A Long Winter's Nap....

I know, I know! Can you stand the cuteness?

xo xo -CS ^..^

Visions of Sugarplums...

...or maybe just of mom.

xo xo xo -CS ^..^

OK, NOW I can deck the halls...

It has been a bit of a whirlwind of worry around here since Thanksgiving. Even if Jacob Marley came to my door clanking every chain he's got, it couldn't have scared me more than what we've been through these past few days. My dear Daughter-In-Law to be, Renee, (Liam's mom) was rushed to the hospital with blood clots in her lung and leg. She is not completely out of the woods yet but doing well, so your good thoughts and prayers are most appreciated! My son John was just beside himself with worry about his true love. The house is a bit of a train wreck and I'm a little behind in my Christmas decorating which I normally start the day after Thanksgiving. Oh well, who cares. Renee is going to be OK and that is the most important thing, right? Right.

These past days I've lit some holiday scented candles (I like to light candles all the time, but especially when I have lots of praying to do...12 years of Catholic school, what can I tell you?) and have had Christmas music playing constantly. It is amazing how you can decorate your heart with Christmas even without a single decoration up. Having said that, I am SO ready to decorate now. I do rotate which ornaments I hang up each year because our place is rather tiny and I love to collect Christmas decorations and things and I'm always making or finding something new to add to my boxes of treasures. Well, they are treasures to me :) It is kind of fun to do that because it never looks the same.

Oh! And "How are the puppies?" you ask? They are two weeks old and doing great. Here's a few photos. I promise to take more. Their eyes are opening and they are really crawling more and more, exploring their whelping box. Most of the time they look like they are in a little Corgi mosh pit. Stella is doing great and is a brilliant mom.

Have a happy Saturday my dear Corgettes! xo xo -CS ^..^

Meet "Minnie"

Made entirely by hand from my original pattern, "Minnie" is an original Christmas Corgi Art Doll Ornament. Incorporating stitching, embroidering and needle felting, she is made from wool felt, wool and wool roving from a friend's sheep, and other little embelishments. She would love to come and be a Corgi-cuteness part of your holiday traditions for years to come.

She has even been kissed for luck by a baby Corgi puppy, fresh from heaven....

On Ebay now. 3 day listing ends Sunday evening. xo xo -CS ^..^

p.s. do check out the CorgiAid Original Watching Art auction as well. Link in previous post below.

Original Art To Benefit Corgi Aid On Ebay Now!!!

OK, I want them all. All of them I tell you. Please click over to eBay and bid with all your heart on the lovely Original illustrations from The Watching. All of the artists donated the Original artworks to CorgiAid and 100% of the proceeds of these auctions will benefit Corgis in dire need of love and care. Here is Bailey watching over my illustration from Chapter 7. Please note the seller ID is not mine it is CorgiAid (one word) if you need to do a search. There are many charities that we just don't know how the money is spent or where it goes. All of the money that is raised and donated to CorgiAid (all grassroots efforts by kind hearted Corgi lovers which includes fairs and picnics, donations and raffles, auctions etc.) helps Corgis in need of medical care and attention that otherwise they would not receive. THANK YOU so much for your generosity! xo xo -Cathy ^..^ p.s. **you will find Barbie Sonnett's lovely sculpture from The Watching at this link rather than the one above.

Thankful

Is it too late to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving? I don't think so. Even though Christmas preparations are well underway, my heart is full of thanks for so many things this weekend. The Mister and I took our little grandson Liam to pick up our Thanksgiving turkey at Gozzi's turkey farm in Guilford, CT. Long time readers of this blog will recall the Easter egg dyed colors of the turkeys that the Gozzi family has out in a huge pen in front of their store. Liam got a big kick out of them as you can see from his face. Gozzi's never changes. Inside the storefront is a simple counter and on the wall to the left are old competition ribbons and awards.

We were expecting a litter of Corgi puppies this weekend from Stella and James. You can see them on our Reinwood Corgis site if you like. Princess Stella had other plans. She required an emergency c-section on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for seven beautiful puppies 4 boys, 3 girls. Thankful that emergency c-section went well and mom and pups are doing fine. Thankful for my gallant husband who was more concerned with getting Stella to vet than brushing his hair (we're talking pre-coffee here people...) Thankful for a kind and caring vet who called me Tuesday night to see how Stella was doing and to let me know he would cancel his own eye doctor appointment for the next morning if we needed him. Thankful for having a friend like Mary Elizabeth to share puppy breath (and breakfast!) with. Thanksgiving may have been on Thursday, but my heart is still full today.

Did I mention that I was having everyone over here for Thanksgiving Dinner? Gulp. Somehow with John and Laura's help I managed to get it done. These pies were baked in the wee hours of the morning. While the pumpkin was in the oven, Laura was washing dishes (it had to be about 1:30 AM at this point) and I sat at the table weaving a lattice pie crust and cutting little leaves out of pastry dough. Adrenaline from the day did not wear off quickly that night. Laura was right, I did burn the tops of the apple pie crust but it still tasted pretty good. Her brother tells her that she should be a food critic and combine her love of writing with her dinner commentary. "I only say it to help you perfect your cooking" she likes to tell me with her impish grin. What a pip I raised. Homeschoolers! Sheesh. Let me tell you though, when my head finally hit the pillow I crashed and slept soundly, even though it was only for a couple of hours. Don't you love that feeling when you are extremely tired and you get into your bed all snuggly knowing you've accomplished a ton of work that needed to get done? Even though you are exhausted it is a good kind of tired. Do you know what I mean? Everything was made from scratch. Let's see...what did we have? Turkey and gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, corn pie, stuffing (one without onions for Mary Elizabeth and my Mom) cheese platters, shrimp cocktails (one hot cocktail sauce and one mild for Laura and Mary Elizabeth...hey...I want happy diners here!) baked ziti, filet mignon which John cooked outside on the BBQ, snowflake rolls (OK, I didn't make those, I ordered them from the bakery but somebody made them! LOL) apple ciders, pies and chocolate fudge. Did I forget anything? By Thursday Stella was feeling perky and excited about her babies. She was given many delicious treats and has decided that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday.


Here is Stella and her new babies on their birthday. All are doing well so far. I will post more photos soon!

May I say one more thing that I am thankful for? I am thankful for you, my dear reader. It means a lot to me that you choose to spend a little of your time visiting here and following this blog. I am grateful for those who follow and collect my artwork. I am grateful for your friendship and lovely comments. My heart is full. So full. Happy Thanksgiving!

For those who have been asking, I will have a bunch of brand new Christmas Corgi ornaments and things for sale all this week. I will keep you posted as they are done!

Now, how many days till Christmas? xo xo CS ^..^

Art For Your Christmas Tree

Just finished this new miniature ornament. Now in the shop on Etsy. xo xo -CS ^..^

*sold! more on the work table! xo xo

Happiness Is A Warm Puppy

Mary Elizabeth took these photos over the weekend of Halo and James' puppies at 10 weeks.

Don't you just want to kiss them all on the nose? (You know you do....)
Happy Monday, my lovelies! xo xo -CS ^..^

My New Apprentice?

Some of my Corgi friends have already seen this nutty impish Corgi of mine performing her antics. I thought I'd share these with you as well. Here is Weebles, mild mannered (ahem) kitty. She is convincing Amy to jump up on to the table where I was working on a few paintings. Amy does not require much convincing.

She regularly will move and jump up on to chairs both inside and outside on the patio to get on to tables. I know, I know. I need to train it out of her. The problem is that she usually does it when she thinks no one is watching.

You've heard of a blue moose in a china closet? I have a sable Corgi on an art table.

Watch the video clip below to witness her making one hot mess. I put a fresh cup of painting water out (which she helps herself to) and left for a minute only to return to find her skulking around my paints and things. Luckily John had just put batteries in my camera and it was handy. I must warn you, do not let your Corgis try this at home. At the end it seems as if she leaps from the height of the table. She usually gets on and off from the chairs which are all around. You will see her trying to avoid the other Corgis who are surrounding the table, not as adventurous as she. She actually leaps to a short table with a fluffy dog bed as soon as the other Corgi moved off of it. No Corgis were harmed in the making of this video :) *you may pause my bloggy music on the player in the left sidebar before playing video if you prefer. xo xo Cathy ^..^

Thankful.

