Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Old English Sheepdog Jewelry and Gifts

If an Old English Sheepdog had captured your heart, please have a look at my dog breed jewelry.  

All are handmade by a dog lover and make barking good gifts, especially for Christmas!

Shown above left is an Old English Sheepdog pin.  The dog is made of hand cast resin from an original sculpture mold and dangles from a sweet silver ribbon pin.  Small in scale but big in dog love.

Shown below is another Old English Sheepdog brooch.  This one is hand sculpted from porcelain.  Whimsical in style with lovely fur details.  Two dimensional and a great size to wear your dog near your heart.

You'll collect compliments all day with the Old English Sheepdog dog lover bracelet shown below.  Adorable running dog charm is joined by a sleek hematite gemstone heart and silver three dimensional dog bone charms.  I hand wire wrapped white snow quartz gemstone beads for the bracelet.
Fetch more Old English Sheepdog jewelry at For Love of a Dog.  Gift box packaging and free standard shipping is included with each purchase.  You'll enjoy the satisfaction of shopping truly unique, one of a kind, handmade jewelry, too!

Petfinder: Help is Needed after Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy animal shelter news from the Petfinder blog:

"For the northeastern region of the US, the high winds and rain of Superstorm Hurricane Sandy have moved on. Petfinder shelters and adoption groups are rising to the challenge of recovering from the worst of the storm. Other Petfinder members further west will continue to face wind and rain as Sandy travels on.

"We are slowly receiving feedback from our member shelters. Many are still without power. We will share their needs with you as they check in.
Please reach out to your local shelter or rescue group to learn if they need assistance. Give them a call, drop them an email, or look messages from them on social media sites like Facebook. It may take a little while for organizations to get back to you if their power is still down. You can locate shelters and adoption groups in your area via our Animal Welfare Organization search on the left side of our homepage.
Connecticut:
  • New London Animal Control was seriously damaged by a tree. Their pets have been moved, but the shelter is unusable at this time. The situation has been reported by local news.
Maryland:
  • Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS) had already evacuated their shelter in advance of the storm. Luckily their facility did not flood. Their animals are safe, and once the roads are open again they’ll start moving the pets back to the shelter.
New York:
  • Buddy’s Precious Angels Sanctuary had a tree come down on an empty kennel. They report that they are otherwise okay.
  • Amber’s Angels Rescue suffered fence damage due to a tree falling. Their animals are safe.
  • Rochester Animal Services set up a temporary animal shelter for the public in advance of the storm. Central and western New York state received less damaging weather than expected, so luckily the temporary shelter was not needed. This kind of advanced preparation takes so much stress off of the public when facing the uncertainty of a massive storm, so we really applaud Rochester for this.
  • Rescue Ink’s Long Beach Animal Shelter received serious water and wind damage. The building still stands and their pets are safe, but they need to replace supplies and refurbish the shelter.
New Jersey:
  • Woodbridge Animal Shelter reports that the first floor of their shelter flooded. Their pets were evacuated to the second floor. To foster or provide other assistance, call the shelter at 732-726-7036 and leave a message "

Hurricane Sandy Lost and Found Pets

 If you've lost a pet due to Hurricane Sandy, there's help available.

Fetch Hurricane Sandy Lost and Found Pets on Facebook to post photos of lost or found pets in the areas affected by the storm.  You'll also find temporary shelters that allow pets, as well as animal shelters that are in need of assistance.

Hurricane Sandy Lost and Found Pets is not affiliated with any rescue group.  Volunteers are networking to get animals reunited with their familes. 

Halloween Treat for Dogs | Music Download


No tricks!  Just a treat!

Yesterday we profiled the Laurel Canyon Animal Company and their barking good music for dogs and animal lovers.  Read more here...

What's your treat?!  
A free download of Squeaky Deaky!
  
This is a song written especially for dogs and I can tell you Rudy and Jeffie love it!  It's on Laurel Canyon Animal Company's new CD It's All Right If My Dog Sleeps On the Bed All Night With Me.

Just scroll to the bottom of the Tracks list
and get your free download of Squeaky Deaky 
courtesy of Skip Haynes and Laurel Canyon Animal Company!  

Happy Halloween from all of us at Talking Dogs

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Handmade English Bulldog Jewelry Gifts


If you have an English Bulldog dog lover on your holiday shopping list, be sure to visit For Love of a Dog.  That's where you'll find my one of a kind, handmade dog breed jewelry, including English Bulldog necklaces and even Christmas ornaments.

