Monday, December 31, 2012

Coupon Code Revealed (Just in Time for January Bow Wow Blockbuster Sale!)

Hi, everyone!  Here it is...(drum roll)...the coupon code for my January Bow Wow Blockbusters Sale, which starts at the stroke of midnight 2013 with savings of 50% on everything but my cravats and bow ties, and runs through the last day of the month: JANUARY50

I just listed a truly feminine pet bow tie (one for the "gentlemen" is next on my agenda), which is accented with a daisy button in the center and, on each side, a ducky button:

As you can see in the "piece de resistance" pic of Dom modeling the bow tie, her winter coat has grown by leaps and bounds.  Quite a transformation from what would have easily passed for a shorthaired breed during the summer.  Florida summers are that hot and muggy!

Gotta go now.  Have a safe New Year's! Too many drinks and driving don't mix, so by all means find a designated driver or take a cab home if the need arises.  Be back later.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

A Promise Kept

I'm back, folks, with the recipe I promised earlier, an absolutely yummmmy and, best of all, simple one-pot one for Butternut Squash-Chicken Pan Roast.  Once you've survived the hectic holidays, doesn't the idea of a simple one-pot dinner dish sound like what the doctor ordered, as the expression goes?  Here it is (serves 6):

One 1 1/2-pound butternut squash, cut into 3/4" dice
1 TBSP chopped sage
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper
6 (3 pounds) whole chicken legs
2 TBSP unsalted butter, thinly sliced
3 Fuji apples, peeled and cut into 3/4" dice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a large roasting pan, toss the squash, apples and sage with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Season the chicken legs and set them on top.  Dot with the butter and roast for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash and apples are tender and chicken is browned and cooked through.

Enjoy!

 

Correction to Wednesday December 5 Recipe Post (Apple Cranberry Crisp)

Hi, friends!  In an email Victoria (my Liebster Award nominator) sent me yesterday, she asked me what happened to the cranberries in the recipe I'd posted December 5.  I took a peek at the recipe, annnnd...aha, the cranberries were missing from the list of ingredients!  I looked up the recipe, and here they are: 5 cups of fresh cranberries.  Thanks so much, Victoria!

For an Etsy seller, the task of perfecting listing photos is never finished, which means the learning curve is ongoing.  I just reviewed my pics and found eleven that are in need of reshooting.  I've learned from posts on Etsy's main Forums, which are a great learning tool, that the best time to shoot outdoor photos is during the so-called photographer's golden hour - that is, during the last hour before it gets dark, when the sun is going down - so in a little more than an hour I'll be back on the lawn next to my patio with my camera, Dom the Pom, and eleven garments.

What I've found interesting about the photo improvement process is that we sellers can think a pic is fine until the day arrives when...BAM!...we'll look at one and see that there's room for improvement.  But now that I've reached the point of no longer having to reshoot all of them (I have the location and editing techniques down pat), I'm no longer finding reshooting a pain in the neck; it's become fun!

That's all for now.  I know I promised a recipe in this post, but right now I don't have time, so I'll post it later today.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Back Already...Liebster Award

Hi, everyone!  You might remember my closing yesterday's post with, "Be back in a few days."  Well, it's been less than a day and I'm back, now that I have some spare time and can get to work on something I'd put off due to lack of time: working on some requirements associated with my nomination for a Liebster Award.

You're probably thinking, 'Liebster Award...huh???'  I too had never heard of it until a fellow Etsian and friend of mine, a lovely lady named Victoria (who, by the way, has three Pomeranians) emailed the nomination to me along with the requirements, which are time-consuming AND fun.

Liebster Award nominations go to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers (mine are much fewer).  I suppose the purpose is to acquire a lot more - something every new blogger wants, and what a fun way to get them! 

To satisfy the requirements and end up with more followers, each nominee must post eleven things about themselves on their blogs and answer  eleven questions that the nominator has asked.  Second, the nominee must create eleven more questions to ask the eleven special bloggers he or she nominates, each of whom must have fewer than 200 followers.