Saturday morning I headed out early to run a few errands. I wanted to pick up a few things for the kids. I headed to a couple of stores a few towns over. I thought I went out early enough to beat the Saturday shopping crowds but evidently everyone had the same idea. The first store I went into had shiny Christmas displays of decorations and things right at the window, so you know I had to go in. Completely distracted from my original mission I spent over an hour browsing through aisles of gifts and goodies. In one little corner was a sad and lonely small shelf with little bits of marked down Halloween stuff. Can Halloween have past already? Sheesh. Where does the time go? While browsing and being squished into an aisle of interesting decor, a woman in front of me pointed to this gigantic green wreath-looking thing made of feathers and, laughing, said something to her husband in what I believe was Italian. She and I looked at each other, obviously both amused by the shimmy-shaking-green-feather-wreath thingie. Only one word came to my mind when I saw it and I said it out loud. "Grinch." The couple began to giggle while the husband began to hum 'You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch' and we all laughed. I left there thankful that some things, especially Christmas things, are just understood by all in any language.

After leaving that store I went to the Walmart next door. I always feel like a deer in the headlights when I go into these big stores. It is like shopping overload. I started looking for what I had gone out for in the first place. I finally based my decision on choosing the item that was made in the USA even though it cost a few dollars more. It made me sad that 9 out of 10 items I saw are not manufactured here anymore. I wandered over to the CD's. I have an addiction to holiday CD's. I can't resist buying them. I even saw one in the Post Office the other day when I was mailing out a commissioned piece. I'm sure I'll add that one to my collection soon too. I don't even know what songs are on it. Somebody stop me. I had 3 in my hand that day, the new ones by Andrea Boccelli, David Archuleta and Josh Groban. I went with Andrea Boccelli's but something tells me I'll be back for the others or will order them online. At the check out, I had the nicest chat with the check out lady. She couldn't wait to buy this CD as well and we talked for a few minutes about how much we love his voice and then about other Christmas CD's. I left there thankful for a pleasant check out lady who seemed to enjoy her day. I'm sure everyone who met her that day was a little better for it.

That evening, I went to see the new 3D movie A Christmas Carol. Check out their website for some fun online games and things. The computer animation is incredible. As soon as I heard that Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman and Colin Firth were in it, I knew I would see it. Go and see it if only to get to wear the 3D glasses. Make sure you turn around in your seat to get a look at everyone wearing theirs. It is something silly that you don't get to see every day. On the way home I realized that the last song, "God Bless Us Everyone," on the Andrea Boccelli CD I had bought earlier in the day is in the end credits of the film. One of my favorite film versions of A Christmas Carol is A Muppet Christmas Carol, but whether you read the original Dickens ghost story or watch one of the many 'Scrooge' films, the timeless message is the same. Guard against Want and Ignorance. Remember those less fortunate than yourself. Be compassionate. Be joyful. Redemption...where there is life, there is hope. Keep Christmas in your heart not just on Christmas Day but all year through. Be thankful.

Today is Veteran's Day here in America. My heart is full of love, thanks and appreciation for all who have served in our military, from colonial days to the present. You make it possible for us to spend our days in freedom, shopping for Grinchy feather wreaths and Christmas CD's. You gave us the freedom to be able to sit in a theater wearing silly glasses or whatever else we choose. We are truly the land of the free because of the brave. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. xo xo -CS ^..^

Night Baking

Last night during the Yankees/Phillies game I was asked (badgered? begged? nagged?) to make a pumpkin pie. So I did. No one even waited for it to cool and then wondered why it was steaming on their plates and the whipped cream was melting. Yes, I know the crust isn't so pretty. But in my defense it was 10:00 pm when it came out of the oven. No potpourri could ever make the house smell as good as the spices baking in the pie. I'm going to have a sliver now. If they saved any for me....

Happy Monday, and Happy November, everyone! xo -CS ^..^

Something Wicked This Way Comes

"Look into my eyes....deeper....deeper...."

"When I say 'Woof' you will put all of your Halloween treats into my little pumpkin...."

Happy Halloween my dear reader! xo xo -CS

America's Next Top Model?

Wow! One of our Reinwood Corgis is a model in this month's Oprah Magazine! Mary Elizabeth and I are just thrilled to see our "Kaizey" (they spelled her name wrong) in print!

We heard she was a very good girl during the photo shoot.

Doesn't she look smashing in her jacket with faux fur trim? She knows she does.

Here's the cover of the November 2009 Oprah Magazine where you can spot Kaizey.

Oh...and the human model's boots aren't too shabby either :)

Happy Thursday, my lovelies! xo xo -CS ^..^

The Watching

Would you like to help Corgis AND get a lovely Christmas book?

Then please read on, my dear Corgettes! Read on!

The Watching, A Corgi Christmas Tale

By Millie J. Williams

With original art by

Evie Anderson, Kay Folk, Robert Holst, Kim Hundley,

Chris Landers, Ginnie Mickelson, Diane Puntenney, Cindy Read,

Cathy Santarsiero, John Scarinici, Christian Slade, and Barbie Sonnett

The annual version of “The Watching,” usually released for Christmas Eve, has become a tradition in corgidom. Millie Williams wrote the original story in 2002 for the Corgese list on Yahoo Groups, and since then it has been enjoyed each year by thousands of readers on Corgese, Corgi-L, WheelCorgis, and other e-mail lists. Each year, people have looked forward to the new story, and in 2008, “The Watching: Misty” was published, with photos, on the Web. Now the 2009 story―The Watching: A Corgi Christmas Tale―is being immortalized in a more permanent form, published as a beautiful full color paperback book with dazzling artwork.

All net proceeds for these books (after printing and shipping) benefit CorgiAid. The books will be shipped beginning December 1, so pre-order now to guarantee you’ll have your copy before Christmas. Books ordered by November 15 will include a special bookplate, signed by the author herself. The books are only $20 each, which includes shipping, so order extras as gifts for all your animal-loving friends, young and old. International orders are $27 each.

Click HERE to order online or by mail.

Coming December 1st: A special two-week only eBay auction of the original artwork, created for The Watching: A Corgi Christmas Tale, by Evie Anderson, Kay Folk, Robert Holst, Kim Hundley, Chris Landers, Ginnie Mickelson, Diane Puntenney, Cindy Read, Cathy Santarsiero, John Scarinici, Christian Slade, and Barbie Sonnett.

Coming Soon: A limited edition series of holiday ornaments featuring original art created for The Watching: A Corgi Christmas Tale.

My Little House On The Prairie Birthday Surprise Weekend

A very excited phone call came on my birthday over the Summer from my friend Tracy who lives on the Jersey shore. She said not to make any plans over a certain weekend in September because I was 'hers.' By chance, she had just seen a postcard advertisement for the upcoming musical and that she and Kathy were taking me there for my birthday. Knowing how much I have always loved Little House on the Prairie, and that Melissa Gilbert would be playing "Ma" in the show, she knew I would love it. If you are a regular reader of this blog you may recall this post about my Little House envy. So John and Laura held down the fort (a.k.a. took care of the dogs and the house) so I could drive down on that Friday.

Kathy and Tracy

Tracy is the best cook I know.

One of my favorite things she makes is her blackened tuna with her

fresh pesto. Doesn't the breaded asparagus look just fantastic? They were.

She always makes everything look as good as it tastes. She

made the most of the last of the basil in the garden. Fresh mozzarella

salad with a touch more pesto. Mmmm.....

We also had some very delicious 20 year old port after dinner.

Our tickets were for the Saturday matinee. Kathy's friend, Dana, also came with us. She met us at the theater. She is really nice. It was so exciting to see Melissa Gilbert take the stage. The audience cheered. In our hearts she will always be Laura Ingalls, but after a few moments in character on the stage, she transformed into 'Ma.' At the curtain call when the young girl who played Laura came out with Melissa Gilbert side by side, we all got a little teary eyed.

We are such a sappy bunch. No, really, we are.

I adore little buttons so I had to buy these tiny pins after the show. And a hooded LHOP sweatshirt for my daughter. She loves it.

After the show we went to a really good Martini bar restaurant near the Paper Mill Playhouse.

These were our Martinis. Mine was a Flirtini (yum) and I had to taste Kathy's just because it was blue (I liked mine better) but I don't recall what the others were. But they must have been good because we had a few. The Martini menu was huge.

This is Tracy on the phone with my Mom at the restaurant, telling her all about the show.

Best friends do that.

