Slumbering Hound

26/08/2024

"I heard it was " mused Rosie

"Isn't that every day? "

22/08/2024

"Shhh," said Shadow. "I'm having a lovely dream and don't want the spell broken."

Oh, how I love a good dream. Last night, I dreamt of horses, big pots of stew, and an escalator....I think Freud would have a field day with that one!!

Shadow dreaming in his snuggle sack by Kerry

20/08/2024

A Christmas card?

In August?

Yes, this is the time I design and draw this year's Christmas card, and I need your help.

I've had myself walking dogs, singing carols with dogs and riding a Sleigh, so what should I do this year? Should I even be in it? What dogs should I include?

I know you'll have some great ideas, so I look forward to chatting with you.

Thank you

Dee x

07/08/2024

One of the very best bits about my job is all the wonderful people and their dogs that come and visit.

It's slightly frowned upon to cuddle your customers, no matter how pleased you are to see them, but the four-legged variety are an absolute exception.

I'd like to think I get all of these furry cuddles because they love me, but I do realise it's the little treat jar on my counter that they love more.

I can dream, right? 😁

Ps.. Lovely Macca gives the best cuddles.



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06/08/2024

A little shout out for lake district hounds.

I'm not sure how this has happened, but I don't have any greyhounds, Italian greyhounds, lurchers or Bedlington terriers on my Lake District dog model database! 😱

I'm excited to be doing a shoot for a brand I have known for a very long time - Friday Fox - one of Scout's first coats over 12 years ago was from here!

As always dogs need to be:

🐾Well socialised & good with other dogs.
🐾Be able to do a sit or stand and wait at a distance
🐾Have good recall
🐾No resource guarding
🐾Enjoy being adored and rewarded with treats

Shoot will take place at Crummock Water on Friday 30th August in the morning, as usual with the Cumbrian weather, we may need to be flexible.

Feel free to drop me a WhatsApp or a comment below!

Kerry x

06/08/2024

Dora, you beauty. ♥️
......even if you have breath that could kill at 50 paces!!!

📷

02/08/2024

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside 🌞


Christmas slots are filling fast!

Please get in touch for a chat about your project, I always love to hear from you.

26/07/2024

It's !

A day created by my friend Kerry
to celebrate our beautiful, quirky, four-legged friends.

Let's fill the Internet with dogs because, if you're like me, most of your camera roll is full of dogs! ....you know I'm right, right?

🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾 🐾

25/07/2024

Time for the

Let the games begin!

18/07/2024

Running a small business is tough.

It requires time, patience, sacrifice, stress, and time away from family and friends. But, it also has its perks, rewards, joyous moments, independence, and flexibility, too.

It's also very easy to work 24/7 so, on that note, I'm going to be using some of that flexibilitly and independence and reducing that stress for a few extra, joyous moments with my family this summer.

Your orders will still be processed, but my shop will have to be closed on several dates to accommodate a bit of time off.

Shop closures are as follows:

20th, 21st, 26th, and 27th July
9th, 10th, 11th, 15th, and 16th August

Thank you so much for your understanding, and thank you to Sue for stepping in where she can. You're a 🌟

Cheers! 🥂

18/07/2024

"Hot weather, you say?" Yawned Shadow.

"It's about time!" He exclaimed.

"If you need me, I'll be out in the sunshine....bring snacks"

Whatever you need, your highness. 🤣

Stay cool, like Shadow.


📷

☀️

17/07/2024

Ahh, summer walks with your family are the best, right?

This is one of my latest commissions and a gift from Mother to Daughter.

In their favourite outfits, with their loyal, ball obsessed Labrador, Lennox in tow, this one was full of love and joy with many favourite memories captured together.

Do you have an idea for a family memory you'd like me to recreate?

My order book is filling fast in the run up to Christmas, so to reserve your slot, please get in touch via email, phone, or pop in to my shop to chat.

