Saying Goodbye Is Hard To Do...

A week ago today my heart broke as I said goodbye to my best friend and little girl Cookie Louise. I knew I would face this feeling one day but I really thought we would have a couple of more years together. Sweet Cookie suffered from a massive stroke and never recovered. I thank God that she went on her own and I didn’t have to make the agonizing decision of putting her down myself. Before she went she spent her last moments in her mama’s arms receiving tight hugs and sweet kisses. Even in those moments I felt like she was comforting me more than I her. Cookie, was an amazing dog…you can ask anyone who met her. So much love was poured out on her behalf via Facebook I felt so blessed to have such dear friends.

As the days go by the reality that she is really gone sets in, I find myself looking for her underfoot less and less. My heart aches for that little dog with the big heart. I remember everything I’ve been through with her by my side: High School, College, Loss of my Grandparents, My Wedding, My First Home… 13 years of memories spent together. I really had no idea how much love one could have for their pet until she was gone… please understand that I mean I knew I loved her but maybe not the extent of the depth.

I will always have a hole in my heart for Cookie Louise and for now I’m focusing on the fact that her honor will live on through this blog and both of my shops. She will always be by my side just not on this side of Heaven…

RIP Cookie Louise Griffith
1998-2012

She's Like A Rolling Stone...Part Two

So, today I will wrap up the Cookie Louise mini saga. I left off explaining to you all how we named her once she was officially ours {part one}.

All of that being said there have been numerous times that she tried to escape from our home in Houston but to no avail because we had that yard locked down tight! Fast forward six or so years and I am living in Corpus Christi attending college and freshly moved in with my boyfriend. Most of the homes in this area are pier and beam so to prevent critters from getting under ours we had lattice work all around the perimeter.

{Cookie Louise 2007}

We lived parallel to a very busy four lane road so needless to say when my little nomad would break through the lattice and escape my heart would sink for fear of her getting run over. There were a couple of times we had found her across the intersection through the neighborhood and across a different four lane road just truckin’ along like no big deal. Like I said this momma was a rolling stone!

{Cookie Louise 2006}

Since we have moved from our first home to where we now reside we have an awesome fence we thought was on lock….WRONG! This little girl is almost 14 years old, completely blind and mostly deaf and somehow has managed to move bricks and peal back chain link fencing to get out. You would think she has a horrible life with us or something. Just last week we have found her out at the end of our driveway sniffing around by the grace of God. So the Mister and I decided that from now on if she is going to be outside she has to be tethered to a spike in the yard for her safety and our sanity!

{Cookie Louise 2008}

Let me tell you Cookie is NOT happy! Why is it that she always wants to get out and explore? I believe it’s just in her DNA, I call her my little “Travelin’ Band”… seriously she is always so tickled with herself when we get her back, smiling ear to ear the way Bostons do!

That concludes my little story on Cookie Louise and how she came into my life and the way I plan to keep it that way. I hope you all enjoyed and if you have any similar experiences or ideas please let me know!!

She's Like A Rolling Stone...Part One

Can I share a story with you all? I know some prefer fewer words and more pictures but today I make an exception...

This is a little story about my littlest love Cookie Louise. I acquired little miss Cookie in 1998 on Christmas Eve to be exact at the ripe age of 1. I say acquired because I wasn't the one who actually found her my aunt who lived across the street did while on her daily walk. This was nothing new for my aunt...she was constantly rescuing strays. This little lady was special though and destined to steal my heart. My aunt called and asked if I would like to come see the cute little dog she had found and of course I went right over. Be still my heart I remember falling in love instantly! She was covered in fleas so I gave her a bath and soon began plotting on how I could keep this little girl in my life. At the time I lived with my grandparents and we weren't even allowed to have a fish so I wasn't sure how I would convince them to let me have a dog let alone one of the inside variety...

