The Bead Soup Necklace - Celebrity Mother's Day Gift

I was thrilled to get an opportunity to design an item through The Artisan Group especially for Celebrity Moms for Mother's Day.  I decided to create a necklace that was something special and pretty that the new Mom would love to wear and that can be worn everyday and/or for special occasions.  I created what I called the "Bead Soup" Necklace.  I absolutely adore Swarovski crystals and try to incorporate them into everything I design.  The necklace is made of an open pendant  that is set with clay and filled with several different Swarovski Elements including, crystals, bicones, cabochons and pearls.  They come in 3 colors, Antique gold, silver and copper and there is a beautiful etched design all around the outside.  The unique quality about these pendants is that no two are exactly alike.   All of the Swarovski Elements are set differently in each one.  Some of the recipients include Penelope Cruz, Jessica Simpson, Claire Danes, Fergie, and Maya Rudolph.  The Bead Soup Necklaces are available in our Etsy shop.  5% of every purchase is donated to Barks of Love Animal Rescue.  

Nair & Bjorn featured in The Artisan Group's Artist Spotlight

I am so excited to be featured in the Artist Spotlight this week on The Artisan Group's Blog.  It is such an amazing group of artisans and I'm so honored to be a part of this "pawmazing" group!!! http://theartisangrouporg.blogspot.com/2013/04/artist-spotlight-kimberly-spector.html

A Great Brain Teaser for Dogs by Labavenger

Kyjen´s Hide a Squirrel: A great brain teaser for dogs !!

Does your dog get bored? Does he feel sad sometimes? We, as humans have tons of stuff to do on a daily basis and many times we don´t spend as much time with our pets as we should.

Our activities seem to always get in the way and take precious quality time away from our beloved dogs. 

Well, here is a solution that won´t replace the human pet bond, but  does a very good job keeping our pups entertained: 

Kyjen´s Hide a Squirrel dog toy is a pawtastic brain teaser that consists of a plush hollow tree trunk where you can hide plush squirrels.

Your dog will have lots of fun placing his muzzle inside the trunk´s holes and trying to get the plush squirrels out. If you want your dog to be extra entertained, you can add a little peanut butter inside each hole and then place the squirrels on top of the peanut butter. 

Hide a Squirrel dog toys are a great way to motivate your dog´s natural instinct to chase for prey without ever harming another animal (remember that the squirrels are plush).

So what are you waiting for, buy a Kyjen´s Hide a Squirrel toy or any other brain teaser dog toy they have, and say adios to your dog´s boredom! 

Picture: https://shop.kyjen.com/

Rocky Ridge Refuge by Labavenger

Rocky Ridge Refuge: Heaven on Earth for animals

How do you picture heaven ? Do you imagine seeing your loved ones after you are gone? Well my vision of heaven is a bit different. Yes I want to see family members and friends again, but for me heaven will never be complete if all animals are not there. 

Yes, the exact same animals that were abused, forgotten, surrendered, and left to die while on this planet. 

Being a volunteer at my local No Kill Animal Shelter  I see every time how animals care so much about us humans. They follow us around and lick our faces, even if they feel sad and lonely themselves. Animals are such wonderful and loving creatures, that there is no doubt in my mind that a true caring God will have all those magnificent creatures living eternally in heaven. 

On this messed up planet  there are very few places that can truly be considered as ¨Heaven on Earth¨ for animals. For me Rocky Ridge Refuge in Midway, Arkansas is exactly that, a safe place for all kinds of rescued animals. 

At this pawsome refuge you can find, deer, lambs, capibaras, dogs, amongst many other species of animals. 

In my mind Janice Wolf the wonderful soul behind  Rocky Ridge  has already secured her place in heaven right next to God himself. 

I´m not really a religious person, but anybody as wonderful as her surely deserves to go to heaven and dwell there with all animals forever. 

Please consider adopting one of the wonderful animals at Rocky Ridge, and don´t forget to thank Janice Wolf for everything she does whenever you go to Arkansas. 

Picture: www.rockyridgerefuge.com 

Pet Corrector by Labavenger

Pet Corrector: A harmless solution for excessive barking ?

Dogs are great and we as animal lovers love them, but sometimes even the most enthusiastic pet lover might find constant barking annoying. 

Yes dogs have a much more sensitive sense of hearing, and yes high pitch noises surely trigger all the ¨alarms¨ in a dog´s brain and provoke barking.

Even stuff that we as humans don´t find important, like a bird in our backyard will make your dog bark. 

So what to do to prevent/reduce this behavior?

Well, you should play often with your pet. A few minutes a day playing with a ball or a chew toy will do wonders.

You have to remember that your dog needs exercise to feel well physically and mentally. This will help reduce barking up to a certain point.

But what if after the exercise and the walks in the park (with a leash of course) your pooch still barks like crazy? 

Here is where the Pet Corrector comes in. But how does it work? 

The Pet Corrector is a can  filled with compressed air that emits a  “HISS” sound. This sound supposedly emulates a predator´s sound in nature, which sends a signal to the dog´s brain to quit barking. This device 

is harmless according to the manufacturer, and if you are tired of  your dog´s (or your neighbor's dog) barking I say it´s worth the try. 

Just a reminder: Before using the Pet Corrector or any other method to reduce barking, ask your vet if it´s safe for your dog. 

