Custom Memorial Dog Themed Jewelry

image002On May 20, 2006 we were at a “collie” party with a bunch of friends from Houston Collie Rescue and another couple had picked Abby up from a shelter in Houston and brought her to the party. She was about a year old. We ended up bringing her home with us to “foster”. At that time, her name was Honeysuckle. Jeanne couldn’t remember that name and kept calling her Buttercup. Once we got home, it didn’t take long for us to realize that she was going to be a permanent fixture in our lives. Since we didn’t like Buttercup, we decided to change her name to Abigail and since we live in east Texas, everyone has several names for Mom to use when she’s mad, so we named her Honeysuckle Buttercup Abigail Rose.

Abby lived with us through many changes in our “family” of dogs. She was always the “Mom” and bossed the others around making sure everyone knew she was the alpha in charge.

We lost Abby on September 25th 2017. Since she was the last collie in our pack we felt a whole in our hearts and started looking for another collie to fill our home.

As fate would have it, there was another collie in the system with Houston Collie Rescue that was going through heartworm treatment. Once the treatment ended, we brought her to our home for a “meet-n-greet” with the other guys. She was greeted with warm nuzzles and sniffs from everyone and we new immediately that this was a forever visit. This was November 11, 2017 – Veterans Day.

Now this new girl came in with the name of Lady but we thought that wasn’t a good name for a majestic rough collie so we decided to change it to Liberty in honor of Veterans and call her Libby. Of course in keeping with the east Texas ways she needed a another name so we named her Lady Liberty Rose.

The necklace you made for Jeanne represents this continued love we have for Abby and Libby with the representation of a yellow rose of Texas.

Thanks again for this wonderful gift.

Charlie & Jeanne
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Lisa Welch Designs Back To School for Dogs and Dog Owners

IT’S AUGUST AND TIME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL! Really I mean Doggy Daycare School! Many of my friends hire teenagers during the summer months to pet sit their pooches – now, the young hires are gearing up for the “Back to School” season and will not be able to sit for any length of time. So, I have been asked about Doggie Daycares. I figure one of the best ways to find out about Doggy Daycare centers is to gather information from my Lisa Welch Designs customers who work in a dog related fields; dog related fields such pet sitting, dog walking, dog grooming and dog training. My main question to them is how does a person go about selecting a reputable Doggy Dare care facility?

After speaking with many Lisa Welch Designs customers, I found that there are several key points to consider:

First of all, it was recommended that you ask around town about day care facilities within your area. Reach out to social media such as Facebook. You can also check out the yellow pages and Google to make a list of Doggy Daycare facilities near you. Check all reviews. Look them up on Yelp, Angie’s List, and the Better Business Bureau website.
Make your rounds. When visiting a Doggy Daycare facility, use your nose, ears, and eyes. How does the facility smell? How do the dogs and staff sound? Are you comfortable with what you see? This may give you an idea of how the facility operates and managed.
Some things to be aware of:

Staff to dog ratio – is there one facility member for every 15 dogs?
Outdoor areas: Plenty of space to play? Fence and how tall? Is there water and shaded areas? Is the potty area clean?
Are the dogs constantly monitored while outside?
Is the facility large enough for the number of dogs?
How are dogs grouped together?
3. Ask questions about staff and management.

What measures do they use to control unwanted dog behavior?
How are the dogs evaluated before being accepted into the facility?
What are the employee qualifications and training?
How long has the daycare been in business?
Do you use cameras to monitor the dogs and are web cams available to the owner?
How do you handle emergencies?
What is a daily routine for the dogs?
If you are a doggy daycare employee, celebrate Back to School or Back to Doggy Daycare by wearing simple, comfortable Lisa Welch Designs earrings such as Lisa Welch Designs sterling silver dog bone hoops or Lisa Welch Designs petite sterling silver open paw earring. The dog bone ring is another get piece when working with dogs. A low profile ring that is durable and fun to wear.

So, whether you are working at a Doggie Day Care or just dropping off your beloved for his or her first day of school, treat yourself to a great “Back to School” gift. Or as I say, “Back to Drool.”

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Pet Lovers Holiday Gift Guide

Every year we all seek to find an appropriate gift for those special “Pet Lovers”.  Lisa Welch Designs has the perfect gift guide for those unique people on your Holiday list.

It is hard to find good looking, upscale dog and horse themed jewelry.  Jewelry that you would really want to wear.  Some dog and horse themed jewelry is “cute” but maybe you

wouldn’t want to wear it everyday.  Lisa Welch Designs has a gift guide that will help you find affordable luxury jewelry that represents our love for pets.

One of our hottest sellers is the leather bracelet with a Lisa Welch dog or horse themed charm.  We have a big selection of different italian made leather bracelets in a variety of colors.  The palate ranges from Burgundy, Olive, Chocolate to our textured faux fur Cheetah.  Any pendant/charm can be attached to the color of your choice.  Lisa Welch Designs is featuring for The Holiday Pomegranate Leather Bracelet with the Sterling Silver Open Paw.  We have also launched the new “Black Rubber” bracelet.  A wonderful everyday bracelet that is chic and durable.  A perfect gift for those who are “Rescue Volunteers”.  Show Rescue Volunteers that help animals in need, your appreciation with this gift.

