Tag: gifts

Thanksgiving Prep with Jesse Freidin and Pancake

Tiny Squash

(traveling doggie bowl from South Paw, Embarcadero)

{Another wonderful guest post from San Francisco fine art photographer Jesse Freidin.}

I'm allergic to standing in line, so I decided to take my better half (Pancake the Dog) with me as I browsed a few of my favorite local shops for Thanksgiving items. Pancake served as Quality Control when we got back to the studio, and says everything smells delicious. Guess we're ready to cook! — Jesse Freidin.

Squeak

(turkey dog toy from Noe Valley Pet Co, Noe Valley)

So Many Chocolates

(seasonal chocolates from: Miette, Hayes Valley)

Sniff

(fresh organic wrapped salmon from Drewes Bros Meats, Noe Valley)

In The Pan

(organic produce from Golden Produce, Castro)

See more of Jesse Friedin's photography (and more of Pancake) here.

November 23, 2009
Valentine’s Day T-Shirts for Dog Lovers

Irish Setter T-shirt from Dogs Love Life

Order a Valentine’s Day T-shirt for the dog lover in your life today. Cozier than roses and less cliche than candy. Cross this gift off your list and go celebrate Groundhog’s Day!

French Bulldog T-Shirt from Lei-La & Mo Designs

Great Dane Motherlove T-shirt from Sixstar Great Danes

Paw Prints on Hearts Hoodie by Hoof and Paw Impressions

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog T-Shirt from Ultimate V-Day Shop

Black Lab Steals Hearts Sweatshirt from OtterTail Art for Dog Lovers

Morkie T-Shirt from DreamDogsArt

These designs come in many styles and sizes. Visit the links beneath each one to see more.

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February 2, 2009
Dog Gifts: PupStyle’s Dara Foster on the Today Show

In case you missed it, here is the fabulous Dara Foster from PupStyle on the Today Show with more gift ideas for dogs and dog lovers this holiday season…

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Don’t you think she should have her own TV show?!

December 18, 2008
Dog Sculptures

Day 8: My favorite dog art sculptures for gift giving this season.

The Yellow Lab Crayon Dog sculpture by Herb Williams made of Crayolas. OK, it’s $18,000, but it’s brilliant and it smells like your childhood. From Vivre.

Bruno the Dog made from nuts and bolts from BrownDogWelding’s Etsy shop. 10% of profits got to Home Furever animal shelter and Genesis House women’s shelter in Detroit. Awesome!

Great Dane Mother and Pup miniature soft sculptures by Lucy Maloney. From her Dogartist’s Etsy shop. visit her website to commission an original. Truly amazing!

Gary Steinborn’s Venice Clay Dogs were a big hit when I featured them this summer. I still adore these guys.

Daphne in the Woods, remarkable paper artwork, handcrafted by British artist Helen Musselwhite. Order this one or commission your own. Via If It’s Hip, It’s Here.

December 10, 2008
Dog Lover Gifts: $20 + Under

I really do believe it's the thought that counts. Don't go crazy this season. Spend what you can and wrap it with love. Here my thrifty but fabulous dog-centric gifts…

The Beagle Cowl. What could be more chic? $10 from kconwayshop's Etsy shop.

Le Dachshund Soap might be too pretty to use. $20 from wishingfish.com.

Give a subscription to Jacquie Lawson e-cards, the best cards on the web. 1 year, unlimited cards, for $12.

Doggie Biscotti. Banana and peanut flavored. Yum! $5 from BenAndDutchess's Etsy shop.

The Mod Dot dog collar. $14.99 from luckyfiona's Etsy shop.

Black Lab personalized note cards. Other breeds too from BellaBluedesigns's Etsy shop. $15 for 10.

Two Dogs Sleeping on the Beach linocut from AntheaArt's Etsy shop. $18.

December 8, 2008
Pop Dog Collages by Michel Keck

German Shepherd

Day 5 of my Holiday Gift Guide, and I intended to present an array of dog prints. But then Michel Keck’s work showed up in my inbox this morning, and I couldn’t get past them. I’ve featured may pop artists and many collage artists, but she is the first pop collage dog artists I’ve found. I really like her work and I thought you would too.

Her open edition prints range from $35 -$399 depending on size. They are available here.

Golden Retriever

Greyhound

Labrador Retriever

Boxer

Learn more about Michel, a prolific, self-taught, Midwestern, dog-loving artist, at her website and blog.

P.S. I have more prints coming in the next few days, too.

December 7, 2008
Dog Art Calendars

Day 3: Calendars for dog lovers. Order one for yourself too.

One of my favorite calendars this year is the one I helped create. It is a collaboration with Michelle Page and her Nepalese dog sign painters. They provided the vibrant, humorous, and totally original artwork and I put it together and made it available for $19.99 at CafePress.

