The Winner of ChalkboardDogs! ™

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

PLEASE EMAIL YOUR ADDRESS TO:

cgittleman at mi dot rr dot com

THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

Barks and licks and love,

Dakota

 

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ChalkboardDogs! ™ Your reminders never looked so good! Enter to win!

Hi everyone and boy am I excited to share something really cool with you today! When I was first contacted to see if I wanted to review

ChalkboardDogs! ™

I admit that I was skeptical….my first question was, “Just exactly what ARE ChalkboardDogs!  ?

Photo courtesy of http://www.steadfastfriends.com
Click on the photo to visit their website!

From steadfastfriends.com, ChalkboardDogs!:

are large, repositionable chalkboard canine silhouettes that can be mounted on any flat surface such as a wall, door or refrigerator. You can write on them with regular chalk or with Chalk Ink®.

There are over 50 dog breeds to choose from!

The material that is used for ChalkboardDogs! is eco-friendly, it is a chalkboard film coated with  REPOSITIONABLE,  removable adhesive.

When mine arrived, it was rolled up and my first thought was “Uh-oh, will I rip this when I attempt to remove the silhouette from the backing?” Not a chance! I am all paws when it comes to these things (and this is Dakota’s MOM talking), and if I can do it, YOU CAN DO IT!

I picked a Shetland Sheepdog (what else?) as my silhouette and removing it from the poly sleeve backing couldn’t have been easier!

To apply, simply remove the silhouette from the poly sleeve and peel off the white backing.  Carefully apply the silhouette to a clean, dry, flat surface taking care to be sure that any small bubbles or folds are flattened. That’s it!

Here is how mine looks after I wrote on it. If you can’t read it, it says “Everyone loves Shelties” and there is a reminder from Dakota to “BUY BONES!”

The size varies between breeds due to the orientation of the silhouette, but on average, the  ChalkboardDogs! are 22″ long and anywhere from 15″ to 30″ high.

Mine works perfectly in our kitchen, but as I mentioned above, should I wish to move it to another room I can! Once again, the message can be wiped clean with an eraser, damp cloth or sponge and you can write on it with chalk or special

Chalk Ink® 

If you use your imagination there are countless things you can write on your ChalkboardDogs! silhouette! Everything from:

• Grocery lists
• Reminders
• Have the kids draw on it
• Vet Appointments
• Just DOODLE!
• Phone Numbers
• Special Holidays
• Just to say “I Love You”
• These would make GREAT graduation gifts for students heading off to college in the fall! They can have a reminder of their canine friend in any room that they choose!

The options are endless!

Another thing I absolutely love about www.steadfastfriends.com is that:

Every time you purchase something from their website they will donate 10% of your purchase price to one of their Charity Partners, and importantly, they are going to let you choose which charity gets the donation.

I could not be happier with my ChalkboardDogs! silhouette and I am certain that you will be too!

ENTER TO WIN! The kind people at http://www.steadfastfriends.com have offered ONE of our readers who resides in the USA the chance to win a ChalkboardDogs! silhouette and Chalk Ink®  of their own! (an almost $50 value!)

HOW TO ENTER: Just LEAVE A COMMENT telling me what breed you would select for your silhouette if you are the lucky winner AND be sure I have an email address for you should you be the lucky winner! COMMENTS THAT DO NOT FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

THE GIVE-AWAY IS OPEN NOW and will end at 5pm EST on June 24th. The winner will be chosen by http://www.random.org and will be announced on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26th.

If you can’t wait to see if you are the winner, visit http://www.steadfastfriends.com NOW to order yours! THIS JUST IN! The kind folks at steadfastfriends.com are offering a 20% DISCOUNT to my readers! How cool is that? Just use the DISCOUNT CODE STEADFAST20%: 

Good luck to all who enter!

In full disclosure: I was not compensated for this review/give-away. I was given a Shetland Sheepdog ChalkboardDogs! silhouette and Chalk Ink. All opinions are my own!

Enter to win! Personalized Paw Print Dog Lover Necklace (#BlogPaws Jewelry!) from For Love of a Dog!

Didn’t I tell all of you that I had a GREAT give-away up my sleeve? And….this is NOT an April Fool’s joke, it’s the real deal! You can enter to win a “Personalized Paw Print Dog Lover Necklace” (BlogPaws Jewelry) from:

This all came about a few weeks ago when Sue Kottwitz,  (the owner/creator of For Love Of A Dog Jewelry) and I were communicating back and forth via email, and Sue had the idea of making jewelry that would not only be ideal for those of us attending the BlogPaws Conference in May, but would also be suitable for those who are not members of BlogPaws (or bloggers), but would still love to purchase (or win!!) the necklace for themselves!

