Calling All Dachshund Lovers!

The Dachshund Rescue of North America is holding a Christmas Raffle to help raise funds for their organization and we encourage all of you to stop by their website to see what goodies they've put together. Best Friends Studios created a one-of-a-kind tree skirt for this event as well as donated several ornaments and a Dachshund stocking and for $20 you get 5 chances/$5 you get 1 chance to win all of these plus an adorable Dachshund train. If you also happen to be looking for a new best friend, you can checkout the Dachshunds that are available for adoption like little Forrest Gump here:

So please, stop by their site and help these adorable little doggies!

Mary Ann
BestFriendsStudios

ON SALE: Best Friends Studios Pet Stationery

To celebrate my kids' first day of school, I've put all Best Friends Studios personalized pet stationery and labels on sale.

• Save 10% on orders of $25 [use coupon code stationery10]
  
• Save 15% on orders of $50 [use coupon code stationery15]
• Save 20% on orders of $75 [use coupon code stationery20]

Discounts are good for qualifying orders of note cards, note pads, photo stationery, puppy announcements, special occasion cards, address labels, gift tags and bookplates. The sale will be good for 14 days, running from August 18, 2009, thru August 31, 2009. So get a jump start on your holiday shopping with personalized stationery and labels for all of the dog and cat lovers in your life!
BestFriendsStudios

FUN QUIZ: Celebrity Dogs

One of my favorite dog sites, Dogster, offers up a number of fun online quizzes. Since both of our dogs are oozing with star quality, I decided to take their "Which Celebrity Is Your Dog?" quiz. I had to chuckle at the results. Jasmine (our yellow lab) is most like material girl Madonna, while our new pup Scamp is most like Snoop Dogg. (I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not!) I even took the cat version for Kit Kat who is apparently a feline Tiger Woods! The quiz is certainly not scientific but who needs to be serious on a dreary Monday morning? This is just the thing to jump start your week with smile! Ellen
BestFriendsStudios

Doggles are Dandy!

I've gone and done it. Yes, I've finally given in to the lure of the "cuteness" of doggie accessories. I've gone and bought my Schaetze a pair of Doggles.  And boy are they cute! But I didn't just buy them because I thought my fella would look sporting in them. I bought them to protect his eyes from flying objects while riding in the car....really!

My other little sweetheart, my Goddaughter Rachael, is helping Schaetze to model this shatter-proof, anti-fog and 100% UV blocked fashion statement. You can get yourself (for your dog's eye's safety of course) a pair of Doggles too on their website or at various retail locations.

P.S. I could swear there is a crooked little smile there on Schaetze's face, can you see it? 

Mary Ann
BestFriendsStudios

Amazing Artist!

As someone who has spent years painting and drawing portraits, I was shocked, amazed, and in awe by this video found on YouTube.  You have to watch this because you just won't believe that someone can draw 2 portraits simultaneously with both hands and have them look so incredible if you don't see it for yourself. The drawings are even dedicated to one of my all-time favorite movies, Shawshank Redemption.

 

I couldn't do this if my life depended on it. But I can work with one hand and sometimes they turn out ok.  This is the only portrait that I have ever done with a dog in it. If you'd like to see some of my other work, you can go to my Flickr account and check out my other paintings. Click here.

These are all watercolors, but I have tried my hand at oils and I'm still working on getting the hang of that medium. Fabric is my main art form these days, but someday I will get back to the "drawing board."

Mary Ann
BestFriendsStudios