dapper doxie duds: happily ever after

Yippee! Today a sneaky peeky at some duds finished just in time for  Bogey and Remy to attend the third annual Stafford Oktoberfest Wiener Dog Race in royal style. First up, and modelled by tiny chumley, Bogey's turquoise and scarlet cape, made with rich shimmery velvet and complete with bullion embroidered kingly crests and antiqued brass chain.

mom, how come i don't have one of these?

And next up, everyone knows a knight needs a suit of armor.  But you say he has to race, too? No worries, cuz this is a faux chainmaille and studded leather harness and collar, sleekly cut and bound in tropical weight charcoal gray wool so Bogey can race like the wind.


oooh leather studded dud and collar? mom, how come i do not have one of these either??

And for the little princess Remy? A tiara, of course, and sparkly hand sequined and beaded and lace appliqued removable butterfly wings.  To match her gilded lace and pleated jacquard ribbon harness, bound in  turquoise silk dupioni. And to match her removable ballgown skirt.  Because princess butterflies need to race too

.

moooom, sparkly turquoise sequin and lace and beaded butterfly wings? and a removable ballgown skirt?  

mom promise u will make me something soon?
yes baby dog, i promise. but first help me clean up all the beads and sequins off the floor?

yep and yippee!! :) :)

duk duk oops

oooooh so coooooool! hey looky, duk duk -  mom made me a pupscout uniform with my pack number on it and everything!! i bet this was the surprise mom was talking about earlier when she told me not to go into the bedroom. 















oooh i so want to try it on but i really shouldn't cuz mom said it was going 2 be a surprise 4 me....but, with duk duk's help, i could try it on just for a few minutes and nobuddy would know, right?

whoopsie, i guess me and duk duk cannot dress myself after all. if u see mom and she is looking for me, can u please tell her that i am a little tied up at the moment? :)

whoo-hoo-hooty!

dear diary,
yippee! checky checky - mom made me some new summer duds and just in time too, cuz my pup scouts camping trip is this coming weekend. you wanna see?  this is my first one, and yep, it's got owls on it! mom says the more owls the better cuz maybe it will help scare away the hawks who might confuse me for a little wild piggy in the woods and try to eat me.  i say, well, okay. cuz i like owls. owls are cool.

 

 and this is my second dud! some day i hope to go on a safari and see real elephants and giraffes and rhinos but for now i get to enjoy wearing them on this dud.  and mom even found a super cool old scouts pin to put on it.  gs, it says.  which stands for good scout, i think.  

anyhoo diary, today is monday and i have to start training for my trip because every day we are supposed to hike three miles with our pup gear, which is gonna be kinda heavy on account of the wii that i am bringing.  boy i sure hope they have electricity in the woods, otherwise i will have left my pup tent at home for nuthin!

toodley-doo!
b :)

o crafty day!

Today a little sneaky-peeky-teasypoo at a couple goodies that the little kielbasa and I finished yesterday for the amazing Ammo the Dachshund and his buddy Trooper! What's that? Wanna see what they look like in all their glory?  Well, why not save the date and plan to have some fun because Ammo and Trooper will be performing together with their new duds at this year's Keystone Dachshund Races on June 12th! 

oooh a doxie gathering and a chance to meet my buddy ammo? oh me so wish my pup scouts camping trip wasn't on the same weekend, cuz i'd totally ask mom if i could fire up my convertible and pedal on up with duk duk!! take plenty of pictures, friend!! :)

dapper doxie duds: isabella and anna

Sometimes it's hard for me to boil down a story to its most interesting and relevant elements.  Especially when things take an unexpected turn.  Like these dapper doxie duds, which were a long time in the making if you consider I met Isabella and Anna's mom back in August of last year at Bucktown.  As neither of us were in a hurry, the similarly sized Izzy and Anna's fittings and fabric choices weren't really finalized til earlier this year.  And since it was still cold and snowy up in Chicago, Izzy and Anna weren't going to need their cheery duds until, well, nowish.  Which how I ended up emailing Izzy and Anna's mom with the happy news that I was going to work on the duds soon and then finished them up this past weekend .  Before finding out that sixteen year old Anna had gone blind since last we spoke, and worse, that Anna had been diagnosed with bladder cancer. 