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15/07/2024

It was such a lovely day in Hampstead yesterday, meeting and greeting so many gorgeous dogs and their humans.

The sun shone, and the birds sang, and hopefully, made a lot of money for their lovely charity.

Thank you to my lovely neighbours and for chatting with and signing his book for my daughter. It was great getting to know more about your amazing work and get a few Ewok cuddles, too!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by.

14/07/2024

All set up and ready to go at The Great Hampstead Bark Off, Hampstead Heath, for .

Come along and say hello 👋

12/07/2024

This is a shot of Sue's husband with Dora and Alice.

Now, this is not his usual attire for a Wednesday at work.
Here he is, being an 'extra' with the girls, for the first season of Bridgerton. Blink, and you'll miss them, but they had such a fun day, such pros!

I have had my share of appearances in the backgrounds of some of the shows I've worked on, but usually, I'm very firmly behind the camera. I've also been the right arm or head of several puppets, in rather compromising conditions, but that's another story.

I'd love to know, 'cause I'm nosy, if you or your dogs have ever appeared on film, TV or stage.

This could be a very interesting conversation.

11/07/2024

Dogs and tea, my favourite combination!

Tea is -
Rich in protective plant compounds
May improve blood pressure
May improve cardiovascular health
May modulate glycaemic response
May reduce diabetes risk
May improve gut health
May reduce the risk of cancer
May alleviate stress and anxiety
May improve attention and focus
May support bone health

Well, with all those maybes, let's get the kettle on and have a brew.

Earl Grey, anyone?

Posted in 'smash proof' boxes or available in my shop, my two ceramic mugs are available now. Head over to my website or pop by and see us

📷 by


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08/07/2024

And now, for something completely different.

As some of you know, I love a bit of upcycling and renovation. It takes me out of my head, and I love bringing things back to life.

These two trunks were being given away on our street as the family were downsizing. They belonged to his father, who had transported all of his possessions from South Africa.

The 5-6-59 refers to the date of travel, and Canarvan Castle refers to the ship they sailed on, not the actual castle.

These metal trunks were in a rusty, battered condition, but I knew they had to be rescued, not just for me, but for the family that had reluctantly given them up. A long day of gentle cleaning, rust removal, and subsequent waxing revealed their true glory, and I'm looking forward to displaying them in my newly renovated home...one may even appear in my shop! You can see the difference in the before and after photos, so satisfying!

I felt like I was on the repair shop!!

They live to tell new tales, but maybe won't travel so far this time or have such adventures!

For anyone interested, here's some nerdy things about the ship they came from.

CARNARVON CASTLE was built in 1926 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast with a tonnage of 20122grt, a length of 630ft 8in, a beam of 73ft 5in and a service speed of 16 knots.

In 1936 the new mail contract required a 19 knot service speed to reduce the passage time to 13.5 days.

Consequently, in 1937 she was modernised and re-engined, resuming service on 8th July 1938, without the forward funnel, and setting a new record to Cape Town of 12 days 13 hours and 36 minutes.

In September 1939 she was commissioned by the navy for conversion at Simonstown, South Africa to an armed merchant cruiser, HMS Carnarvon Castle

1943 Decommissioned and converted for Trooping

1947 Returned to owners as “austerity” emigrant ship

1950 Returned to The Cape Mail Service

1962 Scrapped in Japan

😊 Does anyone else love a bit of upcycling?

05/07/2024

Calling all London dogs!!

Next weekend, I am back under my gazebo at The Great Hampstead Bark Off in aid of .

It's been a while since I did a show like this, and Sue and I are so looking forward to meeting you and your four-legged friends on the heath.

I hope summer makes a welcome return, too. 🌞

Please come and say hello to us next Sunday, we'd love to see you. Sue's lovely husband will be manning the shop that day, so we'll be open in two locations....now that's exciting!

Will you be coming? Let us know.

🐕 🐩 🐕 🐩 🐕 🐩

04/07/2024

Todays the day!!

Run out there and make your vote count!