 

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We think there should be a “National Pet Sitter” day added to the yearly calendar.  Appreciating those who we depend on to care for our beloved pets.  Show your Pet Sitter how much you care by giving them a piece of Lisa Welch Designs.  We recommend the classic Open Paw Earrings in sterling silver.  Comfortable and great for walking the dog. photo

 

Customers have begged me for the last nine years to create a Cat design.  We did and it is here!  The Sterling Silver Cat Pendant.  Beautifully crafted in satin and bright finish.  The feline lovers on your list would go Cat Crazy for this wonderful piece.  This is included in our Holiday Special Pricing.  “Chow Chow Chow”.19(2)

 

Everyone knows a cowgirl at heart.  For those equine lovers we have a fantastic Sterling Silver Horse Shoe Ring.  It is simplistic in design with a subtle twisted braid around the edge of the horse shoe.  Perfect for English or Western riders.  photo 2

We never forget the men that are passionate about their dogs.  Men that wear Lisa Welch Designs show their representation of how important their dog is in their life.  Our humorous and classic Sterling Silver Fire Hydrant Cufflinks are worn by many.  These are handmade with sturdy quality in sterling silver.  Rhodium is applied to prevent tarnishing.  The clever swivel backs make them easy to take on and off.  This is a big favorite.  The other great gift for the Dog Dad is the Sterling Silver Dog Tag.  Names can be engraved on the back which turns it into a wonderful keepsake piece of jewelry.

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LWCCCL01-SS copy_2Vet Techs love Lisa Welch Designs.  The Open Paw Pendant is perfect for every day “scrub” wear.  This classic style necklace is sophisticated and casual.  Chains sold separately in 16″, 18″ and 20″.0000385_300We know that our Dog Show Moms love our Sterling Silver Champion medallion.  We celebrate with you, your great success.  Finishing the show dog to the “Champion” title is a great accomplishment.  This necklace will be worn with pride.Untitled

“Thanksgiving” an American Tradition

imageMost families in America will be soon celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. When I think of Thanksgiving, I think a lot about food (lol), football, hickory nut shells scattered on my deck , the annual Macy’s Day Parade, the National Dog Show in Philly, and giving thanks to my dogs and family.
Turkey has always been a traditional food for my family; however, there was a time, when I was young, that we also added Pheasant to the Thanksgiving dinner table. Years ago, it was a tradition for the men of my family to hunt on Thanksgiving. I remember as a child we would travel to Kentucky to spend two or three days with our kinfolk. My Dad was not an avid hunter by nature, but I do remember him wrapping himself up in stiff khaki colored outdoor wear and I remember that his coat showed a hint of fluorescent orange around its pockets and collar. I remember his hunting boots, his long nosed shotgun, and his bright orange hat. My Dad and Grandfather would head out the door early in the morning, the day before Thanksgiving, and return that afternoon with a fowl or two for our annual family Thanksgiving feast. On occasion, my Father and Grandfather would take along Movin’ Jane or John to help flush out the birds. Movin’ Jane was a retriever; not sure about  John and his ancestry.  John was a mutt but played along as if he was a purebred birddog.
Thanksgiving is also a time to sit back with the pooches to watch NBC’s televised National Dog Show, hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia. One of my favorite shows for me to watch and participate in as a vendor. The show is held in The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oakes, PA every November. Top dogs from all over the United States will be showing – and I would like to add that the spectators not only enjoy watching the beautiful dogs, but also enjoy shopping for the holiday at Lisa Welch Designs! This show gives me the opportunity to showcase my fine collection of dog and horse themed jewelry as well to see and visit with special customers during the holiday season.
Lisa Welch Designs would like to send a special greeting during this Thanksgiving time to express
to you, our sincere appreciation for your confidence and loyalty. We are deeply thankful and
extend to you and your family our best wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day.

Cat Themed Jewelry

My pet journey has always been with dogs.  I have always owned dogs and even my career has included the classic canine.  Since the founding of Lisa Welch Designs in 2006, we have pleased many customers with by offering our famous dog-themed jewelry. We have since included horse-themed jewelry. Many of our dog show customers are also horse show customers.  We noticed a great cross over between the two.  It made complete sense to combine the “paw and the hoof” together. Since Lisa Welch Designs started creating trends in the canine and equine world, people have asked me for cat-themed jewelry. Every now and then, I would hear, “Where is the cat?” “How about a cat design?” “How can you have dog and horse-themed jewelry and no cat-themed jewelry?”

cat So, with this in mind, I always knew that cat designs would be on the drawing board. This past year I moved to the country. Once I did, I realized that two cats would be perfect to add to our family pack. After rescuing two black and white tuxedo cats – Liberace and Skunk, I became completely inspired by their feline greatness. I felt moved and energized to create two new cat-themed designs and added them to our Lisa Welch Designs collection. The open cat design pendant showcases the silhouette of an elegant feline. Three dimensional with a satin finish. Trimmed in a high polish round frame. We have two sizes. Large and small. The small version looks really sweet on one of our leather bracelets. The other new pendant coming soon, is the round cat pendant in our Eternity Collection.  A memorial keepsake collection that will be beautifully made for every day wear. I am proud to say that Lisa Welch is for Dogs, Horses and now, “CAT”.