I thought that was a fantastic idea!

When I went to the BlogPaws conference  in 2011,  I brought way too much jewelry to “represent” both my dog AND my cat!   blogs. Packing was a nightmare, I had so many chains around my neck that I looked like “Mr.T!!”

Well Sue came up with the PERFECT solution for that problem!

 Sue sent me a necklace that covered ALL of my “bases!”

 Here is a photo of my necklace!

The colors are perfect, and my dog, cat blogs,  AND BlogPaws are all “represented” on one necklace! That means, I will ONLY need to wear this necklace for the entire conference and I will just bring a pair of earrings with me. One packing challenge solved!

Being the incredibly kind, caring and giving person that Sue is, she offered to have a give-away on not just one of my blogs but BOTH of them! (The give-away on Cat Chat will be held on April 8th!)

From For Love Of A Dog:

Dog Blogger Lampwork Necklace

This hand crafted necklace is a special tribute to the annual Blog Paws Conference event.  Sweet artisan lampwork black and white paw print beads and black agate gemstone beads are hand wire wrapped with silver jeweler’s wire.

 

The centerpiece consists of 3 separate hand stamped detachable charms.

1. Silver paw print proclaiming BLOG PAWS accented with a ruby-red crystal rondel.
2. Silver dog bone proclaiming BLOGGER, also accented with a ruby-red crystal rondel.
3. Puffy red hand-made lampwork glass heart

Charms attach/detach with tiny lobster claw findings for easy on and off.  Wear charms solo or in any combination you desire.

 

Necklace measures 18″ or with extender chain, 21″. 

The REGULAR PRICE of this necklace would be $85 but Sue has put the necklace ON SALE for my readers for at least 2 weeks! The sale price is $50 which is a bargain for meticulously handcrafted, personalized, original jewelry that you CANNOT find anywhere else!  If you would like to order the necklace NOW, just click here

You can also ENTER TO WIN!

Note:  Winner may choose different personalization for the hand stamped paw and/or dog bone charms/  PLUS the winner may also substitute any of the charms on this necklace for the cat lampwork bead and/or dog bone lampwork bead that is on MY necklace as shown in the first photo.

The GIVE-AWAY is open to those living in the U.S. and/or CANADA!

The give-away starts NOW and will close on MONDAY, APRIL 8TH AT 5PM EST. The winner will be chosen by www.random.org and will be announced on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH!

TO ENTER:

MANDATORY:Leave a comment telling me WHAT IT IS YOU LOVE about this necklace!

WANT EXTRA ENTRIES? Do any of the following, all worth ONE ENTRY EACH, LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME WHICH OF THESE YOU COMPLETED.

Follow For Love Of A Dog on Twitter

Like on Facebook

Subscribe to the newsletter:  www.ForLoveofaDog.com

Follow the blog: www.Talking-dogs.com

Good Luck!

In full disclosure: 

As I mentioned on the last blog post where I featured For Love Of A Dog jewelry, I have BOUGHT a number of  pieces of Sue’s jewelry, and I couldn’t be happier. When I  mention the superb quality, value, creativity, uniqueness,  and appearance of Sue’s jewelry, I am saying that as a CUSTOMER, NOT as a person given an item for free to review. I BOUGHT Sue’s jewelry long before I ever won a bracelet, from her blog, and before I was sent my necklace for the purpose of a review/give-away.

All opinions are my own!

 

Thankful Thursday: For Love Of A Dog

Throughout the nearly four years I have blogged, I have seen many products and met, albeit in many cases” virtually”, many different people.

There are  products and people who come and go, and there are some you just know will be around forever. Some products thrive and remain popular due to their superior quality and the meticulous care that goes into making them, and there are some people who sparkle and shine both inside AND out, just like their products.

One of these people and her products, is Sue Kottwitz from For Love Of A Dog.

Click photo to visit Sue’s website and blog!

I have featured Sue a few times  on Dakota’s blog, and I am tickled to feature her again!  This  time I was the  lucky recipient of a gorgeous bracelet of Sue’s that came from a give-away that Sue had in honor of her cherished  mother’s birthday. (Sue’s mother passed earlier in February of 2013. What an incredible woman she had to have been to have raised a daughter who has a heart bursting with goodness, as Sue does.) 

Here  are photos of what I won:

From For Love Of A Dog: “This is a one of kind piece of dog lover jewelry that I created specially for this celebration.