Shown above is one of my English Bull dog necklaces.  This one combines beautiful amber colored crystal rondelle beads and creamy white pearls, hand wire wrapped with gold jeweler's wire.  The pendant is a whimsical hand sculpted porcelain English Bulldog.

The dog breed Christmas ornament shown below would make a barking good holiday gift!  This English Bulldog is hand cast resin from an original carving mold.  Hand painted, two dimensional (flat on back), and true to AKC and UKC dog breed standards.  Generously sized (4.25" x 3") it looks fantastic displayed on a Christmas tree or throughout the year.
Fetch For Love of a Dog for one of a kind, handmade dog lover jewelry and gifts.  Enjoy a 10% discount on your entire order and free standard shipping with this discount code:  FLDNEW  Shop now for best selection! 

The Laurel Canyon Animal Company

If you've enjoyed our Dog Song Saturdays at Talking Dogs, you've already heard some of the barking good tunes from Laurel Canyon Animal Company.  You also know that all of us - two and four leggers - love songs about dogs, especially original songs about dogs.  That's why we've featured several of Skip Haynes compositions and dog music videos.  I thought it was about time we told you more about them.

Skip Haynes is the hit songwriter and artist who founded the Laurel Canyon Animal Company in 1999 with his neighbor, Dana Walden.  Their concept was to create a record company that produced original music exclusively for animal lovers and that could help organizations and individuals that helped animals.

Their first endeavor, Ugly dogs Need More Love - based on their neighborhood dogs - led to their second CD, Cat-A-Tonic.  Then they though it would be fun to actually work with an animal.  This led them to signing a green parrot named Carla to their label and creating and releasing I'm a Green Chicken - with Carla singing the lead vocal in the chorus.

Working with the parrot led them to the idea of interspecies musical communication, so the next animal they signed was Koko - the only lowland gorilla in the world who understands English and communicates through sign language.  Using the idea of creating music with animals, they hired intuitive animal communicator Dr. Kim Ogden.  With her input they created Songs to Make Dogs Happy.

Canine focus groups selected from over 200 dogs nationwide were assembled and questioned by Dr. Ogden as to their preferences in music and content.  The result is a unique CD of songs which dogs love.  Songs to Make Dogs Happy has been used by shelters to calm the animals, helps ease separation anxiety, and used by vets to help dogs in recovery.  

Current releases from Laurel Canyon Animal Company include:
Clicking on those links will take you to cdbaby.com where you can listen to samples of the CD tracks and make your purchase if you're so inclined.
Have a look and listen below to Skip Haynes tell the story of Laurel Canyon Animal Company and enjoy a sample of some of our favorite dog songs!    .

Monday, October 29, 2012

Unique Collie Dog Jewelry Gifts

Those of you with your own personal version of Lassie... please take a look at my Collie dog breed jewelry.  

You'll find pendants, pins, bracelets, necklaces, and even dog breed Christmas ornaments!  Handmade and most items are one of a kind.  Some could also be used to represent a Shetland Sheepdog, but some are simply Collie through and through.

Shown above is a Collie dog pin that can also be used as a pendant thanks to the bail on the brooch finding.  Hand cast resin from an original carving mold, it is hand painted and two dimensional (flat only on back.)

The Collie bracelet shown below could also represent a Sheltie.  I used white three dimensional glass dog bones, snow quartz gemstone beads, rose pink crystal rondelles to coordinate with the daisy and pink rose floral artisan lampwork bead.
Check the whimsical hand sculpted porcelain pendant on the Collie necklace shown below.  It can easily be removed to wear solo as a pin!  Beautiful with the genuine tigerseye gemstone bead necklace.  Truly a one of a kind, this Collie dog necklace would make a barking good gift.

Here's just one of my tri color Collie jewelry pieces.  A Collie dog charm bracelet with beautiful crystal rondelle beads, glossy black onyx gemstone beads, three dimensional black glass dog bones, and an amazing artisan lampwork bead. 
Fetch For Love of a Dog for photos and details of the Collie dog jewelry shown above, and a much larger selection than shown here.  Enjoy 10% off your entire order, plus free standard shipping, with this discount code:  FLDNEW   

Looking for unique, unusal dog lover jewelry?  Shop For Love of a Dog and know that most of my dog lover jewelry is one of a kind, handmade right here in my Missouri Ozarks studio, because I love dogs, too.

