Midland Golden Retriever Chanp Show - Coventry - 6.12.09

Another busy weekend with a trip down to Coventry for Orchid only, around 500 miles round trip! Orchid was in strong competition but did manage a very respectable 5th in Puppy Bitch class.The Bitch puppy that won the class also managed to gain her Junior title & stud book number, so that gives you an idea of what the competition was like.
On the down side though, my car was bumped outside my cousins house before we left, so it looks like I'm going to have to get a courtesy car arranged through the insurance, and hopefully get it fixed before my next shows. Why does it have to happen just before Christmas! At least the dogs & I were safe.

Major Happy Dance

Finally finished adding all the beads & crystals to this piece, there must of been thousands....well it felt like it anyway. There are more pics and close ups of the beads in place in my webshots album  http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/558658351LVcuF

Cleveland Open Dog Show - 29.11.09

Well the weather was foul today making a nasty journey down to Cleveland, but Orchid came back triumphant. We managed to win both the Puppy and the Junior Golden Retriever classes with Best Puppy in Breed as well. Onto the group stages, we were in the Gundog Puppy group and managed a very respectable 2nd in group. This is Orchids first placing at group level, and we are so proud of her. Next week we travel down to Coventry for a Retriever Championship show, so its fingers crossed again.

Stitching update - 24.11.09

Well, where has the time gone?
My Quaker Diamonds kit has finally arrived safely from America and is now put away in the stash chest.
I'm busy every night during 'I'm a celebrity, get me out of here' frantically stityching the beads onto my Chatelaine. The last ones should be on tonight, then I just need to add the Bicones, cubes and other bigger bedas and its done! I've sorted the materials out for my 'Moonlite Orchid' piece, just needed to order some fabric and a few beads in, so they should be here when I get home tonight. This is my next piece to stitch and the fingers are twitching to get on with it, but the Chatelaine must be finished first! hopefully my next update will be of the complted piece, watch this space....

Ashington & District Open Show

Orchid has her very first class win in the Golden Retriever Puppy class and gets the Best Puppy in Breed award too. This also gets her her first point towards her Junior Warrant title. We need to get 25 in total, and 3 have to come from a Champ show, so its going to be hard work!
Brook was placed 2nd in the Yearlings, and 2nd in the Graduate class. I only showed him today as the judge has my old dog-Brackens half brother, so I thought she would like him too, which she obviously did. He's looking forward to working next Saturday now.

Gundog Breeds of Scotland Champ Show -14.11.09

Another good day of results for the Beaupippins.
Orchid was placed 5th in GR Minor Puppy Bitch and in a large Stakes class of all Gundog breed Puppy Bitches came away with a remarkable 5th. She's not quite 8 month old yet and has had a remarkable first 2 months in the show ring.
Brook was placed 2nd in GR Yearling Dogs and gained another Crufts qualifier, and a 4th in GR Graduate dogs. A really good result for him. He is going to go working over the winter now, beating for a local shoot which he really enjoys and it will give him a rest from the show ring after such a busy year.

Chatelaine Mystery 9 - Le Potager du Roi - part 12

A major milestone tonight! I have finally finished the stitching on this piece. Phew! Just need to start adding the few hundred beads to it now. I'm still on target to have it finished by Christmas too!(Just in time for next years mystery starting!)