Barktoberfest is this weekend!

This Saturday we're supporting a great cause: Friends of Homeless Animals! Check out Barktoberfest, a benefit for the group's programs in Northern Virginia. The event is scheduled from noon to 6 in Sterling; if it rains, head out on Sunday instead. If you're a pet lover I hope you'll make the effort to attend!

Let Sleeping Dogs Snore

This Weekend: The Craftsmen's Classic in Chantilly, VA

Join Bella Fiori Glass Studio at the Craftmen's Classic in Chantilly, VA, this weekend. The show is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Dulles Expo Center. Get a coupon for $1 off and get more information about the show on the Craftsmen's Classic website.

The Bread Bandit

I should know better by now.

When I got home with groceries today, I put away the cold stuff, put the rest of the bags on the counter, and then let Paddington out of his crate. After taking him out (still on his leash, poor boy), I brought him into the kitchen to hang out while I finished putting the groceries away. He made a dash for the bag I missed on the kitchen floor, which of course was the bag containing the loaf of bread.

You see, there is a history of bread stealing in this home. We discovered early that Paddington has a soft spot for a good loaf of bread. His antics when evading us with a loaf stolen from a bag of groceries are legendary around Bella Fiori Glass Studio. He darts and weaves, runs and hides with his treasure. Usually within seconds the bag is ripped open and the bread is ruined by puppy drool.

So today, when he grabbed the excess plastic from the top of the bread package and pulled it free of the bag, I shot into action. Luckily he couldn't get more than a couple of steps because of the leash tying him to the kitchen sink. I grabbed him with one hand and the bread with the other. Baked goods saved! It seems all he was able to do was step on it once. Phew.

As I scolded him for his boldness, he didn't seem to care that he was in trouble. He showed only a slight sense of annoyance that his bread was stolen from him.

The best and worst part was that when he began to pull that loaf from the bag, his face was alight with delight. It's difficult to be mad at a dog with that much joy for life.

Upcoming Events in the DC Area

Cady and Paddington aren't able to attend these events themselves, but their artwork will be there!

October 3-4
Potomac Country House Tour & Crafts Festival
St. Francis Episcopal Church, Potomac, Maryland
http://www.potomaccountryhousetour.org

October 6
NIST, Gaithersburg, MD
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/maps/nistmaps.html

October 10
Women’s Club of Bethesda Craft Fair
Bethesda, Maryland
http://www.bethesdawomansclubmd.com/

October 11
World of Montgomery Festival
Wheaton, MD
http://www.worldofmontgomery.com/

October 16-18
Craftsman Classic Arts & Crafts Festival
Dulles Expo Center, Chantilly, Virginiahttp://www.gilmoreshows.com/craftsmens_classics_chantilly_fall.shtml

October 24
Barktoberfest, a benefit for Friends of Homeless Animals
Melodee Music, Sterling, Virginia
http://www.foha.org/

November 4
NIST, Gaithersburg, MD
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/maps/nistmaps.html

November 13-15
Northern Virginia Christmas Market
Dulles Expo Center, Chantilly, Virginia
http://www.emgshows.com/a_nvcm.htm

November 21-22
Mayfield Market
Connelly School of the Holy Child, Potomac, MD
http://www.holychild.org/

November 22
Temple Sinai Chanukah Mart
Temple Sinai, Washington, DC
http://templesinaidc.org

December 5-6
Town of Leesburg Holiday Fine Arts & Crafts Show
Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, Leesburg, VA
http://www.leesburgva.gov/index.aspx?page=574

Water Aerobics

Paddington's recovery from surgery continues on track with the newest adventure: water aerobics! The four of us packed up for the ride to Annapolis Junction and VOSM. Paddington's first session on the water treadmill was short and sweet, which he appreciated. He did 3 minutes, took a break, then did another 3 minutes.

It took him some time to get used to the water climbing up his legs. Some corgis love water; he proved that he doesn't. Here he's begging that the vet help him escape:

Once the tank was filled to the proper height, he got his sea legs:

The big pink floatie keeps him from stepping too far forward and off the treadmill set into the center of the floor of the tank (which he managed to do a couple of times, the little cheater).

Usually he's such a happy boy, but today he was begging for help:

Don't the eyes say it all?