Pet Safety on Halloween

Halloween is just a few days away!  The ASPCA recommends taking some common sense precautions on Halloween to keep you and your pet safe.
1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.
3. Wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume may cause undue stress.
6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, be sure to try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.
7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.
8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.
10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver, increasing the chances that he or she will be returned to you

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Cocker Spaniel Dog Jewelry Gifts

Whether your favorite Cocker Spaniel dog is black, red and white, blonde, parti, chocolate or blue, I have a piece of Cocker Spaniel dog breed jewelry for you.  

Shown to the left is a red and white Cocker Spaniel necklace.  The dog is hand cast resin from an original sculpture mold, then hand painted.  True to AKC dog breed standards and two dimensional (flat on the back).  The dog pendant dangles from a gold chain necklace along with creamy white freshwater pearls.

Shown below is a whimsical blue roan Cocker Spaniel pin.  Hand sculpted from porcelain and adorable!

The chocolate Cocker Spaniel dog lover bracelet below includes serene green serpentine gemstone beads with gold.
Shown below is a black and white parti Cocker Spaniel bracelet with three dimensional dog bone beads, artisan lampwork, peridot green and rose pink crystal rondelle beads.
Truly one of a kind, this blonde Cocker Spaniel necklace includes a hand sculpted porcelain pendant that can easily be removed to wear solo as a pin!  The necklace is fat red coral gemstone beads, plus a hand sculpted porcelain WOOF dog bone connector.  Lots of fun!

This is just a very small sample of the Cocker Spaniel dog jewelry available at For Love of a Dog.  And, though most of our dog breed Christmas ornaments are sold out already for this year, we do have a few on hand in the Cocker Spaniel dog breed right now.  Hurry!  My dog lover jewelry and ornaments are handmade and one of a kind.  When they're gone, they're gone!  

Shop For Love of a Dog with a 10% discount on your entire order and enjoy our fast free standard shipping with this code at checkout:  FLDNEW

Adopt a Pit Bull Dog: Slater, Zephyr, Titania, Bumblebee

Slater is a male adult Pit Bull who weighs 50-60 pounds.  White with brindle patches, he's a beautiful boy!

Currently in a foster home with two foster sisters, he knows "sit" and "shake."  His foster mom reports that Slater is a major cuddler and likes to be as close as possible to his humans.

Slater is available for adoption and / or sponsorship at the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue.
 Zephyr is an American Staffordshire adult male who weighs 50 to 60 pounds. This beautiful boy was on death row in an animal shelter with a breed ban.  In fact, he was scheduled to be euthanized the next day when the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue pulled him out of the shelter.   Zephyr is currently staying in the MPR mini shelter.  He's a sweet cuddler and has wonderful house members.



 Titiana is a female American Staffordshire who is somewhere between 2 and 5 years old.  She weighs approximately 70 pounds and may not be good with other dogs.  Until her arrival at MPR, life had dealt her a bad hand.  She found herself in an overcrowded city shelter, as an unwanted and neglected breeding machine.
MPR was working hard to make room for her in their program when she was adopted by possibly a worse person than her original owner.  She was then turned into a chained dog, living outside in horrible conditions, in a municipality with a breed ban.

Titiana's luck changed the day police were called to her location due to another dog being dangerous on the property.  The officers shot the other dog, but confiscated Titania for being the wrong breed at the wrong place.  Taken to another animal shelter, this time Titania was saved by MPR. Responsive, tolerant and mild tempered, this beautiful girl loves going on car rides and being a couch potato.

Currently at MPR's mini shelter, Titania is a big, lovable, wanna-be-lapdog.


 Bumblebee is a female Pit Bull / French Bulldog who is somewhere around 3 years old.  She's a beautiful buckskin color and weighs 32 pounds.  She was confiscated by animal control from a cruel situation.  Living on a chain with inadequate food and shelter all her life, Bumblebee was a breeding machine and might have been used for dog fighting.

A forgiving little soul, Bumblebee loves people and is fantastic with children, even toddlers.  She is very gentle and loves to be held and cuddled.  Awkward socially with other dogs, she would probably be happiest as an only pet.

All of the dogs featured today are available for adoption from the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue.

