Aussie Naturals

Remember a time when you got by with an old slipper or ball of wool to play with your pets? Now, there's a huge array of toys out there made from ropes, fancy felts, plastics and colourful rubber etc. In this sea of playthings I recently spotted these and was instantly struck by how robust and substanial they are. With a close look I discovered they are made from a vegetable fibre that grows along the Ganges River in India.
Jute is one of the strongest natural fibres and totally hamless to your dog. So, when you want something that is 100% natural, renewable, chewable, biodegradable and recyclable these Aussie Naturals are for you.

This is made from water buffalo leather and spins in the air, but is easy to grab in the mouth. The boomerang (also made from the same leather) has a cotton filling, whilst the crunchy wool Koala Bear has a a natural coconut biodegradable fibre filling. Plenty more to see on their site.

When playtime is over pile everything into this leather bucket for another day.

 All products are designed in Australia and hand-crafted in India. Make sure to watch this space as they have more exciting products out soon made from a Jute and Cotton mix and great stuff for cats too!

Aussie Naturals

Cute gadget cases and more

These are really cute gadget cases from boutique ID. Each case is made from 100% wool designer felt. Perfect for any kids, or adults, to carry anything from cell phone to digital camera. It comes with a belt loop and small clip on the back so that it can be attached to a anything including the drawstring backpack shown below.

The drawstring backpack is made of fleece and fully lined with a 100% cotton flannel.

Cute gadget cases and more

Perfectly matched

Is it a must that you have earrings to match your necklace and shoes to match your purse? It's not high on my list of prorities, but I would definitely kit out my pooch in this perfectly coordinated and eco-friendly range from Thayer and Ridge - so perfect for the Sunday morning walk in the park!

There are collars too if you don't want to use the harness coat which are lined in a faux suede for comfort. All the products in their Eco-Friendly range are stain, water, bacteria and odor resistant. The fabrics contain NO toxic chemicals, heavy metals or carcinogens and are made using re-cycled energy!

Perfectly matched

Worthy Wednesday - Ruff necks

Feeling the chill a bit here on the west coast and loving the feeling of fresh rain makes me happy that Autumn is just around the corner. My most favourite time of the year to dress up in the best clothes and the best time to wrap up your little pet pal in these Ruff necks and plaid coats from Canadian company Mod Dog . Each garment is made from a recycled sweater or fabric with vintage buttons to finish the look. They come in all sizes and colours depending on what's available.

To make you feel extra warm on the inside, a donation is made to Lakefield Animal Welfare from the sale of each item.

Worthy Wednesday - Ruff necks

Patch and Scott simply oozing quality

Don't you think these products from Patch and Scott are oozing quality? All the collars and leashes in their collection are handcrafted in Europe from fine top grain leather and bespoke components that come in a glorious range of  colours. Each design is available in a range of sizes to suit from the smallest to the largest of dog and can be adjusted to fit. Matching extendable leashes complete the look that has definitely been created for the style conscious dog!

Patch and Scott simply oozing quality

What could YOU make out of an old advertising billboard..

..that's right a dog collar! Totally pinching this post from one of my fave blogs Dogloading... I was really struggling this week to find something for my Worthy Wednesday recycle feature and ok, I know it's Friday, but so worthy of a post. Collars and leashes from recycled billboards...yep, whatever next! but I think I said that last week! So many make their way to landfills each year so why not make a dog collar :)

Apparently, the material wears like denim and gets a rich vintage look over time. They are very soft and durable even though they are made from rescued advertising billboards! Not sure on the process, but they are made in Colorado, and just love the label 'I used to be a billboard'

Check out Itza dog for their range named Ecollargy and even more interesting stuff!

Thanks Dogloading... great find!

What could YOU make out of an old advertising billboard..

Buttons and Bobbies

I have a really big urge to make some of these buttons. I think it probably needs a special machine to do it, but they look so much fun and such a great way to get creative! I found these on a number of etsy shops and picked out the pet ones, but there are oodles of great designs, especially some of the earrings, that have really unique styles.

1. Pinkish Coco
2. The Blue Kitteh
3. Jack and Jane
4. Cynical Redhead
5. Dorothy Wyn
6. Charming Couture
7. & 8. Aimoobaro

Buttons and Bobbies

Your pet in paper and card

Today I'm featuring the work of UK artist Helen Mussel White and her use of papers and card.
On her website she has many pieces including bunnies, foxes, field mice and butterflies - but of course I have just picked out the doggie ones.
Because of the hand cutting, folding and scoring of a wide range of papers and card, each piece is totally different. They are created by building scenes in box frames which are often complex and consist of many layers. Now as most of them are custom orders, I'm sure you could probably get your pet sat in a favourite place. What a great way to remember them don't you think!

Your pet in paper and card

Animal sports

Okay, I probably say this every week, but I am repeatedly amazed at the creativity demonstrated by some people's recycling efforts! This Wednesdays 'recycling and helping animals' feature is very sports related. It involves tennis balls and old inner tubes from cycle tires - Whatever next!

The Dog Bed from Hugh Hayden Design has been constructed entirely of recycled tennis balls from the New York Metropolitan area that are woven together in a tight hexagonal pattern. Plop a cushion on the top and you have a comfy bed totally made from recycled materials. At the moment they are just for smaller dogs up to 25lbs but bigger ones will be coming out soon. If you throw the bed, your dog will probably bring it back :-)

Cycle dog make collars and leashes from recycled bike inner tubes! Apparently, in the US there are over 60 million bike riders and that can mean a lot of flat tires and old inner tubes. So, why not make a dog collar and leash with them instead of adding them to landfills. All you need do is to take your old tube to a dealer or send them to Cycle Dog and they will be put to good use. How very innovative is that!

Animal sports

Tough collars for tough dogs

Could you wait 3-4 weeks for a custom handmade collar? Yep, you could when you see the quality of the materials used to create these really sturdy dog products from California Collar Company.

They look so strong and well made and come in several sizes. These collars are designed for dogs over 20 pounds, who need a more "heavy duty" collar. They are great for thicker, more muscular dogs such as larger sized Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs. The width of the collar can go from 1" up to 2" and can also cater for giant dogs like Mastiffs and Great Danes who have a collar size of 18"!  The English bridle leather that they are made from makes them heavier and thicker than most collars, and they can be dressed up with natural gemstones and swarovski crystals.

Tough collars for tough dogs