Picture: http://www.petcorrector.com/

Nair & Bjorn OSCARS Press Release

Nair & Bjorn to Showcase Global Flair at GBK’s 2013 Oscars Gift Lounge with Indian Sparkle Swarovski Crystal Necklace and French Flag Ring

 
 

Nair & Bjorn’s handcrafted Indian Sparkle Necklace & French Flag Ring to be on display at the GBK Luxury Gift Lounge in honor of the OSCARS.

Nair & Bjorn’s handcrafted Indian Sparkle Necklace and French Flag Ring will be on display in the GBK Luxury Gift Lounge in honor of the 2013 Academy Awards on February 22-23 . Their sterling silver plated “Black Tie Optional” Swarovski Crystal Ring will be a part of The Artisan Group’s highly sought after celebrity swag bags.

Beverly Hills, California, February 18, 2013 - When animal-lover and crafter Kimberly Spector rescued her dog Mowgli from being abandoned on the street, she never dreamed it would lead her to gifting celebrities at one of Hollywood's most prominent awards gift lounges. Inspired by finding Mowgli, Spector started her Southern California based handmade accessory business, Nair & Bjorn, by combining two of her passions––helping animals, and creating handmade accessories that support that mission. 

Under Nair & Bjorn's mantra Shop. Donate. Make a Difference., Spector donates five percent of every purchase of her fanciful embellished sandals and jewelry to no-kill shelters. A signature N & B Collection donates 10% of every purchase.

The weekend leading up to the Oscars, two of Nair & Bjorn's most exceptional pieces will be on display in the GBK 2013 Oscar Luxury Gift Lounge–– the Indian Sparkle Necklace, and the French Flag Inspired Ring. The necklace is made of Indian color Swarovski crystal bicones, Swarovski crystal pearls, vermeil nuggets and 22 karat gold-plate. The antique silver plated ring, an oval bezel set with white clay, features Swarovski crystals reflecting the colors of the French flag, in honor of one of this year's Academy Awards nominated films, Les Miserables.

Celebrities will also bring home Spector's creations; a Nair & Bjorn Black Tie Optional sterling silver plated ring, set with black clay and encrusted with Swarovski crystals, will be included in the coveted swag bag presented to the celebrities through The Artisan Group, an exclusive collective of crafters and designers.  “I made a bracelet for the Emmys last year, and this year I wanted to do something different and elegant for the Oscars,” Spector said. 

An unabashed dog-lover, Spector’s main goal through her business is to support and bring about awareness to rescue animals that need help. "Dogs give us so much that I just want to give back,” said Spector. As Nair & Bjorn grows, she hopes to donate an even larger percentage of the proceeds to no-kill shelters throughout the U.S.   

Spector demonstrates her commitment to saving dogs in other ways as well. Last year, through Barks of Love in Orange County, a rescue she works with, Spector and her husband Ram Nair stepped in to foster a dog scheduled for euthanasia the next day. In August, they officially adopted little Nick, as he was named by Barks of Love, because he was saved in the “nick” of time.

Thanks to her participation in The Artisan Group, Spector has enjoyed the opportunity to fashion pieces for celebrities and popular television programs. Sarah Jessica Parker, Tyra Banks, Vanessa Lachey and Alison Sweeney have received Nair & Bjorn creations, as have the stylists of the hit shows Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries and True Blood. 

A Nair & Bjorn necklace called the Silver Midnight Necklace was also on display at the 2012 GBK Emmy Luxury Gift Lounge and Spector created a Silver Midnight Bracelet for inclusion in celebrity swag bags. Members of the press and industry received a ring and cuff bracelet Spector designed especially for this year's Golden Globe Awards.  Spector’s next project she is working on through The Artisan Group is gifting celebrity Moms. 

To learn more about Nair & Bjorn and their products, or their participation in this exclusive event, visitwww.nairandbjorn.com, call (951) 288-8355 or email info@nairandbjorn.com. You can also follow them on Twitter @Nemomowlgi and become a fan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NairandBjorn.

For press inquiries regarding The Artisan Group, please visit theartisangroup.org or email press@theartisangroup.org

About Nair & Bjorn

Owner and Creative Designer Kimberly Spector started her business over a year and half ago.  Spector has always loved animals, especially dogs, for as long as she can remember.  Nair & Bjorn strives to make wonderful accessories with the utmost creativity keeping in mind their main goal of giving back.  People who love dogs and are looking for unique, stylish, and “pawsome” accessories, please visit their website nairandbjorn.com.  Shop. Donate. Make a Difference.

Quiet Kennel by Labavenger

Quiet Kennel: A solution for scared pets? 

  

As a volunteer at a No Kill Animal Shelter, I often encounter dogs that are afraid of loud noises, fireworks, etc. 

Dog usually crawl into a corner of their kennels trying to feel safe. 

But now a British pet product company  devised a kennel that might help dogs feel better when they hear a scary noise. 

It is called the Quiet Kennel  and it features the following: 

a) Double fans provide air circulation and the kennel has plenty of air holes. The fans activate themselves automatically as soon as your pet walks inside the kennel thanks to a sensory touch pad. 

b) The walls of the kennel are filled with a soundproof foam that reduces noises so your pet will feel better. 

c) The door of the kennel is made of Perspex and poly-carbonate and shuts tight enough so your pooch will not be scared by loud noises. 

I have not tried this kennel because it is only available in Great Britain, however if this works it is definitely a great solution for pet parents trying to protect their dogs from scary noises. 

If you intend to buy one of these kennels I strongly recommend that you ask your vet first to make sure that they are safe for your pet.

Source: http://www.prestigepets.co.uk/quiet-kennel/

Pictures: http://www.prestigepets.co.uk/quiet-kennel/