Kristan Cunningham» Floyd & Beans

Bowl Patrol

Floyd & Beans — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:37:12 +0000

I grew up in a dog house. Hold. I mean dog household. We had as few as one, but as many as four at any given time and the same two blue plastic bowls fed them all. I’m now 33 and when I went home to visit my parents for Christmas, whaddaya think Daisy was stickin’ her head in? It’s ok if Mom reads this because I’ve expressed my displeasement over this for many years and offered to buy her others. She’s aware that this is not ok.

These things are in the middle of your kitchen floor- and you look at them daily- so in my household, the rule is they have to be pretty. Or handsome. Here are some of both…

Paw Print Dog Bowl and Dog Bowl Stand, $16-39

WETNOZ Pill Shaped Dish, $18-24

Anderson Modern Wood Dog Bowls, $23-43

Berlin Nickel Plated Dog Bowl, $28-38

High Rise Dog Bowl in White Gloss, $32-88

Raised Bambu Double Dog Feeder, $69

Holden Double Bowl Dog Feeder, $99-159

Doca Square Meal Bowls, $86-126

Play Alternatives to Plastic Dog Chew Toys

Kristan — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:31:42 +0000

Y’all know that I a-dore my kids, and I’ve gone to great lengths to make my home a place fit for hands as well as paws- but there is no way I’m gonna clutter things up with hideous plastic chew toys.

Now, don’t go feelin’ bad for Floyd and Beans – they certainly don’t go without. There are so many better options out there, from handmade stuffed animals to simple knotted rope toys (of which there are at several in every room my house, by the way, since Beans needs one within inches of her at all times).

So, give them something to chew, tug on, cuddle with, but make it nice to look at too! Floyd is old and cranky and only cares about cookies and sleeping, so here are Beans top picks…

Wool Bird Dog Toy, $17

Louie the Lobster, $14-16

PETCO Naturals Bone with Rope, $5.97

PETCO White Rope Dog Toys, $3.17-9.57

Handsome Hardware for Your Haute Hounds

Kristan — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:53:31 +0000

Imagine a life with one purse. Or even worse- one pair of shoes. They’d have to be the most fantastic shoes in all the land to keep you happy, right? Well your furry kids have one- just one- major accessory to wear, day in and day out. So, as a good parent, it’s your job to ensure that it’s kick ass.

Show off their style by custom creating a collar and tag with all the bells and whistles. Start by designing your own collar from California Collar Co. (which, by the way, is pretty much the most fantastic collar destination on the planet.) You can choose the color of the leather (how rad is the green?!), the shape of the buckle, even throw in some gemstones or crystals if your kid is all about the bling!

Or choose one of their ready made designs- like the Fargo. Then have them custom engrave a solid brass tag, with either a gold or silver finish and 83, yes you read that right, 83 choices of font! Finally, add a little heft to the whole shebang by attaching the ID tag with an extra piece of heavy duty hardware- like this solid brass shackle from a boat supply shop.

Ok, so its not really made for this sort of thing, but that’s never stopped us before fellow DIYers…

Fargo Collar from California Collar Co. $65

Custom Solid Brass ID Tag, $13

Solid Brass Shackle, $3.00

Floyd’s always been a handsome guy, but it’s the collar that drives the bitches crazy…

Oh The Places We Go…

Kristan — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:50:36 +0000

Having spent the last few years doing makeovers all over the country, the only thing that kept me sane was my family. Scott and Floyd were with me in every city and every hotel (Beans will clock some miles soon!) and the whole process was made doable with good bags. I try to keep the family as coordinated as possible- luggage and purses are factored in when purchasing carriers.

The following options are strong contenders for this year’s round of trips- the first two for Floyd & I, and the third for Bean & Scott. That’s right. He gets to carry the big chubby one…

London Pet Carrier, $70.95

Vintage Faux Leather Dog Carrier With Rivets, $199- 239

Kwigy Bo Michael Canvas Carrier, $132