My heart went out to Isabella and Anna and their mom, and I told her as much.  If this wasn't a good time, she needed not worry about duds of any sort and I was more than okay and able to find an alternate home for any dud she did not want. 

But it would turn out that Izzy and Anna's mom still wanted both duds.  Anna would still need her dud,  not in a walkies sort of way, but to help as a sturdy garment onto which her mom could safety pin straps from Anna's diaper, as the tee she had been using stretched too much to help keep Anna's diaper in place.

Though I wish the news were different, I am grateful that something I've made can help bring comfort Anna during this difficult time.  So today, a peekpoo at both duds, packed and ready to go with plenty of sunshine.  To Anna, Isabella, and their mom, my warmest of hugs. <3

happy hound roundup: roxie

 dear diary,
remember how my mom made roxie that dud a couple of weeks ago? you know, the snackielicious one that i really wanted to landshark? well looky! her mom sent pictures and i just had to share them, cuz roxie is such a cutie pie. she even gets to go on a trip with her new dud, which is more than what i will be doing. it seems like i haven't been on a trip in forever.  but that's okay, cuz my uncle dana is in town and even though he says likes cats better, he and i have an understanding.which means i have a whole nother lap to sleep in.  yippee!

i hope u r having a wonderful saturday!
toodley-doo,
b

dapper doxie duds: roxie's choice

Sometimes it's easy for me to get carried away making duds. There are some color & texture combinations I find that are too tempting to not see to their fruition. Which is how sometimes I end up making two duds even though somebody might just want one. And then the temptation passes on. Which one will they ever choose?

Today, a peekypoo at a pair of duds I made this past weekend with the lovely Roxie in mind.  Will she adore the festive and very handy snackie dud on the left, or fall for the fun and equally rich hand dyed corduroy  ribbony number on the right? It's a choice I'm glad I don't have to make.

I suspect tiny chumley, on the other hand,  would have no problems at all making his decision. 












mom, be sure to tell roxie the snackie dud smells delicious!

inside out

dear diary,
mom says the deer in our yard was as big a hint as any that she should finish my new blaze orange duds, and looky, here it is! well, the inside rather. which i hope u can keep a secret from the deer, cuz i'm not sure how threatening they'll think i am if they know i have cute little flannel bunnies and tigers and penguins n monkeys n such on the inside of my dud.

anyhow, i am looking forward to seeing where i will go in my new duds. i hear it is some place really cool so when i find out about it, i will tell u more. hope u r having a wonderful saturday!!

toodley-doo!
b.

places to go, things to do

walkies walkies,
me thinks we should do a very nice long one today,
so long as it's not raining.

dapper doxie dud: secret space boy

Yippee, the first dapper doxie dud for the new year, a rough n rumble teal packcloth harness for the rough n tumble super dog and Baxter's blog buddy, Ammo.

ooo. baxter's eyes did glint as he spied this dud. are u sure this isn't for me? cuz it totally fits me AND it's got super cool spaceboy flannel inside.

No baby dog, but you'll be getting a new blaze orange dud soon and you can have whatever flannel lining you want!

flapjacks n duds: the pittsburgh penguins hockey girl

Whee, today a peekypoo at a couple of little somethings I just finished for Annabelle's mom to put under the Christmas tree for her lovely girl, whom we last saw as the lucky recipient of the lady in red. Now, Annabelle already had a nice winter coat, but this little lady needed a coordinating flapjack hat. A bit of navy babywale corduroy, glass beads, and one vintage 70s necktie later, her hat was done.



Little chum was eager as he always is to snackies model Annabelle's next gift, especially since it was a bit more unisex than Annabelle's other dud. This time, I had the pleasure of making her Pittsburgh Penguins inspired dud, so she can show her spirit just like everyone else in her family come game day!



Whooo hoo. Yes, it's probably time that the little chum himself also get a new dud, especially since his chest has gotten bulkier this past year with all that muscle weight. So sometime soon, a new blaze orange dud! Ooo, maybe just in time for Santa to put under the tree this Christmas. Happy Thursday! :)

dapper doxie duds: bentley the denver bronco

Yippee, with the last human show of the year over, it seems like this week will be all about making dapper doxie duds and flapjack hats. Today, a look at a sporty dud I just finished for Bentley, a chocolate long haired whose mom is an avid Denver Broncos fan. Yeah, pay no mind to the very pink fit model cuz Bentley is all boy and soon will have the sporty boy dud to prove it!