The focal is a hand crafted purple porcelain dog bone with DOG MOM hand inscribed.  The dog bone is surrounded by a variety of chubby artisan lampwork beads in shades of purple and lavender.  Pale lavender core with purple raised dots, a looping scroll design, and a drum rondelle.”

From For Love Of A Dog: “The clasp is a silver heart with paw print lobster claw.  To finish things just right, I added an artisan lampwork heart that is nicely fat and scarlet red.   This bracelet is a $75 value!”

I wish you could see this bracelet in person, it is even more exquisite than it is in the photos. Here are some photos that I took:

Sue’s creations are always packaged with love, and focus on presentation

 

I squealed with delight when I opened my PRIZE!!

Did you notice the beautiful presentation of the package?  A couple of years ago, I ordered pieces from Sue and some jewelry from another place, the jewelry all arrived at the same time. I felt bad for the “other” person, because her jewelry was wrapped in a haphazard manner, and then there was Sue’s? Who do YOU think I still purchase jewelry from?

The bracelet is simply GORGEOUS and as I mentioned before this is not the only piece of Sue’s jewelry that I own. I also bought some pieces myself, here is my beloved Sheltie necklace that I BOUGHT!

Yep I bought this breed specific necklace (along with some cat items but THIS is a DOG blog!) I wore this necklace to BlogPaws 2011!

Are you drooling by now? I thought so! It wouldn’t be fair of me to show you these wonderful items and not tell you that we have an upcoming GIVE-AWAY that will be on Dakota’s blog THIS MONDAY APRIL 1st (and THAT is no joke!) You will have to come back Monday to see what you can enter to win if you live in the U.S. AND CANADA! (it is TOTALLY different than what is featured here today!)

In the meantime you can follow Sue every which way possible and count the minutes til you can enter on MONDAY!

 The Website: www.ForLoveofaDog.com 

>The Blog:  www.Talking-dogs.com
>Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/ForLoveofaDogJewelry
>Google+ : www.gplus.to/ForLoveofaDog
>Twitter:  www.twitter.com/ForLoveofaDog
>Pinterest:  www.Pinterest.com/Forloveofadog

THANK YOU SUE FOR MY GORGEOUS BRACELET!!

 

 

Winner of a Customized Plate by Three Sisters Plates!

This was one heck of a wonderful give-away and today is the day that I am thrilled to announce the winner of a customized plate by Three Sisters Plates!

Just in case you forgot how unique these plates  are, check out my Dog plate!

To visit Three Sisters Plates, click on the photo

The lucky winner of a customized plate from Three Sisters Plates  is:

MAX of the blog: All About Max

click here to visit Max’s blog!

Max’s human’s comment  was selected by http://www.random.org and here is what she had to say:

“I like the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. TV Show Plate best… My daughter would love that!”

Congratulations!

Mom will be emailing you for your mailing address!

Barks and licks and love, Dakota

Fun Dog Plate by Three Sisters Plates: Enter to win your own customized plate!

I am a firm believer in Synchronicity.  

Synchronicity: from Wikipedia: is the experience of two or more events that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance, yet are experienced as occurring together in a meaningful manner.

click on photo to visit the Etsy Shop!

Some months back  I was shopping at my local market and noticed a man wearing a Cleveland Browns cap. I live in Michigan and Cleveland happens to be my home town.  Always one to strike up a conversation with a stranger, whether they like it or not,  I approached the man and asked if he was from Cleveland. He told me no, but that his daughter lived there. I asked her name, which sounded familiar and the kind gentleman proceeded to phone her. I got on the phone and explained how I had just met her Dad, pleasantries were exchanged. It turned out she didn’t know who I thought she knew and that was that. I thanked the gentleman for calling her and we went on our way. Just a fun coincidence in a local grocery store,  nothing more. Or so I thought.

A month or so later I received this keepsake   for my birthday from my niece who has a knack of knowing the perfect gift to give to anyone for whatever occasion! It came from an Etsy shop called:Three Sisters Plates.

I couldn’t have been more delighted!  I spent so much time going through every photo,  each one stirring up memories of my deeply loved and greatly missed home town. I couldn’t wait to display this keepsake with  pride in my home.

I derived so much joy from this plate that it got me to thinking,  I wondered if the shop owner also did plates that featured dogs and I began searching. YES! She did!

