Christmas for the Dogs

I don't have the sort of disposable income that lends itself to showering my dog in gifts, but if I did, let's just be clear: I totally would.  I was tempted to make gift guides for a bunch of folks this year, but most of them read my blog, so I refrained.  My dog, however, cannot read.  Your loss, dog.  So here's what I would buy my perpetually joyful, occasionally anxious, constantly hungry, sleek and pretty black beast (and, to be fair, the rest of the canine parade in this house) for Christmas, if I could:

1. A rawhide bone it would take her more than 20 minutes to devour (bonus for the hilarity which would inevitably ensue when she attempted to carry it triumphantly through the house).
2. A colorful, versatile rope toy which can be tossed (Vista's preference) or tugged (Leilani's forte).
3. The miraculous Thundershirt, to sooth her separation anxiety.
4. A bouquet of Loofa toys, the best plush dog toys on the market (so sayeth the dogs).
5. A Slow 'Em Down pet bowl, to provide a challenge so she'll actually eat her food rather than inhale it.
6. Lots and lots and lots of tennis balls, her absolute favourite toy.
7. A pretty, strong leash to match her collar.

The thing I love about all of these goodies is that they're fun for both of us (well, the leash is mostly for me, but let's pretend).  I've heard great things about the Thundershirt, and something tells me we'll end up with one sooner or later, since we have two dogs of similar height and weight who suffer from very different forms of anxiety (in addition to Vista's sometimes violent separation anxiety, Leilani is a very loud, seemingly vicious anxious barker).  Sadly, my girl's only getting one item on this list this year (hint: it's the thing which will keep her from choking to death on her food), but if Santa brought us bottomless pails of tennis balls and rawhide bones, no one would complain.

How do you celebrate the holiday with your pets?  Our menagerie traditionally get one big bunch of toys to share (read: destroy before the end of Christmas day).  Last year, their cousin dogs gave them each a Loofa toy, which were the biggest hits.  Summer, Devourer of Tissues, mostly steals bits of wrapping paper all day long.

Winter Warmth

The last new winter coat I got was the Christmas before I went on a school trip to London, in January of 2007.  As a result, I cannot think of winter coats without thinking "Could I wear this in London and not die of hypothermia?"  People, brains are really weird.  And also, you know, it's been awhile since I got a new coat.  Last winter, I discovered a mystery men's black puffy parka which had presumably been left behind in my parents' house by one of my brother's friends, and I commandeered it.  It's warm as heck, but faaaaaaar from fashionable.  Here are the coats (with bonus hats, gloves, and scarves) which have caught my eye this winter.  I love warm colored winter things, they bring so much cheer to cold, bleak days.

We'll see if any of these makes it into my closet before the first snow.  So, what do you think?  Are you the sort of person who buys a new coat every winter?  I always seem to go years between new coats.

Sources:
Hooded top, £125
J Crew toggle coat, $325
Duffle coat, £235
Funnel neck coat, £175
Jack BB Dakota double breasted coat, $70
Wrap top, $88
J Crew cashmere glove, $40
Beanie hat, $38
Fair Isle Scarf, £39

Layering Love

When I get bored, one of my favourite things to do is browse house tours on Design Sponge.  I was doing so Saturday as therapy after a brain-killing trip to the mall, and I fell in love with Kate Hayes and Jack Ehrbar's home.  The maps, the stacks of books, the giant Mikael Kennedy print (here I am revealing just how derivative my taste is--ah, well), that fantastic little nautical lamp.  Most of all, I fell for their rugs.

I feel like it's tricky to make layered rugs look good without feeling lumpy, but this room goes right past "good" and settles into "comfy."  That's success.  I tend to shy away from buying rugs, I guess because the cost often seems prohibitive for something that just lies there, but I've realized recently how much I really love them.  A great rug can be exactly what you need to add just the perfect amount of interest and intensity to a room.  Here are some of my favourite styles of rug (digitally layered because: why not?):

Clockwise from the top left, that's Madeleine Weinrib's Ikat Blue, the Tan-Tan Rug from Anthro, MB's Red Zig Zag, Ikea Stockholm Rand (MB's Buche is a similar, pricier option), MB's Pink & Orange Lulu, and the Rens Sheepskin from Ikea.

I love the look of stripes up against zig-zags up against kilim and ikat designs.  For the record, I would never actually layer rugs like that.  I think the reason the layering up top really works is that the anchor rug is a lighter color and calmer design.  My little mock-up is WAY too busy.  It's also REALLY expensive, which is why I do most of my rug browsing on eBay, Craigslist, and in my mother's basement.

But that's why God gave us the internet: for madcap daydreaming about perfect rooms.

Bonus:  I love Jamie Meares (of the fabulous Furbish Studio)'s Rugs 101 post.  It's a really, really great place to start.

Ottoman Hunting

So I have this chair.  It belonged to my grandmother, and in West Virginia it became Vista's favoured perch.  However, it now lives in the same room as her bed, so she doesn't use it much (also, I tend to pile clothes on it).  However, I would like to use it.  Specifically, I would like to read in it.  It can be tricky to find places in this house to settle in with a book, and I'm a needs-silence sort of reader.  I usually end up in bed, but lately that's been giving my back fits.  So, I would like to use my red velvet chair.  This, naturally, has led to a mad search for an ottoman.  How's a girl supposed to read with her feet on the ground?

Here are some options I've dug up.  I'm leaning towards the CB2 knit pouf, but man, that yellow Moroccan fellow is pretty great, too.  What do you think?

Sources:

Mustard Moroccan Leather Pouf - Furbish
knitted pool pouf  | CB2
Lind Ottomans - Room & Board
Handmade Kilim Puff Ottoman  | Overstock.com
Uzbeki Suzani Ottoman - Found Object