The Missouri Pit Bull Rescue (MPR) is dedicated to promoting responsible Pit Bull ownership, providing breed education, combating pet overpopulation, fighting unfair legislation, and finding qualified homes for sound Pit Bulls in Missouri.

Located in Independence, Missouri, MPR is an all volunteer rescue group.  They're committed to rescuing any Pit Bull that needs help, regardless of where they come from.  MPR works with several animal shelters and animal control facilities in the Kansas City region and regularly pull Pit Bulls from "death row."  They are licensed with the State of Missouri and authorized to rescue dogs from animal shelters that do not adopt out Pit Bulls to the public.

Dogs adopted from Missouri Pit Bull Rescue adoption information:
  • spayed or neutered prior to adoption
  • microchipped, up-to-date on vaccinations and on heartworm prevention according to age.
  • an on-line application, homecheck and references are required. 
Can't adopt right now?  Consider becoming a sponsor of an MPR dog.  MPR rescues and treats dogs with all kind of medical issues. From mange to broken bones, flea infestation to severe malnutrition, heartworm disease to allergies, cruciate knee, luxating patellas, etc. Not only do these dogs survive, they flourish and become cherished pets. Some have even gone on to be Canine Good Citizens, Therapy Dogs, Search & Rescue Dogs, and more. 

Rescuing dogs is a very expensive endeavor and volunteers have their hands full. We can't always keep up. You can help out by donating money or sponsoring a Pit Bull in MPR care to ease our burden and make it possible to continue rescuing more precious souls. MPR does not have paid staff. 100% of all donations received go directly to the care of our rescued dogs. Donations are tax deductible.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Pit Bull Dog Jewelry and Gifts

Celebrate national Pit Bull Awareness month by wearing a piece of Pit Bull dog breed jewelry from For Love of a Dog.

That's where you'll find my handmade dog jewelry for people:  necklaces, bracelets, pins and more, all celebrating my love for dogs.

Shown at left is a white Pit Bull terrier dog pin.  Cast in resin from an original sculpture mold and handpainted, this is a beauty.  Right now I also have Pitt Bull pin in brindle and white, plus black and white.

One of my personal favorites is the Pit Bull necklace shown below.  Absolutely adorable hand sculpted pottery Pitt Bull dog head pendant.  Check out that tongue!  For the necklace I hand wire wrapped hematite and  soft rose colored lepidolite gemstone beads with silver jeweler's wire.  A true one of a kind jewelry piece.  There won't ever be another like this.

Shown below is a simple black and white Pit Bull necklace with a hand sculpted porcelain pendant on a silver snake chain.
 Here's a beautiful dog lover necklace that I've called Howling at the Moon.  The pendant is solid green aventurine gemstone carved with a very Pit Bull looking dog.  I teamed it with turquoise colored chunky jasper gemstone beads and antique brass for an earthy bohemian feel.
 If you love a Pit Bull dog, you don't want to miss my handmade dog rescue jewelry.  Lots of bracelets in the adopt, rescue, and dog mom theme!

If you have a dog lover on your holiday shopping list, be sure to check out my one of a kind, hand crafted jewelry.  It's made by me the old fashioned way, one by one, in my Missouri Ozarks studio.   Shop with a 10% discount on your entire order by using this code at checkout:  FLDNEW   and enjoy my fast, free shipping, too! 

Dog Song Saturday | Pit Bulls Don't Cry

National Pit Bull Awareness Day!  

Celebrate Pit Bulls with a dog song at Talking Dogs.  Today's featured dog music video is Pit Bulls Don't Cry.  

Grab a dog.  A Pit Bull if you've got one!  Sit. Stay. Snuggle with that dog and take a moment to groove along to Pit Bulls Don't Cry.

Fetch more dog song videos about Pit Bulls:
Be sure to scroll down below today's feature and explore some barking good blogs because today is the Pet Bloggers Hop!
 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Doberman Pinscher Dog Jewelry Gifts

If a Doberman Pinscher dog is your best friend, I hope you'll take a look at my handmade Doberman Pinscher jewelry.  You'll find a nice mix of Dobie earrings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces and even some Doberman Pinscher dog Christmas ornaments.  Some are cropped ear Dobies;  some are natural ear Dobies.

Shown to the left is a cropped ear Doberman Pinscher pin.  The Dobie is made of hand cast resin in an original sculpture mold.  Two dimensional, hand painted, and true to AKC dog breed standards.  The Dobie dangles from a pierced gold filigree round bead and a gold ribbon pin.  Perfect little gift for any Doberman lover on your Christmas gift list.