Our very nice waiter took this photo of us. Toasting before dessert

with glasses of 30 year old port. I honestly don't recall ever having

port before but after all the port over that weekend,

I can tell you that I like it.

A lot.

Dana, Me, Tracy and Kathy

Everything we ordered was beautifully presented, fresh and delicious.

Like this shrimp with pea risotto....

and this delightful creme brulee....

After the perfect afternoon, we went back home and played Mexican Train Dominos (so fun) until the wee hours of the morning. And we laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

Thank you to my Tracy & Kathy for the most wonderful made-for-me weekend.

I love you both. xo xo xo -CS ^..^

P.S. The Little House On the Prairie Musical has a nice web page with a free downloadable PDF study guide if you click on 'learning center.' Great for homeschoolers, teachers or anyone who just loves pioneer days and Little House. Enjoy!

Special Birthday Girls

Here are a couple of photos from our Bailey's 13th birthday this month.

Can you find the corgi in this photo?

I can't believe she is 13 years old. Where does the time go? Her softly greying fur reminds me of how precious each day is with my sweet angel corgi girl. But when I look into her eyes I still see the same little puppy that stole my heart those many years ago.

Sometimes you just have to help yourself to more birthday cake.

"Betony" belongs to our friends Cindy Read and Nancy Boyd. Betony has a special place in the Santarsiero hearts as she has stayed with us many times. She is a snuggler and never forgets where the toys are. I had to put her in this 'glamour girl' frame because she looks like she is saying, "You KNOW I'm cute...!" Plus, even though she is spayed, for some reason all of the boys always buzz around her and find her irresistible. Betony is an amazing corgi. She has overcome many health challenges this year including losing an eye. (We think she should wear a sparkly eye patch and be a sexy pirate for Halloween.) Her spirit is amazing. Here are a couple of her 11th Barkday photos from this Spring.

Birthday dessert....yum....

Bailey and Betony....we love you with all of our hearts. xo xo -CS ^..^

Billy Ray Cyrus and The Charlie Daniels Band. Woot! Woot!

I just realized that I've got a few pics in my camera from the Summer that I can share with you. If you are a regular reader of this blog then you know how much I love Billy Ray Cyrus. Not only is he a wonderful musician and talent, but he is a genuinely nice person who 'gives back' which I love. He has always supported our troops and I was so excited when our kids gave us tickets to the Freedom Concert in Jackson, NJ because he was on that tour along with The Charlie Daniels Band, who we also love. The Mister and I have seen the CDB a few times before and they never disappoint. Always fun. I've never seen Michael W. Smith before and he was wonderful as well. Lots of talented musicians and interesting people at this show. The best part of it is that all of the money raised goes to the Freedom Alliance which provides scholarships for children of our troops who have been killed or seriously wounded in their service to our country. The show we went to at Six Flags had about an hour delay due to some equipment failure or something, so when it was Billy Ray's time to perform, the fireworks in the park had just begun and were incredibly loud and close. Inspired by the 'rockets red glare,' Billy Ray handled the situation with grace and started to sing The Star Spangled Banner which of course had the entire crowd on their feet. It was lovely. John and I stayed at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza overnight (the upside of earning all those points when going to dog shows...) and we had a really nice time. -CS ^..^

Munchkins

I have a thing for the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. She used to scare the bejeezus out of me when I was a little girl. She, along with the giant glowing wizard head in the Emerald City would cause me to watch with one eye peeping out from under a blanket. Now I have a little Wicked Witch collection. It started out as just the Wicked Witch of the West but now I seem to pick up any Witch here or there that strikes my fancy. My favorite is one that is a porcelain likeness of Margaret Hamilton in full makeup and in the most exquisite black layered dress and pointy hat. I love her. You can see her if you scroll down to my Halloween decorations from this post. I came across this recent interview of 5 of the remaining Munchkins from the Original movie. I love this clip. I love how they love the movie and how they loved Judy Garland. I hope you will enjoy it too. Scroll down on the left to my music playlist to pause it before playing the clip. Do watch it...or (insert wicked laugh) I'll get you my pretty....and your little dog, too! xo xo -CS ^..^

No More Corgis at Buckingham Palace? Say It Isn't So, Your Majesty!

Can it be so? Is it possible that it is the end of the Royal Line for the Queen's Corgis? Here's an article (including photo above) by Jane Dryer from the UK's Daily Mail Online today from a May article. Thanks to my friend Cyndi Rusakovitch for finding it! What do you think? The resident Corgis here are having a discussion as to why they do not get daily scones and their own Royal Footman. I smell mutiny. -CS ^..^

Furry Friends

Such little sleepyheads!

Have a lovely weekend, everyone! xo xo -CS ^..^

New York Lottery Sweet Million "Sleepy Time"

Is this the cutest commercial ever made or what? Just look at those little Corgi puppies in their pj's. And those little pigs! Be still my heart! xo xo -CS ^..^

Remember

The lesser known of New York's canine heroes, comfort dogs, such as this golden retriever, help soothe those affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Similar to search-and-rescue dogs, comfort dogs travel to disaster scenes to aid relief efforts. Studies show that people experience physiological changes—such as a drop in heart rate and blood pressure—when they pet animals.
(Photo shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Zip USA: 10013—After the Fall," September 2002, National Geographic magazine)
Photograph by Ira Block

Farmers Market Booty

The weather has been completely lovely here the past few days. Today was a perfect day to poke around the Farmers Market in Ridgefield, Connecticut. What a beautiful bounty of fresh, local fruits, veggies, baked goods, fish, honey, eggs, flowers, maple syrup and jams were to be found today! I love buying things from our local farmers. There is nothing like biting into a piece of sweet, crisp corn that was picked just a few hours earlier or freshly picked giant blackberries and peaches. I don't usually buy many baked goods in the stores, because I like to bake, but the things at the Farmer's Market are really yummy and too good to pass up. I did resist buying a sinfully delicious chocolate walnut pie that I did have a little taste of though. My daughter wanted a peach pie but they sold out so she got an apple pie instead. What did we buy? Let's see....corn, some basil, a couple of different eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, bee pollen and a little beeswax votive candle (I adore the smell of real beeswax candles!) molasses cookies, apple pie, a frosted scone (cranberry or citrus...I can't remember) a crumb bun, challah bread and another organic sweet delicious bread...hmmm.....I think that's it. Do you have a Farmers Market near you? I encourage you to stop in and buy some fresh delicious things from them. It is nice to get a smile from the person who actually grew the produce you are buying. You can see how proud they are of what they present. And well they should be! -CS ^..^

New Original Christmas Corgi Art Doll Ornament

A little belated treasure from Christmas In July, my lovelies. Now on Ebay! xo CS ^..^




*Sold!* More original ornaments and other goodies in the works! xo xo -CS ^..^

Happy Tasha Tudor Day!

Today, on her birthday, we remember and honor the life of our beloved Tasha Tudor. This image is from her book "A Time To Keep" for August. The quote at the top of the first page by Christine Rossetti reads, "My heart is like a singing bird." The page continues: "August brought your mother's birthday which we celebrated at night by the river. The table was set with birch bark plates and gourd drinking cups. There wee favors made from walnut shells and families of wooden animals in little baskets and meringues made in the shape of toadstools. But best of all-the birthday cake came floating down the river."

Happy Tasha Tudor Day to everyone who is celebrating the life of this American treasure today and keeping her memory and magic alive! xo xo -CS ^..^ p.s. visit Clarice's Storybook Woods blog for more Tasha Tudor day fun.

Breakin The Law

Scroll down and pause my music playlist to the left of the blog and turn up your speakers before playing this video! It is a riot. -CS ^..^

Another Star In The Sky Tonight

"Kelsey"

3/6/95-8/18/09

This morning, Mary Elizabeth had to say goodbye to Kelsey. Kelsey was the sweetest Corgi ever. Mother to our Indy and Hannah Banana and Grant, she was loved by all and brought little bits of sunshine wherever she went. Click here on our Reinwood Corgis pages, then to 'the girls' to see her in her younger days. Run wild and free, sweet Kelsey. We love you with all of our hearts. xo xo xo

Caught in the act.

Happy Saturday morning, my lovelies! Lest you think that the Reinwood Corgis and other critters (whether the ones who live here with me or with Mary Elizabeth) are always so well behaved, I submit to you evidence which is quite to the contrary.

