Decisions Decisions

Zachary: "Hmmm"

Zachary: "Snowflakes."

Very seasonal.

Dog Blog Post #2318

The boys picking out the day's collar.

I wish MY closet looked this good.

Needlepoint is an enjoyable Football Season activity for me, as I have a hard time just sitting in front of the TV doing nothing.

Trivia: There are just 11-12 minutes of "live ball" football (action) in a typical three hour (clock time) game.

Here's a Flickr album of most of the collars being modeled by the boys, plus some close-ups: www.flickr.com/photos/bztraining/albums/72157640908971304

The collars are all DMC Cotton Pearl Size 5 floss, doubled stranded, on 10 squares/inch plastic mesh canvas. I usually get one collar out of a single $.99 sheet of "canvas" - that's two long strips joined at the short end plus a square in front to connect the opposite short ends to, created a V-collar.

The Autumn Leaves and white Celtic Knot probably took two sheets, each, being a bit wider and longer. If you look between the top two leaves you can see the join of a third piece of canvas. Same for the white collar.

I honestly don't know how much floss I go through. I usually buy 3-4 skeins of each color (27 yds each) and have 3-4 colors per collar. I have at least 3-4 skeins left over when I'm done. Skeins are ~$2 each for flat colors, a dollar more for variegated.

And no, I haven't the slightest idea how long one takes me to make. Perhaps a month or two worked mostly while watching Football?

The narrow blue collar on the right is a bit different, being double-ended with a "V" at each end, making it reversible from front to back with a slightly different design at each end. A good idea, but I don't like the fit as well and so I never did that style again.

It is, however, my favorite design. I think the boys look particularly regal wearing it. The blue field is worked in a single shade of blue, with narrow stripes of alternating direction stitches, creating the subtle shift in color.

The Autumn Leaf uses variegated thread, which I keep thinking I should do again but haven't.

The snowflake was a pattern-counting pain, although I like the argyle field.

The black collar shows dog hair (Note to self: don't do that again.)

I think the pearls on the purple collar look silly on my boy dogs, but haven't come up with anything to replace them with. It was based on a quilt block pattern.

And the hearts, a Valentine's Day favorite, always make me smile.

All designs are mine, based on a variety of sources.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - November 29, 2016 - "All in a Row"

Daily Dog Challenge 1856. "Neat and Tidy"

Henry: "Hmmm"

Henry: "Hearts, of course."

Good choice. :)

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Office Coffee

Zachary - waiting for Coffee to make itself?

Henry - doing the same?

Zachary - still waiting

Dog Blog Post #2317

Some co-workers should be forbidden from making a pot of coffee.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - November 28, 2016 - "Glass of Water"

Oops... I obviously didn't read the challenge carefully - although the carafe is made of some sort of glass and it has water in it. :)

Daily Dog Challenge 1855. "Transparent"

Sunday

Frozen by Cheese

Daily Dog Challenge 1854. "A Moment In Time"

The boys, frozen, as Hubby waves a piece of cheese to capture their undivided attention.

In the background, the Oakland Raiders are in the processing of winning their ninth game of the year, making this their first winning season since 2002, breaking the longest active NFL streak of having a losing season.

It was touch and go for awhile, after Carr (the QB) sprinted off the field with a nasty looking jammed pinky on his throwing hand and the Raiders went from being up 24-7 at the half vs. the Panthers to down 24-32.

Ouch.

But they managed to pull out a 35-32 win in the end.

Whew.

The Niners lost. Again. Setting a new team record for most loses in a season (1-10).

Ouch.

But hey, they play the 2-9 Bears next week, so there is a glimmer of hope.

I wonder what the record is for how bad two teams are when matched up this late in the season?

Saturday

Snuggle Pups

A bit of fun with the iPhone's reverse camera.

Our Daily Challenge - November 26, 2016 - "What I'm Thankful For"

Daily Dog Challenge 1853. "It's Good To Be The Dog"

Henry is a lap dog at heart, and has no idea just how big he really is.

Zachary walked up to see what was going on, no doubt hoping Cookies were involved.

Me and Henry - my 85 lb lap dog

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Relaxing

Zachary relaxing

This was not the picture I had planned on taking, but it was too cute to pass up.

The blanket was strategically placed to keep this a G-Rated image. :)

It's good to be The Dog.

Daily Dog Challenge 1851. "Relaxing"

Chilling with Zachary

Zachary enjoying the Football game with Hubby and I, in his own special way.

Our Daily Challenge - November 23, 2016 - "Connections"

Daily Dog Challenge 1850. "Together"

Sleepy Henry

Dog Blog Post #2316

Ok... we haven't been QUITE as lazy as this seems to indicate.

We've been doing a lot of yard work.

Honest.

The boys?

Maybe not so much.

Photography Assignment

Henry in his Cookie Place - with Sock

No Room?

Whether due to a surplus of dogs or a deficit of sofa, we ended up with a leftover canine on the floor.

Daily Dog Challenge 1852. "Leftover"


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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Helping

Zachary staring in "Fluff Busters"

Zachary: "That fluff is finished."

Dog Blog Post #2315

The vacuum is a dangerous beast, and the boys felt it prudent to don protective gear before Helping me with the Crevice Tool.

A crevice tool is just the thing for getting pup-fluff out of all the things that pup-fluff flits, floats, and finagles its way in, under, and around.

(Am I the only one thinking Ghost Busters?)

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1849. "Helping"

Our Daily Challenge - November 22, 2016 - "Tool"

Henry: (blink)

Oh... right... your hard hat.

(sniff)

Henry - channeling his inner Harbor Seal?

How many Cookies DID you eat this week???

Henry, unimpressed, waiting for his lawyer to call back

Good grief. Henry isn't fat!

