What Am I? We're Taking Bets!

After spending the last year and a half trying to understand my strange little dog, I've decided to have a DNA test done. I admit it...I'm used to the rottenweiler personality. I like it....love it. The constant, in-your-face, in-your-business, HEY, I'M HERE, petmepetmepetme neediness that the rottweiler offers. I've been loving rotts for over 30 years! 

But the one thing I despise about the breed is their short life span. Eight is average! When you believe in dog rescue and not puppy mills; and considering rotts are the slowest dogs to leave the annoying puppy stage (age 3!), that's not much time to spend on your pup before your heart is breaking again. 

Straight on, Macy looks like a rottie...

 

Mabel Lou was my first mixed breed (and my first and only puppy). I feel this led to her living a blessed long 12 years! There was so much I adored about her, including that tail (another first for me!). When I friend asked me to describe my ideal dog...it was Macy Blue! I love a rott mix...or at least the four eyed cattle dog look; I wouldn't mind smaller as my shoulders are so awful, sweet and a tail! 

Still I was shocked and disappointed at Macy's tiny size ... 55#! I was hoping for more in the 65 - 75# range. By that point, I had fallen in love with her deep, soulful eyes I had seen on the Internet. And she was clearly sweet. But after I got her home, she was so quiet, so unintrusive, it's like not having a dog in the house at all! 

Other times, she looks like  a mutt...

I've never had a dog that did not want to be in the same room I'm in! And her fears! Oh her fears! Running outside when I tried to play with her. Wanting to hide in the car all day. Sheer panic when she couldn't see me on the trail to the point she would run right past me as I was screaming her name and not see or hear me! A complete lack of understanding of toys. 

I just keep thinking if I knew more about what she is, I could help her feel safer with me. We did the test shortly after Christmas. There was much crying and rolling on the floor on both our parts. Macy Blue as certain I was murdering her. I was crying in commiseration. And so, we're waiting.

Her nose can be most pointy at times...

So we thought we'd have a little fun to pass our impatient waiting. Let's play a game!  Just comment what you think Macy Blue is made of and the closest to accurate choice will get a box of Macy's favorite bedtime treats from Sojos!

You can see how petite MB is next to her beloved Otto Rotto

If we get more than 20 entries, I will add a prize for humans too!!!

Da prize (flavor depending on availability at the time of the prize announcement)

 

So, take a guess and let's see who reads body types the best! ;-)

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

About a month ago, I was feeling so lucky, I thought about going to Vegas! Not seriously, because I hate the noise and gambling... but it sure did feel good around here.

First, I entered a photo contest called Who Do You Support sponsored by Archipelago Botanicals on Facebook. I entered this photo of my sister:

This photo is magic to me for so many reasons. It was taken at Laguna Beach the day she finished radiation back in 2003. Knowing my sister as I do, I can see the relief in her body. I just love her rolled up jeans, her perpetual sweater over her arm and the flip flops as sunshades in her hand. And I can feel the hope coming off of her.  As luck would have it, we wandered into Laguna Drug - THE most amazing drug store (gift store would be more accurate) on the planet! There we purchased some lip balms and lotions made by Archipelago and I've been a fan of their products ever since. 

Much to my surprise, I won the contest. The prize was two gift baskets of products. One for the photographer and one for the subject of the photo. When I saw the breast cancer survivor with her baby daughter in the 2nd place photo, I requested my basket go to them. My sister LOVED her basket and I was pleasantly surprised when the nice folks at Archipelago sent me a lovely prize box anyway! And it was full of my favorite lip balm!

And then the week kept getting better! I won a bead by one of my favorite artists. Judith Billig makes stunningly elegant glass beads and jewelry. She had made a necklace she was having a hard time naming using her float beads. She called out to her friends to suggest names. I made several suggestions including Mumbai Magic. Unbeknownst to me (I was terribly busy with classes that week!), Mumbai Magic won the poll on her fan page! And I won one of her float beads!

