Happy 14th birthday to my “little brother” and favorite curmudgeon, Ringo! My mother adopted Ringo from a local shelter in July of 2010. He had been brought up from the south and surrendered to a shelter in Springfield, MA. At the time, Ringo weighed just 12 lbs. We could practically count his ribs. He was anxious and barking in the crate at the shelter, and to this day crates give him extreme anxiety. Half of his teeth were missing due to poor health and malnutrition, but that didn’t stop him from trying to jump up on the counter to grab a snack! Yes, from the beginning, Ringo kept us on our toes! People often ask us about Ringo, so here’s his Gotcha Story in honor of his special birthday.

That summer we were thinking of adopting a pug to keep JD company, but hadn’t heard any news from the rescues that we sent applications to. That’s when we discovered Ringo on an online pet finder website. When I saw that his name was Ringo, I had to click on the photo (after all, I loved the Beatles)! Ringo looked too thin to be a pug and was already quite grey in the muzzle. I saved his profile and waited. I kept thinking about Ringo after seeing his photo, but I was already busy finishing college and running All You Need is Pug in its early days. I wasn’t sure if I had enough time to take care of a second dog. Nonetheless, Ringo stayed on my mind. I worried that a dog who was just about to turn 8 years old may not necessarily quickly find a home. I told my mother about Ringo. After seeing him, she also believed that he seemed to belong with our family. Since I wasn’t certain about adopting a second dog, my mum decided to give Ringo his forever home. We drove out to Springfield, MA on June 10 (just 3 days after Ringo’s 8th birthday) and adopted him on the spot!

During Ringo’s time with us he has had many joys and, unfortunately, many struggles as well. We managed to get him to a healthy weight, but then he went blind a few years later and began to overeat as a comfort and compensation for his lost sight, causing him to go from underweight to overweight. He endured a leg injury slipping on ice one winter that left him stroller-bound for a year. He has chronic bronchitis and lung disease that continue to grow worse as he ages. But don’t feel badly for the little guy! None of this stops him! He has his good days and his bad, like anyone, but at 14 he is still one of the most sprightly, spunky dogs I know. He remains full of mischief, trying to steal cat food or sneak into the litter box if given the opportunity. He enjoys running around the house (yes, despite his blindness) now that his leg has healed. He is at a healthy weight again, so he makes running look effortless, even with arthritis. His favorite thing to do is bark his head off as an alarm to remind us that it is time for dinner or a snack. And above all, he loves to snuggle with his mama. Occasionally he will snuggle with yours truly, but that’s only if our mum has gone out and I am the sole warm body left to curl up against!

Ringo truly is a gift, as is every senior dog. Yes, seniors take extra time and care. Yes, they rack up astronomical veterinary care bills for the health problems that arise with aging. But would we trade Ringo for anything? No, not for the world!

Happy 14th birthday, sweet boy! We hope that with us you have found the beautiful life that you deserve.

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Don’t forget to celebrate all of the special moms in your life this Mother’s Day!

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In the past I had made a panda dog hat, but it wasn’t a design that I loved, so I eventually retired it. I recently decided to revise the old hat pattern and create a new cozy creation with bigger, bolder ears. The result is a Playful Panda Dog Hat that animal lovers will not be able to resist!

The panda-love didn’t stop there! I also wanted to play with making mini knitted and crocheted animal faces. I worked up a cute bear face that I have since used to create ornaments and dog neck warmers. The panda ornaments are the perfect whimsical decor options for holiday trees, or even for hanging around the home year-round, and the panda dog neck warmers are so comfy and adorable that I just know out customers are going to be paw-sitively thrilled about them! It has been a lot of fun playing with the panda image for recent projects, and I am excited to share the other new ideas I have in the works. From foxes to sugar skulls, there are a lot of exciting new designs that will be making their way into our Etsy shop over the next few weeks. By fall, I hope to have at least a dozen new knitwear options available for our dog-loving clients, so stay tuned for the cuteness overload that lies ahead!

