RIP Inca

I was so sad to hear that Inca Fogle has died.

She was a truly awesome dog and I feel honoured to have known her.

We have loved making collars for her and will truly miss her.

Our thoughts and love are with Ben & Marina and all of the Fogle clan.

RIP Inca.

I Like To Make Stuff... Kids chairs our of boxes

I had a speedy trip back to the Creature Clothes workshop over the weekend, kids in tow.  My little girls have a desk in our office that was mine when I was little.  But there was only one of me and there are two of them - we had a chair emergency.

So... it was time to make one!

We thought the result was pretty awesome - basic, but awesome.

Here's how to make your very own Cardboard Box Kiddie Armchair

1. Take one empty cardboard box, sealed at one end, open at the other.
A nice sturdy one is best

Being very careful, cut halfway down 2 sides, on each side,
as in the diagram below

Always be careful of your fingers when using a
cutting knife - this part should not be done by children

This is where to cut into your box

Push the first flap in - the inner turn over of the box should pop down to support the seat

Push the top flap in to create the back of the seat

And there we have it!  A pretty cool little mini armchair!

Just add one small person!

The Canine Games

Watch out!!  

Here comes the most awesome and outrageous festival - For The Love Of Dog - ever seen.... it's THE CANINE GAMES!

Olympics?  Nah... this is the one to watch.  Being held in East London, this Saturday July 7th, The Canine Games will be gathering the craziest of East London cats (well... dogs) in the beautiful Haggerston Park.

Described by Giles Deacon as "Barking up the right tree!"

you will find THE BEST dog class competitions, including:

Best Eastender (a Pearly king or queen?), 

Hottest Haute Dog (for all fabulous fashionistas), 

Stars in their Eyes (best canine celeb lookilikey), 

Best Doglympian (sportiest dog in town), 

Best Friends Forever (Best under 16 dog handler)

Fastest Wag per Minute & Fastest Frisbee Fetch 

While driving home the message of responsible dog ownership, you will have a fabulous day out.  Amongst the fabulous canines coming to the show you will find the likes of 

Mugly - recently crowned Worlds Ugliest Dog

Jonny Woo as Dorothy Gale.  

Free microchipping courtesy of Dogs Trust, 

The Chapel of Love where lovestruck pooches can get hitched, 

the Lady & the Tramp stage hosted by Bethnal Green Working Mens Club, 

and some pawesomely great prizes including dinner at Shoreditch House.

The whole day is in aid of Dog Loving charities, including the Dogs Trust, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the PDSA, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Blue Cross, Guide Dogs For The Blind and the Retired Greyhound Trust among many others.

To register your dog & reserve entry go to: 

http://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/4721/chk/85ba

For up to date info on the event see The Canine Games facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheCanineGames

And follow The Games on Twitter: @TheCanineGames

Barking At The Moon

I was thrilled to be invited on to BBC Radio London's Barking At The Moon last night - the most awesome canine radio show there is - in fact, the ONLY radio show in the WORLD to devote 2 hours entirely to all things DOG.  

After 2 days of crazy deadlines, no sleep, and a school summer fete thrown into the mix, it was lovely to round off a hectic few days with the fabulous JoAnn Good and Anna Webb - the ladies behind Barking At The Moon.  The very lovely Producer Mel kindly kept topping me up with coffee while I waited for my late night time slot.  And let us not forget the most important stars of the show, Molly & Matilda, the canine co-hosts of the show.

We talked about the new site and all of the exciting new things that Creature Clothes are making - our vegan dog collars and belts, the matching kids/dogs ranges so children (and adults!) can match their belt to their dogs collar and lead and even have a beanbag to match their dogs bed!  And then something strange happened and we went off onto a tangent and got absorbed in a discussion about epilepsy.

I have had epilepsy since I was about 12.  It has been a challenge living with it and there have been some very hard times, especially for my family.  Watching someone you love have a seizure must be hideous.  I can't begin to imagine it.  In a way I'm the lucky one as I don't get to see it, but I do get to talk about it and help raise awareness.  

There are a huge amount of people living with epilepsy and I am a very lucky one of those people in that I have just got my epilepsy stable and under control.  It has been a long road and I have been very fortunate to find the most wonderful neurologist who has helped me through the bad times.  He has understood the balance of seizure control against the sometimes debilitating side effects of medication and we have worked together (that is the key) over 10+ years to get the right balance.  

He also helped me to edit my medication so I could try and have children in the safest possible way.  We got my medication down from 3 drugs to just 1.  I also signed up to the UK Pregnancy and Epilepsy Register - a great research project who take your pregnancy notes and collate data on different medications and pregnancy.  It's pretty much the only way to collect this data and see what drugs are the ones to avoid/try if you want to have a family.

There is so much I could write about epilepsy, but maybe we'll save that for another blog.

