Store Spotlight: J&B Custom Leather on Etsy + A Discount!

I am so excited to be sharing this extra special Store Spotlight today. The B in J&B Custom Leather happens to be a very dear friend of mine who I worked with at summer camp as a riding instructor more years ago than I am willing to admit. We have both come a long way since the days when we dressed in matching outfits and threw water balloons at each other on horseback, but I still have mildly embarrassing photographic evidence that it happened. :)

But now we are (semi) grown up gals, with a WEDDING on the way for Miss Bridget this fall, as well as a booming new business in J&B Custom Leather. Between a part-time job, wedding planning, and collar making, I was thrilled I was able to pin her down to discuss her business and truly amazing handmade products!

In the winter of 2013, Bridget and her soon-to-be hubby packed up and moved to Kentucky, where his parents are located. Like so many people, they were faced down with a tricky job market, and after a month of searching to no avail, Bridget's future mother–in-law, a well-known face in the Quarter Horse industry, offered to teach Bridget leatherworking and bring her on as part of the family business, Horsewares Custom Chaps.

Horsewares mainly deals in chaps, though they also dabble in other leather items such as belts, ottomans, and throw pillows. Since winter months are slow for riding gear, Bridget's mother-in-law had tried her hand at making Western-inspired dog collars, but they had not sold as well in stores as she had hoped. She offered Bridget the opportunity to market them on her own with the promise that she could keep the profits of anything she sold. It was then that Bridget's knack for entrepreneurship emerged--she threw her energy into growing Horseware's Facebook Fan Base and set up an Etsy shop featuring the collars. Soon after, the collars began to sell, and she received a message asking if she accepted custom orders.

Bridget realized she had a unique product that was not really available elsewhere on the market--high quality, wholly custom handmade leather collars at a price point that was palatable. (Many of the designs are under $50). She began doing custom work and contacting friends (myself included) to market her product even further--I am proud to say I was one of J&B Custom Leather's first official custom customers!!

Holly's first J&B Custom Leather Collar

Since those early days, the Etsy site and corresponding Facebook and Instagram have taken off, with collars being sent to Italy, France, the UK, and Australia, and outfitting pampered pooches from Chihuahuas to Great Danes (they have even made one for a cat!). Still, the personalizing process remains much the same: after going through the photos on Facebook, Etsy, or Instagram, a customer contacts Bridget via direct message and lets her know what they are interested in having on their collar. For my initial collar, I knew I wanted pink but was pretty lost beyond that kicking off point, and she was very patient with me, texting me options for conchos (the name for the silver hearts pictured above) and rhinestones until we settled on a design.

Modelling her collar on Valentine's Day!

Since those early days they have branched off and offer turquoise look stones, tooled leathers, and even hand stamped name plates (courtesy of Trevor, Bridget's uber-talented fiance and the other half of J&B). Bridget says her absolute favorite thing to do is to create a brand new custom design with the customer, so the sky is truly the limit in terms of creativity.

Some of the new collar designs with turquoise stones and hand stamped name plates.

MLB collars make great gifts for the baseball lover (and great accessories for Bark In the Park events!)

In terms of emerging trends, Bridget has noticed very high demand for the copper conchos, and has even had several customers request having bullet casings put on their collars (truly something for any taste!). A typical custom collar order takes about 2-3 weeks to ship out, and ranges in price from $30-$75, depending on materials selected (real silver buckles and conchos can be purchased) and detail (borders, nameplates, etc). A custom matching leash can also be added to your order for an additional fee.

Just a handful of gorgeous custom collars. Image via J&B Custom Leather on Instagram.

Hand stamped name plates. Image via J&B Custom Leather on Instagram.

Zeus, Bridget's pup and official brand mascot! Image via J&B Custom Leather on Instagram.

So I could get a real feel of the J&B Custom Leather collar process, Bridget and Trevor were kind enough to offer Holly a custom collar in exchange for this post (I swear, that pooch has all the luck!). I was very excited by some of the new leather colors that they had posted on their Facebook page, particularly in the purple family, since not only does Holly look excellent in purple, but the plum leather matched perfectly with my favorite purse (and you know how we feel about matching)!

The leather offerings. Different leathers may be paired together to create collars with borders
(like the ones pictured above)

Since I love pairing bright turquoise jewelry with my plum leather bag, I was drawn to that color combination for Holly's new collar. I wanted to keep the width to 3/4", so I couldn't add a border or large conchos, but we more than made up for it with turquoise and bling! I also decided to add a hand stamped name plate, with simply "Holly" since "Holly Golightly" has a large amount of characters for her teeny little neck!! At the end of our conversation, Bridget let me know the timeline for when she would begin work on the collar, during which time I was welcome to make any changes or additions. During this time she was kind enough to send me photos and links to a number of buckles for the collar so I could make it 100% custom and to my exact vision!

The beautiful collar came packaged with love and exactly how I imagined it.

Holly modeling the finished design. 

Even without our personal friendship, I would have been drawn to J&B Custom Leather collars for their handmade quality and reasonable price point. I am a sucker for custom items for Holly but even I can't quite justify a purchase over $100 on something custom for my pup! Bridget and Trevor are a dream to work with and do everything to make sure you are comfortable with your final design and are getting exactly what you want (I even requested a hole be made so the collar could be a very specific length, and they were happy to oblige!). They will also help the design-confused like myself to make the best and most beautiful product, suggesting elements that have worked in the past and letting you know if something clashes or can't be made in the size you are looking for.

So the next time you are in the market for a collar, I highly recommend checking out J&B Custom Leather. Not only are you sure to get a high quality, handmade, completely custom piece for a fraction of what you would pay elsewhere, but you will be supporting a small business backed by two very big hearts. And as an added bonus, J&B Custom Leather is offering readers of Little Holly's Big World a 10% discount on their Etsy shop with code LITTLEHOLLYBIGWORLD. So get shopping and support small business! Your pup will thank you :)

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Store Spotlight: Pupculture SoHo

In an attempt to find Laduree in SoHo this afternoon, my friend Michelle and I got a bit lost and ended up on the corner of Thompson & Broome Streets. We started to see a parade of well-heeled pups headed our way, and noticed that we were across the street from Pupculture, a SoHo Doggie Daycare, Groomer, Dog Walking Service, and Boutique.

Pupculture's SoHo store front

Since I can never pass up an opportunity to shop for Little Holly, we decided to stop in and see what Pupculture was all about. We were greeted by a friendly staff and a well curated boutique filled with some of Holly's favorite brands such as Fab Dog and Kong. I was overwhelmed by the fashions and cute leashes--I especially loved one leash, collar, and harness set with the iconic "I Heart NY" print. They also had a large selection of puppy carriers that seemed like they would fit Holly, a rare find since carrier bags tend to be targeted to smaller pups!

A shot of the great leash selection and a small peek at some of the travel bags!

The store carried many of Holly's fave toy & treat brands, pictured here.

Despite the many tempting offerings within the store (and the even more tempting 50% off sale bin!) I managed to leave with only a new collar for Holly. The green floral collar can replace her fairly worn out purple one now that Spring has sprung, and I especially like that the brand, George, manufactures their products in the USA!

The collar I purchased for Holly. Get it here.

Of course, the most fun part of our adventure was getting to see all the happy pups at play while we were shopping! We had a few friends who came and visited us in the doggy daycare window, which looks into the boutique so the pups can get in on all the action (and help with your purchase selections).

Some very helpful pups made shopping even more fun!

Pupculture is located at 529 Broome Street and is open 8am-8pm weekdays and 8am-7pm weekends.

Store Spotlight: Barking Bitches Denver (+ A Discount!)

Holly and I are always on the lookout for shops featuring unique, high quality pup & pup lover items. So we were very excited when my dad picked up a flier for Denver outpost Barking Bitches while visiting the vet near my parent's Colorado home. 

Barking Bitches is a local, family owned Colorado company that creates high quality dog apparel and household accessories that satisfy even the most discerning female dogs out there! As a puppy parent to four Italian Greyhounds, founder Ken Carrick is committed to not only creating quality pet products, but also supporting the local human and pup communities--the company is very involved with animal charities, and employs local senior citizens and retirees looking to supplement their pensions. 

As if that wasn't enough to get your tail wagging, fans of Little Holly's Big World get 20% off with code CATC20! Here are some of our pup-sonal favorites that we are adding to our cart: 

This applique dog pillow will be featured prominently in our new apartment. The cute mattress ticking fabric and pup silhouette make it the perfect addition to our shabby chic decor! Even though the Chihuahua isn't one of the featured breeds listed on the site, a quick e-mail to Barking Bitches confirmed that one can absolutely be made!

We will be getting a 20 x 20 blue ticking pillow with a Chihuahua!

Some of my favorite unique items featured on the site are the puppy PJs & robes. Holly and I love to spend lazy chilly weekends curled up on the couch with Netflix and tea, and these cozy items would make those afternoons feel like a slumber party! The PJs even come in Holiday patterns, which will make for terrific Holly-day cards come next year. 

This ah-dorable robe will make for fun lazy Sundays and Mommy & Me spa days! Pawdicure, anyone? 

How cute would these Holiday PJs be for a family photo?

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fabulous party dresses featured on the site, which would make any pup feel paw-sitively royal and may be necessary for Holly's second birthday. We are especially in love with the Princess dresses, which have enough sparkle and bling to make even Kate Middleton's pooch jealous!

Lupo Middleton may live in Kensington Palace, but sure doesn't have any wardrobe items as royal as this dress!

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Miracle on Fifth Ave (part two): Must Be Santa

A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing Twitter when I spotted a Tweet from Manhattan luxury department store, Bergdorf Goodman, that read "visit Santa and we'll give you cake."

Being both a fan of Santa and free cake, I clicked on the embedded link and discovered a charming article on the store's blog about why one should visit Santa. The icing on the not-so-proverbial cake (did I mention there was cake?) was the main photo, which featured Santa holding a puppy. I tweeted that we were so there, and was super excited when Bergdorf's tweeted back!! My first maje retailer reply tweet--this was totally Santa's magic at work!

Like many things at Bergdorf's, Santa was quite exclusive. I e-mailed the address at the bottom of the article requesting an audience with him during his Sunday 12-6 hours, and soon heard back from an elf that we were booked for 12:45 the following week. Holly and I worried all week what to wear and what to ask for (if you need an appointment, that definitely makes this the real Santa, right?), and ultimately decided to go with a black sweater with faux fur accent look, and to ask for a great apartment I had seen the day before. If anyone can sway the tricky Manhattan real estate market, it's Santa Claus!

Upon our arrival on Bergdorf's 7th floor, we were greeted by two employees who immediately knew our names. "We have the 12:45 with Santa?" "Oh, of course, Mary and Holly, right this way." Holly, my friend and I were whisked back to where Santa was waiting, ushered in by an elf, and posed for our session with the man in red. He tried to take Holly in his lap (apparently just the last week he had SEVEN dogs at the same time!), but she was not having it and stayed in mine. The photographer on the scene was incredibly patient when Holly decided mid photo shoot to go in for a kiss from my friend! Even though he and the elves tried their best to perk her ears forward, she kept them straight back and looked a bit annoyed every time the camera flashed, but the free polaroid we were provided with still turned out very cute!

Holly was not much of a fan of this Santa either. Oh well, there's always next year!

We had a quick chat with Santa about our year's wishes, gathered our fun red and green cake pops, and went on our way. Our polaroid is now perched on our Christmas tree, reminding us that here in New York City, holiday magic exists right outside our door.

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Happy Holly-Days (Part One): Pictures With Santa

Last year, a dear friend of mine came in to town in mid December from LA, and we decided to take Holly to Bloomingdale's to tell Santa what a good pup she had been. While we were waiting in line, we noticed a few other pooches waiting to do the same, and learned that Bloomingdale's (59th Street) is the only major New York City department store that allows dogs to pose with Santa.

Santa and the photographer were a delight, and I knew I had to make the trip an annual tradition. Holly and I have been looking forward to going since the 1st of November, especially since her grandpa (my dad), will be in town for Thanksgiving and get to join in on the fun!

Since this year will be a multigenerational family affair, I wanted to make sure we had coordinated outfits so we would have a cohesive theme (my dad was thrilled when he was given these marching orders...hehe). I started browsing wag.com for options and stumbled across an adorable dress from famous designer Isaac Mizrahi, but unfortunately they were sold out of Holly's size :( . Isaac Mizrahi's pooch line is super cute and well priced (the dress was under $20!), though, so I know I will return to it when Holly needs an outfit for future events.

This Isaac Mizrahi dress was super cute and festive, but sold out in Holly's size.

I decided our holiday photo wardrobe crisis was the perfect opportunity to add another Fab Dog sweater to Holly's collection. After some browsing of the holiday selection available, I decided on this cute snowman style. I'm a little worried that the light blue color will make people think she's a boy, but it was so cute I decided it was worth correcting a few people!

This snowman sweater was too funny to pass up!

Inspired by Holly's cute snowman sweater, my dad and I will both don blue sweaters as well. I will share pictures right after we take them--I'm sure they will be paw-sitively fabulous!

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Weekend Wander: Ricky's Pup-Up Shop

I've been fighting a losing battle against a nasty case of the sniffles all weekend, so I was not super eager to leave the comfort of my Netflix and sweatpants to take Holly to school this afternoon. But I know how much she loves the time with the other puppies, and we have been working on more complex clicker training that would be tough to make up, so I willed myself to put on real pants and head out the door.

My effort was rewarded when we stumbled across the new Ricky's NYC "Pup Up Shop" on the corner of 85th and Lexington on the Upper East Side. The only store of it's kind in the city, it promises to "Bring Downtown Attitude To Your Uptown Dog." Since I have loved Ricky's for it's fun and funky beauty and costume staples for years, Holly and I knew we had to stop in and see what it was all about.

The exterior of the exclusive Ricky's "Pup-Up Shop" on New York's Upper East Side

The store promises to bring Ricky's signature "Downtown attitude to your Uptown pet"

The "Pup Up Shop" is in a small storefront next to the entrance to the subway, and is only open for the holiday season (through January 2014). Though there is a small selection of toys, collars, and leashes, the definite focus is on apparel for the smaller pup--everything from festive holiday costumes to puffy coats to everyday tees and sweaters, all with a signature Ricky's flair. We loved tees printed with snarky sayings like "It's my party and I'll bark if I want to" and "Spoiled, but not rotten," as well as the selection of cozy knits--especially the pup-friendly riff on the classic "I Heart NY" design.

So many outfits, so little time! Luckily, the store is open late (until 9pm on weekends)!

A New York classic updated for your furry friend. 

Since Holly is my BFF (Best Friend Fur-ever), this sweet hoodie may be the next addition to her wardrobe.

The centerpiece of the store is the high end "Rich Bitch Collection," which features sumptuous fabrics and details such as soft cobalt velvet, Swarovski crystal buttons, and fabulous (faux) fur that would make any Upper East Side princess the envy of all the pups on the block. As the name would suggest, these fabulous clothes have prices to match--the blue coat we loved totaled just over $200.

The store's signature high end collection is sure to satisfy even the most discerning pup.

This faux fur ensemble screams Old Hollywood glamour--but has a New Hollywood price tag.

Since we, sadly, do not have a Tinkerbell Hilton budget, we returned to the regular selection of clothes, where we spotted a decidedly not-Downtown feeling pink tweed coat by Le Chien. Complete with button closures and tonal floral embroidery, it was perfect for Jackie O--or, in this case, Holly Golightly!

This classic tweed coat with bow sleeves was more Uptown Chic than Downtown Cool, but that worked for us!

Holly modeling the coat--she's ready to be First Puppy!

Unfortunately, the largest available size in the coat was still a little small for Holly, but we will definitely be checking back as well as adding some of the other adorable items to our holiday wishlist!

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Store Spotlight: Tory Burch

At lunch today with my trendy pals Mariel and Michelle, it was brought to my attention that designer Tory Burch had decided to adapt her classic preppy style to suit four legged fashionistas. Always a sucker for any designer brand we can get our paws on, Holly and I decided to sit down this evening and peruse the offerings.

