Catching up - Customs!

Well, my friend Beth gently reminded me that I have been completely ignoring this blog for the past four months. The shells that were featured as new listings in the last entries have already reached their four month limit on Etsy and have had to been renewed. Seriously, shame on me.

In fact I've been incredibly slow on painting in these months. Schoolwork has kept me occupied and miserable :P

I've had a couple of commissioned portraits to keep me busy though! So I'm gonna show them off :)


This is River and Coyote, two bi-black shelties. They are very, very handsome gentlemen. And they're tough little dogs too - River herds cattle! The photo doesn't really do the shell justice, because here the picture looks a bit warped due to the curvature of the shell, and the flash made the shading look very harsh. But it really came out quite nice.


This is Francesca, a graceful little Italian Greyhound girl. Iggy ears often go in wonky directions throughout the day (my boys can attest to this). But the dogs never seem to notice and continue with their godly attitude. Much like here - Francesca's ear went all funny but she kept a serious look on her face! Silly iggies...


Karen and Yoshi are two brindle greyhounds who are no longer with us. Yoshi was a sweet sensitive boy, and Karen was a bit of a prankster. Unfortunately the shell took a fall and broke. I was able to repair it pretty well, though. Thank you, Gale, for being so patient and understanding!


Now this sweet girl is Cheska, a retriever mix rescue. She has the most beautiful eyes and a lovely sable coat.


Look familiar? Its Cheska again. Her mum decided to get two portraits, showing two different sides of this pretty girl, one serious and one smiley :)

I've also got a pretty exciting custom portrait coming up that I'm just starting to work on. What's exciting about it? Well, it isn't a dog ;) I'll show you guys when its complete. And next I'll feature some shells that I have painted for my shop.

Patience and paint

So I hope 2009 has taken a good start for everyone. Its been a little difficult here.

One of the reasons is that Anton has a booboo. Yes, a booboo. He broke one of his nails all the way down to the quick. And he hasn't told anyone so by the time i saw it by randomly trying to cut his nails and seeing a big gaping hole where a nail should have been, it had enough time to get infected. So he's had a hefty dose of antibiotics and a bandaged foot.

He's being very dramatic about it. Like he'll be totally fine but the moment he sees someone looking at him he'll start limping. He's been on antibiotics for a couple of days now and I've been bandaging on and off. We'll be checking progress officially with the vet today.

I also have some new creations. The first I bring to you is a custom portrait of Mickey the mini schnauzer...

He is one of my favorite clients at the grooming shop. I've been grooming him for almost four years now, and he's been one of my favorites since the beginning. He is now a sweet, older gentleman. It was an honour to paint him :)


That's Mickey in real life.
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Last but not least I've got two new shells in my shop that I haven't yet mentioned here. My most recent addition is this Weimaraner:

I just love how silly he looks - sort of like a teenage pup going through an awkward growth stage. Where their ears are huge and their legs are long and they don't know what to do with themselves to coordinate. I'm sure this funny pup will grow into a very handsome adult some day.


The second shell I've got listed is an Australian Cattle Dog. They've got the coolest mottled coats, these dogs. Very smart, trainable and full of energy.

Both shells above are available in my shop, ShellVergel!

Gaggle of new

Heh I've been aching to sit down and paint for the past month. I haven't been allowing myself due to finals at college. Its really a shame but while everyone was out there promoting to death in December, I was forced to mostly ignore my shop all month. And my last (and most difficult) final was on the 22nd, right before Christmas. Yah.

Now I've got a month off so I'm stepping up to painting again. I've missed it! I bring a bit of a variety...


First up is a puppy German Shorthaired Pointer. I just love the green eyes they have when they're puppies. He is painted on one of the largest shells that I've got. Overall, i think the shell came out quite lovely.


The next is a Tricolor Rough Collie with a sorta smiley expression. I just love how contrasted tricolor collies and shelties look, those tan eyebrows are utterly handsome!