For now, here are some pics of my very exciting trip to Broadcasting House, a building I have always loved and hold very dear to my heart, for reasons I know not!  Maybe it was growing up in London to a soundtrack of Radio 4 in my mums car and knowing that all of the words came out of that building... it's somehow magical... I love the BBC.

xcx

Listen to Barking At The Moon on iplayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00tm0rs

Barking At The Moon on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BarkingattheMoon

Follow the Barking Blondes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/BarkingBlondes/

The Epilepsy Society has been a great help to me: http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/

The UK Epilepsy and Pregnancy Register: http://www.epilepsyandpregnancy.co.uk/

The British Broadcasting Corporation

The spectacular old building on Regent Street

The very cool blue new building round the corner

JoAnn Good, me and Anna Webb (Molly & Matilda were under the table!)

Lovely Sundays on Columbia Road Flower Market

One of my favourite places in London is Columbia Road Flower Market. 

Our latest visit there was made even better by seeing my Creature Clothes Union Flag slip on bandanas and British Bones in the window of our stockist there Bahasa.

 

School Walk Stencils

I love our daily walk to school each morning.  

The element of never-being-quite-sure-if-we're-going-to-get-there-on-time-and-in-one-piece that comes with walking down East London streets with 2 racing pre-school kids on scooters and a dog on a lead. 

The thing we all really love about the walk to school is seeing what's new on the walls each morning.  My current obsession is spotting these really clever pieces - bats flying out of a broken gate, giant ants creeping out of cracked plaster work, jet-washed(?) birds by the tube station.  I particularly love "our" turquoise pidgeon - he marks the end of our scooter race track and the start of Bird Poo Corner. 

A new one popped up this morning, but the thing about this stencil street art is that I'm never sure if it's new or was there all the time but I've only just noticed it as it's so subtle.

I have no idea who does them (a novelty round here where most graffiti is done in day light hours), but I love the kookieness and left-of-centre thinking that has gone into creating them.

This morning's surprise

Bats on Swanfield Street, London

Shoreditch High Street Tube

A close up of the birds - how did they do it?!?

Ants breaking free of crumbling plaster in Club Row...

... and heading off for a cocktail at Lounge Lover

"Our" turquiose pidgeon at Bird Poo Corner

Diamond Jubilee Palm Dog Victory Parade for Smurf

We had a rather fabulous day last week when we gathered in Covent Garden for the Diamond Jubilee Palm Dog 2012 Winners Parade.  And jolly fabulous it was.

The Diamond Jubilee Palm Dog Ceremonial Collar, and in the background the Diamond Jubilee Palm Dog Rickshaw awaits!

I had the HUGE honor of doing a bit of Rickshaw interior design for the event... stringing slip on bandanas together to make doggy bunting and blitzing the carriage with canine red, white and blue.  We used a Fur Friend Fleecy Blanket on the seat to make sure Smurf the winner was kept warm and brought along a Union Flag Dog Doza bed to ensure his regal comfort.

Smurf himself was a diamond, keeping everyone entertained with his tricks and pure adorableness.

Smurf and his human co-star in "Sightseers" Steve Oram paraded around Seven Dials in Covent Garden and then on to Tatty Devine in Monmouth Street, who were the HQ for this fabulous get together after creating the human winners medal necklace, and very kindly asking us to get involved to deal with the doggy awards.

Cheering from the sidelines were Sightseers director Ben Wheatley, Palm Dog founder and organiser Toby Rose and a posse of film crews and media.  The BFI were there to tweet the event and it may even feature in the extras of the Sightseers DVD.

A terribly exciting day for one and all.  I got a little snap happy so below is a photo diary of the day. 

Hurrah and Happy Diamond Jubilee!!

The bedecked Rickshaw, festooned in Union Flag Slip on Bandanas made into bunting, a Fur Friend Blanket, many British Bone Babies similar to the ones that became something of a Palm Dog mascot in Cannes, popping up in all sorts of fabulous pictures) and Smurfs Winners Cushion

Smurf limbers up before his victory parade, delighting passers by with his many tricks and skills.
Here he is crossing and uncrossing his legs... 

... a bit of sitting up and begging...

...a little handstand for the cameras...

... and a little paws for thought (cliche) before getting aboard his Rickshaw

Smurf looking regal in his Palm Dog Ceremonial Collar before the procession begins

The Rickshaw and winners arrive at Tatty Devine amid the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden

Photo call for the stars of the movie

Smile!

EVERYTHING got decorated...

Mr Toby Rose, the man behind the Palm Dog Awards with Sightseers director Ben Wheatley and Diamond Palm Dog Winner Smurf who played Banjo in the film

Creature Clothes & Tatty Devine try to steal Smurf under the guise of having our photo taken with him and our handiwork...

Tatty Devine in Monmouth Street who very kindly hosted the Palm Dog Victory Parade

The champers starts to flow and I start taking photos of my very patriotic shoes and pedicure... and Smurf...

One last cuddle with the gorgeous little thing that is Smurf - officially the most well behaved and adorable dog I have ever met (Stolli is going to disown me)

And it's off home for Smurf in his Ceremonial Collar, Union Jack Dog Doza under an arm.
Goodbye Smurf!!


www.palmdog.com
http://blog.sightseersmovie.com/
www.tattydevine.com
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