Dear Friends

A Fond Farewell from Mary Ellen

2011-10-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

Sale on Kelly Rae!

2011-10-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Y'all! Mary Ellen here! I'm getting in lots of FaBOOlous Halloween items, come on in and see! AND all the Kelly Rae is on sale! I'm talkin' 50% OFF kinda sale! Now is the time to pick up those pieces you've always loved or someone else has always loved. Great gifts!

Busy Busy

2011-09-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! Dear Friends it's been a while! We are busy, busy here at the store. Getting ready for the holiday season which will quickly be upon us!
Meanwhile...we've stocked the store with great school fun for the kiddos!

Make that everyday lunch more fun with some special touches from mom.
Like bugs on their sandwich~

Or... a corny riddle
Get them to drink their milk...
and just plain make it fun!

For the new reader we have a great selection of easy reader books~

Don't think we've forgotten the boys~we have books and fun for them too!

Love to bake? Great new cook books are here with some great cake ideas.
From Bakerella! Creative new ideas~not your run-o-the-mill cakes...

Top it off with something totally outside the (cake mix) box.

Bring about world peace...and look amazing while doing it!
Just add pearls (we have those too) and you are ready for your close-up.

Updates coming on new arrivals for Halloween! Can't wait!

New Treasures and Birthdays!

2011-05-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

Two special birthdays this month! Happy Birthday Mary and Sarah!

New Arrivals for the new arrival!

Fun Stuff...

Don't forget the Graduate...

and more fun stuff...

to make a princess smile...

NEW NEW NEW!!! Get Smart Get Organized!

2011-04-16T10:15:00.001-07:00

Brand New-Just IN!!! These are so great- and available NOW at Dear Friends!
Get organized with Packin' Smart Products. For Formula, snacks and really...anything!
It's one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" products.
Come see them and our other new treasures at Dear Friends. We'll be here!

What's New?

2011-03-31T19:53:00.001-07:00

CRAZY FUN!

Heaven is full of memories...

2011-01-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

It is with great sadness that I tell you our dear Bullet has gone to Dog Heaven. He battled his illness well but alas the medication could not control the disease. After 3 long months he was exhausted. He has been a dear friend and companion. He has brought joy to all that met him and deserves the rest that he sorely needs. To you, my dear friends, I thank you for welcoming Bullet into your lives, giving him treats and treating him like one of your own. We will miss him greatly but know this was the loving thing to do.

In memory of Bullet:
"Dog Heaven" written and illustrated by Cynthia Rylant

He gives them fields. Fields and fields and fields.

Dog Heaven has clear, wide lakes filled with geese who honk and flap and tease. The dogs love this. They run beside the water and bark and bark and GOD watches them from behind a tree and smiles.

God knows that dogs love children more than anything else in the world, so He fills Dog Heaven with plenty of them. There are children on bikes and children on sleds. There are children throwing red rubber balls and children pulling kites through the clouds. The dogs are there, and the children love them dearly.

And, oh, the dog treats. Treats and treats as far as the eye can see. God has a sense of humor, so He makes His treats in funny shapes for His dogs. There are kitty-cat treats and squirrel treats. Ice cream treats and ham-sandwich treats.

Every angel who passes by has a treat for a dog.

And, of course, all God's dogs sit when the angels say "sit".

Every dog becomes a good dog in Dog Heaven.

God turns clouds inside out to make fluffy bed for the dogs in Dog Heaven, and when they are tired from running and barking and eating ham-sandwich treats, the dogs each find a cloud bed for sleeping. They turn around and around in the cloud...until it feels just right, and then they curl up ...and they sleep.

Dogs in Dog Heaven have almost always belonged to somebody on Earth and of course, the dogs remember this. Heaven is full of memories. So sometimes an angel will walk a dog back to Earth for a little visit and quietly, invisibly, the dog will sniff about his old backyard, will investigate the cat next door, will follow the child to school, will sit on the front porch and wait for the mail. When he is satisfied that all is well the dog will return to Heaven with the angel.

It is where dogs belong, near God who made them.

Dogs in Dog Heaven may stay as long as they like and this can mean forever. They will be there when old friends show up. They will be there at the door.