Another tricolor beauty, this is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. These guys typically have a large white blaze on their face, and the large white spot on the forehead it called the "kissing spot". I really love this breed - their tan eyebrows make them look stern but they are some of the happiest dogs I have ever met. Their tails just don't stop wiggling. He is painted on a delicate soft shell clam.


The last one is a shell i painted as a gift. I don't often do this but it was for a secret santa gift exchange at my favorite online forum. Harley is my giftee's heart dog who passed away from cancer last year, and i knew she would appreciate it.

The Harley shell is also my first official ornament. I got the idea from a sale that didn't quite happen. Someone had asked me to make a shell into an ornament and i had to practice by drilling holes in a blank shell. The sale fell through, but i had a shell with holes drilled into it and i had the idea to make what you see above :)

The shells are available for sale at my shop, ShellVergel! With the exception of that last custom girl that was a gift for someone.

Cove, the Wii, and spots!

A quick mention of a custom portrait I made for Emily of Dreameyce. Meet Cove the catahoula leopard dog, and Kiwi the teeny pretty pit bull!


The shell has undergone some minor alterations to make Kiwi look a bit more like herself. This is a shot of the shell before it was finalized. But you get the idea. The shell looks even better in person, if i say so myself!
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Also, another new shell up in my shop! This is a Dalmatian on a soft shell clam.

I love how he came out. Soft shell clams are a great canvas - their texture is almost paper-like and they're so smooth, they take to paint really well. Alas they're brittle. I coat the back of the soft shell with varnish so that they have a little more strength to them. This guy is on a fairly large soft clam (their size range is different from my typical Atlantic clams, and this guy is one of the bigger ones I've painted).

The dalmatian is available in ShellVergel!

Goodbye Piggies

According to my statistics, the most common search words that bring people to my blog involve some kind of variation of "cup" and "dog". I guess my title is a little misleading - we don't talk tea very often. And the only cups involved are my own. And I never realized how much people liked cups with dogs on them.

Well today we had a cup-related tradegy! My favorite pink piggie mug is unfortunately no longer with us. As I was carrying my mug to the kitchen hoping to refill it with some Lady Grey, Perry was rambunctiously hopping around the bed. And he ran right up to me and smacked the mug out of my hands. Alas the handle came right off and the mug cracked. Oh and whatever bit of tea I had in there spilled too.

Perry took it very hard. In fact after I was done cleaning up the spill, I had to convince him that I still love him.

Meanwhile Marco was like "I am sooooooo not involved in any of this! Not my fault this time, can't blame me!"

So until I find something equally as adorable as the piggie mug, I guess I'll settle on the blue doggie mug. I must say I'm not crazy about it. Those pink piggies made tea taste better.

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My boss gave me permission to set up a shell display at the grooming shop. Rather than donating one of my current shells to the display, I figured I'd make one especially for it. So I painted the Saturday dog staff - Jovani the poodle and Perry and Marco. During the week different employees bring different dogs, but these guys are there on the weekend. Plus I figure it would be pretty cool for people to see the shell and then to turn around and to see Jovani and the IGs right in front of them. Its also a self-advertisement for the custom portraits :P


Its not really "finalized" right now. I want to add more detail to their faces. I'm not super thrilled with how it came out, but it was really a quick portrait.

Here's a vague reference photo of the three of them together. This was a few months ago, so Jovani looks more mature (and he was a little overgrown in this photo, and usually sports neater hair).

Deadline reminder and a very fast dog.

***I'd like to give another reminder that the deadline for custom portrait orders is November 1st, one month from now. This is if you want the portrait ready by Christmas/Holidays.

If you're thinking about having a custom portrait done, please have the order in as soon as possible! I'll be taking finals in December and the whole month will be pretty much off-limits to painting. So I will be getting custom orders out and done by then.
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I'd also like to give my whippet shell a formal introduction...

I can never go for long before delving into sighthounds again. I adore them to pieces, I do. This is a red masked Whippet. But he can pass for an Italian Greyhound too I suppose. I really love dogs that have a thick clear blaze on their faces. Its my sorta "ideal" facial marking. I love how this dude came out :P

As always, available in my shop, and you can click on it in the promotion box on the right.

