My efforts to clear the warehouse (and my house- house) of accumulated oddball products continues to gain momentum. I've written about it before. The point continues to be, sometimes the space becomes more valuable than the items that are occupying it. So this is where most places say... "our loss is your gain!" Well, check out this super-cheap stuff and BUY IT. And your gain will be my gain, too. Because I need that space on the shelf.

If you've been following along in previous newsletters, you may have gotten a chuckle reading about how I created the Copper HoofPrint Pony Bead Bracelets for the sole purpose of using up excess components cluttering up a drawer. I successfully used up the components, but then REFILLED the drawer with even more of the same. Because the bracelet was a hit and I was flattered that people liked something I created.

Shown here is the latest victim of the closeout/not endeavor. I'd ordered a little pack of these Brass Donkey Charms, but never could get my act together to make something with them. They're a little too heavy to be earrings, and I was able to resist opening the can of worms necessary to procure matching brass colored chain samples.

I posted just the charms on the HoofPrints Facebook Page - and hoards of passionate Mule and Donkey lovers came out of the woodwork and bought them all up! And here I am once again with more demand than supply. I am having more made, manufacturer tells me it will be a few weeks. If you're so inclined, you can reserve yours here.

Such is the case with Leslie Guttman. In researching her first nonfiction book, the author/journalist spent a year chronicling the everyday activities at famed Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. The result of her efforts - Equine ER was a huge success. (It's available here) I think she did an incredible job documenting what she saw. This book is much more than just an account of shocking injuries and illnesses, repaired / cured at the 11th hour by a team of the best equine veterinarians. Leslie adds a degree of observation and insight to the stories that make this book one of my favorites. But while she was watching emergency surgeries, riding along on farm calls, and interviewing vets who'd just been kicked for the umpteenth time, she was noticing something else there in the Bluegrass. The tack. "I had never seen such high-quality leather goods outside of Italy," Guttman says. She arranged to have a dog collar and a purse custom made (in horse tack style) by a Kentucky saddlemaker. When strangers kept stopping her, asking where she'd gotten these lovely pieces - because they wanted them, too, Guttman was inspired to start her own leather goods company - daisy1010.
The company's first product is equestrian style dog collars. Like the handmade bridles for thoroughbred racehorses, daisy1010's custom dog collars have a brass plate - engraved with your dog's name and a phone number if desired. These are handcrafted in Kentucky using the finest quality leather. Also matching the bridles used on valuable, thin-skinned thoroughbreds, they are padded for comfort, and all surfaces that touch the dog are smooth and soft. They come in two main leather colors (black or brown) and your choice of 4 different snazzy accent colors. "The goal with daisy1010 is to make beautiful things that last," says Guttman. I ran this story last month. At that time, Leslie was not offering collars for small dogs. I wanted to order one for my Jack Russell Terrier Lucy, so inquired about the smaller size. Leslie and her leatherworker put their heads together, and worked out the details for scaling down these lovely collars. Keeping the elegant look AND managing the materials in such a way that they remained pliable and comfortable for a tiny neck presented a special set of challenges. I sent in my measurements, and a couple weeks later it arrived! I am thrilled with the result. All the details are perfect, and the fit is exact. It's smooth on all the inside edges, and not one bit clunky like thick leather could be on a 12" dog. When I put the new treasure on Lucy, she promptly took it for a test drive in the woodpile. And later, in the pond. I was horrified to see the collar get wet - but then it occurred to me that horses get their tack sweaty all the time and people don't think a thing about it. I dried it off when she emerged from the water and it remained as new.

Leslie is offering a special discount for HoofPrints newsletter subscribers. Enter FRIENDOFLUCY at checkout, and you'll get a $20 discount on each collar that you order! Offer ends August 11. To get started click here

Even if you're not in the market for a new collar for your dog right now, do take a moment to sign up for Leslie's newsletter. Her prototype collar was developed for her own dog, a standard poodle named Daisy. Like all of us, Daisy has issues. And she's teaching Leslie about life through their adventures. They're just getting started, so you can get in at the beginning of the story here.