Bentley's duds will be a surprise present from his human sis to their mom, so I can't wait to hear how their Christmas morning goes. And maybe one day Bentley will get to visit with Kona, cuz his sis is Kona's neighbor. What a small and happy doxie world!

dapper doxie duds: miss menace

Corset. Google for the word for images and you might just get more than you bargained for. But now, there's another image to add to the mix, and it all has to do with this little pup.



Meet Ivy, a squeeful little girl who lives with her big brother Tristand and her mum in the world Camelot was born. Only this little girl isn't not your typical storybook princess. Underneath those innocent eyes, the tiny shell of adorable cuteness, lies the elfin heart of a mischievous minx. The kind of playful vixen that knows how to leave her mark in life, one fluffy pile of detritus and one heart shaped piddle puddle at a time.



So of course the Christmas present that mum wanted for Ivy this year couldn't be just any old dud. This little doxie worked hard to earn the loving nickname of Miss Menace, and she needed the vixeny supergirl duds to go along with it.

Enter my need to google corset. Ivy's mum had provided some images for inspiration, but I wanted to find a few more pictures to zoom in on the lacing and boning detail. Corset. Boning. Um, yeah. My eyeballs needed a little cleansing before getting on with the task.

And yippee! What a fun experience, mixing Victorian with vixen, blending silk taffeta with velvet, marrying venice lace and crystals. Using boning and eyelets and ribbon to make Ivy's very dapper doxie dud and cape.

Watch out Santa, this Christmas, Miss Menace is coming to town!

ready, set, squee!

Okay, there's no delicate way of putting this. Yes, I literally squeed when I opened my email and was sent a link to these pictures. And then found out I would get to make dapper doxie duds for them! In fact, I think need a might need to squee again. Meet Dino and Fluffy, two smooth galumpy red minis who are deeply in love. Join me in squee as we look at their pictures from their vacation at the beach, will you?





Foo. Okay, so Dino and Fluffy's dud story starts out like any other this past summer, with measurements and fit models and fabric choices being made and then things get put on hold because look what happened next.



Yep, Dino and Fluffy became parents! Three in all. The puppies started out so tiny, yet needed so much attention.



But soon they grew big and life could go on again.



And duds came back on the radar. Considering Dino & Fluffy were brand new parents, it seemed they needed a little something that spoke to their newfound responsibilities, yet kept the air of fun that they exude. For Dino,
a happy orange and aqua dud to match his collar, complete with a tiny pocket and removable custom bowtie. Retro yet fresh.



For Fluffy, a very pretty and ladylike aqua print to complement her yellow collar and Dino's orange duds. Adorned with micro pom pom and venice lace and freshwater pearls, Fluffy's duds also sport a pair of removable silk and beaded neck flowers, because a truly fashionable lady must have her options!



Hey kids, what do you think of mom & dad's new duds?




Sorry, I couldn't hear you. There's too much squeeing going on. :)




And lest we not forget our daily Baxter, today's photo, a shot of our little rumpkin, who was more than happy to spend a good part of his day showing me this while he stared at the squirrels outside his window. :) Whooo, have a wonderful squee-kend!

dapper doxie duds: the butterfly effect

too small to fit me,
these duds i cannot model.
i wait by the door.

- baxter, 3.75 years old, patiently waiting to join his mom on the deck after she finishes taking pictures of butterfly duds.

So tiny chumley did wait very patiently while I took pictures of the latest butterduds to come out of kalyxcraftopia - a pair of happy butterfly duds for Daisy's smaller sisters Harley and Heidi, finished in time for them all to go trick or treating as a trio of little butterflies.

Harley's dud, a pinky mauve batik bound in plaid and embellished with jacquard and velvet ribbon, removable freswater pearl buttons, and a sparkly sequin set of thready gossamer butterfly wings, cuz this little girls gotta have some bling to match her spunk.