Louis, Personalization, and the Holiday Season

I've been a little slow on shell-painting, i admit. College has started and there's barely enough time for anything. As usual.

But i did get one custom portrait in. Meet Louis...


Louis is a beautiful happy lab mix. I hear that he always wears a smile on his face.
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Hey have you ever seen something in a shop and thought to yourself "it would be totally perfect if only it had..." Lets say we're talking about the shells in my shop. And you see this shell... and you think to yourself 'that looks totally like my dog, if only his body was all white, or his face didn't have a blaze or whatever else...'

If it was a minor request like a bit of a color change, i would be willing to change the shell and edit it. Now I can't do large alterations like change position, or open a closed mouth, since there is no way i can erase paint off a shell surface. But don't be afraid to ask. I will also gladly write your dog's name on the shell. Well not that gladly - my handwriting isn't as neat as i'd like it to be. But I try my best to get it to look neat. Because lets face it, its one thing to have a portrait that looks like your dog but its totally another to officially dedicate it to them.

Perhaps this isn't for every sort of art, and some artists might not be willing to change a piece by request. But I don't mind at all and will work with you as long as the request is do-able.
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On a last note... it may only be September, but the holiday season will be here sooner than you imagine.

The reason I'm bringing it up is that if you have been thinking of giving someone a custom shell portrait as a gift but have been putting it off for later - get it done now. I'm a college student in my senior year of pre-med and I'll have some serious finals in December. So there will absolutely be no last minute portraits. In fact my last final will be on December 22nd, so you can see I'll really be pressed for time.

As much as I hate to say it, the deadline for custom portraits will be no later than November. As long as you want the portrait to come in time for Christmas or whatever holidays. When I'm in school it can take me two to three weeks to complete a commissioned work due to assignments and tests. And I'll really have to pause any artwork when my finals are coming up. Its unfortunate, I'm not happy about it, but its important that i set this deadline.

So to reiterate - if you would like a custom portrait done in time for the holiday season, the deadline to set up the project and send me photos is by November 1st. After that I may squeeze in projects if i have time, but there is no guarantee that i will have a chance to.

Of course shells that are already in my shop will be available for purchase right up to the last moment.

Dig out the warm clothes - soon you'll need them

I'm quite sad to see summer leaving in such a hurry. August didn't even end before the weather started getting cooler around here. While its been a change from searing hot to comfortable, and i am actually able to take the dogs for a nice long walk without worrying that they'll burn their feet on the incredibly hot sidewalk, its still disappointing to see summer go. I don't know, for as long as i can remember summer has been my favorite season and has never lasted long enough. Part of it is because i really hate cold weather. I have an incredibly low tolerance for being cold - something my dogs and i agree on. And before I know it, it will be rainy and damp. And maybe even sleet and snow following. Some people are excited by snow but I'll take 90 degree heat instead anyday. Half the time i even forget to turn on the a/c...

And for those of us who have dogs that are not blessed with thick insulating fur, its a good time to start thinking about how you will keep your dogs warm this fall season.

So lets see what interesting dog apparel i can find on Etsy.

Acme Couture features doggie coats that are very stylish. They are also practical - some are made just for the spring or fall and others are for colder days. Coats are custom made to fit your dog's measurements, so the fit is just right.

This fleece design is more familiar to IG/whippet people. It hugs the curves of the sighthound and is incredibly soft and warm. This particular design is brought to you by Warm Whippets, and as the cold weather is rolling in there will be new selection available. This shop particularly caters to Whippets and Italian Greyhounds because unfortunately they have such deep chests and dimensions very different from your typical dogs - and must have clothes custom made in order to fit properly.

warmwags has a slogan that goes "from mini to mighty... keeping dogs warm!" This particular coat is made custom for any large dog. They are fleece on the outside and fully lined with sherpa on the inside so they'll keep the large but shorthaired dog toasty. Warmwags also has a selection of very warm coats for the teeniest toys.