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I just came in from retrieving my mail, and as usual there were only a handful of generic flyers and an invoice or two in my mailbox. What ever happened to the art of writing letters? It is rare for me to pop open my mailbox to find a handwritten card or note, but when I do, I truly savor every word. Getting snail mail from loved ones absolutely brightens my entire day, and it makes me wonder why we don’t share these sweet correspondences more often than we do.

I became engaged last summer and I am now in full wedding planning mode. My current mission is to find a gown by the end of the month. I haven’t had any luck yet, but it has been fun to browse and try on these stunning dresses. The reason that I bring up my dress hunt is because yesterday I opened my mailbox, and lo and behold! There was a handwritten note addressed to me. When I opened it I found a beautiful thank you card from the owner of one of the bridal shops that I recently visited. She kindly thanked me for browsing her shop and extended the invitation for me to contact her if I wanted to see any additional gowns. I was struck by the fact that she took the time to write this lovely note, and even though the gowns in her shop weren’t for me, it made me happy to have had a pleasant experience with such a kind, conscientious business owner.

I believe that one of the things that drew me toward designing dog greeting cards and other stationery was that I truly enjoy sending cards and notes, which is sadly something that is becoming a bit of a lost art. Why do so many of us now send invitations over Facebook instead of charming, decorated invitations in the mail? Why do birthday text messages pour in on this special occasion when a sweet card is so much more memorable? Perhaps I’m an old soul, but there’s something about seeing a loved one’s handwriting that just makes the message feel so much more personal and meaningful than when that message comes to me digitally over a screen.

Last week I had a very large greeting card order from a client, and all I could do was smile as I printed and prepped her order for shipment. I imagined her penning a special note inside of each card, and then I thought of her loved ones’ faces lighting up as they opened their cards and saw the cute dog illustrations alongside her well wishes. Perhaps it is time that we all revive the art of letter writing, even if it is only to make someone’s day just a little more beautiful.

If you like the cards that you see in this post, visit our Etsy shop for all of these designs and dozens more!

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And don’t think that I’ve forgotten about our pets! For many of us, our pets are our sweethearts. They are our best friends, secret keepers, and snuggle buddies. They are forever there to console us on tough days and kick our confidence up even higher on good days. Perhaps what makes our pets most worthy of our love is that they are some of the few individuals in this world who will love us unconditionally and wholeheartedly, without expecting anything in return. So if you think that you are spending this Valentine’s Day alone, think again! It’s perfectly acceptable to make your pet your valentine. Whether you’re single and plan to snuggle up alone with your favorite dog, or you’re in a happy relationship and want to include your dog in this year’s romantic festivities, here are some fun ideas for pet-friendly ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day:

1 . Snuggle up and have a cuddle-fest or Netflix bingeathon.

2. Bundle up and plan a scenic walk in your local park.3. Grab something sweet with your sweethearts at a local ice cream stand. Many ice cream venues are still open in the winter off-season, and several offer doggie sundaes that consist of vanilla ice cream and a small dog cookie. Remember to stick to vanilla, as many other flavors have ingredients that could be toxic to pets.

4. Hop in your car and drive aimlessly while listening to your favorite music. See something scenic? Stop for an impromptu photo shoot!

5. Visit a photo booth and make some memories.

6. Spoil your furry valentine with something cozy! Visit our Etsy shop for plenty of cute, custom-made pet clothes that will keep your sweetheart warm all winter long. We also have a selection of romantic dog-themed greeting cards and gifts for the humans that you love!

No matter how you decide to spend your Valentine’s Day, know that we have a special place in our hearts for you, our customers and friends, and we’ll be sending some love out into the universe for you on Valentine’s Day & everyday!