Mumbai Magic by Judith Billig Designs

And finally, that chicken dinner! The bestie and I were headed to the community center where we both teach. Since she was staying extra late after her class to clean up after MY class, I bought her dinner at our local Panera. We both ordered the black bean soup... I written about my passion for that soup here before! When they went to fill our order, they discovered they had sold the last black bean soups they had! My bestie, the I-love-all-soups girl, happily substituted. But I was flummoxed... I tend to get locked in on what I want to eat and no substitutions really make me happy.  I finally ordered the much more pricey chicken sandwich. To my surprise, Panera wouldn't take my money for the upgrade! They simply apologized for disappointing me and told me they hoped I would come back for soup another day.... as IF they could keep me from that black bean soup!

It was a nice, fun winning streak while it lasted!

Frosty Paws Winners

The Winners for my National Adopt a Shelter Dog Contest sponsor by Frosty Paws are:

Phantom, Thunder, Ciara and Lightning

Ashley

Artie and Kouga

Goose

Bart and Ruby

Bart

Dory, Jakey, Bilbo and Arty

Ripley, Luna and BB

Cheyenne and Dixie

Reilly and Denny

Mabel and I are so happy that some of our pup friends new and old from Blogville will get to try her favorite treat!

Last Day to Enter Frosty Paws Contest

Mabel Lou here. Mom's crazy busy. She wrote about how crazy her last week was over on her glass bead blog. Me? I'm just ticked that because of poor planning on her part, I got no creek walk yesterday! Good thing I sneaked into the car while she was unloading her class supplies... at least I got to run errands with her. She keeps promising me that I'll get a long creek walk tonight but by the looks of all those packages around her desk, I ain't holding my breath!

Since I'm sure Mom has forgotten all about  the Frosty Paws contest, I thought I would mention that today is the last day to enter.

Hope your day is better than mine... Supervising humans is hard work!

Adoption Matters

Found this on Facebook and I'm hoping no one will object since it's for a good cause. I have so few entries in my Raffle for the Frosty Paws! Please help me spread the word about Shelter Adoptions.
I can't even think of how empty my life would feel without my girl!

Be sure to enter the drawing in the Rafflecopter widget here.

Frosty Paws National Adopt a Shelter Dog Giveaway

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Miss Mabel Lou was adopted from our local East Valley Shelter 10 1/2 years ago! Bart and my previous baby, Maggie May did time there too and Milly did time in a Ventura County Shelter. I often go to the shelter to pay registration fees and I'm always dumbstruck by how many pups and kittehs need homes.

I was just thrilled to be asked to help Frosty Paws help promote National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! Mabel Lou did her part to help "snoopervise."

Our box of goodies arrived today in the mail and Mabel had to know what was in there! I think I'll just let her take over:

Mabel Lou here. I just love when good stuff comes in the mail! 

 

I couldn't wait for Mom to open it and let me see what's inside...My GOODNESS! L@@k at all those stuffies!!! And coupons for FREE FROSTY PAWS!! OH MY DOG!!!!

 Mom says they aren't all for me... but that we get to keep a stuffie and a couple of coupons! Since mom buys me Frosty Paws all the time, I'm sure she appreciates it!! I know I do!!! 

But Mom? What are we gonna do with all the rest?

We get to give them away??? OMD!!!

The nice folks at Frosty Paws sent along prepaid mailer boxes for all those stuffies and coupons - enough for 10 winners!!! Isn't that nice! 

Momma has put a rafflercopter thingy below with all the ways you can win. Be sure to leave a comment here telling us about your passion for Frosty Paws or about your beloved shelter pet. And Momma says you can tweet every day for more entries!!! Whooo Hoo...

But Mom??? All this talk of Frosty Paws is making me want a little snacky. And it IS over 80 degrees today... hint hint????


Allrighty Miss Mabel! Good job on telling the folks about the giveaway! Here's your reward:

See??? I really do love my Frosty Paws! 

Momma just HAD to get a picture of me with that stuffie which I'm supposed to tell you is for the humans. It is NOT for the animals! Geesh! Now Momma will you put away that flashy beast and let me eat my Frosty Paws in peace???