Eleven things about myself???  Censored!  Hust kidding.  Here they are:

My musical preferences are classical music, New Age and music from the late 50s and early 60s.  I love everything vintage and hate modern art and architecture as well as the profusion of plastic that's manufactured nowadays.  I enjoy being out in nature, which brings me close to God.  As you already know, I'm a dog lover (actually love all animals, which are God's creations, but dogs - especially the little ones - are my fave).  I'm a peace monger and hate any kind of conflict.   When it comes to thinking, when I'm alone my best thoughts are voiced, when means I talk to myself a lot when I'm alone.  Booze and cigarettes are not part of my life, and I can't stand the smell of cigarette smoke (I used  to smoke).  I don't wear makeup unless I dress up, in which case I use blusher and, maybe, lipstick (if I remember to put it on).  I've done professional writing and still enjoy doing anything involving use of the English language, which extends to corrupting English words (for example, saying, "assembubbly" instead of "assembly").  Politics is one of my least favorite subjects.  Besides English and animals, my hobbies include traveling, photography, acrylic painting, design in general (interior, landscape, jewelry, and of course dog apparel), sewing, and making semiprecious gemstone jewelry.

Now for the eleven questions Victoria gave me to answer:

1) Name a historical figure that you admire, and why?  Answer: Christ, because he was truly a humanitarian.

2) Describe your idea of an ideal day.  Answer: having my dog sitting next to me in her white wicker chair (yes - HER chair!) while I'm sewing dog clothes people have ordered from me (and listing more on Etsy).  But for me no day is complete without starting it with some Bible reading and prayer.

3) What are your pet peeves?  Answer: being interrupted; malfunctioning machines - especially computers.

4) If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?  Answer: I'd give anything to stop getting so aggravated when suddenly confronted with a malfunctioning machine.

5) What are the names of some of your favorite books, or stories, from childhood?  Answer: The Poky Little Puppy; Paul Bunyan.

6) Share a favorite Christmas holiday or birthday memory.  Answer: Dom the Pom's first birthday party, which was attended by eight human guests as well as a Chihuahua.  I made a cake for the human guests and one, of a dog treat recipe, for the guest of honor.

7) What's the best compliment you've ever received?  Answer: the buyer of the satin one shoulder gown, a copy of which I'm marketing as the "Penny" gown (named after its canine recipient) waxed ecstatic over it, and so did her sister when she opened it on Christmas Eve.  The buyer emailed me pics of her sister, who grinned from ear to ear as she looked at it and the two tuxedos I'd also made for her dogs to wear.  Each communication made my day!

8) What's your favorite meal?  Answer: baked salmon topped with grated fresh ginger, and steamed artichoke with  a tangy mayonnaide-base dip.

9) What would you do with an extra three hours today if you had it?  Answer: sew more dog clothes to list on Etsy.  What a great site!  It's not only wonerful for marketing handmade and vintage items as well as craft supplies, but it's also a great way to make friends.

10) Name a place you'd like to visit.  Answer:  since I enjoyed my recent trip to the Bahamas so much, I'd like to see more Caribbean islands.

11) Name a goal you'd like to accomplish or a skill you'd like to learn in the next two years.  Answer: do more traveling, which I wasn't able to do from 1989 to the time of my Bahamas cruise.  Seeing how other cultures live as well as their architecture and scenery is awesome!

Must close for now.  Have a wonderful weekend, and give your pets a hug if you have them.


Wednesday, December 26, 2012

And More Pet Bow Ties!

Hi, everyone!  I hope everyone is surviving the holidays, which are enjoyable for many but can also be a stressful time of year.