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It is hard to believe that Christmas is almost here! I have been knitting around the clock to get holiday orders out to cozy, happy customers, and I am happy to say that I completed my final custom knit Christmas order this morning. While typing is still keeping my hands busy, it is nice to pry my fingers away from the knitting needles for a few hours, though I will be picking them up again soon to get started on the dozens of 2016 orders that have already been placed. That being said, I would like to thank everyone who supported All You Need is Pug this year, whether by shopping in our Etsy shop, stopping at our booth at local events, or sharing our adventures with us on social media, your involvement means so much! This was an incredible year for the business. I quit my day job to pursue this unique, fulfilling dream full-time, and thanks to family, friends, loyal customers, and social media followers, All You Need is Pug is thriving and I hope to see it continue to grow in 2016. You are all so wonderful, and this small business would not exist without you!

Before I head off to get some of my own shopping and wrapping done, I do want to note that there is still time to do some of your holiday shopping with us! While you may have missed out on ordering custom knits for the dog lovers in your life this holiday season, never fear! We have you covered with several Ready to Ship gifts still available. Visit our Etsy shop to place orders for pug mugs, totes, t-shirts, and greeting cards. Place US orders with Priority Shipping by midnight on December 18 to receive them in time for Christmas Eve. Be sure to select the shipping upgrade at checkout, because standard shipping likely won’t arrive in time now that we are so close to the holiday.

And with that, I leave you to enjoy all of the holiday traditions and festivities that await you! From the All You Need is Pug family to yours, happy holidays and a beautiful, blissful new year!

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Today the All You Need is Pug family celebrates a very special occasion: JD’s 8th birthday! It is so hard for me to believe that he is already 8 years old. I rescued JD from the Pug Rescue of New England when he was just 7 months old. This rambunctious little puppy was surrendered because he was too high energy for his former family, but I knew that his fun spirit and wild ways would be the perfect addition to my days. I was fresh out of high school, planning for college, and nervous about the future. I had always wanted a pug and had been begging my parents to adopt one since I was in grade school. When I was just becoming an adult myself, I made the decision to spend the money I had received through graduation gifts toward the adoption fee for a little pug named Reggie. I changed his name to James Dean, because I could tell right away when he playfully nipped at my hand that he would be a little rebel.

JD has taught me more than I ever imagined he could in our 7+ years together. He has made me a more compassionate, selfless, honest, and creative human being, and I cannot thank him enough for helping me to become the person that I am. Today, and everyday, I celebrate JD for his happy heart, freely given love, and a loyalty that I never knew existed until he snuggled into my arms. Without JD, All You Need is Pug would not exist. He is the muse and inspiration behind every stitch that I knit and every new piece of art that I create. I have always known that JD would give me a happier, more fulfilled existence, but I never could have dreamed that he would touch the hearts of thousands all over the world by making them smile with his funny photos and sloppy kisses. Everyone that he meets marvels at his personality and says “I’ve never met a dog like him!” And it’s true. I have never met another dog like JD, and I am so thankful for the little man who has made my life the extraordinary adventure that it is. JD, for today and all of the days that we will have in our shared life together, for all of our moments nestled on the couch, for all of our walks trampling through leaves, for all of the silly songs that I sing to you, and for all of the funny little habits that you have, I give you the happiest of wishes, the warmest embraces, and the best life that I know how to give you. Happy 8th birthday, my heart.

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If you are anything like me & The All You Need is Pug boys, you probably enjoy lazy Sundays! These lazy days involve a lot of Netflix, couch-surfing, and tea-drinking. My pantry cabinets are full of tea bags, loose teas, coffee pods, and vegan hot cocoas. I am simply in love with the cozy feeling that a warm beverage fills you with on a chilly autumn day. There’s nothing like it!  This is perhaps the reason why I am also a collector of coffee mugs and have an entire cabinet stacked with mugs that feature everything from rock band logos to whimsical woodland creatures. I guess it was only a matter of time before I started designing mugs myself!

A few weeks ago I introduced All You Need is Pug’s first pug mugs, and today I am proud to add a new item to our line! Our newest pug mugs features our Floral Pug illustration, which is also available on totes and greeting cards.

I have already made use of my personal All You Need is Pug mug today by filling it up with warm green tea and a bit of local raw honey. (I can sense that your mouth is probably watering about now!) I can’t wait to pack up some of these new mugs and ship them to our happy customers & fellow warm beverage enthusiasts!

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