Hi everyone - we're back...and from a brand new website too! Many of you will know that we've had a tough year with what happened, Mr. WildPaws' new job, the move and shutting the shop. 2018 has certainly had its downs but we are so excited to be able to launch our rebrand and finally reveal our Dog Friendly Calendar to you all. We've spent a long time searching for, and visiting, the best dog friendly places in the UK and we couldn't be more proud of the result.
We're also very excited to be able to finally relaunch our 'Support Small' feature. If you're new to the site then you can find out all about our 'Support Small' mission and catch up on our past features here. If you're a fervent follower then you'll already know...we LOVE Small Businesses and we love to support them too. Each month we showcase our favourite and without further ado, November's Small Business is...
Introducing Riamelin! Needle felted art, enamel pins and much more - all handmade by the lovely business owner, Sharon Palmer, in the stunning scenery of Scotland. After letting out her creativity by scribbling on paper from the paper mill where her father worked, Sharon soon discovered her love of needle felting and bringing little personalities to life...
A multi-talented lady, Sharon makes everything from hair bows, brooches and dog tags to felt animals and pet portraits. She was kind enough to send us some dog tags to use plus two custom portraits of Wilbur and Paisley. We can't wait to show them to you, but first we'll talk a bit more about our parcel...
We were so excited when this adorable little package arrived in the post. Every little detail has been thought of when boxing up this order. Right down from the sweet stickers to the adorable teddy bear paper - and yes, the sticker was right, there definitely was cute stuff inside!
First up, were these gorgeous dog tags - one for Wilbur and one for Paisley! We all know a dog who is loved, don't we? Made from a shiny silver tone metal with beautiful bold colours, this adorable design is the perfect addition to your dog's collar. The metal is very thick and hard-wearing so no worries about it getting damaged while your pup frolics about.
Available in both pink and blue at 30mm, these gorgeous tags are perfect to show your dog how much you truly love them. What's more... £1 from every sale will go to a local dog rescue to help towards food, treats, toys and more for dogs who aren't as fortunate as ours are. So you can show your dog how much they're loved and at the same time show other dogs waiting for their forever homes that they're loved too.
These aren't meant as dog ID tags as they cannot be engraved but for use as an accessory to your pup's collar. Not only that, but you can also use them as a keyring or add them to your necklace as a pendant - well, we are loved by our dogs too, after all! If you're as adoring of your dog as me then why not purchase two and you can match...?
Presented with a colourful backing card, these adorable tags are the perfect gift for any dog or their owner this Christmas. Check them out here.
Next up, the custom pet portraits! We were so excited when Sharon offered to make these for us. She asked us to send her a few photos of both Wilbur and Paisley so she could get a true likeness of them. Within about a week, we were told that they were ready to be shipped. Needless to say, we were very excited for their arrival...
We were blown away with the results. She somehow managed to capture our two little pups and their cheeky personalities - purely with wool! I can't even begin to imagine the amount of time, patience and intricate work that goes in to one of these little portraits. They are absolutely stunning and such a great likeness of Wilbur & Paisley.
These mini portraits are all handmade to order from your pet's picture with your choice of background colour. You can also choose whether you'd like them to be made into a brooch or a magnet. Ours are magnets and they have pride of place in our bedroom! They look great - even Wilbur and Paisley were impressed...
They make the perfect gift for any animal lover this Christmas and at £13 per portrait they are an absolute bargain. They would also work well as a memorial gift for those pets who are no longer with us, especially as a brooch as you'll be able to carry them in your heart and take them on every adventure with you. You can purchase them here.
Sharon makes a wide range of animals and pets and also takes custom orders so make sure to get in touch early if you've got any specific requests for Christmas. You can tell from her repertoire that she loves animals and we're sure she can't wait to bring your furry friend to life in felt. Make sure to follow her on Instagram to see her latest releases and follow her adventures with her gorgeous pup, Zelda...
Thanks for reading our November 'Support Small' feature! We hope you enjoyed it and if you do get your pet's portrait done or any other products from Riamelin then make sure to let us know here...
Love Ms. WildPaws x
If you're a small business owner and you'd like to feature as the December feature then make sure to get in touch.
. (Psst... Paisley wasn't too happy that I was photographing Wilbur's portrait first... :P)
