Friday, October 23, 2009
Barktoberfest is this weekend!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
This Weekend: The Craftsmen's Classic in Chantilly, VA
The Bread Bandit
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.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Upcoming Events in the DC Area
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
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Water Aerobics
Once the tank was filled to the proper height, he got his sea legs:
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.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Bella Fiori on Facebook!
facebook.com/BellaFioriGlass
Please become a fan and help us spread the word.
Best and Worst
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.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Celebrate Gaithersburg
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
Sadly, I do expect him to hurt himself sometime soon -- he's so goofy and plays like a crazy man. Wish us luck!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Dogs in Glass -- What Do You Think?
8 Weeks Down!!!
And throughout it all, in true corgi diva fashion, Cady couldn't care less (except for the increased attention heaped on Paddington).
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Vet: A Corgi's Best Friend
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.
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!Nicknames
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Vegecorgians?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Art in August: Frederick, MD
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
And this small plate is my favorite:
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.