Of course his sister showed no mercy. All she cared about were the treats I was using to bribe our reluctant fish-dog:

Before long he was done and the vet drained the water from the tank:

I thought the session passed quickly, but he didn't agree. Here he seems quite traumatized: "Mommy, please promise it's over!!"

Ahhhh.... He was so relieved to be dry. He loves getting toweled down (and he made sure to shower us with watery love as he shook himself).

All in all, it was a good session, and he's spent most of the day sleeping since we got home. Next week hopefully he'll get to go more time and build up more muscle. The more he builds, the sooner he can leave his leashly shackles behind. Freedom!

And throughout it all, Cady just laughed an evil laugh:

She's such a loving, caring sister.

Bella Fiori on Facebook!

We are now on Facebook! Check us out at:
facebook.com/BellaFioriGlass

Please become a fan and help us spread the word.

Best and Worst

One of the best things about working from home is being with the dogs all day. One of the worst things about working from home is being with the dogs all day. Sigh.

Don't get me wrong, I adore these furry little critters. They make the sun shine. But it's no fun to be barked at (with an ear-splittingly piercing bark) whenever We don't get what We want. And We seem to think that I'm here solely for Our amusement.

It has gotten easier since Paddington has been given clearance to have more, and longer, walks. He can now do 2-3 a day for at least 20 minutes, working up to 30+, with some trotting. Don't tell him he wasn't supposed to be trotting before; he doesn't care about silly things like rules.

Cady is happier with all the walks, too. She loves to nap, but exploring the neighborhood's scents is a close second. What can be better than a good, deep nap fueled by dreams of the latest sidewalk stinks? And she does seem to be dreaming more now that she's walking more again. Last evening her dream was so enthusiastic that she yipped loudly enough to wake Paddington, who started at her groggily for a moment before dropping back to sleep himself.

One day in the not-t00-distant-future, Paddington will again be able to be a normal dog. He'll be able to walk, trot, and run around the house with abandon. We won't have to keep him calm and walking to and fro. He'll be able to launch himself past the final steps down the staircase without fear of tearing his newly healed shoulders. Well, not really -- we'll probably always be terrified when he abuses his body. But at least he'll be happy.

Celebrate Gaithersburg

This coming Sunday I'll be at the Celebrate Gaithersburg Festival:
http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/celebrate/09/home.html

Starting Wednesday they're forecasting days of rain -- except for Sunday! I hope it remains true. The weather is such an important variable for outside events. Let me tell you, you haven't lived until you've felt the terror of spending two days in a wind-whipped tent, praying that the glass you've spent hours laboring over won't be knocked over and shattered. Sure, when you're outside, the advantage is that you can drive right up to your space -- it's a decadence to pull a table out of the car and set it up just a few feet away. But when you're inside, the weather doesn't matter as much (your worries become people who don't recognize that their backpack, the purse they've shoved behind their elbow, or their bulky coat is swinging into everything behind them). Soon the lovely weather of fall will bring community centers and expo halls.

I'm also working to find office buildings that bring in outside vendors for shopping days in the Washington, DC area. If you know of any, please pass that info along!

The Road to Recovery

Paddington is doing well! His hobbles, the braces that hold his shoulders in place, are scheduled to come off on Wednesday. Hurray! After the hobbles come off, we step back a bit to build up his muscles without the braces. Eventually he'll be back to normal. We just have to be careful not to injure him again while building his muscles back up.

Sadly, I do expect him to hurt himself sometime soon -- he's so goofy and plays like a crazy man. Wish us luck!

Dogs in Glass -- What Do You Think?

I love dogs, and I love glass. Hence, I love to make dogs in glass. I lean toward small plates that are easy to display. What do those of you who are dog people think? Small plates with dogs? Or larger pieces? Literal images of dogs, or more cartoony fun representations? Do you think women would want pendants with images of dogs? I appreciate your help! :)

8 Weeks Down!!!

Today Paddington had his 8-week checkup. The good souls at VOSM said that he's doing very well! They were finally able to check his shoulders and he had pretty good extension in both. Now we have to build him back up without hurting him. This is easier said than done, given his enthusiasm for life. At least he can go on short walks -- those have made his day, and made him less likely to explode.

And throughout it all, in true corgi diva fashion, Cady couldn't care less (except for the increased attention heaped on Paddington).