Furkid Fever features a full selection of clothes so that dogs can match, or even outdo their humans. When I say full selection, I mean everything from pajamas to shirts, skirts and full fancy dresses. These clothes are more for fashion and cuteness than for warmth, and they are absolutely adorable. Especially if your toy pup doesn't realize that they're not human. Most clothes are custom made.

D-Lishus--dog dudz features a selection of hand crocheted sweaters for your pup. They can be custom made to your dog's size and have fun yarn accents. Heh even whole sweaters made of fun yarn so that perhaps your dog can feel like they have a mane.

And of course don't forget that Halloween is coming up. SewSweetFinery features some adorable hat/masks so your dog can join in the party fun.

the latest

Kingston's mom sent me a picture of him posing next to his shell. What a cute smile he has! I just love seeing photos of the shells' new niches.
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I took this picture of Perry a few days ago and I'm just absolutely amazed...

pb6
Originally uploaded by ShellVergel

I am so in love with this dog - he is one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever seen! I'm thrilled with how clear and pretty this shot came out, too (click to see it bigger). It would be perfect if his back leg was a liiiiitle further. But i didn't want to touch him or I'd lose his gorgeous pose.

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horseshoe crab congregations
Originally uploaded by ShellVergel

Just a fun note - its Horseshoe crab spawning season. The other day we were at the beach and met just the hugest populations all coming out on the shore to spawn and hang out. It was a high tide and a full moon later that night, and i think that's their spawn trigger.

PS - if you ever see an overturned horseshoe crab on its back, make sure to turn it over! Otherwise if the tide leaves, they will be stranded and will die either from seagull attack, or from drying out. They can't hurt you, so don't be afraid to help them out.

Taste test and a golden smile

1June 9 200
Originally uploaded by Emily / DreamEyce

Here is Traum and Galaxy with their shell portrait! Traum loved it right away ;) Then he was a little disappointed when he was told it wasn't food...

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I managed to get yet another shell up and ready!


And I must say... I'm very happy with this one. Golden Retrievers have such charming smiles, don't they? I'm the first to say that "a golden is not my sort of dog" - when when you see them smile, you can see why people just can't resist them!
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And just for fun, here's some Marco and Perry bliss because its been a while since we last saw them!




We've been having a heatwave, so the beach has been a lifesaver, both for a breeze and coller temperatures and unlimited zoomies :)

doggie enthusiasm

I finally had a sale to encourage me into painting again :) There is definitely something special about the plain regular sales on etsy. I mean the non-custom kind. The ones that come by surprise. Even when I'm not doing any major promoting.

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying custom work, now that I'm beginning to get into it. They let me really connect with the buyer and get to know the dogs I'm painting. And they always get such an enthusiastic response, and it feels great to know that i created something that the person will cherish for a long long time.

But just to log on to Etsy and see that i suddenly have less items listed (and i didn't just forget to hit 'finish' after editing a listing)... Its like a treat.
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Anyway,I did get around to doing some painting and this is my newest gem - a german shepherd:



I've got split opinions on this one. Shepherds are *hard* to paint! They're pretty dogs, but they're so... complicated. Its mostly the sable markings that threw me off.
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In other news - I got a treasury again! Its called "Pit Bullies" - guess what its about ;)



click click click click click!
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I saved the best bit for last!

Lulu's shell in bathroom
Originally uploaded by kooky2

Remember my portrait of Lulubelle? Tricia sent me a photo of the shell in its new lodgings - her marine themed bathroom. I love what she's done with it, the shell fits in perfectly!

Those custom orders i was so worried about

So I got my second two custom orders finished. Hey this is getting pretty exciting! Its sorta fun showing people how you interpreted the pictures of their pets onto the shell. Even more fun when they love what you've done with it :D


This is Lulubelle, a beautiful beagle/basset girl :) She has a very expressive face and i tried to capture her in a curious head tilt.

Now her owner happens to live in Canada. I just realized that at the last moment as i was I was packing the shell up. I've never sent to Canada before. I hope its not incredibly expensive. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.