I promptly ordered one for myself (along with a custom cat plate, which will be displayed on Cat Chat on March 22nd, along with another give-away!). At the same time I ordered, I contacted the shop owner (Sandie) and asked if she would be interested in holding a give-away for my readers. Through our conversation I learned that she was from Cleveland which of course, led me to start my interrogation. When she mentioned her last name, I asked some other questions and then came the SHOCKER. She said “Are you the same lady who met my Dad at the market some months ago?” I nearly DIED! Synchronicity at work! What were the odds of THIS happening?

It was  meant to be that I met Sandie’s father in the market, it was meant to be that I received one of her gorgeous, unique, handmade plates,  so that I may share these marvelous plates with you!

Here is the Personalized Plate that I ordered (and yes I BOUGHT it, along with the cat plate!) If you wish to purchase the Fun Dog Plate that is NOT personalized, click here

There are all sorts of dogs on this plate and if you look closely you will see some photos of Dakota in the mix! I just love it!! Here is a photo of it displayed in my home:

How incredible are these plates? (The plate stand is sold separately and is super inexpensive).  These make the PERFECT and most UNIQUE GIFTS and with over 130 themes you are sure to find one that would be perfect for you, or the lucky recipient!

From Three Sisters Plates:

Visit me on Facebook for new product updates and show schedules
To add one of your photos to a plate click here

To add up to 5 of your photos to a plate click here

To visit the Three Sisters Plates website click here

All plates are hand crafted. Yes, each picture is individually cut and glued.
They are meant to be looked at, laughed at and talked about!
Since all the work is done under the glass they can be used, but do not put them in the dishwasher. Most people put cookies, cracker and wrapped candy on them

Also please visit my vintage shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/SandiesVintage

Isn’t Synchronicity the best??!

By meeting Sandie’s Dad at a random market in Michigan, and receiving MY Cleveland Browns sports plate as a birthday gift, I decided to purchase a dog and cat plate, which led to my asking if Sandie would agree to having a give-away for YOU, and she agreed! As she said in an email:  “after all, we’re practically related!”

GIVE-AWAY! ONE LUCKY PERSON LIVING IN THE U.S. will win their own PERSONALIZED DOG PLATE with 5 of your own photos added to it (a $45 value plus shipping). The give-away starts NOW and will end on THURSDAY, MARCH 14TH AT NOON. WINNER WILL BE SELECTED BY http://www.random.org and WILL BE ANNOUNCED SATURDAY, MARCH 16TH.

To enter, visit the Three Sisters Etsy shop and leave a comment on this blog post telling me what your favorite plate is!

Good luck!

Oh and pay attention when you are at your local market, you never know WHO you will meet!

Enter to win: “Life Is Pawfect” by the “Pawtographer”, Robert Semrow

Hi my furiends and Happy New Year! Here we are in January and Mom and I are still trying to wrap up some things we had pending in 2012. One of them is an adorable and sure-to-make-you-smile book by Robert Semrow, also known as, “The Pawtographer.” The book is called Life Is Pawfect and let me tell you pals, this book IS JUST THAT…”PAWFECT!!” 

It’s charming, witty, uplifting, superbly photographed and just plain FUN!

Photo Courtesy of Robert Semrow. Click on the photo to visit his website

Life Is Pawfect is the perfect book to help get your New Year off on the right paw. It is chock full of the most adorable photographs, all printed on high quality glossy photo paper. Accompanying each photograph is a quote and an  uplifting or humorous saying that will be sure to brighten your day.

 

“Life is Pawfect…when the art of something can be embraced by the mouths of many!” Photo Courtesy of Robert Semrow The Pawtographer.

“Life is Pawfect…when we are willing to jump in and see where the current takes us!” Photo Courtesy of Robert Semrow, “The Pawtographer”

 

About  ” The Pawtographer” from Robert Semrow who is “proud to be “The Pawtographer.”

I love animals and have a tremendous amount of fun being around them. Whether it’s a traditional pose, a candid moment or a creative themed experience, I want to capture those silly looks, funny outfits and special moments that animals allow us to have with them. I want to show the world that energy, unconditional love and attention that animals freely give us.

I have always found that animals are the most naturally loving beings. They will let us hug, play, dress up and goof around with them, if we just give them what they want and deserve most-love and attention…and the occasional treat.

 

“Life is Pawfect…when your vintage exceeds expectations!” Photo Courtesy of Robert Semrow, “The Pawtographer”

 

 

“Life is Pawfect…when there’s bubbles between your toes!” Photo Courtesy of Robert Semrow, The Pawtographer

 

Life Is  Pawfect is the perfect coffee table or bedside table book. It would make the best birthday, get-well, thinking of you,  gift or Valentine’s gift or ANYTIME gift for the animal lover in your life!

