Hanging out...

Discarded blankets, shirts, trousers, skirts...all given a new purpose in life...

Gratitude...

Today, while contemplating how to begin my next post, I decided to check the Stats tab on the menu bar.  This is not something I have made a habit of since beginning the JoeysCoat blog, therefore I was not prepared for what I found.  In addition to the United States, Joey's story is being read in Germany, Canada, The U.K., Malaysia, The Philippines, Australia, Denmark and France. 

I am humbled by the far-reaching audience.  You honor me and my boy...thank you.

The last photo of "Joey" taken the day before we said good-bye...

The Jr. Cowboy...

About a year ago, our dear friends Tami and Rob Renno found a 1904 farmhouse with a view of Quartermaster Harbor on the portion of the Island known as Dockton.  The house came with an old rusty bus tucked away in a back corner of the garden and the Rusty Bus Farm came to be.

Tami is a collector and seller of all things vintage.  Her grandmother's settee along with a chandelier and the rusty bus made for perfect props for a JoeysCoat photo shoot.  Between the two of us we managed to wrangle her Boston Terriers, Lola and Bo with Sass and Fiona long enough to get some wonderful images of the four of them in coats. 

"Bo" exhausted, "Sass" ballet toes turned out, "Lola" channeling Garbo and "Fiona" looking for trouble!

Dana designed a very special glen plaid coat using an old remnant of braid embroidered with the words "Jr. Cowboy".  Originally she had chosen leather buttons for the tab, however I remembered a set of pewter buttons shaped like Sheriff's stars I'd come across in a grab-bag button purchase.  The leather buttons quickly came off and the Sheriff's stars were sewn in their place.  It was serendipitous.  Now the coat truly is a Jr. Cowboy.

"Bo" resting in Jr. Cowboy.  The belt is a wee bit long for his frame so we're off to Dana's studio for a custom fitting.  That's "Sass" in the background in a lightweight wool plaid paired with a dark green antique velvet belt.  The belt loops are made of gold braid that Dana found in a flea market in Paris forty years ago!

Stay tuned for more from The Rusty Bus Farm...

Photo Day Finale!

It's been nearly a month since I last posted.  What began as a common cold, quickly turned to pneumonia and I indulged in much needed rest.  The only challenge that comes with rest is the time it took away from my "day job" and the daunting catch-up work that followed.  All the while only wanting to think about JoeysCoat.

I am back, healthy, invigorated and ready to resume where I left off!  Fortunately, Dana's creativity and productivity never wained.  Additionally, Island Artist Mike Urban completed the prototype for the coat stands that will serve as "mannequins" to display the coats for the eCommerce site.  The stands are on their own, beautiful works of art.  The coats, tiny treasures.  It doesn't get any better.

Before the unveiling of the most current photos of the coats, I feel compelled to complete the photo shoot images my friend and Island Photographer Kari Davidson shot back in June.  The final two Island dogs are fixtures at their respective businesses.

Sophie and her humans, Sylvia Matlock and Ross Johnson are the creative owners of DIG, Vashon Island's destination nursery.  On any given day, one can view Sophie lounging on a garden settee upon entering into the magical garden that is DIG.

Marty has just celebrated his first year at Treasure Island, a unique store with an eclectic mix of all things vintage.  I visit the store and it's owner Marci often, forever in search of something special for JoeysCoat.  Rarely do I leave empty handed.

"Sophie" playing on the lawn at DIG

"Marty" and Marci at Treasure Island

Thank you to everyone for a brilliant day of photos!