Here is Mary Elizabeth's tale of woe last evening:

"Apparently during the night Shady the cat must have been playing with my pen that I left on the computer table. While playing it must have fallen onto the floor where Brazen got a hold of it and chewed it and then shared it with Hannah Banana; as the two were seen with the most obvious evidence...blue stains on paws and cheek! I am sure Shady the cat was laughing in the background as I scolded the dogs and cleaned up the awful mess!"

Such wicked, wicked little monkeys!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! xo xo -C ^..^

White House Puff Balls

I love cookbooks. I especially enjoy reading old cookbooks. My friend Steph stopped in the other night and brought me a fun book for my birthday. It is "The Original White House Cookbook 1887 Edition" Inside it says Cooking, Toilet and Household Recipes, Menus, Dinner-Giving, Table Etiquette, Care of the Sick, Health Suggestions, Facts Worth Knowing, etc. etc. A Comprehensive Cyclopedia of Information For The Home by Mrs. F.L. Gillette and Hugo Ziemann, Steward of the White House.

I'm having great fun with this book. Some of the recipes are a real doozy. Some of the recipes are so intense and things I would never eat in a million years. But some look very interesting, if you can translate them to today's cooking ingredients and measurements. My Mom was here a couple of days ago and as soon as I showed her the book she found this simple recipe for Puff-Ball Doughnuts and decided that we would make them. We didn't know what they meant by 'sweet milk' (we thought of all the sweet milks like condensed, etc) but then my daughter googled it and found that in the 19th century it simply meant whole milk. Perhaps there are other types of sweet milk that were intended but this is what we used for our doughnuts.

Here is the entire recipe.

It is actually written as a paragraph as most of the recipes in the book are:

Puff-Ball Doughnuts

"These doughnuts, eaten fresh and warm, are a delicious breakfast dish, and are quickly made. Three eggs, one cupful of sugar, a pint of sweet milk, salt, nutmeg, and flour enough to permit the spoon to stand upright in the mixture: add two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder to the flour; beat all until very light. Drop by the dessertspoonful into boiling lard. These will not absorb a bit of fat, and are not at all rich, and consequently are the least injurious of this kind of cakes."

So rather than use lard we used canola oil to fry them up. I didn't have any fresh nutmegs on hand so we used a pinch of cinnamon and a capful of pure vanilla. We used a pinch of salt also, since the recipe didn't specify. We decided that the next time we make them, we will drop them a bit smaller into the oil as they do puff up as they say. I think the size of a Dunkin Munchkin would be perfect with these. You want the oil to be very hot, that is why they do not absorb the oil. We thought that next time we might use a bit of cream with the milk and add more cinnamon or do the nutmeg instead. Rolling them in the sugars was a good idea. The only thing, we did not agree that they are not at all 'rich.' These are not light donuts. Your kids will want a tall cold glass of milk with these for sure.

So here is my Mom whipping up the puff balls. I made her wear one of Natalie's Tasha Tudor aprons while she was making these.

It just seemed like the required couture of the moment.

When they came out of the oil, we put them quickly on paper towel lined plates for a second or two and then rolled them immediately in either powdered sugar, granulated sugar or a combo of cinnamon and sugar.

Then my brother Gary and niece Hayley stopped by for a bit.
They were visiting for the week. My lovely Sister-In-Law Katy was shopping for a dress for a wedding. They live Los Angeles so I miss them.
A lot.

Here's our mom (Grandma Annie to our kids) giving Hayley some cheese.

Isn't she just the cutest princess ever?

Hayley loves her Daddy.

She thinks he is number one.

He's a fantastic Daddy, but he's still a nerd. (I'm supposed to say that,

he is my brother after all...)

xo xo

-Cathy ^..^

Shameless Sleepers and Weekend Adventures

My friend Stephanie came over last weekend and no sooner did she put down her bag then Skittles and Weebles decided it was the place to take a cat nap. Steph and I are actually related by catness. Our sons had rescued two kittens whose mother was hit by a car. She took one (Punky) and I took the other. Goku is ours, the big black cat (not in this photo) who looks like an eggplant from the back when he is sitting.

What a week it has been! My great aunt passed away. It is sad to see all of the old ones in the family say goodbye. The funeral was on Saturday which happened to be my birthday. It was good to see my cousins. Why is it that we don't realize how much you miss someone until you see them?

Later in the day, we did come home to have a little party complete with ice cream cake. My parents gave me the absolute coolest chandelier (it is wildly colorful) for my little studio. I promise I'll show it to you as soon as it is hung up.

Sunday, Mary Elizabeth and I left the house at the crack of dawn to bring a Corgi to Maryland who will be headed to Indiana by way of North Carolina. The weather was wicked. I expected to see Miss Gulch on her bike fly by. There was flooding on the roads and we arrived just in time to have a tornado warning on the radio telling us to get into a basement or under something. Yikes. When that passed, we headed home.I had my muck boots on, but Mary had to take off her socks and shoes to get through the water back into the van. We felt like we were on a log flume ride most of the time because of the way the van went through the water on the road. Then we hit the traffic from people coming home from the Jersey shore. Lots of cars pulled over on the sides of the road, lots of families and kids at the rest stops. At one of the rest stops, Mary Elizabeth opened up her cooler in the back of the van. She brought us a veritable feast! We had a picnic in the car with the rain pounding down. I think she practically brought the entire contents of her fridge with her. We made really good wraps in the car. Mine was fresh mozzarella, tomato, fresh basil, avocado and a spritz of vinaigrette. She even made fruit salad for us in two giant covered Pyrex bowls which we munched on in traffic.

My Brother, Sister-In-Law and niece flew in from Los Angeles too. I even got to spend some time with them on Sunday after the wild ride. My niece is getting so big, she is such a cutie pie, crawling all over the place.

So that was my weekend, my lovelies. How did you spend yours? xo xo ^..^

Here Kitty Kitty

Bridget thinks my new Hello Kitty toaster must be hers just because it is pink. She is such an imp. Doesn't she look like she's popping out of the toaster? Actually, the toaster makes a Hello Kitty face on the toast, if you toast it dark enough. And who couldn't use a little Hello Kitty on their toast? Well, maybe the Mister who just rolled his eyes when he saw it. But Laura and I love it anyway. And apparently, so does Miss Fancypants here. You know you want one.
xo xo -C ^..^

Corgi Art Ornaments!

The tiniest of Cardigan Welsh Corgis....

The tiniest of Pembroke Welsh Corgis!
2" x 2" painted on canvas original Christmas ornaments in the Etsy shop now.

Sleep well my Corgette friends. May visions of sugarplums dance in your heads. xo xo -Cat ^..^

*Sold! More ornaments on the work table. Stay tuned. xo -C ^..^

Ornaments tonight!

Shhh.....don't want to waken the mouser but had to pop in to let you know that more Christmas Corgi Ornaments will be in the shop tonight. 9:30 PM EST. Happy Sunday my lovelies! xo xo -Cat ^..^

We have a winner!

#12, Tanya! You win the "Hairy Pawter" framed tile! Email me christmascorgi@gmail.com

Thanks for your comments, everyone. Must go to bed. (yawn) xo xo Cat ^..^

Oh Harry, We Just Love Ya...

My daughter Laura and I are going to the 12:01 AM midnight/early morning showing of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince tomorrow night. We are very excited. We are big Harry Potter fans in our house. It is always fun to go to this first midnight showing of the film. People, mostly college kids, usually dress up in one form or other. Some wear Harry Potter glasses, or lightening bolt scars on their foreheads. Some dress in full Hogwarts robes and scarves (my daughter has an awesome one.) Some dress as specific characters from the series. Just hope you're not sitting behind the guy wearing the Sorting Hat. A few years ago I painted this denim jacket for my daughter. She informed me that she is wearing it tomorrow night. I thought I'd let Cinderella model it for you and show you a few photos. Cinderella is my affectionate name for the wire dress form in my studio that usually holds dog leashes and ribbons and any number of things around her neck.



The jacket is very glitzy, which is hard to see in the photo, sorry. Here's Hedwig on the back. Her name is in gold glitter at the top and she's wearing a rhinestone collar. Her wings and feathers have been accented with an icy sparkly glittery outliner. Her eyes have metallic gold accents.