Angel Dogs

It's our Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-01-28T09:42:00.000-08:00

We will be celebrating our 8th birthday this Friday and
Saturday! Please stop by for discounts and treats! We love all our Dear Friends and am looking forward to saying Thank you to each and everyone of you ! Without you we would not be here!

Happy January!

2011-01-23T17:26:00.001-08:00

We are SO glad you're here! For those of you asking about Bullet, he is still a sick little puppy. Keep him in your prayers. Get well soon little buddy!

We have new beauties in the store!

Crystal and industrial juxtaposition.

Fun for the family!

Industrial Chic

For the Romantic at heart

Mrs. Cleaver would be jealous.

For the Paula, Rachel or Nigella in all of us.

Hope nobody will need this, but just in case we have it!
Perfect for a get well gift.

Thanks so much for dropping by and come in and see us~We'd LOVE to see you!

Bullet's Spot

2010-11-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

Bullet is under the weather so B is filling in for him.
Get well soon big guy and we'll say extra prayers for you!

GIVE THANKS

Spend time with loved ones...

Start making that list
you know the one...

For the best dressed...
For the hostess...

For the smallest...

The little boys...

The bigger boys...

and the girls!

We have it! Plus our designer wrapping service is FREE!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Groovy Man!

2010-10-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is having a fabulous Halloween! We celebrated in groovy style:

Me and my groovy girls.

Peace!

Banner available at Dear Friends!

The Grooviest of the Groovy-ME!
Far Out!

Keep on Truckin!
Love,
Bullet

Double, double toil and trouble...

2010-10-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and bling-worms sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

Song of the Witches-Macbeth
Shakespeare

Happy Howl-o-ween Ya'll! I'm ready! Come see me and my costume!
To help you set the mood this year, Dear Friends has some special treats for you!

Love,

Bullet

Goin' to the chapel...

2010-07-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have been planning a very special event. My sweet Sarah is getting MARRIED!!!!
A tail waggin event for sure. So many details to think about, plans to make, dreams to dream.
Dear Friends has a wonderful selection of bridal accesories plus wedding invitations, thank you notes, the possibilities are endless!
Just a section of our bridal area. Come by and talk to the ladies and plan your event.
I'll be walking down the aisle in style, got my tux!

You know I love to dress up and we have some new, absolutely amazing costumes. Check these out:

For the aspiring fireman:The astronaut-look at the amazing authentic detail! I wonder if they have a dog size. I could be the first Bullet in space!

I need to get back to work, many things to do, plans to make, people to greet.
A dog's work is never done. Come see me!
Love,
Bullet

Who's ready for a road trip!

2010-04-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! I'm ready for a road trip! Ready to feel the wind blowing my ears back, hangin my head out the window. The girls have their bags ready. Look what they have for you to take!

Before you go be sure to:

Be safe and wave if you see me, I'm the cool bulldog in the backseat!

Love,
Bullet

I gotta warm nose!

2010-02-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

Well folks, the weather hasn't been exactly nice to get along with around the old dog house, so I decided to vacate the chilly igloo and go to a warmer abode.
Now I'm roasting my tootsies by a warm fire, chewing on a bone and taking lots of naps. Resting up for a big Valentine Week.
Hope ya'll are safe and warm now, it's been a rough week for us all. Appreciate all those out there working to get the power on. My legs are a little short or I'd be climbing up those poles with ya!
Snuggle up with your Valentine and we'll be seein' ya soon!

Love,

Bullet

NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!

2009-12-12T17:27:00.001-08:00

NEWS FLASH !!!!!!!!!!
SANTA SIGHTED AT DEAR FRIENDS!!!!!!!!
SANTA MAKES AN EARLY VISIT!!!!!

"THE MAN" and ME!

I'm giving him my list making sure he gets it right...

Diamond studded collar- I know I've put in the hours at the store. I need one.

New rawhide chew toy and a place to bury it.

New front tooth- dentist took one, don't know what he needed it for.

Crispy Bacon.

A good nap in my best friend's lap.
Steak Bone
New Doggy Bed
OH
AND...

Peace on Earth and protection for those who protect us.

Merry Christmas and may God Bless You in the New Year!

Love,
Bullet

Have you been naughty or nice?

2009-12-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Baubles Abound!

Fun Festive andFabulous!

A little naughty

Frilly and Festive Dear Friends has it all!
Including ME!

