Thursday, December 10, 2015

VOTE for Cleo!

























Cleo the Cavalier is the cutest girl EVER! She has visions of sugarplums dancing in her head and dreams of becoming one of Santa's reindeer!


Cleo says . . .


"Woofy PWEEZE vote for ME in the KIIS FM Cutest Holiday Dog Contest! I would be the happiest rein~dog ever!"

Tail~waggin' THANKS!

Love,
CLEO

Voting ends 12/13/15 at 11:59pm (PST)  ✿ 

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Friday, December 4, 2015

hello December




hello December . . .


Oh my goodness! Already four (4) days in . . .

Bring on the string lights, cookie baking, tree trimming, frantic shopping, gift wrapping, candy canes, filling stockings, sleigh bells ringing, flying reindeer, jolly old St. Nick, Christmas carols, smiling snowmen, shiny ornaments, merry and bright . . . so much to to do, and yet so much to enjoy with special friends and family.


. . . wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas!



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Monday, November 30, 2015

All Smiles





















Cyber Monday!


All smiles!

Stay home and shop now for FREE shipping on all Scrabble tile pendants and brooches. (sorry US only)

Hurry! Limited time!

Visit IndyAndCleo for more handmade goodness! 

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Saturday, November 28, 2015

Shop Small ~ Small Business Saturday




















Small Business Saturday

November 28, 2015


Yippee! YAY! Hooray!



FREE SHIPPING

on all Scrabble Tile Pendants & Brooches

currently available from IndyAndCleo

(United States only) . . . Hurry! Limited time!


Please support big dreams. Please shop small.


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Saturday, November 14, 2015

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

[ book review ] Lost Cactus ~ The First Treasury

lostcactus.com

[ book review ]


Lost Cactus ~ The First Treasury


Okay, so first I must tell you that the author, John Hopkins, is my husband. So there. Full and complete disclosure.

That aside, I wish to say: Congratulations John! Congrats on the many days, nights and weekends you spent creating these lovable and heartwarming characters that inhabit Lost Cactus! You have done yourself proud. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning some of the secrets behind Lost Cactus, and gaining a bit of "uncommon knowledge." One of my favorite stories? Urban Myths and Tall Tales ~ The middle of nowhere. Don't worry, no spoiler alerts here, you will just have to read the book yourself!

I know the second book is currently in the works. I can't wait to see what shenanigans Bentley the Bee, Ty the Dinosaur, Sammy Squirrel and Cato the Alien, et al. are up to next!

[ Love, the Authors Wife ]






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Want to become a member of the humorous and highly classified world of Lost Cactus? Top~secret information and a sampling of Lost Cactus comic strips ~ by John Hopkins can be read at lostcactus.com   ~ just don't tell anyone I told you so! 

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Monday, November 2, 2015

[ hello November ] . . .


























Cleo is riding the welcome wagon ~

hello NOVEMBER 2015


Our girl Cleo has got a cool vintage ride, and welcoming in the month of November. 

hello  fall leaves, family gatherings, turkey and pumpkin pie!

Why yes, extra whipped cream please ~ how did you know?

What do you love about November?

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Friday, October 30, 2015

Happy Frankenstein Friday!

Frankenstein scrabble tile pendant ~ indyandcleo.etsy.com

Wait ~ what? Frankenstein Friday you say? 


Yes! Frankenstein Friday is celebrated on the last Friday in October and celebrates the birth of Frankenstein and its creator. Frankenstein is one of the best known horror characters dating back to the late 1800's. We can't imagine the Halloween season without the presence of Frankenstein lurking somewhere in the darkness.

Frankenstein was born in 1818 when Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley, at the age of 21 wrote the story "Frankenstein".

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Okay, there are three known Frankenstein "days', and because of this, a bit of confusion. We have Frankenstein Friday, National Frankenstein Day, and Frankenstein Day. Some explanation...

