Evelyn Morris Hecht, a basically self taught designer and artist, spent 15 years in the New York fashion industry but it was a rescue dog that got her started using her talent as an artist to do dog portraits.
Top Dog Art benefits a variety of rescue groups with donations of art. Evelyn has also been a member of the Pastel Society of North Carolina since 2001 and creates custom portraits solely in pastel.
Her Dear to My Heart Pendant is a perfect way to memorialize a special pet. The pendant front is rich red enamel on sleek, beveled, high polish sterling silver. The flip side, inscribed DEAR TO MY HEART, shows the picture of your beloved (photo easily inserted and protected under a clear plastic window) and rests close to your heart. Comes with a 30" black silk cord and bears the artist's signature and date of release.
Right now get a 10% discount (using the coupon code "swanky").
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale starts today! (with stuff for dogs!)
One of my favorite sales of the year is the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. They have a ton of stuff for everyone in your family, including your dog, at about 40% off (and it's all new stuff for the fall/winter!)
Check out the beautiful crystal collar charms, as well as the great, luxurious pet beds and blankets, collars, and more. Most items are well-priced between $10 and $20.
I recently got to try out a new Mom necklace from a great site called Baby Charmed. In addition to these beautiful necklaces and other jewelry, I noticed that they also make beautiful and classic looking dog tags.
I love the handmade look of the paw print and that it is made of pure silver and hand-crafted with your dog's name and your phone number centered around the paw print. The tag is (.999) pure silver and not sterling silver. All tags are antiqued to highlight the letters and numbers and then polished to a high shine, which makes it look very classic and unique. Each tag is attached to a ring ready to attach to your favorite collar. The tag size is 1-1/8" diameter. (Additionally, you can have more information, such as your address, stamped onto the back for an additional fee)
Available in both large and medium sizes, one is bound to fit your pet!
Where I live in Philadelphia there is a law regarding all pets: they must be registered and licensed. This entails filling out a form and paying a fee in return for another form to prove that, yes, your dog is legal (yawn). The folks at YappyHappy.com came up with a resourceful and fun interpretation of pet permits. At this site you can order a unique kind of dog tag that is, in fact, a license.
These tags are charming and highly functional. They provide your pet with a lot more information than the traditional metal ID tags, which usually only offer a name and phone number. These miniature “barking” licenses give all the facts—breed, first and last name, address and phone number, height and weight, and of course, like any other form of identification, your dog’s picture. And, because these tags are made of durable plastic, they don’t clang against the metal fixtures on your canine’s collar. This then eliminates that annoying noise that accompanies your pet’s every step, a noise that is most likely even more bothersome to the collar-wearer whose hearing tends to be super-sonic.
But unique and original dog tags are not the only items Yappyhappy.com has to offer. Following the layout of your state's driver's license are also water-resistant pet mats. These are perfect to place under your dog's food or water bowl, as they make clean-up easy while adding a sense of humor to your kitchen floor.
Yappyhappy.com can also create personalized tote bags, magnets, key chains and luggage tags.
Also, check out http://yappyhappy.etsy.com/ for other unique ideas like custom dog collages, hand-made bird houses, and, my personal favorite, the Fairy Dog Bottle-Cap necklace.
These pieces are one-of-a-kind, and you have the freedom to choose your favorite colors and backgrounds. A great gift idea.
To order a Yappy Happy barking license, pet mat, tote bag etc. you’ll need to upload the most flattering head-on mug shot of your dog. Select the state you reside in (all are available), fill out all the pertinent information and send it. Your new dog license will arrive in the mail in a few days.
Check out my Pearl sporting her Yappy Happy license.
Beautiful jewelry that shows off the ones you love
It's all the fashion now to wear pretty necklaces that have your children's names and their birthdates on them. They come in all different shapes and sizes and they are made of different precious metals. They are very pretty.
I got one better though. There is a company online called Forbidden Fruit Jewelry (www.forbiddenfruitjewelry.com) and they make beautiful custom pieces of wearable art. Each piece features a photograph of that special someone you would like to keep near and dear to your heart. The necklaces include a sterling silver chain or leather necklace, Swarovski crystals, your choice of either a black or white pendant, and you get to choose the shape of the pendant, all of which you customize to your liking. The photograph is baked into a polymer clay and sealed. Each pendant is fade and water resistant, so there is no worrying that after a few wearings, it's going to look different or come apart.
To make your piece even more personal, you're able to have an eight word message written on the back of the pendant (excluding the mini pendants). Maybe you'd like the name or names of the people (or furry friend) on the back. Whatever you decide to have, I know you'll treasure your piece of jewelry for years to come.
I have to tell you, that I have a necklace and a pair of earrings from Forbidden Fruit Jewelry with a picture of my daughter (who was 7 months old at the time) and my dog, both wearing Eagles football jerseys. I can't tell you how many compliments I have gotten. Strangers have seen me wear the necklace and have made comments on how pretty it is. For me, it's just something special I have with my 2 kids on it.
Forbidden Fruit Jewelry is great for you or as a gift for someone. Enter in the coupon code "swanky", and receive 10% off your order.
Budding fashion designer and tv reality star Lauren Conrad is known for her chic LA style. Recently she has been spotted around town toting her adorable new puppy Chloe with her everywhere she goes. When Lauren can't be with Chloe, she sports this trendy personalized necklace from Jennifer Fisher to keep her pup close to her heart.
If you want to steal this look then try the Kyle, which is the classic style Lauren was spotted wearing by People.com.If you like the style but want to make it your own, Jennifer Fisher allows you to customize your necklace by choosing your chain and ornaments.
