Friendly Frogs & Happy News

Aren't these the cutest little frogs? These are my new stitch markers from Purple Daisy. I am a self taught knitter, and until 2 weeks ago I didn't even know stitch markers existed. Up until now, I've only made sweaters...12 sweaters in the past 13 years. Last year was my busiest year when I made 4 sweaters...for our 2 grandchildren and their moms.
I always used a pin to mark my stitches but have been reading a couple of knitter's blogs and found out about stitch markers. These are just too cute for words!
Now if I can only find someone to teach me how to knit some socks.

I had great news on Friday. I have applied to sell Barking Biscuits at a Christmas craft show...one of the biggest shows in Ottawa. On Friday I found out that I've made it through the first approval phase! Yay! I now have to make a presentation in front of a jury on Thurs May 17th. This will be my first large scale show. I told my husband I don't know whether to be worried that I won't be accepted...or that I will be! The challenge is to show the jurors that dog biscuits belong in this exclusive show. (300 vendors, and they only accept between 15 - 30 new vendors each year) Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Need your ideas (please!)

I'm going to make some little one inch button pins using our new catnip cat image (isn't he cute?) Of course, the pins won't have the "copyright barkingbiscuit.com" across the image!

My question to you is....should I put some text on the pins? Please give me your ideas! If I use your idea, you'll receive some button pins in the mail as soon as I get them printed up. (the pins will go to the first person who submits the idea if I receive the same idea from more than one person).

Suggestions wanted. Please. (I've received a few ideas that are catnip related..which is great...but I don't know if the people receiving these pins will necessarily connect the pins with the catnip idea. So maybe a few ideas for cat lovers as opposed to catnip lovers?)

Oh, and by the way...the winner of the new catnip labels is the design using the apple green background. I'm waiting to hear back from a couple of printing companies for quotes and then they'll get printed up. It's getting more & more difficult to find a company who will print round labels. There are lots in the U.S., but then we have to pay the dollar exchange (which isn't so bad at the moment) and duties, as well as the brokerage fees. That adds up to almost double the cost of the printing! Yikes.

and the winner is...

Beebee Mod has won my little draw for my guessing game. Incidentally, she was also the closest in coming to the correct answer until I left the clue about the Canadian flag.

This is another photo of the same subject...a maple tree blossom. I actually never really noticed them before this year but I was out in our yard a couple of weeks ago with my new macro lens and thought they looked pretty funky. The photos make a good conversation piece...they sure don't look like maple leaves to me!

Something fun from Beebee Mod's blog...what kind of cake are you?

I'm Strawberry. Give it a try!

You Are Strawberry Cake

Fresh, sassy, and romantic. You're a total flirt, who never would turn down a sugary treat. Occasionally you're a bit moody - but you usually stay sweet!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Life changing events & guessing game last clue

This very handsome guy (if I do say so myself) is my baby! If you ask me what my biggest life accomplishment has been, I would tell you...Cody.

My "baby" will be turning 20 this year so I'll no longer be able to say that I have a teenager. That makes me feel old! He was born on the 26th day of the month on my 26th birthday...how lucky is that? Not a great way to spend my birthday, but surely the best birthday present I have ever received.

My current life changing event is that Cody will be moving back home for the summer and he arrives tomorrow. He has been away for 2 years (but back for visits) studying acting. You may just see his mug on the big screen in the future (we hope). Their class has their last outing today...they'll be performing monologues in front of agents at a theatre in Toronto.

Cody & I have had some good conversations over the past few months as he struggles with where his future lies. I'm sure we'll have a few more good conversations over the summer. His struggle is...will he follow his dream to become an actor (which will require living life with very little money as he struggles to make it) or will he go back to university in the fall to work towards a teaching degree? My last face to face conversation with him was in March when we went to see his class perform their year end production. Over breakfast, he told me he was planning to go to school. I talked to him about following his dream. Now he's thinking more about that. Should I have done that? I don't know. When I told a friend of mine about the conversation, she couldn't believe it. I think she thought I was being an irresponsible parent. How could I give my son advice about dreams and not be practical about things? All I can do is have conversations with him about both options. I'm not telling Cody what to do with his life. But I do want him to consider pursuing his dreams. I think so many of us get "practical" and stifle our true selves. I want him to be true to himself and what he wants. Is that being a bad parent? I hope not. What do you think?