As promised in my last post, I have two masculine bow tie styles to report.  One is of the same cotton fabric as my Navajo print dog coat and is embellished in the center with a turquoise stone and pewter feather, both of which aew securely sewn on.  The other, which I listed today, is of a beachy theme, with a securely fastened (natch!) shark tooth in the center and, on each side, a glass fish bead.  Here are the pics:


Business has picked up lately - something that can partly be attributed to the holidays.  What's so exciting about getting four orders during the past month - one of them for three items - is that some of the buyers have promised more orders in the future, which could well start materializing in January, since...well, I'll start by saying this: if you thought 30% off was a good deal, you haven't seen anything yet; I'll reduce the prices of everything in my Shop but the cravats and bow ties 50% during my month-long Bow Wor Blockbuster January Sale!  For now the coupon code is a secret; more shall be revealed on the 31st.  Who doesn't love a sale?
Florida gets pretty hot and muggy during the summer, which makes the cooler winter days welcome to some Floridians including me (I hate the humidity), and the last few days have been sweater weather, with more cold days on the way.  I find cool weather so invigorating and the summer weather just draining.  This reminds me of a local TV station's commercial aired in the winter, in which  the star was a young boy who was an avid viewer of the station's weather forecast.  He would be so excited whenever the meterologist predicted cold weather, because the boy loved to wear his coat.  I thought the commercial was so cute!

That's all for now, folks.  Be back in a few days with some easy-to-fix recipes and more good stuff.==

Thursday, December 20, 2012

New Bow Tie Line for Small Dogs AND Cats (Definitely Not "Same Ol' Same Ol'), Etc.

Hi, everyone!  I'm so very excited about my new pet bow tie line!  The first one I listed - not counting the Dazzling Gold one, which is in the "party apparel" section of my Etsy Shop, was unadorned, but nonetheless cute, with a colorful print of boots on glittery cloth.  But wait'll you see my two newest creations, both of which I listed today (first time I've ever listed two items in one day, I was THAT excited about both of them!).  Don't worry, I'll post pics.

I have a pretty good idea of what the next bow tie will look like.  The design is a secret, but I'll reveal this much - it'll be of an unmistakably masculine design.

Here are photos of my two newest items, which, as you can tell, will be very becoming on "les girls":



Yesterday I read something really touching about three therapy dogs deployed to Newtown, Connecticut, to provide comfort to those emotionally affected by the school massacre (let's face it - who hasn't been affected by that tragedy?).  The dogs, whose names are Chewie, Ruthie and Luther, arrived in Newtown Saturday evening and were present at the vigil visited by President Obama.  Townfolk can pet the dogs or talk and pray with their handlers.  The president of the organization that sent the dogs to Newtown was quoted as saying, "Dogs are not judgmental, and they are loving.  They are accepting of anyone.  It creates an atmosphere for people to share."  Being the owner of a dog, I couldn't agree more, and it makes me think of the bad rap given to certain breeds such as Pit Bulls and Rottweilers, which I think are made mean only if they're  made that way by their owners.

Time for more recipes.  These are for three simple party canapes.

Tomato-Basil Skewers: Serves 16

16 small fresh Mozzarella balls
16 fresh basil leaves
16 cherry tomatoes
extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
coarse salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Thread Mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers.  Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.


Date Wraps: Serves 16

16 slices of prosciutto
16 whole pitted dates
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each date.  Grind pepper on top.


Roast Beef & Blue Cheese Spears: Serves 16

2 TBSP. reduced fat sour cream
2 TBSP. crushed blue cheese
2 Belgian endive or Treviso spears (separated)
4 oz. thinly sliced roast beef, cut into ribbons

Combine blue cheese and sour cream in a small bowl.  Top endive with roast beef and a dollop of the blue cheese/sour cream mixture.

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Enjoy your weekend, and if you're going out of town for the holidays, have a safe and enjoyable trip.  Be back soon!












Sunday, December 16, 2012

Etsy, Etc.

