One of our favorite artists, Kathryn Beals, is back and offering up another of her gorgeous portraits for a Dogster contest. We had a contest with Kathryn back in April and had over 126 entries!

Along with painting, Kathryn has been very busy working on her website and blog since the last contest. You can go to her How I Paint blog and watch her while she painted Dogster member Jolanda, a very talented service dog. She even has an entire section just of the Dogster dogs she painted, they’re great, go check them out.

The amazing thing about Kathryn is that she’s self taught. Her portraits are a great gift to give yourself or one of your dog loving friends. It’s also a wonderful way to memorialize your dog, something special you’ll have long after your best friend is gone.

One of the best things about Kathryn’s work is that she guarantees it. If for any reason you are not happy you can get your money back. How many artists offer that deal? I can tell you, not many.

We’re offering up a free 16″ x 20″ head-shot portrait. Plus, any Dogster members who place an order by October 31st get $50* off any size portrait. Since this is American Humane’s Adopt-A-Dog Month I’ve used that to come up with a contest. To enter the contest leave a comment in the comment section sharing what you are going to do to celebrate Adopt-A-Dog Month.  It can be something special for your own pup, or volunteering at a shelter, donating a few dollars, giving a shelter something on their wish list, or even walking the dogs like mentioned in the article yesterday.

The contest runs today through Friday, October 16th when Bo will choose a winner.

*To get the $50 discount please email Kathryn beforehand, or order and then get her to issue a partial credit.

I confess, I go crazy over all things dog. I’m a huge fan of dog art which is probably why we have a dog jar with Bo on it, three portraits of the pups, a serving platter with their picture that says “Chef not responsible for dog hair in the food.” The last one may explain why we don’t have many dinner guests, or why those that come don’t come back.

Anyway, when I came across Amelia Makes Art I just had to share it with my fellow dog lovers. There is an artist who creates sculptures of dogs made out of wool. Never in a million years would I have imagined a piece of wool could become a replica of someone’s best friend.  Amelia Santiago is the very talented person behind these creations.

I love making sculptures of dogs and I would love to sculpt a wool portrait of your beloved pet for you. They also make very unique gifts. Each piece is created out of 100% wool. Using the technique of needle felting, I sculpt the fibers as one would sculpt clay.

There are no patterns, thread or sewing involved. I work from photos you email to me to create your pet’s likeness and pay great attention to detail. Small dogs average 6″ x 8″ and large dogs about 9″ x 11″ based on the breed.

You can find out more about these adorable creations on Amelia Makes Art. You really need to go check out her site because you will be amazed at the talent she possesses. It is not inexpensive to get an adorable replica of your pup, they range from $215 to $245 depending on the size of the breed.  Remember, they are one of a kind custom made sculptures, something you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

I got in touch with Amelia and she is generously offering Dogsters who place an order with her by October 15th a $35 discount. All you need to do is put in dogster35 on the order form and it will be deducted from the total.

Today is National Dog Day, although at our house it feels like everyday is national dog day.  Unfortunately there are many homeless dogs that will never get to celebrate this day because they have no forever family. There’s a photography studio that wants to change this,  so they put together a fundraising calendar to help dogs in need.

Chicago-based Sutton Studios, led by world-renowned pet and family portrait photographer, David Sutton,  announced the donation of 10,000 Dog Day Calendars to animal welfare organizations, humane societies and animal shelters throughout Chicagoland and across the country. These organizations offer the calendar at a suggested donation of $10 each. They keep 100% of the proceeds.

“The funds generated from Dog Days Calendar sales are greatly needed to continue our mission in helping homeless animals in need and raising awareness of the animal overpopulation that leads to the tragic destruction of millions of dogs and cats every year in the U.S.,” says Sutton. “Animal welfare organizations are challenged to do more with fewer resources, so our hope is that this calendar provides them with funds they might not otherwise have had.”

The 2010 Dog Days Calendar is offered online at Sutton Studios,  and directly at animal welfare organizations throughout Chicagoland and nationwide.

Another great way to celebrate this day would be by going to your local shelter and adopting a dog in need. For those who already have a full household here are some fun tips to show your dog how much you love them.

Play with Them! Playing is an essential outlet for dogs! It allows them to be free and express themselves. Play catch or chase them around – whatever their pleasure! To help amp up play time, provide your dog with a variety of chew toys, bones, or problem solving toys (i.e. a ball filled with a treat!). Invite “doggie friends” to come play – dogs love to socialize too!

Hit the Road! Just like for humans, exercise is important for your dog too! Take your pup on a couple short daily walks and let him or her naturally stop and sniff around. Be sure not to over exercise your dog. Remember they are wearing a fur coat, so “hot” for you and “hot” for your dog are two different things. Provide plenty of water, shade and breaks!

