A Power Present for the Holidays:

Buying holiday gifts can be a challenge, but even the toughest giftees on your list will be happy to receive something that’s both whimsical and useful, functional and fashionable.

That perfectly describes a shopper that looks great with any outfit, and folds up neatly into a small bundle, to stow away in your briefcase or handbag when it’s not in use. And unlike socks or ties, a shopper is something nobody can have too many of. When all is said and done, isn’t shopping something we all do – in some form – every day of the year?

Not many shoppers can call themselves genuine works of art, but we know of one that actually can. Artist Randy Twaddle has electrified this shopper with his Power Lines design. Not since the 1970s hit song “Wichita Lineman” have power lines been so eloquent! And don’t worry if anything spills in or on your bag – it’s got a patented moisture barrier to prevent liquids from penetrating the fabric, so whatever you’re carrying won’t short-circuit.

Posted by Julia Szabo.

The spotlight shines on Crypton in Newsweek video feature:

Last week, Newsweek interviewed our own Julia Szabo for a video feature on pet pampering. Viewers got a tour of Julia’s New York City apartment, which she’s customized for the comfort of her four – count ‘em, four – large dogs.

We spotted our favorite dog beds and pillows used as cushions on Julia’s bed, which she shares with her pack of canine companions.

Meanwhile, we learned about a new use for our multitasking  throver. We knew it comes in very handy on the bed or sofa, in the car, even on a boat. Now we saw Julia use the Throver as a handy mat on the floor, where her veterinary chiropractor “adjusts” the senior dogs, to get their spines in proper alignment.

Now that’s what we call pampering! Watch the video here.

An Apron with Star Quality

Actress Juliette Bennett is an enchanting performer, a natural entertainer who’s in her element both on stage and in film. She has old-school star quality reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn and Veronica Lake, but with an ultra-modern edge.

She’s brilliant at interpreting playwrights from Shakespeare to A.R. Gurney, but Juliette is equally enchanting when she’s entertaining friends at her New York City apartment.

With its magnificent vistas on the East River, the view from her living room window is captivating. But so is the view inside the kitchen, where Juliette recently prepared a spectacular organic, vegan curry stew, served with rice and an avocado-dressed salad.

Nothing stains quite like turmeric, that dazzling yellow spice that’s the key to a great curry. In fact, turmeric has been used for centuries as a natural fabric dye. But Juliette needn’t worry about errant yellow stains on her outfit, because she’s armed with her favorite apron.

Posted by Julia Szabo.

Do you have a clan of messy eaters in your house? Are dinner time spills taking over your table?  We’ve got an opportunity for you! Recently, Crypton developed a fun line of colorful and reversible mess-free suede placemats.  Not only are they stylish, the Crypton technology behind the fabric means they are completely stain- and water-resistant, too. Although you can’t buy these placemats in stores yet, we thought it would be fun to offer our readers an exclusive opportunity to test them out. We’ll even give you the full set of four placemats – all you have to do is share your story with us.  

 That’s all it takes to receive three additional placemats: a full set!  This opportunity won’t be available for long and space is limited, so sign up soon! All signed up? Once you’ve recieved your placemat, fill out a feedback form to recieve the other three.

We look forward to hearing your messy stories!

A new reason to appreciate Crypton dog beds 

My dog Tiki, a charming Chow-Rottweiler cross that I adopted from an animal shelter 11 years ago – and the handsome K9 cover model of my book, “Pretty Pet-Friendly” – was recently diagnosed with oral cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of this deadly disease.

This nightmare started when the right side of Tiki’s snout appeared slightly swollen; within a few days, my dog’s snout was seriously distended, as if he had a cherry tomato wedged in there. A visit to the vet confirmed that there was an abnormal, scary-looking growth high up on his gum. But a needle-aspirate biopsy returned from the lab “inconclusive.” Still, the tumor’s frightening speed of growth indicated that it was most likely cancerous. Not wanting to waste a precious minute of Tiki’s time, I decided to fight this thing with the alternative cancer treatment Neoplasene.