I am so pleased with the way it came out and that it continues to publicize these artists who were being replaced by computers, giving them new outlets to sell their work to customers around the world. See my earlier post about it, including images of all the dogs/months here.

The Emancipe+ 2009 Pet Calendar features the original artwork of three artists, Heather Christofero, Tim Kerr, and Pat Falconer. Emancipe+ is an Austin-based organization dedicated to preventing animal homelessness and putting an end to euthanasia as a means of population control by providing low-cost or free surgical sterilization of dogs and cats. All proceeds from this lovely calendar go towards Emancepe+’s mission. (Note: some cat paintings included.) Click here to order yours.

Linda O’Neill’s 2009 Dog Desk Calendar is super sweet. With 12 of her wonderful pups it will brighten up any dog lover’s day (and desk). Avaiable at her Abby Creek Etsy Shop.

If you know someone who loves Boston Terriers and Mid Century Modern furniture, here is the perfect gift, Lili Chin’s Boogie On 2009 Calendar. It features her Boston Terrier, Boogie, on famous designer chairs from Eames, Aarino (below), Panton and more. I just love it! Order yours here.

December 4, 2008
Dog Art Today’s 12 Days of Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule or Kwanzaa Gift Ideas

For the next 12 days I will be featuring creative, crafty, pragmatic or luxurious gifts for the dog lover in your life. I know there is a massive credit crunch squeezing the global economy. But, thoughtful, original gifts don’t need to be expensive. Finding them just takes a little time. Hopefully, that’s where I can help this season. I have been scouting interesting finds this whole year to share with you to make your shopping, shipping and enjoyment of the holidays a little easier.

Feel free to email me and let me know what you are looking for or what you would like to see more of.

BTW, did you know the Twelve Days of Christmas might not just be a rousing Christmas carol but rather, “a song of Christian instruction dating to the 16th
century religious wars in England, with hidden references to the basic
teachings of the Faith…a mnemonic device
to teach the catechism to youngsters.” For example, “Two turtle doves” represents the Old and New Testament. ( Read more here.)

Photo credit: Ripley by CastingShadows from his flickr photostream. This wonderful photo is also part of the book Merry Christmas from . . .150 Christmas Cards You Wish You’d Received. It looks cool, perhaps a great gift for someone on your list.

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December 2, 2008
Dog Art Pillows by Mary Ann Varanelli

Golden Retriever pillow

Mary Ann Varanelli of Best Friends Studios creates beautiful handmade appliqué pillows of your best friend. Working from a photo of your dog and a discussion about your decorating tastes, each pillow is cut and dyed by hand from 100% wool felted for softness.

The results are simply wonderful. Each pillow is a true work of art and tribute to the dog in your life. Mary Ann also makes handbags, coin purses, and Christmas stockings, now on sale at her Etsy store.

Bulldog photo

Bulldog pillow

Welsh Pembroke Corgi pillow

Maltese pillow

Golden Retriever pillow

Jack Russell pillow

Contact Mary Ann at Best Friends Studios and get your order in today. These fabulous pillows would make great holiday gifts!

September 2, 2008
German Shepherd Gifts

German Shepherds are the 3rd most popular dog breed in the U.S. This surprises me since I don’t know anyone who owns a German Shepherd (like how it’s all about me). But I trust the American Kennel Club’s statistics. And I trust that the German Shepherd owners are out there looking for Christmas gifts. So here are my picks:

Anne & Florent oil painting by Dog Art Today favorite Rachelle Oatman. Available through Dog Art Dealer Jaynie Milligan Spector. Obviously a mixed marriage.

Stunning White German Shepherd ornament. Made of porcelain, it comes with a red ribbon for tree hanging. From the White German Shepherd Store.

German Shepherd wired sculpture from Green Piece Wire Art. Also available as a topiary, in case you want a German Shepherd to simply stay in your yard and look pretty.

A German Shepherd herds his flock of sheep on this darling long sleeved t-shirt. Available in lots of great sizes and styles from Karen Hocker Studios.

Experts say not to give a puppy as a Christmas gift. But it’s soooo fun! If you do it this year, be sure to include the “Bible” of dog training, The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete, who have been breeding German Shepherds for over 20 years. I used this book to train and understand (the Monks are big on understanding your dog, which I love) my Dachshund. I wonder if that’s why he thinks he’s a big dog?

Another great gift for a new puppy owner, a German Shepherd Men’s Fleece. You’ll need it to keep warm while you’re outside trying to understand why your dog won’t do her business. You asked nicely.

Hand carved German Shepherd portrait by Michael John dePierro. Visit his Parts of a Larger World to custom order one of his sculptures of your pet. He does people too.

November 14, 2007