Snuggle Bunnies

Just wanted to leave you with a quick post about the sweet doggies I’ve been spending time with lately. I’ll have a fun project and a pretty tablescape to show you soon but in the meantime…

I recently dogsat for my friend Joanna. These are her babies, Dora (chocolate lab) and Bella (custom creation).

Tater has been thoroughly enjoying her new bed Mama ordered her. It’s super cozy! I kind of want one for myself!

** EXCITING NEWS** VeryVera will be featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay next Wednesday, July 21 at 9:00 p.m. on Food Network! Be sure to tune in for Battle Carrot Cake!

Bullies

**Are the photos below showing up? They show up in the editor but not when I publish**

Bullies aren’t always a bad thing. Sure, schoolyard bullies need to be stopped by bully breed dogs are wonderful! Our dog Tater is a bully breed and she could not be any sweeter if she was dipped in sugar and drizzled with honey.

Unfortunately, some bad people have decided that these bully breeds are perfect for the terrible practice of dog fighting and the bullies get a bad rap.

Leesia Teh, the fabulous Atlanta pet photographer, partnered with a wonderful campaign by the Atlanta Humane Society to end dogfighting. She took photos of three rehabbed bullies with three of the volunteers who help them adjust to life outside of dog fighting. These pictures are the sweetest things and I can’t help but cry when I look at them!

You can read here where Leesia photographed one of Michael Vick’s rescued dogs. This sweet boy was rehabbed and adopted by Brandon Bond who is doing great things in the Atlanta area to rescue these  naturally gentle creatures from a horrific life.

One of my favorite things about bullies is how they can change their facial expressions so drastically just by their ear placement. They can look like a totally different dog from one minute to the next depending on if their ears are perked, tucked back, one ear pulled back, etc.

Here’ s Tater showing off some of her different looks:

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If you’d like more information about the work the fine organizations mentioned above are doing, please visit:

The Atlanta Humane Society

Atlanta Pit Bull Rescue

Leesia Teh

 

Comfy Cozy

When I lived in the Aumond Villa apartments my second year in Augusta, there was a mass exodus of roommates who were either getting married or going back to school. In the shuffle, things were left behind and nobody ever claimed them. For some odd reason, I felt it was my responsibility to care for these things and move them to my next apartment. Well no more. While cleaning out the cabinets and closets in preparation to move home, I separated the wheat from the chaff and either gave away or donated the unclaimed belongings.

One such belonging is a fuzzy blankie. It’s white faux fur on one side and baby blue faux suede on the other. I knew just the person who would appreciate such a treasure.

Judging from the looks of things, I’d say she likes it rather well.

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Happenings in Augusta

Congratulations to Phil Mickelson on his 3rd Green Jacket!! 

In other news, I took a spin through the local Salvation Army this week and uncovered a few treasures.  I found some cute cut-glass dessert bowls, a few candle sticks, some pretty Reader’s Digest condensed books (just for looks), a few “silver” bowls and two side tables. One side table was for me, one was for Susie.

I did have a cheap old tv stand covered with a round table top and hidden by a tablecloth between my sofa and leather chair. It looked like this:   Yuck.  To replace it, I picked up this little gem for only $14.99.

After a good wipe down, a little light sanding, a few coats of spray paint and new hardware, she looks like this:

MUCH better!! The pop of turquoise was just what that room needed. And the doors remind me of a turquoise bracelet.

I haven’t settled on just what to do on top (I think that lamp is a little too big for this table) but you can sort of see the Reader’s Digest books. Maybe someday I’ll get around to recovering Grandmama’s sofa.

Also, I just found these pictures on my camera and realized I’d never blogged about it.  A few weeks ago, Susie, Mama and I hosted an organizing shower (guests brought organizational items) for Susie’s friend Lyndsie who is getting married this month. Her wedding colors are hot pink and lime green (very Lyndsieish) so she’s had hot pink and lime green coming out of her ears. We decided to use those colors but also add in yellow and orange for a citrusy twist.

I ran tulle and various ribbons in our color scheme down the center of the white tablecloth. We kept the serving platters, bowls, etc simple by just using white and cut-glass. The centerpiece was a snap. We just placed one of Mama’s African Violets in the center of a vase and stuffed tulle around it.