Part of the Family! Include your pooch in the family photo this year and make for a more inclusive family photo. Doing this will enable your family to recall life as it was at that moment, dog included! Don’t forget that on average dogs only have 10-13 years to live life to the fullest, so carpe diem!

Treats! Make your dog a special treat from your kitchen that’s both nutritious and delicious! Many homemade dog treat recipes are packed with vitamins and nutrients and still taste good! Try a doggie cake for their next birthday to honor their special day! Or if cooking isn’t your forte, take your dog to the local barkery and let them sniff out a treat!

Donate Time and Money! Help a dog in need by volunteering your time or donating money to a local animal welfare organization. Go to Pets911.com or the Human Society of the United States website to find a local organization. You also can help our four-legged friends by purchasing a 2010 Dog Days Calendar online – proceeds go directly to help animal welfare agencies!

Enjoy the day!

I just want to remind Dogsters there is still time to do a good deed and get entered to win a beautiful painting of your dog.

We’re doing something a little different on the blog today. I was approached by a wonderful artist, Terry Stanley, to have a contest that would benefit dog charities. In return she would offer up two custom portraits, a large and small, for the lucky winners.

As for the contest, we are offering up a 11×14 painting ($125 value) of a single dog (or that much credit if you want to “upgrade” to more than one dog in the painting) for 1st place and a 2nd place/runner-up 5×7 ($35 value).

Go to the ORIGINAL POST to read the contest rules and enter.  I’ve decided to extend the contest until Thursday, August 6th so go pick a charity and help make a needy dog’s day.

We’re doing something a little different on the blog today. I was approached by a wonderful artist, Terry Stanley, to have a contest that would benefit dog charities. In return she would offer up two custom portraits, a large and small,  for the lucky winners.

First, here’s a little info about Terry….

Terry’s Bio:
I am one of the millions of “self-taught” artists in the world today, but am very blessed that my art has brought me notice and opportunity I could never have imagined. I’ve attained Signature Status in the Pastel Society of America . I’m a member of and Wisconsin Ambassador for the Portrait Society of America . I teach workshops in Wisconsin and beyond and am so very fortunate to have met and become friends with some truly wonderful artists from throughout the country. I often wonder how all this happened!

Not only is Terry very talented and rather well-known she is big time into helping out dog charities. Each month she actively supports a non-profit organization that helps dogs – service dogs… rescue dogs… the humane society… – by designing products featuring the organization’s mission. The royalties from these products are automatically donated to the non-profit, so you can pick up some fun gifts and know you are helping a dog at the same time. How can you not love that?

One other great thing, Terry offers custom dog portraits starting at $35 for a 5×7, which makes it affordable for most. The picture on top is of our boy Bo, it was around x-mas which is why he had the green ribbon around his neck. You can see from the photo on the left, which the painting was done from, that Terry did a terrific job capturing Bo’s personality on canvas.

Check out Terry’s Dog Days Of Painting blog and read some of the stories about the dogs she’s painted. Her portraits make a great gift for yourself or the dog lover in your life.

As for the contest, we are offering up a 11×14 painting ($125 value) of a single dog (or that much credit if you want to “upgrade” to more than one dog in the painting) for 1st place and a 2nd place/runner-up 5×7 ($35 value).

To enter, and we’re going on the honor system, all you need to do is donate to your favorite dog charity-rescue, humane society, sanctuary- doesn’t matter it just needs to be dog related. Don’t worry about the amount, that’s not what it’s about, every dollar helps. If you don’t have any extra money to donate that’s alright too, you can still enter by donating a bag a food or maybe some towels or something else on an animal rescues wish list. If you can’t do that, again it’s alright,  you can still enter by donating a few hours of your time.

I have put up plenty of options so there is no excuse for not being able to enter this contest, you’ll be benefiting a great cause and at the same time getting a chance to win a custom portrait of your dog. I think it’s a pretty fair trade-off. If you donated or worked on a fundraiser in the last month, or already volunteer your time or work in dog rescue that counts, just leave the info in the comment section.

The contest runs today through Tuesday, August 4th when I will randomly choose the winners. To enter leave a comment in the comment section sharing what charity you chose to help and why. You don’t need to put a dollar amount you can just say donated funds,  no amount is too small in these desperate times.

Good luck!

I’m sure all the Dogsters who read the blog regularly will remember our ‘Win A Painted Portrait‘ contest we had in April. Artist Kathryn Beals generously offered to paint a portrait for one lucky Dogster . We had a ton of entries but in the end Mollie was chosen as the winner.