Shown below is an uncropped natural ear Doberman dog lover bracelet.  I used creamy white natural riverstone gemstone beads and champagne colored crystal rondelles for this bracelet.  In addition to the Dobie dog charm, there's also a sweet silver heart and three dimensional dog bone.
The Doberman Pinscher necklace shown below includes a whimsical ceramic Dobie dog pendant.  The necklace is scarlet red coral gemstones and cute tan three dimensional dog bone beads. 
 If you like the little Dobie, but would prefer earrings, see these.
Most of my dog breed Christmas ornaments are sold out this year, but I do have one each of a cropped ear Doberman Pinscher (shown below)
and a natural ear Doberman Pinscher Christmas ornament.
This is just a small sample of my Doberman jewelry gifts currently available.  Please remember that my items are handmade and most are one of a kind.  Shop For Love of a Dog with a 10% discount and free standard shipping with this discount code:  FLDNEW  

Pit Bull Awareness Month | Adopt a Dog

 It's national Pit Bull Awareness month!

If you've been thinking about adding a Pit Bull dog to your family, we'd like to suggest that you check out your local animal shelter.  

Browse Petfinder, Petango or another of the online adopt a dog sites.  Or, better yet, find a Pit Bull rescue group in your area.  There you'll find dogs who have been checked for socialization, vetted and vaccinated, and often living in foster homes so that you'll know that much more about your wannabe best friend.

Though they do not necessarily list every single Pit Bull dog rescue, since new ones are organizated frequently, we suggest you fetch BULL911 for a substantial list of Pit Bull rescues from across the country.  From Alabama to Washington and parts in between, you'll find many rescues that are eager to help you in your adoption quest.

BULL911 is an American Pitbulls advocacy site operated by a group of bullie loving dog owners, fans, trainers and friends who are working hard to save Pit Bulls. 

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Bull Terrier Dog Jewelry Gifts

Have you lost your heart to a Bull Terrier dog?  If so, I hope you'll take a look at my handmade Bull Terrier dog breed jewelry 

Shown at left is a Bull Terrier dog pendant.  

The little dog is hand cast resin from an original carving mold, then hand painted.  It dangles from a brecciated jasper gemstone heart in shades of red.  Sterling silver jeweler's wire and bail.

Shown below is a Bull Terrier dog lover bracelet with goldstone gemstone beads, a sweet little red jasper heart charm, and Bull Terrier dog charm.  
 A favorite of mine, the Bull Terrier dog necklace shown below is truly one of a kind.  The pendant is a whimsical hand sculpted porcelain Bull Terrier dog head complete with collar and dangling dog bone.  You can easily removed this pendant from the necklace to wear it solo as a pin.  the necklace is fully of natural picture jasper and creamy white riverstone gemstone beads that surround handmade ceramic three dimensional dog bones.

Shop For Love of a Dog for one of a kind, handmade original dog jewelry for people.  Barking good holiday gifts which come in gift boxes with free standard shipping.

Celebrating Pit Bull Awareness Month

 At Talking Dogs, we're celebrating national Pit Bull Awareness month!  

Not technically a dog breed, "Pit Bull" is used in connection with the American Pit Bull Terrier (ABPT), American Staffordshire Terrier (AMSTAFF) and the Staffordshire Terrier (STAFFIE), as well as mixed breed dogs.  

Thanks to media coverage, the Pit Bull is probably the most misunderstood dog in our country, perhaps in the world.

Contrary to popular belief, Pit Bulls do not have locking jaws.  They are not born to be mean.  Pit Bulls do not attack more than any other dog breed.  In fact, the American Pit Bull Terrier was the number one family dog in the United States during the first part of the 20th century. 

There are many organizations and rescues working tirelessly to promote the truth about Pit Bulls.  One of my favorites is Pit Bull Rescue Central.
Pit Bull Rescue Central (PBRC) is a virtual shelter and educational resource for owners, adopters, rescuers and caretakers of American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Pit Bull mixes.  PBRC used the internet to aid Pit Bulls in need through education and placement assistance.  PBRC is dedicated to improving the reputation of the breed by encouraging responsible placements into responsible homes.