 Adorable cupcake papers from here.

 The lovely bride opening her gifts.

After the shower, we put the leftover tulle to good use.

Well, How Do?

Warning: This is a random mishmash of things.

I’m working on a new batch of articles for the quarterly VeryVera newsletter but in the meantime, please check out the FABULOUS newly designed website. While you’re at it, order a Bailey’s Irish Cream Cake.  I’m having to use a great deal of restraint to not drive over to the bakery and cram my face full of it right now.

Speaking of fabulous websites, I’m probably late to the game but I’ve been really enjoying Kendi Everyday.  She’s a fashionable marketing specialist whose photographer husband documents her adorable outfits everyday. What fun!

Poor sweet Tater had surgery yesterday to repair a ruptured ACL.  She’s supposed to take it easy for a month while she heals.  That shouldn’t be a problem. :)

And finally, I finished the last of Beau & Brittany’s wedding suite this past weekend. It was so much fun (and some hard work too) to put together their Save the Dates, Engagement Party Invites, Shower Invites, Wedding Invites, Rehearsal Dinner Invites, Placecards and Programs.  It seems like just yesterday we were meeting for the first time to discuss colors and preferences and now their wedding is finally here! I’ll put together a little collage of their suite to post soon. Also, I’d like to thank Lenka, Rachel & Sarah for helping me stuff, glue, cut, tie, sticker and assemble a few of these projects.

I’m an Aunt!

I have two nieces.  One is named Emily, she belongs to my older sister, Joy.

And as of Monday, I have a new niece.  Her name is Louise and she belongs to my little sister, Susie.

See the family resemblance?

Louise is a four-year old American Bulldog mix who was living in a rescue facility in Statesboro.  Susie saw her on Petfinder and couldn’t resist.  A week later, Sassy (now known as Louise) was hers.  She’s a very hardworking girl.

Susie’s bringing her home this weekend to meet Tater and the rest of the family.  I think she and Tater will have a great deal to discuss.  They were both rescues, they were both single mothers trying to make it on their own, they both love to sleep on the sofa and they both have a crazy way of sitting.

Check out more pictures of Susie‘s new baby here.

A Tasty Treat

Don’t these look delcious?

How about these?

They’re a little pricey but who could say no to this sweet face?

How do you spoil your fur baby?

Doggies are a girl’s best friend

Who needs diamonds when you have a snuggly bunny who loves you like this?

Don’t you love those images?! The one with the baby flanked by two dogs at the window makes me teary eyed every time I look at it! Leesia Teh kills me with her beautiful pictures… you can tell she really, truly loves animals and understands and appreciates their innocence, sweetness and their silly quirks.  She photographs pets (dogs, cats, even goats!) and donates her services to the Atlanta Pet Rescue.  You should really check out her blog.  Be forewarned, you’ll need a dog nearby to hug and kiss because you’ll be so overcome with how adorable the images are that your heart might just burst!

Photo credits: 1-6, Leesia Teh Photography, the rest are crappy cell phone pictures or ones Susie took of Tater.

Doggie Ice Cream

If this blog was a baby, I’d be arrested for neglect!

I had a most fun weekend! I dogsat for a friend who has two giant Golden Retrievers and they were the sweetest, snuggliest things! Here they are chilling out after a long walk.

In other dog-related news, if you’ve never taken your dog through the drive-thru at Bruster’s, you need to go right now! Bruster’s gives a free dish of doggie ice cream to any dog coming through the drive-thru and I’m here to tell you, it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! Me, Susie and Mama took Tater through this weekend (after she laid down in the shade five minutes into her walk) and you’ve never seen a happier dog!

Look at that silly tongue!! Mama was “spoon” feeding her with the milkbone that comes in the dish.  When we got her back to their house, she licked the dish clean and dry and brought it in the den to tell us she wanted some more.  What a darling angel!!

I don’t know what they put in that doggie ice cream but judging by Tater’s approval, it must be delicious.

Gratuitous Pictures of Tater

A cute picture of Tater from this weekend:

 

A silly picture of Tater sleeping.  I wish it wasn’t so dark!