Merry Christmas to all my friends!
Come see me!
Love,
Bullet

2009-11-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

...and the goblin's will get ya if you don't watch out!

James Whitcomb Riley

Halloween was lots of fun at Dear Friends. Many of our friends dropped by to see MY costume.

Dear Friend Witches Theresa, M.E. and Jen pose with their
apprentice witches
Aye Matey!
I so want to try those poms!

I don't mind a cute monkey on my back.

There was cuteness all around.

Celebs Pebble and Bam Bam

Jen, Theresa and M.E. make me laugh

What the best dressed witch wears under her robes.

M.E. and Theresa stop long enough for a pose.

Too nice of a smile to be a bad witch she must be from the North.

Jen the "Glam Witch"
Theresa and Jen

A couple of bees

What a great Halloween can't wait till next year.
Ya'll come see me.
Latah,
Bullet

Rules of Thumb

2009-09-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

I can't read but I understand that humans like to curl up with a good book. Personally I prefer a good bone or shoe.
Dear Friends has a bunch of books-here's one of the girls' favorites:

Theresa read a few tidbits to me, so I'll share:
For weather predicting-
"When ants travel in a straight line, expect rain. When they scatter, expect fair weather.
Scatter ants! Scatter!

Betcha didn't know this-
"Each hour of sleep before midnights is equal to 2 hours of sleep after midnight"
Wonder what each hour before noon equals?

For the foodie:
"If you like your Granny Smiths extra tart choose the one with the pale speckles and red patches"
mmm Apple pie sounds good right now

For the economist-
"Figure $3 per item to estimate the cost of your groceries at the counter-as the prices rise the packages shrink"
Kibble bags have never been big enough if you ask me.

Good to know:
"If you're not going through four toothbrushes a year, you are not brushing your teeth enough"
I knew this one-I keep my teeth looking fabulous, my smile is my best feature.

This book is FULL of valuable information. Perfect for the newlywed, college kid or just for fun!
Check it out at Dear Friends-tell em Bullet sent ya!

I gotta get back to my shoe.

Love,Bullet

Dog Days of Summer

2009-06-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

Not sure what they mean by Dog Days of Summer (should I be offended?) , I'm spending mine where it's cool and comfy.But it is getting hot out there, so what better way to cool off than come to see me, my girls and all the cool fun stuff we have for summer fun. First things first-the backyard grill. For the mister man who loves to grill we have amazing accoutrements (I've been practicing my French) for the grill-meister. Just be sure and drop a little somethin for the big guy.

Dual Handle Grill Brush

To Cool your Drinks-A little retro ice cube tray-remember Space Invaders?

And for all your shopping Super Hero needs we have a great selection of crime fighting gear.

Hope you have a Happy Fourth of July and remember Freedom isn't Free!

God Bless America!

Love, Bullet

Bullet's 3rd Birthday!

2009-05-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

It's My Birthday, yup, IT's MY BIRTHDAY! 3 years old, more handsome than ever and the ladies can't keep their paws off me!
M.E. is off jet setting across the USA and I really miss her. She's my favorite you know.
SO...it's just me and the Mister Man. Mister Man got up bright and early the other morning and made an amazing brisket for us bachelors to share this week. It made my tail wag if I had one. He's "THE MAN" and he's my favorite you know.
Meanwhile back at the little shop behind the tree we've been playing with the new toys.

Zarts is a new spin on darts. Darts are actually
really suction cups that really stick!
Here's M.E. and Caisi playing. Caisi's my favorite you know.

I insisted the gal's go outside to play this next game. They had way to much fun
and left me inside to tend to all the customers.

Speaking of outside, have you noticed the skeeters are fierce out there? Got the latest gadget to save the day! The AMAZING Bug Zapper! The guys will be fighting over this one.Last but not least and old favorite
SKILL BALL!

Well it's time for Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and Birthday CAKE!
See you soon!

Love BULLET

Ready, Set, Spring!

2009-03-01T21:38:00.000-08:00

ANYBODY as excited and ready to go roll in the GREEN grass as me?
Until then I'll be hanging around Dear Friends dreaming of
chasing rabbits in the green grass...
Come see me! Love, Bullet

2008-12-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

She's here! Reece the grooviest of the Groovy Girls has joined us for Christmas! I have always wanted to meet her and now she's HERE. I am such a huge fan, you've got to come meet her!
Hey Reece want some Kibble?!!
Merry Christmas! Love,
Bullet

Get a-long little doggies!