 Mabel and I both want to remind you, if you have room in your home, your heart will not regret the love you find at a shelter! Please adopt!

Please click the rafflecopter widget to comment to enter the drawing!!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rescue Me Week - Grumpy

Mayzie is hosting a Rescue Me week blog-a-thon in honor of her human Grandpa J who crossed the bridge recently! Since all my babies have been adopted, I thought it would be fun to play along.
This is our second entry in the contest! ;-)

We are playing for the Rottie Rescue of Los Angeles, where I've gotten most of my girls from. Today, I'm writing about a dog named Grumpy who apparently isn't... You know, you can change a dog's name. I often feel that I should... I want my dogs to think of their name as a happy song and I'm often concerned that their old name may have come to mean something negative. But back to Grumpy:

From the Rott Rescue site: 
Grumpy - he isn't - has a good temperament, very social dog. An outside dog in his former home, big, very handsome boy. Sold as a potential show quality dog, disqualified due to medical condition called cryporchardism, an autosomal recessive trait. Cryptorchid dogs are not candidates for breeding/showing because the condition is heritable. Click here to fill out our adoption application.

For those of you reading along (I can't wait to read what Mango has to say about this!)  Cryporchardism means... his 'nards didn't drop. While this makes him unbreedable... don't we have enough dogs in shelters anyway??? It doesn't require medical treatment. The boy just needs a good home!!!


If you can give Grumpy a home, please get in touch with the LA  Rottie Rescue.

If you would like to play along too, today is the last day.  Mayzie is going to draw names and choose FIVE winners and donate $100 green papers to the rescue organization of the winner's choice.

Please! See the Bees!

The guys I hike with thought I was losing my mind last week when I kept telling them to watch out for the bee hive I had almost stumbled into.

I kept telling them where it was and that it looked like a shirt sleeve threaded on a branch... but they never saw it!

Then one night, I walked 'em down and showed them...NOTHING! The bees had disappeared after being there for a week! It turns out it was just a swarm! Still, I'm glad I got some pics on my phone!!!

So fellas, believe me now????

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Contest

If you like my beads there are TWO contests ending this weekend that have gift certificates to my glass bead shop as a prize. You can read more about them on my bead blog!

Vote for ME Peoples & Pups!!!

The time has come... I need some VOTES if I am to win my category in MangoMinster's amazing dog show. I am entered in the Good Ol' Gal category and would really appreciate your votes! My entry post is HERE.

See??? I'm even making sweet eyes at you! Now, go vote!!! Mabel Lou is the name and being a Good Ol' Gal is my game!

Thank you from the heart of my bottom!

Oh, Momma's still sickified... coughing, snorting and sputtering about. And she's talking about some job in Santa Monica which from the sound of things may as well be China! She's telling me I may not see the creek for a few weeks! A few weeks! OMD!!!  If I can't see my creek for that long, my only consolation will be making a name for myself in Mango's contest! Did you vote yet???

One World One Heart 2011

I'm very sad to say this is the final blog hop adventure known as One World One Heart. I've been participating for a few years and visiting other blogs since the beginning. It's been a wonderful ride and I've made a few friends and gotten to know a lot of other bloggers along the way!

The blog hop is hosted by Lisa at  A Whimsical Bohemian and the rules are ♥here♥  and I would like to add just ONE more for my players... PLEASE, please make it easy to get in touch with you if you win!!! I have several blogs and also have a team blog participating and in past years, people we cannot reach are passed over for someone who make it easy to get in touch with! So please, leave your email OR make sure your profile has an "email me" button!

A little bit about this blog: Creekhiker was my first blog and like a first love, it has a special place in my heart. It is mostly about the adventures I get into hiking in the glorious Southern California mountains with my rottweiler mix dog, Mabel. In many ways, Mabel has taken over this blog like she's taken over my life! We love to read about other poopy dog adventures. I am an artist...struggling along life's balance of art and commerce. I make glass beads and design rubber stamps.