Hi, everyone!  Like many other Americans my thoughts  are on an event that has rocked the nation: the horrific Connecticut school massacre.  There have been so many shootings in public places lately, it makes you wonder if it's safe to go anywhere!  My heart goes out to the loved ones of the victims of these heinous crimes.  President Obama and his wife have expressed what parents of school-age children should do: tell them that they love them and hug them a little tighter. Experts say that parents should allow their children to talk about their feelings while protecting them from exposure to media coverage of the event. Let's keep the loved ones of slain children and school staff members in our prayers.

Time for more pleasant information.  Yesterday I listed a dog coat in a Christmas-y color: red.  A reversible garment, it's quilted on one side and of a smooth cotton fabric on the other.  On the smooth side (pictured) is a little red and white checked bow where the belly band is fastened and another at the back of the neck.  The quilted side has a red and green plaid bow at the back of the neck. 

Enjoy your day, and stay safe!



Saturday, December 8, 2012

First Time Using New Sewing Machine...

annnnnd...I LOVE it!!  First I took some time poring over the user's manual, then bit the bullet and sewed an additional piece of Velcro on a dog coat to make sure it would fit the buyer's mother-in-law's Chihuahua, who is a little smaller than Dominique (this coat is a ready to wear item).  The Velcro went on as if I'd effortlessly poured it onto the coat - sewing it was THAT easy, with no sense of resistance whatsoever, unlike what it's immediate predecessor had produced; it always had a borderline sense of hesitancy, like the needle was trying to jam but not succeeding.  Sometimes it did jam right after I'd threaded the machine, necessitating rethreading right then and there.  You can probably imagine the frustration I felt when that happened.  In contrast, this machine purrs like a contented kitten!

The child deep within me surfaced right after I sewed that piece of Velcro on (I was so excited!).  Since the model of the machine is Huskystar, I Googled "Siberian Husky photos", printed one out, cut it around the borders and taped it to the front of the machine.  Siberians are beautiful and so is this sewing machine!

Here's a pic of the dog coat, which I'll mail to the buyer Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend and give your pets, if you have any, a big (((hug))) from Dom the Pom and me.  Be back soon with a recipe and a photo of what will be my next Etsy listing, which I'm looking even more forward to sewing than my previous ones (guess why?)

Friday, December 7, 2012

Freedom, at Last, From Sewing Machine Woes

I think i've shared in a few previous posts about the trials and tribulations I'd experienced with a sewing machine of a brand reputed to be top of the line but to me was the top of the contents of a trash can.  Thread would break and the needle movemnt mechanism would jam while I'd be sewing, and those things came to a head last week during construction of the pair of doggie tuxes and the one shoulder gown.  Mailing was delayed as a result of the problems.  Thankfully the buyer was very understanding (she's a sweetheart!), and in my last post I shared how excited she was when she saw the pics of the gown.

Things came to a head again this morning when I tried sewing a longer piece of Velcro onto a fleece dog coat which was ready to wear aside from the Velcro addition, which I felt would be a good idea in view of the intended wearer being a little smaller than Dominique.  The needle kept hesitating, and when I pulled the coat from the machine I saw to my dismay that there were long loops of thread hanging from the back of where I'd tried attaching the Velcro.  That did it!  I made a beeline for a sewing machine store to buy a reliable (for a change!) machine. 

Did I just take a quick look at the machines and then make a hasty decision as to which one I'd purchase?  Far from it!  I arrived at the store armed with some fair-sized pieces of cotton, fleece and Velcro, and did I put the salesman's recommendation to the test!  I was impressed, and after spending a good amount of time making a serious decision, headed for home with a Huskystar 244, made by Husqvarna.

What a joyful experience sewing is when it's trouble-free and each stitch brings you closer to completion of the project.  I love the hum of a well-made machine such as my brand new one!