Frankenstein Day is on August 30. This day is in honor of author Mary Wollenstone Shelley who was born on August 30, 1797. She wrote the book "Frankenstein "in 1818. This day in in honor of her birth.

Frankenstein Friday is the last Friday in October. This special day was created by Ron MacCloskey from Westfield, New Jersey in 1997.  Note: Ron's hometown of Westfield, NJ. is also the hometown of Charles Addams, the New York Times magazine cartoonist who created The Addams Family. So, Ron's interest in Frankenstein comes as no surprise. Ron picked Friday to celebrate this day for the "FR" connection, and because more people can party on Friday than on other night of the week.

National Frankenstein Day Google posts this as October 29th. This has not been verified as a true National Day. Latest research suggests this day is really Frankenstein Friday.

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Frankenstein scrabble tile pendant ~ indyandcleo.etsy.com

Are you still confused? Why not celebrate all three days! Need suggestions? How about reading the novel and/or watching a Frankenstein movie?

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[ Thank you to checkiday.com and holidayinsights.com for portions of this post. ]

Friday, October 23, 2015

CavLife 2016 Calendar Contest



























The CavLife 2016 Calendar contest is here!


Hey guys, polls are now open and it is time to cast your favorite Cavalier votes!


Running mates ~ Cleopatra (Cleo) and Humphrey Bogart (Bogey)


Cleo ~ sweetest girl in the whole world (sweeter than cotton candy) wishes for your love and VOTES in the CavLife 2016 Calendar contest! Pouring over hundreds, no ~ maybe even thousands of photos, these are a few of Cleo's very personal paw~selected favorites!

Please and woofy thank you! ~ Cleo



























Bogey needs your love and VOTES in the CavLife 2016 Calendar contest! Just a few of Bogey's faves, he thought he looked especially handsome in these photos. A portion of each calendar sale will be donated to CavalierRescueUSA ~ which is very near and dear to Bogey's heart, as that is where he was adopted/rescued from! ❤

Tail wags and woofy thanks! ~ Bogey


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If you are so inclined, please go to CavLife on Facebook and find these fabulous photos to cast your votes. Put your best paw forward ~ voting ends October 25!


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Thursday, October 1, 2015

National Black Dog Day ~ October 1st
























Celebrating National #BlackDogDay ~ October 1st


Our boy Bogey is a tri~colored Cavalier with much more black than most, and for whatever reasons was given up by someone when he was just a pup. We adopted him from CavalierRescueUSA a few years back, and he has been a loving member of our family ever since! (Cleo loves her brother Bogey!)


Did you know??? 


"...black animals are the least adoptable pets in shelters because of their color. All too often, black dogs are overlooked because of many stigmas such as; the color black is evil, (the same stigma cats have), black dogs do not show up as well in photographs as multi~colored or light colored dogs, and black dogs look scary or intimidating because their facial expressions cannot be seen as easily, etc. They are easily overlooked when searching for a new dog and the first to be euthanized in overcrowded conditions.

Please think about adopting a black dog and show the world how much light they have inside and out!"


{ Thank you to Colleen Paige, the founder of nationalblackdogday.com for portions of this post. }

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hello October


Oh hello October ~ 


Welcome, and please, do come in!



Welcome to my humble abode. Would you like a cup of tea? Pumpkin~spice perhaps?

Let's sit down together and enjoy all things October . . .

Cooler days, fall, autumn leaves, sweater weather, boots & scarves, pumpkins, scarecrows, daylight savings time, pumpkin pie, candy corn, pumpkin latte (extra dollop of whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon please!), costumes, the pumpkin patch, ghosts and goblins, roasted pumpkin seeds, Halloween, witches (both good and bad), jack~o~lanterns, carmel apples, haunted houses & trick~or~treat!

What other things do you enjoy in October? 

