dog blogging dog :-P

Happy 99th Birthday!

A big BARK out to one of my most favorite humans in the whole wide world--Happy 99th Birthday!!! I hope your cake doesn't burn down the lake house!!!

Hey, you know, you're almost a century old? Or is that a century young? The things you've seen, I can only imagine what changes there have been for bad or good. I'm sure glad you're around to let me sit on your lap and listen to your stories of yesteryear. Seeing you warms my fuzzy heart. I feel honored to have learned so much from you.

Thank-you and may your birthday be happy, healthy, and superduper fun! :-)

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

Happy Belated Veteran's Day!

Guess what our neighborhood is doing? First, we had a dog and cat Veteran's Day parade on Saturday. We all wore yellow ribbons and lots of flags were everywhere! Then, we're all going to tie yellow ribbons around every tree on the block (our yard already had one on the big magnolia!) and everyone has promised to fly their flags each day (something M and M already do, and my collar has the flag on it too!).

Why are we doing all this? Just because sometimes we forget the sacrifices our armed forces make for us.

Thank-you to them all!

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

It's November!

You know what that means to a little dog like moi?

That means that turkey (gobble gobble) is just around the corner. Muhahahahahaha!

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