This is the front of the jacket. There is a wand painted as if coming out of the pocket. The Phoenix Fawkes is painted in all his glorious color. He even has a puffy clear little tear running down his cheek. Glitter paint throughout his feathers. He's quite spiffy. The Marauder's Map is on the other side. Below it (hard to see in the photo) it says, "Mischief Managed" in a black/chrome/greenish glitter paint.

The top of the sleeve says, "Sirius was here" with pawprints and rhinestones around. Below it is a visitor's pass to Azkaban. Under that is a wicked Dementor (I wish the photo were better!) and it says "Expecto Patronum!" in glitzy letters.

And finally, the other sleeve has Harry's glasses with a golden snitch, all ready for quidditch.

Since it is Christmas in July, we need another giveaway around here while I'm finishing up the Christmas ornaments and goodies. In honor of Harry, I'll buy this "Hairy Pawter" framed tile from my shop and have it sent to the winner. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment at this post telling me one of your favorite characters from the books or films. Wednesday evening (July 15) I'll let the random number generator choose the winner.

Mischief managed. xo xo CS ^..^

Corgi Ornaments

As promised, here is the first of my Christmas ornaments for this year. Art for your tree! This ornament is 2" x 2" and is painted on a miniature canvas which has been wrapped on tiny wooded bars. The edges have been painted black which gives the same look as many of my gallery wrapped original paintings. This is an actual micro mini original painting for your Christmas tree! It has been signed and finished with a glossy varnish. In the shop now! xo -CS ^..^ **Sold! More on the work table. Stay tuned! xo xo Cat**

Hand painted Wooden Corgi Eggs...They're back!

Today in the shop I have listed my very popular solid wood 2" chicken sized eggs! Each one is lovingly hand painted to order. You can choose from the Corgis in the listing or send me a photo and I can paint your own wee beastie as one of my signature characters. They make really nice gifts and travel well as they are solid wood and won't break. They will bring joy for years to come!

Long time readers of this blog may recall this post from Christmas past when I was painting eggs by candlelight!

The eggs I paint are hand made in the USA and I really love their quality. I hope you will love them too!

So how did you celebrate the 4th of July? We went to a fantastic party with good friends. Mary Elizabeth came too. We had a really nice day. I made this cake (complete with a little picture decoration of Elvis.) My daughter and husband really liked it and it called for seven fresh eggs which I was happy to use up!

Tomorrow in the shop: original Christmas ornaments! xo -CS ^..^

Welcome To Christmas In July!

If you are one of the fans of The Christmas Corgi on Facebook, you know that starting today at 4:00 through July 26th we are celebrating Christmas in July!

But, first things first. The winner of the Sigg CafePress Water Bottle giveaway (chosen by random number generator at random.org) is commentor #22. "Lorie" And, Surprise! I've also chosen a second winner who will receive a 10 pack of note cards from the shop, commentor #6 "Corgi Dog Mama" !! If you would both email me at christmascorgi@gmail.com we can get your prizes on the way to you!

Now, for my Facebook Christmas in July friends:

I've decided to kick off Christmas in July by giving a signed art print of their choice from my Etsy shop to three winners. Randomly chosen as well, the Facebook Event winners are Michele Taylor, Chris Beam and "Buzzy Bear." I will contact you through Facebook so you can choose your signed art print!

Tomorrow at 3:00 PM EST I will have the first of my little ORIGINAL Christmas in July goodies available for sale in my Etsy shop. Throughout this month I will post some in Etsy and some on Ebay. If you are not familiar with Etsy, it is fun and easy! Simply visit my shop and there are links at the top to show you how to easily register and have fun browsing not only my shop, but all of the wonderful other artists and vendors at this awesome marketplace. It is like visiting an art show and craft fair without ever leaving home!

If you are on Facebook, do stop by and 'fan' The Christmas Corgi page. Please upload your Corgis and other critters to the page. The more the merrier! It is not too late to sign up as 'attending' this Christmas in July Event. I have a sneaking suspicion there will be more prize giveaways this month. It was the Corgis' idea. They love wrapping gifts. Especially the ones that include dog biscuits.

Thanks for stopping by! As the month unfolds, I hope something that pops off of my easel or out of my daydreams will tickle your funny bone and put a song in your heart. xo xo xo ....or "ho ho ho".....!!! -CS ^..^

Happy 233rd Birthday, America!

Now go out and celebrate!

Happy 4th! Huzzah! xo xo -CS ^..^

Of Whining, Skim Milk, and Surprises

I love to cook and I love to eat. I love chocolate. Good chocolate. And bread. I dream about bread. Really good fresh bread. These are just a couple of the reasons that I am my own worst saboteur when it comes to staying on a diet. I've read all the books, I've watched all the shows. It is just really hard for me. Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment. I've cancelled it three times already just to avoid the scale. My doctor isn't scary, in fact she's very cool. She specializes in weight loss and women's health. Last year, I had started a diet under her supervision. I was doing well, but then I went off of it and stayed off. Mistake number one. I should have hopped right back on that horse, but it was easier and more comfortable to stay in the old familiar place.

This time, I am going to try a more realistic approach. I've really thought about the times I am tempted to eat more than I need. My doctor had asked me to keep a journal last year before I started to diet. Now I understand why she wanted me to do this. It is a real eye opener. She had suggested that since I was adhering very strictly to my diet during the week that I might want to have one day where I could have a little splurge. I did not allow myself that back then. It was all or nothing mentality. I sabotaged myself. So now, I am going to be more realistic. I'm going back tomorrow (gulp) without an 'I want to lose x pounds by (insert date or occasion here) mentality. I am going to make realistic and smart changes and allow myself mini splurges or slivers of only things that are really worth the calories. I will not let a birthday party and a small piece of cannoli cake prevent me from going back on my diet the next day. I will not whine or feel deprived because of all the goodies around me. I will choose my goodies wisely, knowing there will always be goodies in the future. I can still bake and cook delicious things for my family, but I will sample them rather than wolf down enough for three grown men. I will make better choices and seek good substitutes for my old familiar downfalls. Like the whole milk or half and half in my coffee or cereal. This morning I used Skim Plus instead. I must say that it is not bad. Zero fat. Much better.

My Corgi club gave me an award at our Specialty show recently. I was so surprised. Anne Bowes told me that it is indeed a very special award as it is given by my peers. I am very grateful for receiving it. Carol Donnelly also received this award. I know she was as surprised as I was. So THANK YOU to Mayflower for this honor. I will treasure it. I've hung the lovely award in my little studio, which is still being organized. I must find out who did the lovely calligraphy. It is so pretty.

I want to have a little incentive to jump start my diet which includes drinking more water, so I will be ordering one of these new SIGG water bottles for myself from my CafePress store. Since giving is just as much fun (even more, really) than receiving, I want to share this gift with one of my readers. If you are feeling inspired to make healthier choices along with me (or you just want a cool Corgi water bottle) then leave me a comment on this post between now and July 4th, and on July 5th I'll let a random number generator pick the winner! If you're not a Corgi person then you can have a hedgie girl instead. I haven't seen this new product yet, so we will both get the surprise together.



Now, what to cook for dinner?....

xo xo

-CS ^..^

Corgi Grooming 101: Pretty Nails and Paws

Taking care of nails is an area that many dog owners are a bit afraid of. It is one of those things that you just need to jump in and do and the more you do it, the better you will get at it. Depending on the dog, it can be a one or two person job. Sometimes it is easier to have another person with you to hold the dog or, if you are holding it as Mary Elizabeth is holding this Corgi in the photo above, sometimes it is helpful to have another person nearby to hold another paw out of the way of the dremel or distract a Corgi with some peanut butter on a spoon. Some people train their dogs to lay down or stand on the table as they are having their nails done. Try different ways and positions and see what works best for you and your Corgi. The Corgi in Mary Elizabeth's lap is very used to having her nails done. She is comfortable and relaxed. Because her nails were a bit on the long side, Mary Elizabeth used a clipper to trim a bit of nail off before using the dremel. See how she is holding the nail up and the angle at which she is holding the dremel in order to easily file down the nail. She will move the dremel slightly to keep her sanding neat and even and remove any jagged or rough edges, making the nail even and with a slight softening or rounding of the edges so there are no sharp bits of nail. Her front paws are finished, and Mary Elizabeth is working on her back paws now. You can see the fur that needs to be trimmed. We went outside for this photo but if you want to try this position inside, it is helpful to rest your back against a wall with good lighting near an outlet for your dremel, unless of course you are using a cordless dremel.

