Another Litter Logo!

WOW!! Where has the time gone by? It has been a whirlwind since the beginning of the year... we've been busy training Haze(seeing a behaviorist for his reactivity and also tok a few private agility lessons!) and working with June and earning her CGC title! We also have been struck with puppy fever... back in March, my PBP was bred to a wonderful stud dog, Parker, BISS GCH HiBourne's It's All About Me, BROM and the flurry of anticipation began!!! I have been waiting for this breeding and hopeful to be able to get a puppy from my friend and mentor, Linda. Once the breeding occurred, the next milestone was the ultrasound and then Xray to see if it took and then how many to expect. Then, the whelping. Since Linda allowed me to be present and help for the last litter, she asked me again to be with her and Savi this time around. I helped welcome 7 bundles of gray joy into the world on May 9th. And for the next 8 weeks, had weekly visits with the Grayhart Fast Times Litter. Yes, this one has a theme and of course, I just had to design a logo again. The bar was set last time! LOL... so Cameron Crowe movies (This has been been a theme near and dear to my heart as I love his movies AND I too work for Rolling Stone.) Naturally, my pick was to be "Almost Famous" so I basically was just waiting to see which pup could and would he the one. Linda had a catchy theme and called them the Fast Times (after the C.C. movie, Fast TImes at Ridgemont High). It also works since many of these pups will be trained for performance sports and lots of fun, fast times! Coming up with the logo was easier than Almost Famous' call name... we had a few and nothing was really sticking until one day, Chris said CeCe. Do you know why And I realized he said C.C. (Cameron's initials) I liked it; not loved, just liked and then I looked it up... CeeCee or CeCe has some Greek origins to the word meaning BIRD. A Crowe is a BIRD and these Weims are BIRD dogs so it just really made sense and I LOVED it then.... Linda (thankfully) also loved it so CeCe had a name, an AKC registered name, but we still didnt know who she was.... 4 weeks ago, we waited after a long conformation evaluation for our friend Debbie to pick the pup she wanted and for Linda to tell us who she was picking for us... Miss Pink! She was the pup on the first Tues puppy duty Chris had who kept "losing" her ribbon and he must have re-tied it 3 times! :-) The pup I called Pinky Tuscadero from week 6 on. The pup I secretly liked from week 5, the pup who's ribbon I loved with it's sparkled edges! The pup who skidded out first to the dinner bowl stampede, my Parker x Savi pup... my puppy I've waited three years for from my sweet Puppy-by-Proxy! Our world has changed (again due to a Weim) and we are over the moon with joy and lack of sleep LOL more to come soon, as I've already created a "mini" Blue Ribbon announcement for Miss CeCe... in her colors and exemplifying her name.

Happy Holidays!

to all!

Official Logo of the Rockstar Litter!

Many months ago (it seems) litter themes were flying around my head in anticipation of my friend's impending pups. It's a fun little hobby I have, coming up with AKC names and themes based on the Dam and Sires and although I'm not a breeder myself, I have wonderful friends and mentors who indulge me! One of the themes really seemed to work for Jam and it was super easy coming up with many (100, in fact!) name choices. At RS, we were working on an SIP (Special Interest Publication) called the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time and in it, there was to be an Essential Playlist... the best song for each rocker. I had jotted down a few and then once the mag. was printed, I supplied the full list. (I also was able to procure a copy of the SIP which is no longer in print for each of the pup's family) Fast forward to mid September... the little "rockstars" made their debut and I sat down and started playing... my "other" hobby. And I came up with a logo for one of the photos posted on Linda's puppy blog

It was so well-received that it became the official logo of the litter! This past weekend the pups went home. During the Puppy Party, Linda (who is an AKC Breeder of Merit) holds a class to go over important facts and requirements and general Weim-puppy rearing advise. She creates a booklet chock-full of info including vaccine schedules and protocol, feeding and crate training, pedigree, and photos. This year guess who helped? The Rockstar litter Puppy Manual was in full color and... rocked this on it's cover!

Linda mentioned that she believes this is the first Weim litter to have an official logo. (And now the bar is set for Savi's litter LOL... what WILL I come up with, next???) The lovely pups have now each gone "solo" on their WORLD TOUR... I wish each new family all the best; these Grayhart pups are near and dear to my heart and I can't wait to watch them grow and take the Weim world by storm!!!

It's Blue Ribbon Time!

Each June, the WCA magazine publishes the Blue Ribbon issue in which breeders and owners showcase their Weims' accomplishments. The editor will create ads for a small fee in addition, but many people opt to have their ads professionally designed (or do them themselves!) Last year, at the behest of my dear friend, Linda Hartheimer, I created a book of ad designs to bring with us on our trip to the Nationals to show the Weim community what I could create for them...I met so many people who took my card and looked at my book (some even requested a copy of the book to take home with them!)
Although I still don't have my own copy of the magazine, many do and can see all the lovely Weimaraners' ads. I got a peek at Linda's copies yesterday and was excited to see not only my two ads, but some of the photos I have taken of other Weims used in their ads designed by fellow Weim lover, rescuer and designer, Sara Renee. (Those ads are for Bebe, Trudy, and my pbp, Savi!)

One of the two dogs I was hired to design ads for is Elle, a sweet girl from Silverhoney Weimaraners who is a new CH. I run into her owner/breeder, Suzanne at shows and some hunt tests. Back in February, I was taking some photos ringside and got a few head shots of Elle that I knew would be perfect for an ad for her. Many ideas danced in my head and Suzanne and I discussed the possibility of me designing an ad. Once Elle got her last points and finished her title, Suzanne asked me to send her some proofs! Just a few copy changes and we were all set to print!
This is Elle's 2012 Blue Ribbon:

The other ad I designed is for Cass! If you all recall last August, I posted an ad I designed for my friends in Alaska for their male Weim, Cassiar... Throughout his show career, I have watched him quickly earn his CH, Can CH and most recently, his GCH. Each step along the way, I made note that we would be sure to include these milestones in a Blue Ribbon when the time came (and if they wanted to hire me to design it!!) I had lots of ideas dancing around my head so when his owners asked me to create his Blue Ribbon, I quickly set out to pull it all together with some win shots. With a few tweaks called in from the RV while on the show circuit, Cassiar's ad was sent in just under the deadline! ;-) Here is Cassiar's 2012 Blue Ribbon:

Thank you to the following people for allowing me the opportunity to
help their Weims SHINE: Linda Hartheimer, Rich and Barbara Alfieri, Bonnie and Steve Lane, Suzanne Honeyman, and Julie Aune!

A reminder...

Wanted to make a little something to remind all our TSWR friends that our annual picnic/fundraiser is coming up...

Holi-daze!

Our holiday card for 2011...
Wishing you all a happy holiday season and all the best for 2012!

Dont forget the Dogs...

on Halloween!
I know this is late, but I thought I'd share a quick little sign I made for all the Natural Balance reps to boost sale on our mini rolls. I p'shopped in a bunch of the rolls into the dogs' jack o'lantern pails. Not award-winning, but cute and it got the job done!

On Halloween weekend we had a big party at the Pet(store)co where Chris works. He was dressed as the red logo dog and he LOVES those rolls! LOL!