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01/07/2024

Hi July, how lovely to see you 🌞

📷 Kerry with at

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27/06/2024

I hope you and your pups have been keeping as cool as possible, like Merin here, over the last few sweaty days.

For those of you planning to visit my shop, I just wanted to let you know that I'll be closed this Saturday, 30th June, as I'm taking my daughter to an undergraduate open day and Sue is off at a dog show eith Margo.

I'll be open as usual today, Friday and Sunday, and we can't wait to see you.

The welcome is warm but the floor is lovely and cold.

25/06/2024

So looking forward to being back on the Heath this summer. 🌞

🎉 19 more sleeps till The Great Hampstead Bark Off! 🎉

We can't wait to see you and your four legged friends there! We have 6 fun categories to enter - check out our stories for more. Tickets available at the link below.

We also have lots of fab stalls including .co

Huge thank you to our headline sponsor , and our wonderful supporting sponsor and for hosting us as part of Give it a Go!

https://alldogsmatter.co.uk/product/great-hampstead-bark-off-2024/

24/06/2024

Finally, the summer has arrived! 🌞

It's time to slap on that sunscreen, don a floppy hat, and pop on your summer bandana!

"I'm not so keen on the floppy hat," mused Dora, "but did you know you can soak your bandana in cold water, wring it out and wear to keep you cooler? You could even pop them in the fridge for a bit, too!"

"That's how I wear mine."

How do you wear yours?


📷 NEW lobster and crab bandana by at

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21/06/2024

Today is !

I was very fortunate to have been able to take Aston to work with me. He'd chill behind the counter in my shop and occasionally pop his head over the gate to meet and greet and charm the pants off, my customers.

It's now Margo who does the meeting and greeting and charming of pants, and I love having her there. Sometimes, I have to get down on the floor for cuddles, or occasionally, she tries to help me with my sewing!

Generally, though, she has more fun trying to trip either Sue or myself over with her long legs!

Are you able to take your dog to work?

Tell us all about it.

🐕 🐩 🐕
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20/06/2024

Wear it with pride 🏳️‍🌈

17/06/2024

"Hello, Monday. I'll be with you in a minute. "

Snuggle Sacks. Made for lie-ins and contemplation.

📷 by

16/06/2024

Oh, how I love my shop!

There are so many new and regular visitors.

It was a joy to meet Marlowe again. The last time I saw him, he was MUCH smaller.

Doogy cuddles are the best! The bigger, the better!

14/06/2024

A big shout out to all the different kinds of dads out there.

Happy Fathers' Day for this weekend.

📷 by

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13/06/2024

Dogs and babies!

There's something special about both, and if they come into my vision at the same time, I'm not sure who I want to cuddle first!

This joyous commission of Monty and Emilia was the perfect opportunity for me to put two of my favourite things together, and I absolutely loved it.

A special dog and a special baby, making memories together. How lucky am I to be a small part of that!

I'm now taking pre Christmas commissions, and the slots are filling fast. Please don't hesitate to get in touch to chat about your own special project. 😍


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11/06/2024

Every job I do is special.

Some, however, are more special than others.

A chance meeting or a chance conversation can lead me down avenues I've never even explored before.

This wonderful project was one of these.

A chat in my shop and a few cuddles with Claude and I'd agreed to make him a waistcoat for a special day and his special job as ring bearer for his 'paw'rents wedding.

A fitting with tape measures and brown paper followed with further fittings with a calico toile....a mock up of the real thing.....and a final fitting with the fully lined waistcoat, with real pockets for the rings and a little pocket square, all made from the same fabric as the grooms suit. It was topped off by a bow tie and lead from , and Claude looked so incredibly handsome.

I'm absolutely delighted with the outcome, as are the now happily married couple who trusted me with this special thing for their special day and their special dog.

Bursting with pride, really.

Thank you so much to Olivia and Johnny for asking me to do this for them and to gorgeous Claude for being such a perfect model.....with the best kisses!