Most dogs that come from a good breeder and have been home-raised are very used to having their nails done as those little nails grow quite quickly and they start getting cut after a couple of weeks so they don't scratch up their mother while nursing. This does not mean they enjoy having their nails done, but they learn to tolerate it. When nails are done properly and carefully, there is no pain for the dog. It is like cutting your own nails or cutting your hair. You will want to familiarize yourself with the anatomy of your dog's nails. The pink part is called the quick. **

You want to get as close to the quick as possible without nicking it and causing it to bleed. If the nails are very long, I would use a dog nail trimmer to clip off the tip before using the dremel. If you are afraid to do this, just start with the dremel. Commit to using it a tiny bit every few days and before you know it your Corgi will have nice short nails. Should you nick the quick, (yes, you can even nick it with the dremel) for heaven's sake, don't panic. A pin prick sized drop of blood is not cause for concern. It will usually just stop on its own. Should there be more blood oozing out from the nail, simply follow the directions on the styptic powder you have, usually putting a little pinch of it on the end of the nail and that should do the trick. If you don't have any, hold an ice cube at the end of the nail for a minute (it may still bleed) and then just apply pressure with a towel or tissue until it stops. Should you get any blood on your clothing, wet it with hydrogen peroxide right away and throw it in the wash with cool-warm water and detergent. Don't put it in the dryer until the blood is out or it will set. A bit of hydrogen peroxide (the kind for first aid again, not hair coloring!!) on a cotton ball will also remove any blood that may get on the white parts of her fur as well. A friend just cautioned that the hydgrogen peroxide made a 'light spot' on her pony where she removed a tick, so use your judgement for dark fur or your clothing (thanks, NJ :) !) **If you have a dog with black toenails (my Amy who is a Sable has alternating pink and black toenails!) you will need to just keep an especially careful eye and use your judgement as you will not be able to tell where the quick is by looking at the side of the nail. Stop the dremel every few seconds and look inside the nail. You will be able to see where the inside of the nail looks more 'tender.' Don't be afraid, just be careful. All will be well.

The more often you do your dog's nails, the further back the quick will recede, allowing you to get their nails shorter each time. If your dog's nails are clicking on the floor, they are probably a bit too long. Always take care of their nails in very good lighting, and I highly recommend wearing safety glasses to protect your eyes and perhaps even wearing a dust mask while using the dremel.

If your dog is freaked out by the dremel, you will need to start conditioning her and yourself so this routine that you will have to do for the rest of her life does not become a dreaded chore. Commit to a routine and a plan, start ever so slowly in baby steps with lots of treats. For the first day, just put your dog in whatever position you feel comfortable with to do her nails and just touch each paw, with the slight firmness you would use to expose each nail with your hand. Give her a treat and praise her. The next time, do it again, and then turn on the dremel but don't touch it to her paws. Treats and praise again. Do this for a couple of days so she equates the sound of the dremel with treats and praise. When you feel comfortable (you can do this!) just touch the dremel to the tip of one and only one nail. Treats and praise. The next day, go back to that first nail, touch it quickly again and then add the next nail. Do this every day, quickly and carefully sanding off a tiny sliver of nail and then give lots of treats and praise. Eventually you will build up the trust on her part and the confidence on your part to zip through all of the nails quickly and easily.

I want to warn you about the dremel. Whether you are using sanding bands or a sanding stone on the tip, before you use it on your dog's nails, quickly see what it feels like on your own. Our human nails are not as strong and thick as theirs, but you can feel how fast the grinding happens. You never ever want to overdo it or stay in one spot too long because the friction can burn and your dog will not forget it. Better safe than sorry. Be careful. Be firm but gentle. Hopefully your breeder has removed the 'dew claws' from your dog's paws. The dew claw (which would be a fifth claw up the side of the paw) should always be removed because if not, they can catch on things and cause real pain and bleeding. Should you have a dew claw, take special care to buff the edges smooth to try and avoid that scenario.

I have one dog who has had his nails done since he was a baby. He just does not like it. Never did, never will. He is a pip. Same one who never likes to take a bath. It takes a village to groom this dog. Seriously, Mary Elizabeth and I have to brace ourselves with a mocha frap from Starbucks before tackling his nails. If you have a dog that is like this, you may want to have a soft 'velcro' muzzle on hand just to keep him from trying to bite the dremel. You can try using something like rescue remedy or one of the natural flower essences( http://www.floweressencesforanimals.com/ ) before doing the nails (I like "Thunderstorms" for phobias flower essence for this purpose) and then Pet ETS (Emergency Trauma Solution), to re-set her sense of well being immediately after. Tell Nancy I sent you. She is an expert on flower essences and is very nice to speak with. She will point you in the right direction should you wish to give these a try. I personally highly recommend them for any dog that has issues such as this.

I have other dogs who will simply lay there with their head on my shoulder, and give me each paw as if they are in a spa getting a mani-pedi. Go figure. You can just do your best to try and train them and make them as calm and used to this as possible. It takes time, but it is so worth it. You will save money by not going to the vet or groomer every couple of weeks and you will be able to get their nails shorter and nicer looking because most vets and groomers just use a clipper and not a dremel for a polished look.

You will want to keep the paw fur trimmed. This is really the only scissoring that need be ever done on a Corgi. For this (as noted in my previous grooming post) I refer you to the photos in Debbie Harper's book. We want a nice, neat oval paw on a Corgi. Note the excess fur on the top left photo before fur and nail trimming. Note the nice neat underpad of the paw after trimming in the top right photo and the nice, correct oval shape in the bottom left photo. In the bottom right we can see the incorrect result of over scissoring and trying to trim in between each toe. You can even use a mini shaver to buzz off the fur at the bottom of the paw, taking care not to go up too far. Remember the old adage: measure twice, cut once. Well, there is really not much measuring going on here, but you know what I mean. And if you over-scissor while you are learning, don't worry. It is fur. It grows back. You may find it easier to trim some of the fur before you do their nails in order to get it out of your way. You may click on the photo to enlarge it if you like.

Keeping your Corgi's nails groomed is not only important to look spiffy, but it is important to her health as well. Overly long nails can affect the way they move and throw their gait out of wack and cause a 'splayed' out foot. Extremely neglected nails can curl under, be difficult and painful to train back. If you regularly leash walk your Corgi on concrete or sidewalks, she may have shorter nails than a Corgi who spends most of her time on the grass. So there's a little added bonus for walking your dog. You both get a little exercise and less time doing nails! With a little regular care, nails are really not a big deal to keep up with.

While we were outside at Mary Elizabeth's house taking this photo, curious Kaizey popped her head up in the window to see what was going on.

Then Emma decided to join Kaizey to see for herself what was going on out there.

Both were happy to be observers rather than nail demonstrators that day.

My last post in this Corgi Grooming 101 series will keeping your Corgi healthy and spiffy from the inside, out.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend my lovelies! -CS ^..^

Remembering Tasha Tudor

Today is a year since her passing. It is an easy day for me to remember as it is also my wedding anniversary! Let's remember Tasha today by having a cup of tea in her honor, shall we? I imagine that she is in heaven having tea with Beatrix Potter, surrounded by all of the Corgis and critters that have gone before her. I have no doubt that she has been put in charge of tending the garden at the pearly gates. And what a garden it must be! Take Joy, everyone! xo -CS ^..^

Stalking Hedgies

I just received word that my Fashionista Hedgie gal has been featured by Violet, one of the curators over at the awesome Etsy Stalker. Being one who loves to show off her latest bag, Hedgie was happy to oblige. She started to write a proper Thank You note to Violet and Doris but realized there was a shoe sale at Bloomingdales and just scurried out in a taxi with my Visa. I'm going to have to have a little chat with her upon her return.

Have a happy day my little Corgettes! xo xo -CS ^..^

New Original Corgi Art!

Here's my latest original painting.
It is called, "A Christmas Corgi Bodacious Bone Bonanza"

Here's a sketch I did pre-painting. I am always intrigued at what process my fellow artists use when they are creating a new piece. Sometimes I sketch and plan. Sometimes I just dive right in with a juicy brush. This intricately detailed painting was a definite sketch and plan piece. A keen eye will notice details in the finished piece that were not in the original concept. They just develop as I go. How do you work when you create something? Are you a sketcher and planner or a diver who jumps right in?