His bed-head ruff does make him look more like a seal than a dog at times.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Hello!

Zachary: "Hi Mom!"

That fuzzy blur in the lower left is Henry's tail.

Henry's much better at settling in for the long haul of a Football Game - especially once he motivates you into petting him.

(A cold, wet nose is a powerful weapon when wielded by an expert.)

Zachary... fidgets.

Dog Blog Post #2314

It's challenging to watch Monday Night Football (Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Texans, played in Mexico City!) with a friendly Zachary hopping up on the bed frequently to say, "Hello!", making my view of the game rather Incomplete.

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1848. "Hello!"

Our Daily Challenge - November 21, 2016 - "Incomplete"

That's It?

Well... umm.... yes?

Go Raiders!

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Golden Caribou

Henry: (blink)

What's the matter, Henry?

Henry: "This is so embarrassing."

Zachary: "I'll join you pup!"
Henry: "Really?"

Zachary: "Golden Caribou stick together, right?"
Henry: "Right!"

Zachary: "More Cookies!"

(I'd complain, but they really were such good sports about the antlers.)

Dog Blog Post #2313

You know the holidays are approaching when the Golden Caribou make an appearance.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - November 20, 2016 - "Whatchamacallit"

Daily Dog Challenge 1847. "Absurdity"

Meanwhile, over the past few days...

More yard cleanup, the occasional movie, and yes, the Niners lost (again)...

Saturday

Sleepy Henry...

... in Profile

Daily Dog Challenge 1846. "Portrait of Love"

Our Daily Challenge - November 19, 2016 - "That Face"

Friday

Henry: "Zzzzz"

Days end in much the same way every night.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Daily Dog Challenge 1845. "The Same"

Thursday

Henry's Nose

This is Henry... my fully furred and fluffy, always panting Golden Retriever.

Snuggled under a blanket.

In our 60F house.

Daily Dog Challenge 1844. "Makes You Wonder"

Our Daily Challenge - November 17, 2016 - "Mysterious"

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Creatures of Habit

And here we have Canis lupus familiaris - the Domestic Dog...

Henry: "Zzzzzz"

... in his natural environment, with his... um... Teddy Bear...

Henry: (blink)

Oh.

Sorry.

I'll just be off to...

Henry: "Zzzzzz"

... elsewhere.

Dog Blog Post #2312

My boys are Creatures of Habit and snuggling up on the sofa is high on their list of things to do.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - November 16, 2016 - "Creatures of Habit"

Daily Dog Challenge 1842. "Teddy Bear"

Meanwhile, Yesterday...

... as I was snoozing on the sofa...

"Roooooar!"

(whisper whisper whisper)

Fearsome Face!

(wiggle nibble squirm)

Well, maybe I wasn't snoozing that EXACT moment, but I was definitely snoozing when I should have been taking the boys "official" picture!


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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Tuffs

Henry Fluffs

Dog Blog Post #2311

The Edge of Henry.

Or at least of his fur, with a mountain range of blankets in the distance.

Snapped while we were watching a surprisingly good Monday Night Football game.

Yes, there was a bit of slidering and a touch of cloning/masking done to clean it up, but for a happy-snappy iPhone shot taken in a bedroom lit solely by the TV... not bad!

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1841. "Edge"

Our Daily Challenge - November 14, 2016 - "Backlight"

This Space Intentionally Left Blank

While the shoot was quick, the post-processing wasn't, so a single shot will have to do. :)

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Super Moon

Zachary and the Super Moon

Dog Blog Post #2310

Niners lost.

Again.

At least they kept it close this time (20-23).

Poor Cardinals, I'm sure they are going to get quite the lecture from their coach for letting the (now) 1-8 Niners keep it so close.

And the Raiders had their bye week, so I couldn't even console myself watching Carr play.

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1840. "In The Night"

Our Daily Challenge - November 13, 2016 - "Moon Shadow"

Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, a PicsArt Moon "sticker", plus a wee bit of masking, blending, desaturating and blurring might have helped this iPhone image along.

Sleepy Henry

Somebody slept through the whole thing...

... and didn't regret it in the least.

The fuzzy blue blob is me.

Truth In Advertising

Truth isn't nearly as much fun

The blown exposure was intentional, as I knew I wanted to replace the TV with the Moon.


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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Surprise

Zachary amidst the leaves

Hiding?

Maybe not

Dog Blog Post #2309

Today's To Do list included raking leaves. Imagine my Surprise when I turned up these two!

Aside: I swear the Chinese Pistache trees I was raking under (from whence these silk leaves did not come) spent the afternoon mocking me, sending a steady drizzle of golden-red leaves down upon my head.

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1839. "To Do"

Our Daily Challenge - November 12, 2016 - "Surprise"

Friday

We saw Dr. Strange last night, effectively killing off the entire evening (in a most enjoyable way!)

I did take a happy-snappy of Zachary for my 366 (a picture a day for a year)...

Mr. Zachary

... and then played with it tonight in Photoshop Elements.

Zachary Latte

Latte, anyone?

Here's Henry, from tonight...

Mr. Henry

... with the same (twist) filter applied...

Henry Latte?

Anyone else thirsty?

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Artsy

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Dog Blog Post #2308

As there's (thankfully) little Decay in my Studio (aka Kitchen) - I took the "artistic" approach.

This is an iPhone shot, run through Photoshop Elements. The top two were blended with another iPhone shot of my grungy kitchen wall, where the boys like to play, and have kicked, scratched, and otherwise worn the paint and stucco off.

All had several filters applied, resulting in rather different results from the original image (below).

Once again, I found a happy-snappy iPhone shot held up very well to such processing.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - November 10, 2016 - "Decay"

Daily Dog Challenge 1837. "Mood"

Henry - the one and only

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved