Garden glories...

Summer has been a mixture of absolutely gorgeous days, and a few torrential ones, too, so things have been a little late to flower... BUT, our beautiful year old Clematis has bounced back well, and is covered in beautiful blooms and buds.

I'm in love with the crinkly, crispy, interesting edges and rogue double flowers, and can't wait to draw it (perhaps it will become a new pattern?!)... I even love the bits where the caterpillers have had a nibble, makes for really interesting forms.

The boys are loving running around outside, too - sniffing, digging and mischief making. Hamish just turned a year old and is a cheeky wee bundle... Angus is as grumpy as ever. Love them.

 Looking forward to a long, hot, summer and more of the same!
A&R

Pooch and Mutt Dog Treats...

It's long been a slightly embarrassing aspect of my personality, that I am a huge sucker for good packaging. Like a moth to a flame, I will gravitate towards lovely font, gorgeous illustration, matt finishes, embossed text, foiling, the works. Right there, and then, I am pretty much sold. There doesn't need to be any more conversation. I believe if people care enough to put their product in good packaging, the product will be good. Right or wrong, (and I haven't been, yet) that's my mantra.

So, today we were making our regular pilgrimage to Pets at Home for dog food and some treats for Angus and Hamish, the hungry wee things, and imagine my surprise when I spotted these *gorgeous* tubes...

They turned out to be the new range of dog biscuits by Pooch and Mutt, whom I hadn't come across before, and, as it turned out, the contents are every bit as appealing as the packaging! Ethical (they won an Ethical Award!), Made in the UK, Natural, Low Calorie, Gluten-Free, Hand-Baked and with the tag-line 'approx 150 ways to bond with your dog" I was sold on these little bone shaped biscuits!

I bought two flavours today: the Puppy Development ones, which have chicken, linseed and chicory to help cognitive development in growing Hamish. The Omega3 oils should help him develop concentration as we're training him! He loves them, and has already scoffed a few. For Angus (and Hamish in a few weeks) I chose the Calm & Relaxed ones... he's been a little stressed lately, with the addition of his little brother, and all the frenetic play time, so I thought the lamb and chamomile combination would soothe his nerves, and also Hamish, when Angus needs a little rest. He really enjoyed these ones, and he's a pretty fussy customer.

My mother in law bought the Active Mobility ones for their King Charles Spaniel, Sonny, who is pretty old now and a little creaky... so I'm sure he will enjoy those, too.

Angus and Hamish scampering around after their Pooch and Mutt treats...

It's nice to know you're feeding something to your pooches that is tailored to their needs (we love them, so of course we want the best for them!), which are tasty and they manage look great on the counter, I had been decanting until now. It's a winning situation for everyone. I really couldn't keep these lovely treats, and their fabulous packaging design to myself, as I know a lot of our friends and readers have pups, too...

Hope you all pick up some of these soon, we would highly recommend them!

Abigail @ abigail*ryan

p.s. Angus is currently collapsed asleep at Ryan's feet after eating a few relaxing treats. Happy coincidence? Hmm, I wonder. ;)

Introducing: Hamish...

 

Meet Hamish... the newest addition to the Bell family, and abigail*ryan HQ.

We picked him up on Sunday, the day he turned seven weeks old, and brought him home from his litter of seven to start his new life with us, and Angus. He is a Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu cross..

Angus doesn't really know what to make of him, and is quite grumpy and cross with us, and moody in general (I'm not sure if he really realises Hamish is a dog, because he's been so lonely and keen to see other dogs, that's the main reason we started thinking about getting him a chum!). But, he's coming around with a lot of love, and after doing lots of reading, we're making sure to do all the right things to cement and reinforce his top dog status. I think they will be best of friends by the end of the week!

It's so SO warm in Belfast (gorgeous weather), it's just a tangle of wriggly squiggly overly warm pups crashing out to sleep away most of the day in a shady spot... Hamish is doing brilliantly, using his training mat like a pro, and eating and drinking like the greedy one of seven he is. He's an absolute dote, and pretty much follows me around like a shadow every moment he isn't sleeping.

Anyway, enjoy these first little snaps. And Hamish, we love you already.
xo

Sleepy Puppy...

Too good not to share. On the sofa, right now.

Xx

Sleepy Pup...

Oh, it's been a big few days for little Angus - a big journey on the Ferry to Scotland where he was a complete star, and constant excitement being in a new flat and playing with his Granny and Grandpa non-stop! ;)

He's a little snookered now and naps at your side given any opportunity...

I think he likes it here ;)

Happy Sunday, all. Hope yours is as sleepy as Angus's!

A@a*r xo

The wee one is ONE!

This post calls for a collective 'Awwww' - our wee man, fluffball, and light of our lives, Angus Bell, turned ONE on the 4th of October. We got him when he was just shy of 8 weeks old last November, and we honestly can't really remember what it was like before we got him.

He has changed so much since we brought him home, just a wee small ball of dark fluff... and has grown in to a handsome creamy-coloured chap with big brown eyes, the cutest little snaggle tooth grin and HEAPS of spirit. He is never short of a kiss for Ryan and I and has a big circle of aunties and grandparents who love him to bits, too. I think he is one happy pup!

Have a little look at Angus growing up over the last year...right here.

In spite of puppy training, and now, the terrible teens, he is still the best chum two stay-at-home designers in love could ask for!

We love you Angus!

Happy Birthday,

love, Mummy & Daddy ;) xo

The wee man...

Mister Angus is doing pretty well after his trip to the vet (he was on a drip for 2 days and got lots of medicine to make him better)... he's been back for a wee while now, and has finished his course of anti-biotics and is well and truly back to his mischievous teenage self!!

He has a little burn on his lip from being so sick, it looked like he was wearing pink lipstick and the vet didn't know if it would turn black again... but it is healing nicely, and he is almost back to his old self.

... not long now 'till he turns one! We will need to plan a serious partay, right? Maybe an Angus shaped cake? ;)

Thanks for all the well-wishes and get well soons!

A@a*r xo

Get well soon Angus...

It's been a long day here at a*r HQ... we woke up to a very poorly puppy indeed.

Angus had been very unwell in the night (he had been ill the day before... Ryan had named it the poopocalypse, but today was poopmageddon - for SURE)... ugh...

We rushed our limp and out of it wee chap to the vets in a big blanket, after a nice warm shower to clean him up and try and warm him up, too - and he has to stay there overnight on an IV fluids drip and has had lots of medicine to make him feel better.

Thanks to the lovely vet at Vets4Pets in Carrick for taking such good care of him.

Please keep your fingers crossed he will be better and home with us very soon. We miss the wee guy! :((

xo!

Doggy Delights...

Angus has changed so much since we got him at 8 weeks old... not only is he a totally different colour, and size (of course!), we have watched his lovely little personality grown and change, too. He's beginning to be a grumpy teenager on occasion these days and loves to challenge us on every little thing if he wakes up on the wrong side of bed... but you can never stay cross at him for long (if even for seconds) - he is just too cute, and, pretty much an angel for us overall...always quick with a kiss and some snuggles.

He will be ONE in October... so, when my mum sent me the link today to The Stylish Dog Company - I pretty much knew exactly where I will be going to get him some pressies... here are some of the things that caught my eye!

I love the hand-thrown ceramics (the tapered bowl for pooches with long ears is genius!), he will certainly need a nice woolly jumper if we have another winter as cold as last, perhaps even a new bed to snuggle in to (though we might make him an a*r one, as he loves our fabric so much!), and possibly a new life-long lead, too?

So much choice! One of the best online pup shops I have come across! Check them out and pamper your pup today... :)

Abigail @ abigail*ryan

All images courtesy of The Stylish Dog Company...

Rocking Friday Night...

Friday night for a lot of people equals drinks out, fancy dinner maybe... celebrating the week behind you, and beginning the weekend with a bang. What are we doing, you may ask...?

Quilting! Oh yeah, baby, that's right ... working late on a Friday night is just how we roll... ;)

Bowls of wheetabix with banana, the pup on the floor at our feet (of course, finding something to snuggle on he shouldn't... but doesn't he have great taste!) and making a jolly-good mess on the kitchen table designing some new patchwork blocks...

I know you're thinking: is that an angel-fish I can see!?

Why yes, it is...!! Awesome to the max, right? ;)

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend to come. Hope you're having as a nice a Friday night as us, however you happen to be spending it!

x A@a*r

Happy Birthday Jacki!!

It seems like only yesterday we were posting about my mum's 50th birthday celebrations so it was almost shocking to find ourselves singing "Happy Birthday" to her again just a few days ago!