I just listed it on Ebay. Pop over and take a look at the listing to see
more details about the painting by clicking the Ebay link below.
Happy Monday my little Corgettes! xo xo -CS ^..^

Sold! Thank you! More goodies in the works....CS ^..^

Corgi grooming 101: The Corgi Coat

If you go to a dog show and watch the breeders and handlers grooming their dogs, you will quickly discover that there are about as many different techniques and products being used as there are Corgis. A correct Corgi coat should lie flat. Should your Corgi have a bit of a wave or cowlick to get down, it can take a bit of creativity to get that flat. Unless you are bringing your Corgi into the show ring, you probably won't be too concerned about getting those cowlicks or waves down. Showing or not, it is still fun to keep your Corgi looking clean and spiffy. So to continue with my little basic grooming series, let's move on to combing and brushing.

For some of this, I will refer to Deborah Harper's book "The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi." Sadly, this book is out of print but you can sometimes find a copy on eBay. It has a wealth of information as well as interesting back history and bloodlines that have had their mark on our breed. Maybe if we all beg Debbie she will tell her publisher that it is time for an updated version. I'd be first in line to buy it. Debbie is not only a lovely friend but an awesome mentor. I always learn so much from her and it is most comforting to know she is always there when puppies are about to be born. The Tasha Tudor illustration above, the black and white photos for correct paw fur trimming which will be in my next post as well as quoted material from her book is used here with permission. The color photos were quickly taken over the weekend by Mary Elizabeth and I.

Debbie writes: "We start at the back end of the dog, at the very bottom of his pants, and work up over his back and sides to the front and end with the chest coat. An English fine comb or a natural bristle brush is used, and the coat is worked from the skin out in the direction the hair grows. Be careful not to scratch the skin as you work. With a dense undercoat, only a very small section can be done at a time. Grooming the coat in this manner will get the undercoat and guard hairs all going in the same direction and will give a smooth, even, rich appearance to the coat. If the coat is full of static electricity, making it difficult to handle because of the flyaway hairs, dampen the coat slightly with a fine spray of water as you work. After all your efforts are done, the dog will give himself a good shake, letting you know he prefers to go dressed his own way..."

What Debbie describes above is what is referred to as 'line combing.' As in the photo below, you will use your hand to hold back the fur above the small line or section of fur that you are about to comb out, toward the natural direction the fur grows, then dropping another small approximate inch of fur while holding the fur above that new section up and proceeding the same way.
The first time you do this combing will probably be the most time consuming part of the entire grooming process. With regular combing and brushing, it will get quicker and easier as you practice. Once or twice a year, expect to have a pretty big shedding which will take a bit more time to handle.

Here is a Corgi who is slightly shedding, before line combing. You can lightly spritz the entire coat with water and using a pin brush, Mason Pearson or your comb, back brush the coat in the direction opposite the way it grows so it sort of sticks up or out and then work on each section as described above.

Hold up the fur with one hand and then comb in the direction the fur grows, inch by inch, with the other hand.
The coat after line combing.
Some people train their dogs to lie down quietly on their sides as they are being groomed or combed out. I spent the day at Sue Jacob's (artist extraordinaire) painting yesterday (but that will be show and tell for another day's post!) Sue started grooming Corgis back in her days as a junior handler. Her dogs always look beautifully groomed. Sue gave me a few tips to share with you. She put Liat (her cuddly handsome sable boy) on his side and he was very happy to lay there for his pampering. After bathing, Sue towel dries the dog well and then after about 20 minutes starts the blow drying process. While blow drying, she is using her comb or pin brush (never one with 'balls' on the end, as she feels it tears the coat, but rather one like I described in my earlier post) and works through the fur in the direction of the coat. She starts with the dog laying down on his side, working around the turn of stifle, sort of line combing from the belly, up to the top. In addition to using a greyhound comb, Sue sometimes likes to use an even finer, almost a 'flea' comb as well as a soft slicker brush on each section as she goes along. After doing the sides, the dog stands up and she works the line from the tail to the head and around to the chest in the same manner.

There should be no scissoring or trimming of the Corgi anywhere on his coat other than on the pads of her paws in order to create a nice clean oval foot, which I'll share with you in the next post.

I've received all of your emails that you are printing out this little basic Corgi grooming series. As soon as I'm finished (we still have basic nail grooming, etc.) I will try and put them all together into a free downloadable file for you as soon as I figure out how to do it. If anyone would like to spare me the time trying to figure it out, do send me an email at christmascorgi@gmail.com and I will be most grateful.

Still to come: Pretty Paws and Nails and getting that Corgi coat healthy from the inside, out.

xo xo -CS ^..^

American Idol

What an awesome finale show! I must say that Kris won me over a bit last night but Adam Lambert has been my favorite since the beginning. Here's a little Corgi tribute to his fantastic performance. I'll be in line for your first CD! -CS ^..^
p.s. Corgi grooming posts to continue shortly!

Be Careful What You Wish For, and a Quick and Delicious Soup.

Every day I would go outside, hoping that one of the chickens would lay an egg. Now they are laying consistently and I find myself with a plethora of eggs! I'm not complaining, though :) Does anybody have a few good egg recipes? I have a bread recipe that uses a dozen eggs (truly, it does) so I may have to dig that one out.

I have to say I am amazed at what lovely eggs they are blessing us with. This is a rather large stoneware bowl. It is the old Mayflower Corgi Club pottery pasta bowl. I'd say the eggs would be sized as 'large.' It seems like it took such a long, long time for them to start laying. Has anyone else ever had hens that didn't lay until they were almost a year old? I understand they should have started when they were about 6 mos. old for this breed, the Silver Laced Wyandottes. Oh well, late bloomers I guess. Maybe just the long dark Winter.

I love a good home made soup, especially chicken soup. Some people call chicken soup with little meatballs Italian Wedding Soup. We just call it chicken soup around here since the little meatballs are a given. There is mutiny amongst the ranks when I don't include them. There are nights when I feel like having soup but just don't want to spend hours cooking stock and taking chicken off of the bones. I still want something healthy, delicious and nutritious to feed my family, however. Here is my quick and lighter chicken soup recipe. It needs a name. Since it is quick and easy and usually made on the spur of the moment, How about Cathy's Italian Elopement Soup or maybe Cathy's Shotgun Wedding Soup? :) It is quick because I use store bought stock or your own stock you have in the freezer, boneless chicken breasts, dried herbs and spices from the pantry and you don't cook the pasta separately. The most time consuming part is making the little meatballs.

Ingredients:

• 1 large can (48 oz) of College Inn Light & Fat Free 50% less sodium Chicken Broth


• approximately 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts, either thin sliced or split are fine, cut into bite sized pieces. (*hint: do you have a kitchen scissors? After washing the chicken, you can use your scissors to cut it into small pieces quickly and right over the pot! These scissors should be washed thoroughly before and after use and only used for cooking)


• 1 pound of fresh carrots, peeled, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces


• 5 or 6 ribs of celery, washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Include some of the tender light green ones from the center, including the light tender leaves.


• 2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 pound of the leanest ground beef
• 1/2 cup of flavored or seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese (better cheese makes better meatballs) and more for topping the soup later.
• 1 fresh egg
• milk (you can substitute water)
• one 8 oz. can tomato sauce

• Spices and seasonings: dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt and ground black pepper


• 12 oz. small egg bow-ties pasta


• fresh cold water

Put chopped carrots, celery, and onion in a large soup pot. Add enough water to cover veggies with about 4 inches extra. Cover the pot. Bring to a boil on high flame and then lower the flame to a low-medium boil. Keep the lid slightly ajar so you don't boil over. While the veggies are gently cooking, get started on your meatballs.

Miniature soup meatballs: You will need a medium saucepan and a colander. In a bowl, combine one fresh egg, breadcrumbs, grated cheese (I sometimes add more cheese than 1/2 cup, but do what you like!) about 1 tablespoon of dried parsley flakes, a pinch of dried basil, oregano, salt (if desired) and black pepper with about 1/8 cup of milk. Mix well and add the ground beef. Mix with a spoon and then continue mixing with very clean hands. Form the mixture into little bite sized meatballs. Put them into the medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until done, approximately 10 minutes. They will turn a dark greyish color. Check to make sure there is no pink left inside. Drain them in a colander and rinse with clear fresh water. Sounds crazy, but the rinsing really removes the fat. Drain.