I'm giving away one of my snake skin glass heart  beads. It will arrive on a necklace ready to wear.

Snake Skin Heart (both sides shown)

To win: leave a comment (1) and make sure there is a way to reach you! 


You may want to visit my glass bead blog for a different bead give away and... my handmade glass bead promotions group, The Fire Divas, are also hosting a HUGE giveaway!

Here Comes Da Judge

Well, it seems everyone else is jumping on the bribery bandwagon... Let me just say, it's not beneath Mabel Lou and I do the same.

So, we spiffed up this cool pic of Gizmo as "an offering..."

We think he's the handsomest judge EVERRRRR!

Update: Gizmo informed us he's NOT a judge...just a prize sponsor. Oh well... at least we won't get kicked out for bribery! LOL!!! 

More Help Needed!

The Beads of Courage program is stalled at 13th! We MUST make it to 10th place or better before the end of this month.

So I'm doing another give away on this blog. If you voted on the other post, I'll throw your name in the hat again!

IF YOU REPOST ON YOUR BLOG, I'LL GIVE YOU FIVE CHANCES TO WIN!

You MUST tell me how many days you voted and provide links if you reposted!!!

OR...You can text your vote Text* 100217 to Pepsi (73774)

Here's what you are playing for:

This heart was made as a prototype for one of my Memorial Glass Beads. It is very special to me as the final bead was to contain the ashes of a dear canine friend. You can see the final version containing Allie's ashes HERE.

And, 2nd place will be a $20 gift certificate to either Holly's Folly Glass Beads / Sweet Stampen Rubber Stamps or Modern Rubber Stamps  - Winner's choice.


This giveaway is not endorsed by Beads of Courage or Pepsi!

Help!

This is a charity that every beadmaker I know is involved with!  It's a wonderful charity that allows a child with a serious illness to tell their story with beads. Beads of Courage has applied for a $25,000  grant from Pepsi. Pepsi is giving away over a million every month and allowing the public to decide who gets the money!


Since voting began on the 1st, we've been steadily moving up. But only the top 10 charities in the $25K category can win. And now, we've not only stalled, we've moved back a step! So...I'm imploring ALL my friends to PLEASE VOTE! If you are on Facebook, you don't even have to give them your email.

And did I mention??? You can VOTE ONCE A DAY????  For you pet lovers, there's some amazing pet charities in the running for funds. I myself am a sucker for vets (veterans) and pets!  But please vote for Beads of Courage! Watch the movie... it will make you cry!


And... for those of you voting this weekend, I'm having a give away on my bead blog. If you vote, please note the rank number in the comments of the bead blog and I will enter you in my give away!

Da fine print: Neither Pepsi Co nor Beads of Courage endorses or supports this even in any way shape or form. This is my way of getting help for a fantastic cause!

GABE Winner!

Welp, Twinkie's Global Animal Blogging Event a/k/a has come to an end. We've met lots of new furiends and picked up some new followers and found lots of new blogs to follow. Wow!

The winner of our prize is Piappies World! Since this is a custom pendant, it will be a few weeks before you will get to see it but here's the description from my GABE announcement:




I am a glass artist, working mostly in torched beads (oops! We are moving servers and that site is down!) and memorial beads containing the ashes of loved ones, however, I fuse from time to time. These art glass pendants were made with actual photos! That's family up on the left. The top right is one of our hiking buddies, Sue. And below... my regulars will recognize as the first Creekhiker logo. The winner of my drawing will receive a custom glass piece with their critter's photo fused in. Please know that this is a custom piece and will take a little time to finish and YOU will have to send me a high quality, high contrast photo of your pet.


This has been a lot of fun and I can't wait til GABE comes around next year!

One Heart; One World Winners!

The Creekhiker prize goes to Willa of Zoltanszabo. Willa is a watercolor and fabric artist!

The Holly's Folly Prize goes to The Purple Lady's Art and Life. She makes all kinds of stuff and is a nice lady from what I read.