The collection online is fairly small--just a couple of sweaters and an embossed leather collar and leash that give the look of expensive lizard skin. As pretty as that set was, we skipped right past it, knowing full well the leash would be a goner the second Holly saw a pigeon in the park!

The sweaters, however, are adorable and definitely up our alley. Available in a seasonable burnt orange or a classic navy and white combo, they have the look of a classic fisherman's sweater with on-trend additions of a kangaroo pocket and Tory's signature logo button. 

Tory Burch's chic new Dog Sweater in Burnt Orange

At $65, the sweater seems well priced when compared to other doggie designer offerings, particularly when considering the warm, high quality fabric (100% merino wool) and light knit, which could make for a good base layer under heavier coats for pups like Holly who have very little hair and live in areas where it can get very cold. 

The drawback to merino wool, while making the sweaters super warm and super durable, is that they would not be not machine-wash friendly. My mom would say these sweaters were "just for show"-not something your pup should be rolling in the mud or chasing squirrels in!

It also appears that the sweater may not have a leash hole to accommodate a harness, though that is a fairly simple fix your local tailor can take care of for about $10. 

I think the best part about these sweaters is they come in larger sizes to outfit every fashionable pooch in your life. So often the super cute designer clothes are only sized for "purse dogs," but according to the Tory Burch sizing chart, these sweaters will fit dogs up to 26" long (the breed example is a German Shepherd)! Now brand conscious doggie mommies with large-pawed fur babies can be included in the fun!

The verdict? While it may not be the most practical garment for your pooch's day to day life, the new Tory Burch puppy sweater is not only super cute and super trendy, but allows for furry fashionistas of all sizes to have a little luxe in their lives. And in our book, that's paw-sitively fabulous. 

Until Next Time, Darlings!

Store Spotlight: Anthropologie

One of Holly's (and my) favorite weekend activities is shopping. Though Holly would probably prefer if every shopping trip was to our local Petco for more toys, I love that in New York City every store we visit is pooch friendly. Many stores keep treats stashed in the front, and Holly particularly enjoys any store where she is fussed over by the salespeople (I would like to go on record to say this is most stores...she can't help it that she's so popular!).

I was so excited last year when an Anthropologie opened in my neighborhood. My friends and I love to visit and experience the artsy-chic lifestyle they cater to, and even though most of my purchases have come from the sale section every piece feels special, unique, and well made. Holly was not as sold on Anthropologie the first few times we visited; even though the staff was friendly and gushed over her adorableness, she usually tried to sniff out any delicious dust bunnies under the displays while Mommy and her friends shop.

That is, until recently, when Anthropologie added a series of products for the global pooch to its well-curated shelves. In addition to cute pup-themed decor and gift items (which they always offered), they now stock collars, clothes and even treats so your four legged friends can participate in the Anthropologie lifesyle.

In our store, these new offerings are set up in a cute pup-themed area, which caught Holly's eye with the brightly painted milkbones and cute stuffed pooches on display. One of them took her by surprise when she rounded a corner, and she was a little nervous until she figured out he wasn't real!

Holly made friends with this stuffed pup after realizing he wasn't going after the painted treats (Mommy wouldn't let her have one)

There are several products from the puppy line that are on our wish list this season, including "Home Cooking For Your Dog," which our local store has hosted book signing events for that include adoptable pups (some of the proceeds from the book benefit animal rescue). Also high on the list are Bocce Bakery Treats, which include fun & funky flavors like Lobster Roll and Truffle Mac & Cheese, though Holly will most likely prefer the traditional PB&J.

In addition to the Bocce Bakery Treats and Home Cooking For Your Dog, we love the look of the Harry Barker Toile bowls!

 Of course Holly's wardrobe needs some Anthro love also...we have our eye on the charming Chambray shirt, largely because since I have one in the same shade, it would be another opportunity to match!

I would be remiss not to mention that Anthropologie still stocks adorable giftables and home decor items for the pup lover in your life. We are especially big fans of the Chloe Dog Tieback and the Chihuahua Stamp (pictured below), because they bear a resemblance to a pooch I know!

This cute little Chihuahua looks like she would be simply fabulous!

What do you think about Anthropologie's new puppy line? Will you be adding any of the pieces into your dog's life?

Until Next Time, Darlings!