This trio is Teegan, Maggie, and K9 - three happy rescues! This is gonna be a gift from a friend to the owner of these three guys. I hope she likes it :)

I've acutlly noticed that a lot about my shells, more people but them as gifts than for themselves. I can't blame them, its a pretty interesting gift if i say so myself :P

Now if i could just paint some regular shells just for my shop... I've been meaning to for like two monts now. Speaking of which, that was the last time i had a regular sale in my shop. Meaning not custom, not reserved listing - just someone finding something in my shop and actually buying it. Sigh. I'm gonna paint a pug shell - anything pug related seems to be well loved. right?

long day at work

Ehhhhh its one of those days. One where nothing goes particularly right. I volunteered to work and extra day this week (today) because a coworker was recently hospitalized and is in no shape to groom. I did it as a favor for my boss, not a favor for him. But none the less.

Anyway, horrible horrible dogs all day at work today. No one cooperated. It wasn't just for me, the other groomers were having crazy dogs too. I mean i survived, albeit a little scratched up by a poodle and bitten by a maltese. The best dog of my day was a Westie - what are the chances? The Westies... they're incredibly cute but if i never had to groom one again, I'd be just fine :P Sure there are a couple of good ones out there. But when a Westie is bad, he's BAD.

and the best part if that I get to go back tomorrow! :P

I'm gonna get back to my "Groomer Answers" series in a few days. I got some good questions lined up, I think it'll be interesting.

but for now, I'm trying to get those custom orders out of the way. Hopefully after that I'll have a chance to just paint whatever I want. I'm very excited to do them actually. Its challenging but fun.



This is my first - Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Traum and Galaxy for Emily. I might have to adjust it, but this is what I got so far :P I'm all excited to show it off!

Commissions, commissions

Man, I got my THIRD custom order the other day. and I keep saying that I don't do custom paintings... but I guess this is where its gonna wind up. People keep asking and ever since I said yes to Emily (DreamEyce Studio), I haven't been able to tell no to anyone else. I guess this is it, people. I'm officially getting started in custom work.

Although honestly part of why I'm interested in doing custom portraits is because business has been utterly dead lately. Yeah the economy's down the drain, I know. Gas is 4 bucks and then some, I know. I'm trying to cut down too... okay actually I'm very thrifty by nature so I'm living as usual, just in a saddened apprehensive state in regards to our economy and political stature. And as much as I'd rather paint whatever I want than what others want me to... these are [nearly] guaranteed sales (except Emily, who is trading a custom pin of my Marco and Perry for a shell with her Traum and Galaxy). I suppose this is really a time when i should listen to what customers want, both for sales, for a better image for my shop... and probably most importantly of all the reason to paint dogs that are outside of my comfort zones (yes brindle, yes wire hair, yes fluffy dogs, etc etc etc).

That Brussels pictured above... I never liked how he came out. He wasn't a commissioned work, I just painted a Brussels from a picture that I took at Westminster a few years ago. You know what's funny? He was my first sale. I sold that shell to the owner of a Brussels who went to my handling class. I hated how i painted that dog's head and post-like legs. But when i brought my shells to class, everyone was all impressed and "wow" and that one was grabbed right away.

I second-guess my painting skills a lot. I tend to see mistakes whereas often other people see all the good parts, and thus i do wind up as my own worst critic. For example, I look at the Pomeranian shell (based on a dog i groomed a year and a half ago and never saw again but thought was cute enough to take a picture of)... and all i see is that the colour change around the face is wonky. And that "my" dog has a lot more mane on her chest, and a different ear shape and different expression. Some others will look and say "you captured it so well!" That's the main reason I am leery of doing custom work. Perhaps to the untrained eye it looks similar. But what if my client is an artist him/herself and has an eye for these things? What if they're unsatisfied with it? I guess that's why I show them the picture before i send it, so they can approve or ask for changes. i guess that's why I don't charge super high prices for my commissioned work.

Hell, I haven't even devised what I'm going to charge for commission, and multi-dog projects and whatever. What if they want me to paint their cat?! I mean i can do cats too, but still. Some people get excited by challenges. I get scared that i won't be able to meet expectations. I'm a perfectionist, alas.