Kathryn is an amazing artist and she’s painted quite a few portraits for Dogster members. Her portraits are a great gift to give yourself or one of your dog loving friends. It’s also a wonderful way to memorialize your dog, something special you’ll have long after your best friend is gone.

One of the best things about Kathryn’s work is that she guarantees it. If for any reason you are not happy you can get your money back. How many artists offer that deal? I can tell you, not many.

Pictured above is Mollie’s finished portrait and on the left is the picture the portrait was modeled after. I told you Kathryn is amazing.  On her How I Paint blog you can follow along the painting process from beginning to end.

Kathryn has just added a new feature, video. For the first time she filmed the painting from start to finish.  She sped up the footage into an 8 minute “speed painting.” Check it out!

I want to thank Kathryn again for providing Dogsters a chance to win one of her gorgeous custom paintings. For all those who entered and didn’t win, keep an eye out because there just might be another chance come fall.

I just want to remind Dogsters to enter our Fetch A Bed contest to win a cool new doggie bed.

Crypton Super Fabrics has teamed up with a few well-known designers like William Wegman to create stylish dog beds with a little touch of humor. Crypton is super-soft, breathable, stain resistant fabric and virtually indestructible material.

The generous folks at Crypton have offered one lucky Dogster a chance to win a new bed of their choice, up to a $150 value. Go to the ORIGINAL POST for all the details and to enter.

We finished up our Molly Mutt duvet contest on Friday when Murphy Smurphy was chosen as the winner. Don’t despair if you didn’t win because it’s on to “Mattress Madness” contest number two.

We have a super cool giveaway, you have the chance to win a top of the line dog bed made with material that’s practically dog proof.

Crypton Super Fabrics has teamed up with a few well-known designers like William Wegman to create stylish dog beds with a little touch of humor. Crypton is super-soft, breathable, stain resistant fabric and virtually indestructible material.

Crypton Pet Beds:

Nothing better expresses our affection for dogs than the incredible sense of style, design and humor of the William Wegman Collection for Crypton Fabrics. We’re very proud of our longstanding relationship with William Wegman, and even prouder to have his designs on Crypton Super Fabric. You’ll find his genius on many Crypton pet beds and other products like people products and accessories.

Only Crypton’s patented technology can create eco-friendly pet beds that are stain, moisture, odor and bacteria resistant. Our dog beds are not only clean, strong and built to last they’re easy to spot clean and have a removable cover that makes machine washing quick and convenient. Plus, when you use Crypton’s EPA-approved Disinfectant & Deodorizer, our dog beds are completely disinfectable. You won’t find a more long-lasting, beautiful pet bed for your pet.

Made in the USA.

The generous folks at Crypton have offered one lucky Dogster a chance to win a new bed of their choice, up to a $150 value. This is a two-step contest, you need to go visit Crypton’s Pet Bed page and pick out what bed you would like to win.  After you choose, leave a comment in the comment section sharing what bed you picked and why.  The contest runs today through Monday, June 15th when I will select the lucky winner.

Stay tuned, because there’s more to come from this company. Next month we’re going to be giving away one of their Super Throvers, a must have for every dog owner.

Introducing Throver, perfect protection for your home, automobile or wherever life takes you . It looks like a blanket and works like a tarp. Throw it over a sofa, drape it over a car seat

A big thank you to Crypton for being so generous and offering such great prizes. Please keep this company in mind next time you need a dog bed or accessories for your dog,  or as a gift for the dog lover in your life.

I don’t usually post follow-ups on contests but I know everypup is dying to know who won.

First, I want to thank everyone who took the time to enter.  We had so many great entries making it very hard to choose, but in the end the winner was Mollie.

Mollie

Momma likes ta joke by sayin I have a face that only a momma could luv, snort, snort.

Really tho, she says I’m very bootiful an that’s why she luvs takin my picture all the time. She says I have very unique features wif my chocolate colourin, hound-dawg face an long, silky ears.

So many times when we’re out walkin, peeps will tell momma how purdy I am an ask if she thought a breedin me, Momma tells em, I’m spayed an there won’t be any little Mollie’s.

I’m an original. An momma luvs me jus the way I am.

***Pawsonally….I think she luvs my face cuz I have more wrinkles than her…..but don’t tell er I said that….k???

Congrats to Mollie and her mom. When Kathryn is finished with the portrait I’ll do a follow-up post, I can’t wait to see the finished product. In the meantime you can follow along on Kathryn’s How I Paint blog.

Also, remember that Kathryn has offered a generous $50 discount off any size portrait for Dogsters who place an order now through the end of May.