My start in the fine jewelry industry

I know many of you wonder about my start in the jewelry industry. When I was eighteen, I attended Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. After my first year, I spent a few weeks searching for a summer job in Dayton, Ohio, which is my hometown. I came across an ad written by a jewelry storeowner. He was looking for an experienced commercial artist that could design high-end luxury pieces of jewelry. When I saw the job posting, I thought the store needed a graphic designer who would design advertising. At this time, I had no sense of luxury fashion lines such as Cartier, Patek Philippe, Van Clef and Arpel, or Mikimoto. I didn’t even know the difference between a sapphire and a piece of turquoise! I was called into the owner’s office, offered a seat and a cup of coffee. After a bit of chit-chat, the owner asked me to design a “water fall diamond cluster ring.” My first thought was “Wow-what in the heck is a waterfall diamond cluster ring? I am doomed!” Thank god he opened his desk drawer and pulled out an existing ring and wanted me to copy it. The ring was wavy, choppy, curvy, swirly, and twisty; a three dimensional mess. It was like a never-ending roller coaster of precious metal and diamonds. I was led to a table, given a sketchpad and pencil. I sat, gazed out the high-rise window, chugged my coffee, wiped my brow and thought, ” what the heck; I have nothing to lose but an opportunity for a summer job and a little bit of my pride” so I took a deep breath and whipped out a design that became my first masterpiece in the jewelry industry. My design was not perfect. It was rough; out of proportion, and choppy. But, the owner saw something in the design that intrigued him. He saw an unseen creativity unbenounced to me, and hired me on the spot. From that day, I had become Dayton, Ohio’s premier jewelry designer and was thrilled. I was ready for the journey of becoming an independent young designer in the field of luxury jewelry design and manufacturing. I continued my education in California at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) where I studied diamonds and merchandising. Thus my journey as a full-fledged jewelry designer begins……..

Chocolate is not the only sweet thing in Hershey.

The sweetest place on earth is Hershey PA. The chocolate is rich but so is the display of Lisa Welch Designs which will be featured at the Groom Expo. We will be open for the Groom Trade industry from Sept. 19-21 at the Hershey Lodge. Be the first to see our new “Stackable” collection of dog rings. Sterling silver paw prints, bones and fire hydrants. Guaranteed to make you DROOL.

IMG_0044    Fire Hyd Stack R17-SS  Mutli Bone Stack R22-SS

If you can’t have fun at a dog show then you can’t have fun anywhere

I always say, “If you can’t have fun at a dog show then you can’t have fun anywhere.”  That is my motto.  For the past seven years we have traveled across the country to the AKC dog shows.  We set up our usual “cool and hip” Lisa Welch Designs booth with dramatic black backgrounds, vibrant backdrops and spot light our dazzling jewelry.  We package all purchases nicely and always play great music to groove to.   If you are not sure where we are just look for the “red bags” framing in our 10×10 spot.  You can’t miss us.

Lisa Welch Designs brand has made it’s way from Ohio to Sacramento, CA. From Dog show to Horse Show.  From Vet conference to Groomer Expo.  You name it, we have been there.  We have planted ourselves in many different cities across the US.  You can find our crazy schedule on our website.  We also like to keep our travels posted on FB and Twitter.  That way everyone knows where we are at all times.

Keep checking back to our blog.  We will share great dog and horse stories along with photos and hilarious experiences.  Thanks for DROOLING.

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I always say, “If you can’t have fun at a dog show then you can’t have fun anywhere.”  That is my motto.  For the past seven years we have traveled across the country to the AKC dog shows.  We set up our usual “cool and hip” Lisa Welch Designs booth with dramatic black backgrounds, vibrant backdrops and spot light our dazzling jewelry.  We package all purchases nicely and always play great music to groove to.   If you are not sure where we are just look for the “red bags” framing in our 10×10 spot.  You can’t miss us.

Lisa Welch Designs brand has made it’s way from Ohio to Sacramento, CA. From Dog show to Horse Show.  From Vet conference to Groomer Expo.  You name it, we have been there.  We have planted ourselves in many different cities across the US.  You can find our crazy schedule on our website.  We also like to keep our travels posted on FB and Twitter.  That way everyone knows where we are at all times.

Keep checking back to our blog.  We will share great dog and horse stories along with photos and hilarious experiences.  Thanks for DROOLING.