And Heidi's dud, a bright retro mod print bound in solid purple, emellished with hand pleated grosgrain ribbon and glass bead detail, and color shifting two tone thready butterfly wings, for the coy little girl who won't be a wallflower when she wears this cherry piece of work.



Phew! A lot of work but a lot of creative fun! Happy Halloweener, little butterfly sisters, your package is on its way!! :)

dapper doxieduds: boy with the dragon tattoo & mission missoni

Not so long ago, in a land not so far away, there was a young impressionable doxie who needed a new home, and a couple of humans who needed to open their lives once again to the boundless joys of a four legged wiener dog. Enter the DRNA, a dachshund rescue adoption group, that matched young doxie with loving couple. And the rest is kalyxcornucopia history.

So today's post is all about the annual giveback, my yearly ritual of donating a dud or two to help raise money for the kind and wonderful folks who helped connect Big Boyfriend and me with Baxter, our tiny treasure of a boyfriend. Special duds, made especially for a special organization. Thanks, DRNA, and I hope adding these to your baskets will help sell a lot of raffle tickets! :)

ps - DRNA's not the only rescue group out there, so thanks to all of you who help make the meaningful connections that enrich the lives of both animal and human! :)


Boy with the Dragon Tatoo: best fits tweenies with a neck size between 12 and 14 inches, chest size betweek 17 and 19 inches



Mission Missoni: best fits tweenies to larger minis with a neck size beween 11 and 13 inches and a chest size between 14 and 16 inches.

nanooked

Some modeling fun for the little kielbasa yesterday, who was more than happy to pose for Etsy pictures in exchange for rawhide and snackies. Little Elmer Fudd and Elmer Fuddette flapjack hats, to welcome the crisp cold air of autumn.







Miss out on the kalyxcraftopia Etsy shop listings? Don't worry, hoping to put more in the shop in a few weeks! :)

dapper doxie duds: molly tyler moore

houndstooth wool outside,
and lined with cashmere inside,
molly's winter dud!

- baxter, 3.75 years old, happy to model a new swingin and very warm winter dud for his buddy molly.



Yippee, a double post today! Cuz I couldn't wait any longer to share a happy new winter dud for Molly, made from a recent thrift store score of a Mary Tyler Moore inspired Penguin by Munsingwear woolen skirt in a size that was - boo hoo - too small for me. But my loss is totally Molly's gain. Throw in a little luxe cashmere for the lining and hand dyed corduroy for the binding, a few vintage buttons and a tiny pocket for treats, and voila, instant Molly Tyler Moore! Stay warm this winter, little friend! :)

dapper doxie duds: island boy and kona bryant

Meet Kona. Kona is a bright eyed piebald doxie whose mom contacted me about a dapper doxie dud. Something better fitting than what he has now, maybe with a little hint of Hawaii, and Lakers and maybe it could coordinate with Kona's red print collar?

Hmmmm, I started to wonder. Any two of the three criteria possibly, but all three in one dud? How is that ever gonna work? I sweated for a bit while we pursued the fit model work, then felt a rush of excitement when I saw the wall of batiks at the fabric store. Maybe they'd have a little something in purple and gold, hopefully a masculine print that in a shade that would also still work with Kona's coloring. And there it was, an islandy batik of toasted golden trees on a background of plum. Lakers colors, turned rich by the setting sun. Things really fell into place when I scored a coordinating necktie, and thus was born the Island Boy dud. Something I am sure any Hawaiian surfer dude Lakers fan would be happy to wear to an evening luau, embellished with the tiny treasure of an etched fish print copper tag I made just yesterday, and sewn on with just a bit of red thread to complement Kona's collar. Oh yeah, this totally hits all three marks, so I'm done, right?



But I had an idea for a Lakers dud that burned a hole in my brain. I just HAD to try it out. Something cool, whose success wouldn't rely on regular ol preprinted licensed Lakers fabric. Something special, with all the detailed piping and seaming and all the proper athletic fabric. Oh yes, if Kona and his dad wanted to walk with their heads held high on game day then it could only mean one thing as far as Kona's duds were concerned. The official Kona Bryant jersey dud!







geez mom, u mean this wasn't a baxter bryant dud??

No, baby dog. But tomorrow is another day! :)

superdog returns