Now, back to my little guessing game. The comments & emails I've received have been very close to the right answer. Think about the Canadian flag and you'll have the answer. I'll post another photo tomorrow as well as the winner of my little draw. Leave a comment or send me an email if you want your name included in the draw to receive a little something from me.

Lots of fundraising events

Thanks to all of you who came out to the 2nd Annual K9 Spring Fling....a fund raiser for Bullies In Need. This is a photo of me and my booth. A big thank you to Julie from Chilly Dogs. Julie let me use some of her display racks for the day. They worked out great for me, so I'll have to purchase some of my own before my next fundraiser event.

At the top left of the photo, you can see my wooden display sign. This was one of the best investments I ever made for display purposes...I've had it for 9 years and it still looks great.

This is Noelle. She was adopted from the Bullies In Need group by Kim. Isn't she a cutie? She is taking a rest after all the excitement at the fundraiser yesterday.


For all you folks in the Ottawa area, don't forget about the BARK walk next Sunday. The Barking Biscuit has proudly supplied some prizes for event participants. For full details about this exciting fundraiser, check out the BARK website.
One of my favourite photographers will be there...URBAN dog photog Sue Bird will be taking 5 x 7 photos for all participants who want one. There will be lots of fun & free things available for all participants. This is BARK's biggest fundraiser of the year. Hope you can help them out!


There's also an auction you should check out...The Greyhound Supporter’s Spring Auction in support of Dr. Couto's visit to Ottawa on Saturday May 5th is now live on line. Bids must be received by Friday, May 4th at 10:00PM. Visit their web site for more information and to bid.

Thank you Angelique & a couple of things

I won a little contest sponsored by Angelique and look at the wonderful gifts I received! A business card holder (how did she know I had stolen my husband's biz card holder and didn't give it back? John thanks you Angelique! Now he can have his own holder back) My new biz card holder has paw prints (how appropriate!) on the outside and cheerful little flowers on the inside. And aren't these little flower magnets so cute? Best of all, she included 3 note cards featuring her own photography. Peonies & calla lillies are 2 of my favourites and these tulips are so bright and cheery! I love everything Angelique..thanks!
Angelique is quite the busy lady. You should check out her Snow Angel Designs etsy shop. My favourite item is a woobie. What's a woobie? Check out her blog to find out. I can see these used for adults undergoing chemotherapy too. My sister was always cold when she went through her chemo treatments. A woobie would have been great for her to have...for warmth and comfort too.

Now I'm off to prepare for tomorrow's fundraiser. I'll be selling my biscuits tomorrow at the K9 Spring Fling in Ottawa (at the Forever Friends Dog Training School, Unit 6, 17 Grenfell Crescent from 10 till 4). This is a fundraiser for Bullies In Need. There's going to be lots of fun stuff going on so come out & enjoy. Friendly on leash dogs are welcome. Natalie Heath will take a professional 5 x 7 portrait of your dog for a $10 donation. You can buy beautiful blankets, dog beds, and more...all hand made by volunteers. And I'll be there with all my dog biscuits & fund raising button pins. Come by & say hello.

Finally, make sure you leave a comment or email me before May 1st about my little contest.
Here is another hint: Beebee Mod is close to the answer!

Guessing game & we're going batty!

First of all...a mini challenge for you. Do you know what the photo above is? If you think you know, leave a comment or send me an email. All answers (right or wrong) received by May 1st will be put into a draw, and one lucky person will receive a little something in the mail from me. (I'll contact you for your mailing address if you're the winner...don't worry, I don't share confidential info)


Late last fall we were at a country auction and we bought a bat house. If anyone had told me in my prior "city girl" life that I would be encouraging bats to come around, I would have laughed! But I'm a true country girl now I guess. According to my internet searches, bat houses should be at least 12 feet in the air (yes, that's 12 feet) and should be in an open clearing. So we mounted our bat house in our "meadow". Our property is only 1 1/2 acres, but we have named several zones. (we have "the meadow", "the forest", "the bench", "Dori's garden", etc) If you look very, very closely you can see a bench in the background (there are 2 naked trees...one with a cement face mounted on it, and the bench is between the 2 trees). This is where we walk to at the end of every day (well, sometimes in the middle of winter I skip the tradition). It helps me decompress after the bad days (I have them now and then) or just be happy on the good days. The dogs follow us out to the bench and run around. When they get tired of playing, we head back to the house and start thinking about dinner. Very uncomplicated and comforting routine.