That's all for now.  Have a glorious weekend!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Yummmy Dessert Recipe, and...Etsy Gift Cards Simplify XMas Shopping

Hi again, folks!  I tried to post more after uploading the pic of the "Penny" Gown, but this site mysteriously started having a mind of its own (grrrr!), preventing me from scrolling down to add more text, so here goes.  A while ago I came across a mouth-watering recipe from Country Living magazine:

                                     
                                                       CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP:

4 large green apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/2"
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375F.  Lightly coat an 8"-square baking pan with butter.  Add apples and cranberries to the pan.  Combine the sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and softened butter in a bowl.  Sprinkle over the fruit and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Serve hot with ice cream or cold with whipped cream.  Serves 6.
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Don't know what to buy for your small dog owning friends, coworkers and family members?  Etsy's Gift Cards could well be the solution!  Throughout Decemner, one of these, as well as any ready to wear or custom items ordered from my Shop, will cost you 30% less.  Before we all know it, December 25 will be here, so you might think about making your next online stop Bloomingtails Dog Duds.  I would love for you to stop by!

Have a wonderful day, and if you have any pets please give each one a (((hug))) from Dom the Pom and me!

Ever Heard of a One Shoulder Dog Dress? Presenting the "Penny" Gown!

Hi, everyone!  It had never occurred to me that a one shoulder dog dress could be made until a lady ordered one last week.  Her order was accompanied by a photo of a bridesmaid's gown of a style identical to the one she wanted for her sister's dog, whose name is Penny.  Being a positive thinker, I was pretty sure I could accomplish what she wanted, so I pulled out a conservative dog coat pattern, and after mulling things over for a minute or so, decided to sew a duplicate and then cut one of the shoulders off, passing the scissors on one side to just underneath where the sleeve would go, and omitting the sleeve on the other side.  To keep the shoulder from falling due to the shape of a dog, I fastened a thin elastic neck strap, which would be slipped over the dog's head, to the top of the shoulder where the bow is.

On completion of the gown I sent photos of it the buyer for approval prior to shipping, as I normally do when I've finished sewing a custom order.  That she was happy with it is an understatement - she praised it to the skies!!  I was so excited at her feedback, I decided to list it as just a made to order small dogs' item, which was my only option due to my having mailed the garment to the buyer.  This way, shoppers will know what it looks like. 

Now, dear readers, you get to find out what it looks like.  Presenting...THE "PENNY" GOWN (drum roll):

Friday, November 30, 2012

Treasuries and Sales (Subtitled: "a Wonderful Week")

Hello, everyone!  Good things have happened to me these last few days, and it's sure uplifting to read about a Good Samaritan in the news when the press floods it with an overabundance of bad news.  I was really touched by the account of the New York City cop who bought a pair of boots for the homeless man with unshod blistered feet.

In a period of two days, three of my items were featured in Etsy Treasuries: my orange, yellow, pink, brown and green flannel nursery print dog PJs in Scrappy Rat Designs' Holiday Red & Chartreuse Treasury; my light teal Chinese brocade doggie party dress in Sashadoxieboutique's Teal Temptations Treasury; and my sky blue fleece dog coat with multicolored floral trim in Scrappy Rat Designs' Aquamarine & Richest Red Treasury.  Photos of the featured garments are posted below.

My Cyber Monday sale campaign turned out to be a success, resulting in two orders, one for the polka dotted satin party dress with a removable feather boa and the other for two black doggie tuxedos and one silver satin off-the-shoulder gown.  The would-be wearers are Shelties owned by a lady who's getting married in the late Spring and will receive the garments as a Christmas present from her sister, who ordered them.  The bride-to-be will have photos taken of the dogs wearing them, and will have the photos on display at her wedding.  I'm really excited about this, partly because the displayed pics will be good publicity for my Shop.  When I ship the clothes I'll enclose some of ny business cards for the bride-to-be to hand out to wedding guests who might be interested in ordering my merchandise.

I'll say goodbye for now, then post the pics of my Treasury items:



Saturday, November 24, 2012

Multiple Discounts Honored at Bloomingtails Dog Duds (No Big Box Here!)