One thing I was sure of though was my Paw Paw's love for bulldogs and pugs, basically anything with a smooshed up face. Little Cookie was pretty close to those breeds so after a good drying I carried her across the street and took my chances. At the time Paw Paw was sitting outside in his usual spot taking in the neighborhood so there was no time to prep, it was all or nothing! As soon as he saw her I'm positive his heart melted as well... I told him about how Aunt Cindy found her and how she didn't have a collar or tags and began to plead. He played and cuddled her a while and told me I'd have to ask my mom. Strange request coming from the man of the house but nevertheless I went inside to beg my mom.

She was napping in her room and for whatever reason I thought the best way to present the pup was to just place her in bed with my sleeping mother. Well thank the Lord she's a dog person because she just laughed in disbelief and answered as long as Mee Maw and Paw Paw were ok with it so was she. Convincing my Mee Maw was the hard part but being the good Christian wife she was whatever Paw Paw said went and he was on my side!

At that time knowing that she was a full breed we figured someone had to be looking for her so we canvased the neighborhood with signs stating we had found a pup. Lo and behold a few signs later Paw Paw was stopped by a man who said the dog belonged to his mother and that she was such an escape artist. I guess Paw Paw explained to him that we had planed on keeping her if no owners were found and the man simply asked if we wanted to keep her. WHAT?! He went on to explain that she was one of two Bostons that had been purchased for his mother and that her name was Secret and that they just couldn't keep up with her always getting out.

Paw Paw told him that we would love to add her to our family and offered him $50.00 for her since she was so young and it was Christmas Eve after all. That was the night that Secret became a Nichols but not without a name change. All day I was trying to think of something creative to name the pup and I kept thinking of how she looked like an Oreo cookie and thought Oreo was just to obvious and not near girly enough so Cookie she became!

Over time I added the Louise after my Mee Maw's closest sister and it's totally fit her attitude a lot sweet like an Oreo and a little sassy like Great Aunt Louise!


{photo circa 2004}

Monday I'll be back with part two... so stay tuned!

loves- Cookie Lousie

What I Wore...First Ever Self Timed Photos

Ok, my GREAT friend Liz has lent me her Nikon D60 to try before I decide to purchase and these are my first attempts at using the self timer and a tri-pod. Excuse the bad lighting and not using the camera to it's fullest potential but I've only used it a couple of times and was too embarrased to go outside for better lighting...

Scarf: Cookie Louise Pleaze
Top: Ross
Necklace, Bracelets, Butterfly Ring: James Avery
Earrings, Green Ring, Jeggings, Shoes: F21

loves- Cookie Louise

Bostons Are For Kissing...

Trust me when I say this....I have had sweet Cookie Louise to kiss on for 12 years and it's defiantly what she was born to do... love and be loved! So today just sit back and enjoy these sweet Boston Terrier Etsy finds that remind me of my little girl...

I would love to have a little warmer like this to protect my hands from hot coffee cups!

source

What a cute little reminder to sit near your sewing machine!

source

I NEED this little face in my studio, it is the perfect quizzical Boston look!

source

What a cute little planter ready for some spring pretties to brighten up your space!

source

I love the look of this vintage card, if I were better in photoshop I'm sure it could be turned into super cute printables...

source

Hope you are having a fantastic Thursday, click on the links to see who these sweet Bostons blong to...

loves- Cookie Louise

Cookie Louise Turns 13...

Today is a very special day over here at Cookie Louise Pleaze, today our very own Cookie Louise turns 13! I can't believe how old my littlest sidekick is getting. It seems crazy to think that I was a freshman when she stumbled into my arms...

I honor of her Birthday I am going to give you a little Cookie Louise picture flashback, have I mentioned how much I love this little lady?

We have shared so many ups and a few downs together I can't imagine my life without this sweet girl...she has the best personality of any dog ever! I can't believe that those birthday party pics are already three years old! I'm thinking of having another one for her in a few weeks since she is a teenager and all now!

Do you have any pets that you just couldn't live without? Don't forget to tell Cookie Louise happy birthday!