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Friday, September 11, 2015

NY Fashion Week ~ Sock Monkey Advice


























New York Fashion Week
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia*

[ New York Fashion Week, held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events (generally lasting 7–9 days) when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press and the general public. It is one of four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the "Big 4," along with those in ParisLondon and Milan.[1][2] ] *
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The entire troop of sock monkeys currently residing at IndyAndCleo of Etsy have been preparing months in advance for this fall's NY Fashion Week. Plenty of beauty rest has been key, as well as the obvious healthy diet and plenty of very expensive bottled water to stay well hydrated. Music blasting through the speakers while polishing and perfecting the "sock monkey strut" up and down the cat.....errr, or, should we say, the monkey~walk! Dazzling designer frocks, luxurious handbags and posh shoes aside, one thing that all of the monkeys can agree upon is that their very best accessory is, in fact, their smiles! .....(and of course, their warm and fuzzy hand~stitched hearts!) 
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Make a smile your signature accessory.

~ sock monkey


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Thank you to Wikipedia for a portion of this post. *

Thursday, September 3, 2015

A Very Special . . . [Throwback Thursday]


























Throwing it all the way back to the year 2011 with a very special remembrance of our most beloved boy Indiana Jones.

Never ever forget. Always and forever in our hearts.


[ February 2011 ~ Tribute page & original post... ]



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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Celebrating World Art Drop Day 2015

Art print of Cleopatra the Cavalier ~ CLAIMED!


Scrabble Tile Art Pendant, Phantom of the Opera ~ CLAIMED!














First Tuesday of September

#artdropday


All artists, (that means students and professionals, painters and cartoonists, sculptors and illustrators, animators and fine artists, EVERYONE who creates) this September 1st* is World Art Drop Day. Wherever you find yourself that day, drop a piece of your art and tell someone where to find it. The world needs this right now. We need to feel a little more connection to each other and there's nothing like the bond two random strangers can make through the act of creating and giving.*

So very excited to participate in my first ever Art Drop Day 2015! I chose to drop two different pieces of art from my Etsy shop. The first was a mini art print of Cleopatra the Cavalier ~ the original art was painted by my very talented husband John Hopkins.  [ By the way, he has a brand new comic strip treasury... (www.lostcactus.com) so please visit his website. ]  This art was "dropped" at the Irvine Spectrum, in Irvine California and taped to a directory sign near the Cheesecake Factory and Javier's restaurants. Believe me, the tricky part was leaving the art nonchalantly and making sure no one was aware of what I was doing! Kinda felt like a secret agent! LOL!


Art print of Cleopatra the Cavalier ~ CLAIMED, on directory sign!




The second was a Movie Monster Scrabble Tile Pendant ~ Phantom of the Opera. This pendant was also "dropped" at the Irvine Spectrum, and was taped to the railing surrounding the carousel, near Dave and Buster's and Red Robin restaurants. I quickly took photos and posted to my Instagram, twitter and tumblr accounts with simple clues including the hashtags #artdrop #artdropday.


Scrabble Pendant Phantom of the Opera ~ NOT YET CLAIMED, on carousel railing!























I did not hang around after the drops were complete. By the time I arrived home I received a very nice comment and even a photo on Instagram from a lucky finder of the Cleopatra art print! Yay! It worked! SO much fun!

*NOTE: At the time of writing this post, the Scrabble pendant has not yet been claimed.
*EDITED: never heard from the finder of the Scrabble pendant, I can only assume it was found.

Lucky finder's photo!






















I must say I truly enjoyed participating in Art Drop Day 2015, and had a lot of fun secretly dropping my art. I will definitely do this again ~ quite looking forward to next year already...who knows, maybe even sooner!  


*[ Thank you to Jake Parker (mrjakeparker.com) for inspiration and a portion of this post. ]


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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Celebrate ~ National Dog Day 2015



























Celebrating constant companions and best friends.