The mission of Pit Bull Rescue Central is to:
  • Help relieve suffering of and prevent cruelty to dogs identified as pit bulls and mixes.
  •  Help reduce the number of homeless pit bulls and mixes.
  • Facilitate the rescue and placement of homeless dogs identified primarily as pit bulls into responsible homes.
  • Participate in fundraising in order to provide caretakers of pit bulls and mixes with the means to seek veterinary treatment, spay/neuter, provide food, shelter or other basic necessities; assist a dog from cruel or inhumane treatment.
When you're looking for any kind of  information about Pit Bulls, think of Pit Bull Rescue Central first.  You'll find a wealth of educational materials, links to Pit Bull rescues and adoptable dogs, and so much more.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Boxer Dog Jewelry Gifts

If you have a Boxer dog lover on your holiday shopping list, I hope you'll take a look at my handmade Boxer dog breed jewelry.  

Shown at left is a Boxer dog pendant to wear on your own silver necklace, ribben or cord.  The Boxer dog is cast of resin from an original carving mold, then hand painted.  Two dimensional and true to AKC dog breed standards.  In this pendant, the Boxer dangles from a sweet silver heart and simple sterling silver bail.

One of my personal favorites is the Boxer dog lover bracelet shown below.  White glass three dimensional dog bones are combined with cobalt blue Czech glass beads, plus an amazing puffy artisan lampwork bead in blues, khaki and white.  Charms include the Boxer dog and a sweet little three dimensional silver dog bone.
 Shown below is a fun dog lover necklace with a ginger colored bully dog.  The pendant is handcrafted of clayThe necklace includes black three dimensional dog bone beads, plus black onyx and aventurine gemstone beads.
Almost all of my dog breed Christmas ornaments are already sold out for this year.  However, I do have one Boxer dog Christmas ornament on hand as I write this.  These are wonderful gifts and look great all year round, not just on a Christmas tree.  Generous in size (4 1/2" x 3"), they're two dimensional (flat on the back)
Shown above is just a small sample of my Boxer dog breed jewelry.  Please visit For Love of a Dog for more selection, as well as more photos and details about these items.  

Remember, my dog lover jewelry is one of a kind and handmade by me in my Missouri Ozarks studio.  Though you'll find variations on a theme, I do not duplicate my jewelry in mass quantities.  Shop For Love of a Dog now and use this discount code at checkout to receive 10% off your entire order plus free standard shipping:  FLDNEW

With Thanks to Mother Nature | Passion Flower

Passiflora incarnata
This summer I noticed an odd vine growing out near the barn.  Climbing one of the lean-to supports, it was lush in spite of the drought.  A few days later I noticed some incredible purple flowers.   Buzzing with bees and being sampled by hummingbirdgs.

 Thanks to some birds or wild animals helping Mother Nature, we had a Passion Vine!

Passion flowers or passion vines are part of the Passiflora genus of about 500 species of flowering plants.   Nine of these are native to the United States, including the Blue Passion Flower like ours.

According to Wikipedia, the "Passion" in "passion flower" refers to the passion of Jesus in Christian theology.  In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish Christian missionaries adopted the unique physical structures of this plant as symbols of the last days of Jesus and, especially, his crucifixion:
  • The pointed tips of the leaves represent the Holy Lance
  • the temdrils represent the whips used in the flagellation of Christ
  • The ten petals and sepals represent the ten faithful apostles ((excluding St Peter the denier and Judas the betrayer
  • The flower's radial filaments represent the crown of thorns
  • The chalice shaped flower ovary represents the Holy Grail
  • The three stigmas represent the three nails; the five flower anthers represent the five wounds.
  • the blue and white colors flowers represent Heaven and Purity.
In Victorian times, Passion Flower was so popular that hybrids were created.  According to the University of Maryland, Passionflower was traditionally used in the Americas and later in Europe as a calming herb for anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and hysteria. It is still cultivated and sold as an herbal supplement for anxiety.
Each of the vines flower blossoms last only for one day.  And, of course, it seemed I would never be able to time it properly to get some photos!   Imagine my surprise when I discovered the relatively large fruit hanging on my Passion Flower vine!
Egg shaped and edible, according to the Garden Web the Passion Flower fruit is fairly tasteless with many small black seeds.
  

I suspect that the wild creatures that call our farm home do not agree.  Every time I checked for fruit that was ripe to pick... they were gone.  I'm just hoping that they've re-seeded some of this beautiful plant so that we can enjoy it next year!