In my house we have switched over to everything organic and green that we possibly can. With Earth Day coming up, now is a great time for you to take a look at all of the great earth-friendly dog products out there, like these Blue Dog Bakery Premium All Natural Low Fat Dog Biscuits (currently on sale!).
Some Green Pet tips, courtesy of Petco:
1. Buy a natural pet food made from pure protein sources raised without growth hormones or antibiotics, and that doesn’t contain any animal byproducts, rendered meat or chicken meals.
2. Use all natural cleaning products free of toxic chemicals.
3. Choose eco-friendly pet grooming products made without phosphates, sulfates and other chemicals.
4. Pick eco-friendly pet toys made from organic or recycled materials.
5. Purchase alternative forms of kitty litter made from recycled material such as newsprint and use biodegradeable poopbags for your daily walks.
Petco has a great section of their website devoted to Earth Day, earth-friendly products, a quiz to see how green your pet is, and a "Pet for the Planet" sweepstakes.
Tell Petco how you and your pet work together to take care of the environment. Enter your green pet tip for a chance to win the Grand Prize of a year’s supply of Pet Promise dog or cat food and $250 worth of pet products! (9 runner up prizes also available.)
Having a cool id tag is a must for any swanky pup. It is more than just a way to have your dog identified should they ever get lost, but since it is hanging from their collar 24/7 it is also a fashion statement. You can’t have a swanky collar and a boring ID tag, right? Now with Lucky Pup id tags from Punk Rock Dogg you can spice up your dog’s tag with style.
Each Lucky Pup id tag features a shiny pop culture icon nestled into authentic aged pewter for a unique and punk rock look. Also, you can have up to three lines of information engraved on the back for a personal touch or just use it as a trendy charm for your pups collar.
My dog Baxter sports the Tattoo Heart and I love it because it is stylish and with Mom and Dad written on a banner in front of the heart, it also lets him show off his love for me. There are many other punk rock styles to choose from like the Devil, Glamour Girl, Buddha and the Evil Star and with so many great styles it is hard to pick a favorite. If you want a unique tag to match your dog’s personality and style then this Lucky Dog id tag from Punk Rock Dogg is a must-have for your pooch.
When I first thought about my dog, Maggie, wearing a beaded, shimmery necklace, I didn't know how I would like it. She sort of looks like a boy (at least, that's what people tell me) and I wasn't sure if jewelry and her would mesh.
When I got my adorable beaded necklace from Shimmer, Glimmer, & Sniff, I immediately saw how adorable and pretty she looked wearing jewelry! I tried on the necklace about 4 days ago, and she has been wearing it since, not wanting me to take it off. Everyone who has been over since trying it on agrees -- she looks so cute in her pretty necklace!
Shimmer, Glimmer & Sniff makes adorable beaded jewelry for your pet. Made of glass beads, the jewelry is affordable and comfortable for your pet to wear (very important!!!) Maggie loves her Shimmer Pink necklace from the Shimmer and Glitter collection. It is a three-strand braided design made specific to her measurements with an adjustable clasp. Check out all 4 collections to find the style that suits you and your dog best!
Every dog has a personality. My dog is friendly, funny, energetic, lazy (sometimes) and very handsome. Ok, I am biased... he is MY dog. I found a website called Bigpawdesigns.com. They make beautiful collar charms for your dog or cat that say what is really on their minds (and their owner's minds too). There are 39 different sayings to choose from, each one made of pewter. Bigpawdesigns.com carries not only collar charms, but other dog and cat jewelry; and gifts for pet owners such as, earrings, picture frames, keychains and much more. All the gifts and charms are handmade from Bigpawdesigns.com, and are sure to please any pampered pooch, or pampered pooch owner, for that matter. At checkout enter code SWANKYPUP for free USPS shipping.
Finally, jewelry for the style-conscious dog-lover!
It is well known by my family and friends that I love dogs and I have received many dog-themed gifts to help me show my love for the furry little things. Dog breed pins, key chains, t-shirts and charm bracelets are just a few of these gifts worth mentioning, though none yet have allowed me to express my love for dogs in a stylish and trendy way. That is, until I received a package from Ashley and Co.
When I opened the box I found a beautiful black box with a simple paw-print ribbon tied in a neat bow around it. Inside there was a beautiful, delicate paw print necklace in sterling silver and a matching charm for my dog’s collar. It was simple, unique and exactly what I have been looking for…a trendy way to show off my love for dogs.
Not only do I love the style and quality of my new Ashley & Co. necklace, I also love that Baxter and I have matching jewelry to demonstrate our special bond and that he looks stylish too. Best of all, a portion of each sale goes to helping less fortunate pups so while you are spoiling yourself, you are doing a good deed at the same time.
They have fabulous sterling necklaces and collar charms like Baxter and I have been showing off, they also have earrings, bracelets, key chains and more in a variety of sizes and in sterling and gold. I am extremely impressed with my new jewelry from Ashley and Co. and any swanky pup owner looking for a great way to display their love of dogs will be extremely satisfied.
Still shopping for gifts for the holidays? Skip the crowds at the mall and head to G.W. Little for 15% off all holiday items through December 20th. They have adorable Christmas sweaters, dresses, stockings and great gifts for dogs and dog lovers. We love the dog charm bracelet for the dog lover in your life and it comes wrapped and ready to give...which will be one less gift to wrap this year! Visit G.W. Little today to check out their holiday sale and happy shopping!