The Vet: A Corgi's Best Friend

When the Bella Fiori corgis aren't making fine glass art, they're finding ways to necessitate trips to the vet's office.


Cady gets frequent ear infections, which seems odd to me -- wouldn't ears this big and open be well ventilated? Apparently not.




Paddington leads the way with frequent vet miles. We got him (at a little over a year old) in July 2008. Since then we haven't gone more than 3 1/2 weeks without a trip to the vet. By the end of 2008 he'd had whip worm, ring worm, skin allergies, a urinary tract infection, and rocky mountain spotted fever. In October he started limping on both front legs. The normal vet couldn't find the problem, so in January we took him to the ortopedic specialists at VOSM in Maryland. A few months of rehab didn't work so 6 weeks ago he had surgery on both front shoulders. Since then he's been wearing hobbles, which are front-leg braces that inhibit any shoulder movement while he's healing.

The first couple of weeks home after surgery he had to wear a lampshade to keep him from getting into his stitches. He hated it! So, the vet tech suggested putting a t-shirt on him. Behold, tennis-action Paddington!

As cute as he looked, it wasn't meant to be: the shirt kept bagging down and he'd trip on the sleeves, which is not the greatest movement for a dog who just had shoulder surgery. He did look super-cute in his shirt, though.

For a total of 8 weeks he has to keep his shoulders as immobile as possible. We do daily exercises on his elbows, knees, and toes (knees and toes) to keep them healthy while he's wearing the hobbles, but the shoulders are outta luck for 8 long, long weeks. Can you imagine keeping a 2-year-old corgi inactive for 8 weeks? Let's think about that a moment. How long is 8 weeks exactly? Two months! Fifty-six days! Oye. Sadly, Paddington does not speak English, so it's been a challenge explaining this to him. As he's felt better every day he's tried to be more and more active. So, we've had to crate him or tie him to a handy piece of furniture. Most of the last 6 weeks have been spent with his new best friend, the coffee table. (It's a love-hate relationship.)

Today Paddington had his 6-week checkup, and he's doing pretty well! I was worried because he started limping on his front left leg, which is the one where the surgery was more intensive. The vet thinks that he's limping because he's got a lot of muscle tension in that shoulder. Phew! Now just 2 weeks to go until we can start shoulder stretches and they can check that his shoulders healed properly. Six weeks down, two to go!

We just can't wait until he's fully healed and he can resume his normal routine of fetch and zommies.

Nicknames

The Bella Fiori corgis are so cute that one name per dog just isn't enough. Their nicknames are many: Little Girl, Little Cutie, Mr. Wigglebutt, Teddy Bear Boy, Ms Stinky Breath, Silly Girl, Big Head Boy... What are some of your dogs' nicknames?

Vegecorgians?

Normally the pups, especially Paddington, want to eat anything that I'm eating. They are corgis, after all. But neither of them showed any interest in the vegetarian Morningstar Farms Chick'n Nuggets that I just ate for dinner. Is this a sign that canines are fundamentally carnivores? Or is it a commentary on foods spelled without vowels?

Art in August: Frederick, MD

Bella Fiori Glass Studio will be selling at Art in August in Frederick, MD on August 8. Paddington is indignant that dogs are not invited (and has been very vocal about it), but Cady prefers to spend her Saturdays lounging on the couch with her daddy.

If you're in Frederick, MD, keep an eye out for Bella Fiori! The festival runs from 10 to 5. More information is available on their website at http://www.everedysquare.com/entertainment/index.asp. Hope to see you there!

Corgis in Glass

Cady and Paddington like all glass art, but they are most satisfied when the glass features corgis. Here are some of their favorites:

This piece sold at my last festival to a woman whose sister competes in agility with her corgi. I plan to make more corgis in agility if there's interest.

This piece is available. Who can resist a corgi herding?

And this small plate is my favorite:

What do corgis know about glass, you say? Plenty, if they're Cady and Paddington!

Cady is a 4-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Paddington is just over 2 years old. Together they oversee all glass art and jewelry produced by me, their mommy, the artist behind Bella Fiori Glass Studio. If it weren't for these two, I'm positive that the studio would fail dramatically. Their diligent supervision is the studio's most valuable asset.