going, going, gone!

Hi everyone, just a quick post to let you all know that I'll be in Denver, CO until Tuesday for a visit with some friends as well as a photo shoot or two. I'll post some fun puppy pics when I get back! :)

Happy Holidays!

a present for Elvis & Mitzie

I'd been searching for the perfect Christmas gift for Mitzie & Elvis (my 2 favorite dachshunds) and finally found just what they needed at the Eastside Dog boutique.

Check out the adorable star-shaped squeaky toys (and the awesome snow at my house):

My favorite part about the toys? They come apart so each dog gets their own star--this way Dennis & Patricia (Elvis & Mitzie's owners) can decide who's been naughty and who's been nice!


Eastside Dog is located in Redmond Town Center at
7533 166th Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98052

They're open Monday-Saturday 10am to 9pm
and Sunday 11am to 7pm.

oops!

No matter how much I plan, there always seems to be an unexpected moment that happens during a photo session. I've seen just about everything, from dogs doing their business right when I snap a shot, to brides getting nose bleeds during their wedding ceremony. In today's post, I thought I'd share some PaddyWag "oops!" pictures with you all.

Not exactly an "oops", but I thought it was funny that the sign maker made sure there was an extra "X" over the dog's mess.

Izzy!

Word of mouth is how I get all of my business & I love getting calls like the one I got last week, which went something like this:

"Hi Amanda, I'm at the dog park where I just met Rachel who gave me your number & said I should call you about getting pictures taken of my dog Izzy..."

So here's a big THANK YOU!!! to Rachel for sending Lawrence & his puppy my way for a photo session.

Isn't Izzy the cutest thing ever?

It's hard picking a favorite shot from each photo session, but this one was an easy winner:

it's a small world after all...

I'm always amazed at how small our world really is.

During the later part of summer and into the fall, I played Friday night ice hockey with a great group of guys, one in particular named Brian. Brian's the kind of guy that I like to have on the ice with me--always smiling, always offering constructive criticism, always treating me like one of the guys even though I'm the only girl out there. Not to mention that when we played on the same team, he'd pass me the puck even though I was one of the least skilled players out there.

My fiance Nate played Friday nights too, and one night as we were heading home he showed me a stuffed animal Brian had given him. It was Rover from the comic strip Red and Rover. Turns out Brian the hockey player is also Brian Basset the comic strip writer (he writes Red and Rover as well as Adam @ Home)!

So here's a big THANK YOU to Brian, not only for making me smile on the ice, but making me smile off of it too. :)

stress reliever

I was up late last night finishing holiday orders, catching up on emails, designing holiday gift certificates and brainstorming Christmas gift ideas for my friends and family.

Somewhere in between all that mess I had a mini stress attack, wondering how I'd be able to get everything done in time. It was then that I decided I needed a good laugh, since that's the one thing that always de-stresses me.

So, I dropped what I was doing for 10 minutes and had fun with a clip-art Santa hat...

Happy Holidays!

Natasha & Abbie

Meet Natasha and her puppy Abbie:

I had so much fun photographing them at Redondo Beach last weekend!




Check out Abbie's wonderfully expressive ears...




Yep, just about the cutest puppy ever!

a pup haven in Kirkland, WA

One of my clients recently told me about Barkz, a dog boutique in Kirkland. Never one to pass up "research" shopping, I decided to check it out.

Located on Lake Street in downtown Kirkland, Barkz is a pup haven to say the least. The first thing I noticed were the toys--vibrant toys that filled the shelves and would make anyone excited for play time. Then there were the dog beds that were so fashionable you'd want to display one in your living room (instead of stashing it in your laundry room the minute guests arrive). There was a whole section of dog leashes that featured just about every color you'd find in a box of Crayons. And then there were the doggy treats that looked so good I wanted to eat them.

I roamed their store for about 20 minutes, taking the time to look at every car accessory (protective seat cover for your wet pooch? Genius!), every shampoo (green tea scented? Yes please!), and every doggy outfit (kind of like a Bluefly for canines). This is definitely a place that will keep you coming back for more, but don't trust me--check it out for yourself.



Barkz
115 Lake Street South
Kirkland, WA 98033

Open Monday-Friday from 10:00am to 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am to 6:00pm.

The results are in...

...and we are THRILLED!

Charity and I are excited to announce that PaddyWag made Evening Magazine's Top 5 for Pet Photography!

Congrats are in order to Erin Vey who took 1st place. Her work is amazing and it's such an honor to be listed in the Top 5 with her!

Charity and I want to say THANK YOU!!! to everyone who voted for us. Your support is what keeps us going every day! :)

all it takes is one...

Jamie, my youngest sister, called today to tell me two things:

1. she passed her driving test

2. she started an animal food & gift drive for the Humane Society

I was incredibly excited by both pieces of news, but I was especially intrigued by the Humane Society part. I asked what motivated her to start the drive. She told me she watched a TV program on animal shelters and was heart broken to find that many of them are in desperate need of animal supplies. She called the Humane Society that same day and told them she wanted to help by starting a food and gift drive.

The drive is only one week old and already she’s collected more supplies than she can fit in her room! She said that although it sounds like she’s collected a lot, it’s nothing compared to the number of animals that need food and supplies.

Right after my sister said that, I immediately thought of PaddyWag and knew I needed to post a blog letting you all know about this food and gift drive. If you’re interested in donating, please send me an email at art_of_subtlety@yahoo.com or call me at 206-661-8961. My sister is sending me a list of supplies that the Humane Society requested and I’d be happy to pass that along to you. Donations are being accepted until December 20th.

I’m so proud of my sister for doing this all out of the kindness of her heart and for her love of animals.

Remember…all it takes is one person to make a difference.

Take care,

Amanda

Your donations go to help sweet faces like these…

…and make it possible for the Humane Society to continue helping animals find loving homes.

a kid, a dog and a pile of leaves...it must be fall

One of my favorite things about fall is when a kid rakes leaves into a big pile then jumps right in them. What could top that? A kid and his dog jumping in the pile. This boy was camera shy, but I managed to get a few shots that made mom smile.

Jessica & Josie

Today I woke up to a bleak, gray and cold Seattle. When I arrived at the Edmonds ferry terminal I was convinced I'd have to cancel the photo session with Jessica and her puppy Josie because this is what I saw:

I kept looking up at the sky and was convinced that the clouds would open up and pour rain all over me and my camera, but I crossed my fingers and boarded the ferry anyway. Turns out I made the right decision! I was greeted in Kingston by the cutest little golden lab who showered me with kisses and made me fall in love.

Charles Schulz was right..."Happiness is a warm puppy."