The Original Bébé

With our baby’s arrival quickly approaching sometime in May, I’ve started to make a mental note of all the things I need to do – most of which need to happen sooner rather than later. As I was jotting down some notes, my sweet little Bruce (and I use the term “sweet” VERY loosely) caught my eye. Bruce is our family pet, but really, he is so much more than that. He is a mini dachshund that grew into a not-so-mini dachshund…let’s just say he’s more of an in-betweeny. Anyways, as I am trying to make my list Bruce keeps trying to get my attention. After several attempts, I backed up and let him jump up on my lap for a snuggle.

This little occurrence (which is usually a daily occurrence) got me to thinking. When little bébé no. 2 arrives, my poor Bruce has to make even more room on the old totem pole, again! Those first 3 months with the new little bundle of joy are a blur for us as parents and, unfortunately, I can tell you most positively that there will be a few missed belly rubs and thrown tennis balls for my furry little friend. If I remember correctly from the first time around: sleeping (or trying to sleep), eating, and changing diapers…that’s what my life was for what seemed like an eternity.

So, in my attempts to prepare I added another item to my baby to-do list. Pamper Bruce. Yes, just as I will be busy preparing my two-year old for the arrival of her new baby sister, I need to prepare my pup as well for his new baby sister. This, I believe, should consist of a few extra walks, some serious cuddle time and of course, a few luxuries from Etsy!

These are some fabulous finds from some fabulous shops that would be fabulous for any pet lover!

Bruce is a bonafide prize-winning wiener dog. Last year he won our local wiener dog race and even managed to claim a $250 prize!! This pea green Dachshund sweater, from Warm Weenies, has his name all over it. He is a professional after all and should be dressed like one!!




After a long day of lying around, chewing on a raw-hide and barking at the neighborhood kids as they walk home from the bus stop, a dog can manage to work up quite the appetite! These adorable bone shaped dog mats are perfect for jazzing up your dog’s personal space. Camargo Creations has a wide variety of mats at extremely affordable prices!! Definitely check them out!




Sophie’s Threads also gives us a portal to dog fabulosity with some great looking harnesses. Bruce can be quite excitable on his walks – especially when that French bulldog from down the street happens to be walking by – and a harness just like this one is what he needs to impress his lady friend AND stay safely at my side!



While taking our walks, this inevitably leads to other things…yes, you know what I’m talking about. As a responsible pet owner I’m always sure to have my little roll of baggies attached to my leash, ready to spring into action whenever the mood may hit him. Some people, unfortunately, are not so thoughtful when it comes to this so this ‘NO DOG POOP’ yard sign from Knob Creek Metal Arts is perfect to keep Bruce’s turf turd free!


This vinyl decal from Graphic Spaces has been one of my favorite Etsy listings for a long time!! I can just picture the perfect spot for it in my house!! I love anything that can be personalized (dog’s name, size, colour) and that is unique. This Dog House decal is just that and is, therefore, a must have.

And finally, and this is perhaps the most important for me. A reminder. A cute Dachshund silhouette from Scratch and Sniff, right at eye level, would work perfectly as that gentle reminder on those mornings when I’ve had little to no-sleep, 5 diaper changes, and an early morning wake-up from my two year old. These prints are unique because, not only are they a silhouette, but they are made from various different paper sources – including my favorite, an image from Alice in Wonderland.

When bébé no. 2 arrives it will be difficult to adjust to our new family life. But, whether I have two bébés, 4 bébés, or more, Bruce will still always be one of my bébé’s himself. Before we have kids, he was our kid. Now I consider him more of a teenager but, never the less, we will always make sure to have room for him on our totem pole! Love you Bruce-ington!

I'mmmmm back!!!

Okay..this is just ridiculous!!! As you can see, I have been neglecting my blog for far too long! I don't know where all the time goes but, all I can say is WOW! It feels like just yesterday that I was posting my last blog! Now, almost 10 months later, I'm in shock as to where the time has gone! Ironically, May 17th - the date of my last post - is a very special date to me now. It's the due date for my new little baby girl that is set to arrive fairly soon! Yes, I"m going to be a mommy of two little bébés this spring! :)

Now that time is finally starting to slow down for me a bit, I've totally starting getting into my nesting mode! I have been searching and searching through all my Etsy favorites and through some great new finds to look for the perfect pieces for bébé no. 2. This time around we are going to leave our nursery walls two neutral shades of brown and leave all the girly flair up to the accessories and textiles. I am struggling a bit with what I want the final look to be but what I do know is that I want sweet, calm and a few polka dots here and there!

Here are a few items that I would be absolutely proud to include in my new baby's sanctuary:


First and foremost, I want to start off with this adorable Girly Owl night light from Star Lights by Amber. A nursery must have a great, calming atmosphere and soft lighting is a must. Why plug in a boring old white night light when you can add a little pizazz with a piece like this?? Measuring approximately 4" in height, this beautiful little light comes with a 5 watt bulb and is ready to go the minute you receive it.

This one, really, is a no-brainer for me. These boutique-quality, hand painted letters from Candace n Katie's Art are simply stunning. I love all the colour and motif combinations there are to choose from in this shop and the addition of the 2" stiff felt flowers really set these letters apart from many other shops! Bow holders, picture frames, and adorable kid's calling cards are also available in this shop.

Now, I know this isn't a décor item, per say, but I have to include this on my list. These baby books are truly special. 2 Giggles is a shop that is filled with wonderful customization, just for you. There is a plethora of baby books in a variety of colours, fonts, and even in form (for example, you can choose a bound book or a binder style). You can select additional pages to include in some of the baby books, such as "first holiday"pages or "pregnancy memories"pages. I have to admit that, yes, I could not resist and ordered one of these babies for myself (I opted for the binder variety)! I cannot wait to start filling in the pages with all the little anecdotes and stories of my new bébé no. 2! And really, with a sweet little shelf or bookcase, this CAN become a décor item (as I will be doing), displaying the book made just for my little one for all to see!

I happened to come across this shop (which is dripping with fabulosity, by the way) at the bottom of the Etsy page - you know, where they have little thumbnails of newly posted items. Oh my goodness, it was love at first site. EVERYTHING I love...polkadots, ornate frames, buttons...I could go on and on. I actually ordered a white frame for my other daughter's room and I can't help but show it off to all the guest who come to my house now. These pieces by Shugabee Lane are so unique and special, I really can't say enough about them. I dare you to check out this shop and not heart at least five items...it's impossible!

And finally, this super sweet print from Love Sugar is something I fell in love with as soon as I set my eyes upon it! I love it's simplicity and the whimsical font used. Of course, I am a sucker for anything french and, lately, have really been drawn to cute little birdies. Measuring 12 x 16 this print is also great because of it's size...why always just stick with a boring 8 x 10? You can't lose with this glicée print (if you are looking for it in other colours or sizes, that is also available).

So, there you are. I am sorry that is has been so long since I've last updated you with some wonderful Etsy finds and I promise to keep things a bit more regular! As May 17 approaches you can be sure that I will be searching high and low, trying to find all the perfect items for my nest! :)