Robert was incredibly generous, when he sent me my review copy of Life Is Pawfect he included an extra book for one of my readers!

HOW TO ENTER: Give-away is open to EVERYONE! Just leave a comment telling me how YOUR “Life Is Pawfect” by Monday, January 7th at 5PM Eastern. Winner will be selected by http://www.random.org and will be announced on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9th. Be sure that I have a way to contact you should you be the lucky winner! Good Luck!!

Barks and licks and love, Dakota

To Purchase Life Is Pawfect:

CLICK HERE

ISBN: 13: 978-0-9860198-0-7

Visit www.thepawtographer.com

 

In full disclosure: I was sent a copy of Life Is Pawfect to read and review along with an extra copy for one of my readers. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post.

Winners of a song from “It’s All Right If My Dog Sleeps On The Bed All Night With Me”

Happy Thursday all! Well, there were supposed to be 10 winners but we only had six that qualified to win! The winners of a song from:

 

ARE:

MOLLIE & ALFIE

MARG

SNOOPY

EASY

NELLIE

EVA

Thanks for entering our contest

and for being such good friends!

Mom will be emailing you

to let you know how to

get your FREE SONG!

Barks and licks and love, Dakota

My Favorite Pet Shop.com

Hi guys! It’s Dakota and I am here to tell you about a really cool website that contacted me,  and I want to show you 2 products they sent to me to tell you about!

click on logo to visit them!

 

Check out

Zogoflex Tizzi

Click on photo to read more about it!!!

 

This toy is SUPER COOL! Mom apologizes that there are no photos of me playing with it…that is because Mom was sick and wasn’t able to take any, but trust me, my favorite thing to do with this toy is to have Mom put TREATS in it!

Here is some info about it from myfavoritepetshop.com:

“The Tizzi dog toy spirals through the air giving the time-honored game of fetch a dynamic new spin. It got its name because dog love it so much, they have a “Tizzi” when they play with it. Twist Tizzi’s handles together for maximum flight or untwist to hide dog treats inside. Whether you’re playing on land or in the water, this floatable dog toy is ready for takeoff! The perfect size for small breed dogs. Tizzi is made tough with an exclusive non-toxic material called Zogoflex. It’s super durable, extremely pliable (so it won’t hurt your dog’s teeth), and it’s made to last! This is one tough toy, recommended for aggressive chewers, pullers and fetchers. In fact, Tizzi is guaranteed against dog damage! “

To learn more about the

Zogoflex Tizzi

click the photo above!

Now…this next item Mom LOVES but….me? As many of you know who read my blog, I don’t sleep on a bed of any sort. No dog bed, no human bed, I prefer the HARD FLOOR (yep I am strange)

The people at myfavoritepetshop.com sent me this cool doggy mat:

Waghearted Nap Mat Beige

Click on photo to visit website and read more about it!

Mom LOVES THIS!!! It even matches our decor! It also matches my fur! Mom was certain she found something that I would actually SLEEP on so she picked this when asked by the kind people at  myfavoritepetshop.com what I would like!

From myfavoritepetshop.com

“You and your dog are sure to love this soft quilted nap mat. 
The Waghearted nap mat is perfect for picnics, car rides, overnight trips and much more because it is conveniently designed for travel. Just roll it up and snap it shut! But this mat is so cute and comfy you’ll want to use it all the time. Softly padded and nicely quilted, this nap mat is a great place for you best friend take a comfortable nap – anywhere you go.”

Made with faux suede 100% Polyester. 
Color: Beige

Did I sleep on it?

 

 

 

“The best laid plans of dog bloggers”….eh? That was pretty darned MISCHIEVOUS OF ME EH?

Take Mom’s word for it! This mat is too cute and  Mom says she is sure that somewhere  out there, there is a doggy who APPRECIATES super cute things!

Check out:

click on photo to visit

 

I am certain you will find all a ton of items that you will love such as:

 

MOST POPULAR

Toys

Treats

Bowls, Feeders & Accessories

Collars, Harnesses & Leashes

Crates & Carriers

SHOP ALL CATEGORIES

Barking Behavior & Training

Beds, Crate Pads & Throws

Boutique

Cleanup, Stain & Odor

Clothes & Accessories

CDs And DVDs

Flea & Tick Control

Fountains

Grooming & Shampoo

Gates & Pens

Gifts For Dog Lovers

Housetraining & Incontinence

Kong

Safety

Travel & Outdoor

 

Happy Shopping!!

Barks and licks and uncooperative photo-shoot love, Dakota