We had a lovely lunch on sunday at Oregano and then, like the queen, my mum had her second birthday a couple of days later. Another lovely lunch, this one prepared by Abigail and myself, of sandwiches, cake, pie, crisps, and other proper party food- even Angus got in to the spirit of things :)

Abigail had spotted this new range by Le Creuset, and as my mum had just painted her kitchen bright pink, it seemed like perfect timing for us to treat her to a couple of pieces as birthday gifts- the adorable jam pot (sorry, no link- it's sold out!), and the beautifully proportioned tea-pot (the photos don't do it justice- it's a really lovely, curvy shape),both of which raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

We also surprised her with this vintage milk jug from Pedlars- as she's worked for P&O for the past decade, it was irresistible! In fact, she loved it so much, she's already ordered (and received) the matching sugar bowl!

ryan@abigail*ryan

Piecing together...

We got stuck in to making some pieced patchwork last night... now I have overcome my slight fear of the sewing machine, I am whizzing away, too. Having a lot of fun combining our fabrics in to new combinations and making beautiful arrangements...

Today will be a whole day of this. So good.

Angus will look out the window and wish he was running around... he knows we will take him later ;)

Abigail @ abigail*ryan

Happy Easter...

Just a quick little post from all of us here at chez abigail*ryan... we've been super busy working recently, and out in the garden too, enjoying the sunshine (the pup more than the rest of us, to be honest - it's his new favourite place!)... so Angus is especially liking it - see how he's smiling for the camera with his new grown up set of teeth? ;))

(kills me!)

...we're having a BBQ tomorrow full of Easter fun, so I hope the wind stops blowing a little before then ;) It was causing me and my props a little bit of bother today, I'll tell you! Those are our new peg-bags btw...

Over and out from our current HQ, the kitchen, which is full of the smell of cakes and bread being baked ahead of tomorrow.

Hope your Easter weekend is a lovely one :)

xo Abigail, Ryan and Angus

Abigail and Angus...

The other day we realised Angus has suddenly gotten HUGE and we needed some new photos of his rapidly growing self, so I held the fast moving scamp while Ryan took some snaps...

After loving his moment in the spot-light and being pretty good while I posed him forwards, he finally couldn't contain himself any longer and promptly whipped round and stuck his little tongue up my nose!

Of *course*, Ryan was on hand to capture the exact moment ;)

A@a*r

SNOW!

It started snowing here last night - perfect, powdery, blustery snow, and it didn't stop. We woke up to 4" of the white stuff, deep and crisp and even... it's like a winter wonderland.

Angus loved it when we took him out this morning, and was bounding around like mad!

We even have icicles on our front window - neither of us have ever seen them, in person, in our lives! Really quite extreme weather for us...

...the snow started again in the early afternoon while we were out playing, and several more inches of our garden are now buried.

Who knows how deep it will be by morning!?

Hope you're enjoying your snow days...what's it like where you are?

A@a*r

Angus...

Is a wee gem... he's feeling much better after being poorly and is full of beans.

Puppy's first snow? What could be more fun!?

(This is Ryan holding him up to the window when it was snowing so heavily... he loved looking out! It was a little warmer today, and he loved BEING out!)...

9 weeks old tomorrow, how quickly he is growing!

*proud parents* ;))

A@a*r xo

p.s. he helped us with photographing out xmas decs - has there ever been a cuter styling prop?

Introducing...

We have a new addition here at chez abigail*ryan...

Everyone, meet Mister Angus Bell.

He is eight weeks old (and a day) and is a Lhasa Apso (The breed were originally the alarm dogs for Tibetan Monks, and as such, they love sitting on your feet when they love you to keep you warm and show their affection... :)).

We have had him since Saturday and he is doing very well so far... he was a little sad being away from his mummy and sisters on the first night, but he is getting used to us and we're making great friends!

His bed, which firmly resembles a cloud, is helping greatly - especially as he's been feeling a little poorly since getting his jags and tablets at the vet yesterday. A hot little tummy and him being off his food is making Ryan and I quite worried and jangly as new pup owners... but he is perky as anything today, playing and being cheeky and drinking lots of water - so we think he is on the mend.

Best gift ever. (Thank you Mister R. Bell, xox)

*small paw high 5 from Angus* ;)

Abigail@abigail*ryan