Hi, friends!  Good news for all of my returning buyers, who already get to take advantage of my standard 10% returning buyer's discount, and friends/family members/coworkers who have been referred by my satisfied buyers and get 5% off on each purchase.  If they want to purchase items during my sales, they will pay not only 10% or 5% less but will also be able to take advantage of the sale.  So, for example, on Cyber Monday (November 26), when everything in my store will be discounted 20%, each returning buyer will pay 30% less and each buyer referred by a satisfied customer will get 25% off!

That's not all the good news: throughout the month of December everything in my store will be 20% off (whoo-hoo!)!!  To avoid any possibility of confusion I will announce the coupon code at the end of my Cyber Monday sale.

As Bugs Bunny says, that's all, folks (for now).  Have a wonderful day!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Etsy Treasuries and a Scrumptious Pancake Recipe

Hi, everyone!  I hope all has been well with you and your pets if you have any.  I've been busy promoting my Cyber Monday sale, which will be a great time to buy at Bloomingtails Dog Duds.  Everything will be 20% off, and the coupon code is CYBER20.

During the hot Floridian summer Dominique sheds to the point of looking like a shorthaired dog.  Now that it's started to cool off, her winter coat has started to materialize, with her tail looking like a black bottle brush.  She looks soooo adorable!  You can see photos on my Etsy Shop. 

Today I curated an Etsy Treasury which will be of special interest to owners and friends of doggies: Wag Community Team - Bone Appetit!  Featured in the Treasury are feeding stations for Fido as well as dog treats, which will make great stocking stuffers.

It seems like more often than not, whenever I've curated a Treasury at least one of my items is featured in one that day.  That was true today;  my NASCAR dog coat is in the It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year treasury.  A pic of the coat may be found below.

Remember, last time I posted here I promised a yummy pancake recipe?  Well, here it is:

                                                             
                                                               Cinnamon-Oat Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients but rolled oats.  Whiz until well-blended.  Pour into medium bowl.  Add rolled oats and stir with a spoon until blended.  Pour several tablespoonfuls at a time into oiled, preheated frying pan.  Cook until bubbles form, then turn over.  Pancakes are ready when undersides are browned.  Bon appetit!

Be back later.  Take care, and give your pets a (((hug))) if you have any.  (((Hugs))) to you, too!






Sunday, November 18, 2012

I'm Baaaack!!

Hi, everyone!  My friend and I have returned home, and we had an absolutely awesome time!!  Every part of the cruise was of first-class caliber - the food, the luxurious decor of the ship (pics will appear in this post), the crew members' service and friendliness (Bahamains are super-friendly, too), the shore excursions, you name it. 

During our first full day of the cruise, which was the 13th, we took a wonderful shore excursion into Nassau, which is the capital of the Bahamas, and a beach, where I ate the yummiest conch fritters, which practically melted in my mouth, at a charming beachside restaurant with tropical decor.  The bus ride through the city and surrounding villages revealed the most colorful architecture I've ever seen, its colors reflecting the happiness of the people.  The guide was very informative, pointing out some sights along the way.  He spoke of the big difference in prices of houses separated from each other by a road - houses on the beach costing an average of $500,000 and houses on the other side selling for about $100,000.  If I had the money, guess where I'd be moving?  The Bahamian way of life is soooo relaxed and simple, so I can hardly think of a better place for a temporary escape from the rat race.

Wednesday marked a stop at another port of call, Half Moon Cay (pronounced "key"), which is jointly owned by Holland America and Carnival cruise lines.  It's the site of a lovely beach and some picturesque shops which sell local handicrafts: shell items, jewelry, and a Bahamian specialty, straw bags.  Touristy items such as magnets are sold there as well.

Our final shore excursion, which in this case was offshore, took place Friday.  We took a tender from the ship to a semi-submersible sub which descended five feet underwater.  The sub had, in front of each seat, a large porthole through which we had an excellent view of coral formations, marine vegetation and fish.  The highlight was a crew member diving into the water to blow large bubbles and "smoke rings" and to feed the fish.  What a gorgeous sight!  The only downside was the hot, humid atmosphere in the vessel.  We sure could've used A/C!