2008-11-02T20:35:00.001-08:00

Whoa I'm bone weary after a long day on the trail with that cowgal on my back
all the live-long-day. Doggone it she just wouldn't get off my back!
But I did have lots of fun seeing all those kiddos coming in with their
fancy duds and costumes. I greeted the Tin Man from Oz, Batman and Batgirl,
Princesses, Rock Stars, Pirates, Fairies... (yawn) I think I need a nap.

Until next time...
Love,
Bullet

Great new stuff!

2008-10-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

I don't really get this, cuz I don't have hair issues but Caysie tells me this is the greatest thing since kibble! No more leaving that curling iron behind at the hotel, simply slip your still-hot-curling-iron into the "Baggallini" and finish packing. They come in happy colors too! We like happy.

Okay, I prefer bacon, not wild about the green stuff, but you bipeds are supposed to love it and now there is a solution to cutting fresh greens easily but without metal shears or knives which can turn those lovely greens an ugly brown. The Leaf Shears are sturdy and making cutting up greens for a salad a breeze.

I am totally exhausted- the girls have been decorating for Fall and Halloween and I must supervise. A sneak peak at what they've done.

Come see me, I'm planning my Halloween costume and suggestions are welcome!
Love,
Bullet

Summertime Fun

2008-07-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

Don't ya just love a good BBQ? I hope a few ribs fall off the grill this 4th of July. I'll be there to help M.E. clean up! I'm helpful that way you know.

If you are having a little shindig this weekend you'll want to check out my picnic supplies and everything red, white and blue. Visit Dear Friends and let Theresa, M.E. or Caysie help you to make this 4th of July extra special.

Have a fun and SAFE 4th of July!

I'll be watchin' the grill.

Love,
Bullet

So dog-gone lonely I could cry...

2008-06-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

Mary Ellen has gone to market this weekend to buy lots of cool stuff for the store and left me in charge.
Can you tell I miss her? I've been taking good care of her customers and I'll take care of you too!
If you see Mary Ellen tell her to hurry home!
Love,
Bullet

Bullet's Birthday

2008-05-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Bullet had a wonderful birthday-thanks to all those who stopped by for birthday treats! He wants to do it again next year, so mark the date-May 13th 2009. We have amazing new gifts for the graduate, lots of new girly girl items, gifts for Dad for Father's Day, and don't forget the June Bride!

You are invited to a birthday party for a special guy!

2008-05-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

It's Bullet the Bulldog's 2nd Birthday! Come celebrate with him - he has a treat for YOU!

Don't forget! Save the date! MAY 13th at Dear Friends.

Bullet Gets a Groovy Do!

2008-04-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

Oh what fun we're having! Even Bullet got in on the fun-he insisted on a Groovy-Do.
Blue please.

Avoid the Bridezilla Syndrome

2008-03-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

New at Dear Friends -- The Mindy Weiss Collection. A collection designed specially for the Bride to Be. Organize your thoughts, inspiration and memorabilia of your special day in Mindy's beautifully designed organization tools. Check it out at http://www.thelittleshopbehindthetree.com/!

Groovy Do*s!!!!

2008-02-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

Hey Girls!

Announcing Groovy Do*s at Dear Friends! Get a new do with kickin' color from Caysi.
Caysi uses all the latest colors, beads and accessories to create your personal Groovy Do

style. Stop by and see Caysi and let her "Groovy do YOU!"

$5 Quick-do with kickin' color

$10 Happenin'-do with rockin' beads and stylin' color

$15 Groovy-do with the most pizzazz!!

Additional accessories available for purchase and use in Groovy-Do.

For your Funny Valentine

2008-01-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

Just in for Valentine's Day.

For your funny Valentine...

Cheery Red and White!

and more fun arriving daily!

2008-01-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

Its' our 5th Birthday! Thanks for all those that stopped by
with their birthday wishes. We were delighted!
We appreciate ALL of our loyal customers, the last 5 years have been amazing because of you!
We're back from an Exciting and EXHAUSTING buying trip and you will be amazed at what we have in store for you! We'll be getting something new in everyday! So be sure and come by and visit we'd love to see you.