Break out the bubbly (non-alcoholic of course) and put out a pup-sized platter of your most delicious doggy treats ~ today is the day we celebrate those furry constant companions, those very best of friends, those big-eyed-tail-waggin' creatures that we absolutely can't get enough of and love SO much . . .

Happy National Dog Day 2015!
. . . wait  . . . isn't EVERY day dog day???

Love and woofy hugs to my lovable Cleo and Bogey ~ I don't know what I'd do without you!

Bark-out to all our doggy friends!
Woof ! 

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Celebrating Friendship

Share a sock monkey with a friend  ~ indyandcleo.etsy.com
























[ Celebrating friendship ] . . .



Happy International Friendship Day!


Share a smile with friends and let them know just how important their friendship  truly is ~ because well, that's what friends are for!

Am I right? How are you celebrating friends today?

✿   #friendshipday      #bff      #thatswhatfriendsarefor   ✿   #shareasockmonkeywithafriend  


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Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Sweets For the Sweet!

























The ever irresistible doughnut...and Cleo!


Happy Tongue Out Tuesday! #tot

Happy National Junk Food Day!


oh . . . ( and please don't lick the doughnuts . . . )


Woof!
You can always find more charming Cavalier goodness and smiles on Instagram!


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Sunday, July 12, 2015

Smile BIG It's Selfie Sunday!

























Seems everyone is jumping on the photo bandwagon and taking self~absorbed vanity selfies these days ~ of course, Rufus is no exception!

Yippee! More handmade goodness at indyandcleo.etsy.com!

Now that is something to smile about! Say *cheese!* 


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Monday, May 4, 2015

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . .


There was a princess . . . Princess Cleo



And a bad guy . . . Darth Bogey



MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU
. . . always.


Happy Star Wars Day!





Some outtakes . . .










































Can I take out my buns now??



Want to see more of our fabulous photos?
Find and follow us on Instagram [indyandcleo ]
. . . you'll be so glad you did!  



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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

. . . [ A Woofy Wordless Wednesday ]


























Seriously ~


We have no words for Bogey's fashion faux pas . . . silly boy! 


#cavlife #cavstyle #pawsome
#keepitfun
#wearyoursnoodproudly
#keepyourearsclean


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Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Road Home ~ Treasury Love

A bit of treasury love!

The Road Home

























Pick a flower to wear around your neck, our Turquoise Sunflower Scrabble Pendant is featured here . . .

Thank you to MissSittasNest for curating the Etsy Treasury above ~  a rich color palette of teal blues and yellow golds ~ such a warm and inviting collection of creativity!

Want to take a stroll along this road? . . . You may just find a little something to make you smile!

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Monday, April 13, 2015

National Scrabble Day 2015

Photo ~ indyandcleo.blogspot.com




















Let's all get ready to S-C-R-A-B-B-L-E . . .

today is National Scrabble Day!


The ever popular board game was invented in 1933 by Alfred Mosher Butts  ~ and every year Scrabble Day is celebrated on April 13, the day that Alfred was born in 1899.

Scrabble was originally called LEXIKO and was referred to as Criss Cross Words in the 1930s and 1940s. The game was trademarked SCRABBLE in 1948.

You will be happy to know that words like S-E-L-F-I-E  . . .
H-A-S-H-T-A-G  and  B-R-O-M-A-N-C-E  along with 5000 other words were added to the official Scrabble Players Dictionary, issued by Merriam~Webster in 2014. Sooooo, put on a M-I-X-T-A-P-E and do a happy dance while trying to figure out your next word!


Photo ~ indyandcleo.etsy.com


Want to play your next game in complete Scrabble fashion? Why not wear a handmade Scrabble Tile Pendant or Scrabble Tile Brooch from IndyAndCleo and be the absolute envy of all?!?!
Who cares what your score is when you are looking SO fabulous!


[ Thank you to Mary Bowman, USA Today Network ~ 10 obscure facts for National Scrabble Day for portions of this post. ]

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