The deep turquoise of the Bahamian sea water near the horizon is not a product of retouching of travel photos; it really is that color!  The absence of air pollution probably accounts for the beautiful color.  The sand on the beaches is pure white.

I hated like anything to have to come home, but practicality reigned and my dog really missed her Pommie Mommie.  Was she glad to see me!  My next-door neighbor took care of her while I was gone.

No recipe this time, but isn't this an even better treat?  Next time I'll post a different twist on pancakes.

Here's my latest Etsy listing, a dazzling gold lame pawty dress with a butterfly sequin applique:









Saturday, November 10, 2012

Last-Minute Post

Hear ye, hear ye:  November 23 is Cyber Monday, and Bloomingtails Dog Duds is having a storewide sale, everything 20% off!  Coupon code: CYBER20

Last Pre-Bahamas Cruise Post

Hi, everyone!!  Well, in another day and a half my friend and I will be about 35,000 feet in the air, flying to Miami to catch the big boat.  The degree of our excitement is in the stratosphere!!  I haven't gone on a vacation trip or flown since October 1989, and I've sure missed that!  There's nothing like looking out of a window of an airplane to get a natural "high," plus the increasingly louder whine of the jet engines during takeoff.

As for my dog, my next-door-neighbor, whom I've known for years and trust, will be at my apartment, so Dom the Pom will be well cared for and so will my place.

A while ago I finished a doggie pawty dress which will practically require those who look at it to wear sunglasses to view it.  Its fabric is a dazzling gold lame, and the skirt section is gathered at the center back, giving the dress an alluring pouf.  The piece de resistance on the dress?  A gold sequin butterfly-shaped applique.  I finished it too late in the day to be able to photograph it for listing on Etsy and advertising on my Facebook and blog pages, buuuut...wait'll I get back from the cruise!  You'll all get to see it on the 18th.  I can't wait to list it!!

No photos here today, but after I get back from the trip I'll provide a consolation I'm sure you'll love - pics taken on my trip!  Also, I have a recipe, one for Savory Breakfast Muffins (serves 10):

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP melted butter
1 cup (about 1 bunch) thinly sliced green onions
3/4 cup (3 oz.) diced Canadian bacon
1/2 grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.  Combine both types of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil and butter in a medium bowl.  Fold in green onions, bacon, cheese and bell pepper.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just moistened.  Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan (the cups will be very full).  Bake until the tops are golden brown (20-22 minutes).  Cool in pan 5 minutes.  Loosen edges and turn onto a wire rack.

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Talk to ya again week after next.  Take care!!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The photo of the pawty dress with removable feather boa mysteriously failed to appear after I clicked on "Publish."  Here it is.
Hi, everyone!  I haven't had a chance to post again until now because the past week has been hectic, culminating today in finalizing all of the cruise preparations except for booking the local airport shuttle, which I'll take care of tomorrow.  The friend who's going with me and I are getting more and more excited each day - six days to go!  We;ll be flying from Tampa to Miami, where we'll board the ship, Carnival Destiny.  After we get back I'll post some pics of it here.

Here's a yummylicious recipe for a holiday treat, Pumpkin Muffins:

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar or 1/3 cup molasses
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs.  Add 2 TBSP vegetable oil, 3/4 cup milk, and 1 cup canned pumpkin.

Combine all ingredients with a few swift strokes, making sure you don't overbeat.  Fill oiled muffin pan 2/3 full.  Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 F.

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I've listed two more items: a fleece Pink Ribbon coat and a satin pawty dress with a feather boa which is removable for laundering of the dress.  I'll donate 10% of proceeds from sale of the Pink Ribbon coat to breast cancer research.  Here are the pics before I close for the time being:
 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Hi, everyone!  I haven't been able to post lately due to lack of time.  It's sure good to be back to blogging!