After about 10 minutes (it will take longer than this to do your meatballs so keep an eye on the veggies.) Add your chicken broth, tomato sauce, chicken, about a tablespoon each of dried basil, oregano and parsley flakes, about 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and a good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. We want to cook the chicken here. Check it in about 20 minutes or so. Keep the soup pot on a very low simmer while you are finishing up your meatballs. *Variation note: if you have it on hand, and if you like it, you can add a few handfuls of chopped fresh escarole here. Once the meatballs are cooked, rinsed and drained, add them to the soup. Continue simmering for about 10-15 minutes. The soup should look a bit 'watery' at this point but will come together after you add the pasta. If you think you've boiled out too much liquid, you can always add a bit more water and a chicken boullion cube or a small can of chicken broth if you have it, but as long as there is enough liquid to cook your pasta, I would leave it alone. This is a hearty soup.

Raise the flame to create a good medium boil and add the box of tiny egg bows. Cook for about 7 minutes and turn off the flame. The soup is ready! Serve with freshly grated cheese and some fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste.

Do ahead tip: You can chop all of your veggies and make your meatballs in the morning, and refrigerate them until you start your soup for dinner. As I said, the meatballs take the most time, but they are so worth it!

Give it a try. Bonus? It is even better the next day and freezes well. Let me know how it goes over at your house. -CS ^..^

Happy Mother's Day!

I had picked this shelf up at a tag sale on our street months ago, thinking it was just tall and skinny enough to fit on one of the walls in my studio. For Mother's Day, my daughter painted it in the blue that I painted these drawers (the ones with the red rick-rack and toadstool looking knobs.) Actually, the color you see in this photo on the shelves is more true to what the color really looks like. Slowly but surely my little studio will get done.
She did a fantastic job and I love the way it turned out. Thank you, Laura! I love you my sweet and beautiful girl, with all of my heart. xo xo

Here is Amy Rose who joins me in wishing all Mothers everywhere a lovely Mother's Day! xo xo -C ^..^

Cathy's Corgi Grooming 101: Drying Your Corgi

Blow drying:

So you've got your baby out of the tub. She's nice and clean with no soap residue, right? Right. If you have a grooming table with an arm, set your Corgi on the table and slip the noose over her head, securing it lightly with the little tightener that slides up and down. You remembered to attach the safety release, yes? You don't want to make the noose too tight. Our goal is to train her so she knows that when it is grooming time we stand on the table and don't try to jump off and run. It is your job to make her feel safe and secure. It is your job to never leave her for even a second alone on the table. If you have forgotten something or need to get the phone, wrap her in a towel and carry her with you. It is better that you get wet and hairy than to risk her safety.

Now we need to start drying that coat. If she has blown her coat and is practically naked, then obviously the drying process will go a little quicker because you are not dealing with undercoat. If she is in full glorious coat, the drying process will take some time. Either way, I do not recommend letting your Corgi 'air dry.' A Corgi is a double coated breed. The lovely coat that offers them a bit of protection from the weather, also helps to hold in all of that water once they do become wet, like after a bath or a swim. Especially in humid weather, it can take a long, long time for a coat to completely dry and the moisture can cause it to smell sort of 'mildewy' or 'wet doggy' which you can prevent. Also, if you put your dog in a crate to dry with a towel, you will have a very wavy, dented 'bed head' looking coat that can take many washes to remove. With proper grooming, you can train the coat to lay flat and look pretty.

After a good brisk rub with the clean dry towel and the ears have been cleaned, (see previous grooming post) I usually just run my greyhound comb over and through the coat quickly before I start blow drying. It may feel like your comb is gliding through easily and that you have done your job combing, but trust me. You have not begun combing yet. The best thing to dry your Corgi with is a forced air dryer. If you do not have one, you can use your regular blow dryer, but please, put it on warm or cool setting if you have it and always keep a finger between the dog's coat and the dryer so you are aware of how hot it is. I usually start by blowing the water off of the coat from the back of the head and work my way toward the rear. If you have a forced air dryer with no heat, you can put the nozzle right on the coat and with the nozzle facing toward the rear so the fur is blowing in the direction it grows and slowly blast off the water. Keep doing this for a few minutes. You can blow the fur in the other direction every now and again just to make sure that you are getting the roots dry but try and generally keep the nozzle pointed toward the rear to train the coat to lay in the right direction.

If you are using a regular (hot/warm air) blow dryer, you want to do the same thing, but do not put the dryer so close to the fur. You can damage it really quickly, not to mention burn your dog. Be careful and pay attention. Next, I go back and forth on the sides of the dog. I usually blow in little 'circles' around the shoulder and upper arm and around the turn of the stifle and thigh muscles. Do both sides. Go to the front of the dog and starting under his chin, start blowing the fur. I usually go up and down between his front paws all around his chest. I don't worry about blowing in the direction of the fur on the chest. If we puff it up a bit, all the better. It will fall back down naturally on its own as it dries and calms down. Lift each leg and get under those arms. Rub the fur with your fingers, really get it nice and dry under there, gently pulling the fur down toward the feet as you do. Run the dryer across the belly gently. Rub with your hands as you dry, gently pulling the 'fringe' down with your fingers. Go to the inner thighs. Be especially careful around their private parts. If you have an intact male, never use heat in this area as you can render him temporarily sterile. Even if he is neutered, be careful. Girls too, it is a sensitive area.

Lift and dry each foot and go up a bit further to dry the hocks. Keeping him on a dry towel as you work will help dry his feet as you go as well. Let's work on the rear. After drying the hocks, start drying the pants. If you have a Cardigan, hold up the tail and work on the pants a bit. You can dry in circular motion, spreading the fur outward to fluff them up a bit as you dry them, taking care not to push up the fur on top of the nub (for a Pem) because we want to create a nice flat back. If you have a tail, start close to the body and work your way, back and forth down the length of the tail. Try and pull the 'fringe' of the tail down and out as you dry it so it looks like a lovely feather.

Turn off the dryer for a few minutes. You may think your dog is dry, but chances are she is still wet underneath. This is a good thing! It means you have a luscious undercoat and the coat is doing its job. Let's quickly comb the dog again, head to tail, sides, chest, pants. Start the drying again. Let the air lift and separate the coat down to the roots and then push it back in place again. You can start using your pin brush now as you continue drying, brushing along the airstream of the dryer. If you are working with a hot blow dryer, do hit it with a 'cool shot' if you have that button for the last few minutes of drying to help close the hair shaft and prevent breakage.

We want to make sure the undercoat is completely dry to the roots before we start combing. It is OK for the topcoat to be a bit damp, in fact during regular daily or weekly combing and brushing you never want to comb a dry coat. Always keep a fine mist spray bottle of cool water with your comb and brush so you can lightly spritz before combing. It will encourage new growth and protect the lovely fur from damage.

Upcoming grooming posts: Line combing/brushing, nails and coat maintenance from the inside, out.

Still with me?-CS ^..^

Keep Calm and Carry On.

What do you do when you have a million things that need doing? Because I have so many things that I like to do and that need doing (like work and daily chores) I can easily slide into a state of chaos faster than you can say Corgi pants. Add to the mix something that is worrisome or a situation that I keep mulling over in my head or am anxious about and I can freeze like a deer in the headlights and easily bring my entire day to a standstill, accomplishing nothing. When I have lots to be done, I like to make a list for the day. I'm a big list maker. Somehow, the act of writing down my 'to do' list frees my head up to think about the task at hand.

Some days my list can go on and on. Not even if I were a super woman robot could I ever accomplish everything on that long list. But I still make it. It helps me to put things into perspective. At the very top of the list, I write down whatever has been heavy on my heart and could cause me to worry. So I have my list. Then what? I take that first thing at the top and pray about it. I promise to do what I can about what I can, and put the rest into God's hands. Then, I take a good long hard look at the list and find the one thing that I've been dreading or putting off and make that number one. I make it the first task to get out of the way and number the rest of the list by priority for that day.

From there, I just start chipping away at my list, one task at a time. I know I can get a lot done, just not all at the same time. One foot in front of the other, one task at a time, what needs to get done gets done. What doesn't get done will have to wait for another day.

I love the vintage WWII British "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster. I think what makes it so appealing to so many people is just that. It reminds us to stay calm and keep going. Take care of your loved ones and yourself and keep priorities in perspective. Keep moving calmly and purposefully from task to task and things will get done.

Have a happy day my lovelies. Carry on. -CS ^..^