As I promised in my last post, here's a scrumptious apple recipe, a unique use for apples and a favorite Fall staple, pumpkin (yummmm!):

BAKED STUFFED PUMPKIN:

4 oz. sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1 cup chopped onion
1 small (about 1 1/2 pound) pumpkin - peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4" pieces
1 cup chopped Granny Smith apples
1 cup cooked couscous
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp. fresh thyme (dried will do - just use a little more)
1 tsp. fresh oregano (or dried - just use a little more)
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 small (about 1 pound) hollowed out pumpkins

MAKE STUFFING:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Crumble sausage and fry about 8 minutes.  Set aside. Fry onion and 2 cups pumpkin in pan 5-7 minutes.  Add apple and sausage, cook 3 minutes.  Combine ingredients.  Fill pumpkins and place in shallow baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove foil, bake for 10 more minutes and serve.

This should go over well at your holiday dinners.  Enjoy!

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My most recent listing is for a worthy cause, and since October is almost over it's too bad I didn't come across the fabric before the first of the month.  Buuuuut...any time is a good time to order a small dogs' coat made of the fabric, since I'll donate 10% of all proceeds from sale of the coat to breast cancer research.  Here's the coat (remember, I gladly do custom for little dogs):




Is your dog male or you're a male breast cancer survivor?  No problem.  You'll be able to choose a coat with a sky blue Peter Pan-style collar sewn onto it.

I've also added a second color choice to my hooded raincoat.  Here's a pic of it:




I almost forgot to mention the sale I made last week, a custom order for a Big Tex-style costume for...noooo, not a dog this time...it was my first feline order, for a beautiful gray tabby cat!  I was so excited when I found out it was for a cat!  I've changed a few keywords in my Shop to reflect my willingness to sew for pussycats.  Why not???  They're built the same as most small dogs.

Gotta close for now.  My stomach is screaming for dinner (typing the recipe made me really hungry).  Be back later.  (((Hugs))) to you and your pets if you have any.

Friday, October 19, 2012

               So Glad to Be on Blogspot!

Hi, everyone!  About five months ago I started a blog on Wordpress, where posting of photos and text was trouble-free for the first two months.  All of a sudden, things started going haywire, with more difficulty posting than Carter has pills.  Their tech support staff advised me to start resizing my pics and using a different browser.  Despite those measures the problems continued.  A Gulf Coast Crafters teammate gave Blogspot her highest recommendation, so here I am!  For a while after she recommended this site I was so "down" on blog sites I didn't feel like posting anywhere, but I've decided today is the day to resume.  If you'd like to see my Wordpress posts, please feel free to go to bloomingtailsdogduds.wordpress.com.

To sum up the main reason I'm here, on December 25, 2011 I opened my Etsy dog apparel shop, Bloomingtails Dog Duds.  Even though it hasn't reached that magical one-year point when sales are theoretically supposed to start happening, I've already made six sales!  I specialize in custom orders for stylish feminine and masculine small dogs' clothes, and I now offer dog dresses, shirts, coats, pajamas, hoodies, pawty clothes and raincoats.

Since people like to have choices, I let buyers choose between Velcro closure at the neck or a neck front sewn closed, and I also offer optional D-rings sewn on the back of garments for leash attachment.

Enough about my Shop for now.  My best friend and I have some exciting travel plans.  We're going on a Bahamas  cruise November 12-17.  We';ve booked two shore excursions, one to take place on a semi-submersible sub which goes five feet underwater and has glass walls which will give passengers an excellent view of the fishies, and the other to take place in and around Nassau as well as the beach.  I love collecting sea shells and I hope to find some nice ones to bring home.  Sorry, no stowaways allowed (our suitcases will be full).  I promise to post some pics here.

Something for the apple lovers among you to look forward to: in my next posting I'll include at least one recipe for a dish containing apples (yummm!).  Found some on my Intenret home page yesterday.

Have a wonderful weekend!  Addendum: I just tried to upload a photo of my most recent listing, a fleece hoodie.  No such luck, it might need resizing.  TTime for me to find out why it was so contrary.