Formulated from alkaloids in the bloodroot plant, Neoplasene is the brilliant invention of Dr. Terence Fox of Buck Mountain Botanicals in Montana. It’s an alternative form of  chemotherapy that’s highly effective, and much less expensive than surgery, radiation, or traditional chemo. Unlike traditional chemo, which attacks all of the body’s cells (healthy as well as unhealthy), Neoplasene targets only the cancerous cells and leaves healthy tissue unharmed. It’s a beautiful thing, and more dog lovers need to know about it, because it really works. (To locate an animal hospital near you that uses Neoplasene, contact Buck Mountain Botanicals.) 

Today I have wonderful news to report: After three injections under anesthesia, administered at the Humane Socity of New York’s excellent clinic, Tiki’s face began showing dramatic signs that his body was evicting the cancer. Now, there’s an inch-wide crater of clean, healthy tissue on his snout where the cancer used to be; and it’s healing up beautifully. To prevent a recurrence, Tiki will be taking twice-daily doses of oral Neoplasene with his food for the rest of his life. 

So, where does Crypton fit in to this story? Simple: When the healing crisis happened, Tiki’s snout basically began spurting blood all over the place. This was the desired result, and cause for celebration, but it would have been quite a complicated cleanup job if not for our trusty Crypton dog beds and Throvers! What’s more, I’ve had to apply a thick, dark-yellow “Wound Balm” (also made by Buck Mountain Botanicals) to Tiki’s snout several times daily – and inevitably, the balm winds up rubbing off. But a quick wipe-up, followed by a spin in the
washing machine, and everything comes out looking like new. 

That means I can be completely ecstatic about Tiki’s success with this alternative cancer treatment, without worrying about how to get rid of the mess. Thank you, Crypton!

Special thanks to Lev Gorn for his beautiful portrait of Tiki.

Posted by Julia Szabo.

Giveaway on Phetched!

Interested in our fun William Wegman Doodle Dog pet beds? Our friends at phetched and  DesignerDoggy are hosting a pet bed giveaway this week. And we can’t help but notice they’ve chosen a lovely green for St. Patrick’s Day!

Visit phetched.com for all the entry details. You have until Friday night to enter.

Of course, if you aren’t the winner, you can view all the available colors and order a pet bed of your own on our Web site. Check out our wide variety of petbeds !

Featured Etsy Designer: Studio Cherie

This week, Life on Crypton is showcasing Etsy.com (see our post from yesterday). Today we bring you an interview with Cherie, the designer-sewer extraordinaire who is behind StudioCherie. Selling duffels, bags, pillows and other fabric goods, Cherie’s bright colors and unique designs (she is happy to do custom items) have kept her busy creating since April 2008.

Recently, Cherie has come out with a brand new line of products containing Crypton Suede in the cathedral quilt-style. In addition to table-runners, she now has tote bags and pillows to complement the line. Interested crafters can also purchase PDFs of many of Cherie’s designs to create at home on their own.

In addition to running her online shop full-time, Cherie is also a mother of three, and a regular blogger (you can read her blog at http://studiocherie.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

Q. How did you originally get started with designing and creating items for sale?
Cherie: I created the baby changing bag I had always wanted for myself (and no one ever made while I had babies in diapers.) Everyone at a friend’s baby shower got excited about it. One of the gals suggested I apply for a patent. It just snowballed from there.

 Q. Describe the sort of things you enjoy making– what are your favorite items to create?
Cherie: Furniture, doing upholstery and slip-covering are my favorites, but I ran out of room at my house. Bags are great too. A bit of portable creativity that still has high function value.

Q. Where do you get inspiration for new ideas?
Cherie: Usually my creations grow out of something I need myself. The duffle bag came out of my own need, and its popularity tells me I am not alone. Sometimes it’s more of an invention thing – like frame purses, I was always curious about how those are made, so I took some apart, learned from them, and redesigned from there. There are also times when an idea will simmer in the back of my mind for a long time, and when the right materials or tools appear, I just have to move forward.

Q. How would you describe your design style?
Cherie: Practical and fun.

Q. We’ve noticed you often work with Crypton in your shop what draws you to Crypton Fabrics?
Cherie: Did I just say practical and fun? I love how Crypton stays clean, which is a huge plus for home décor and for bags. The color range of Crypton makes it fun and easy to pair with the popular designer quilting fabrics which are my other favorite material.

Q. How has Etsy changed the way you do business?
Cherie: Etsy is a vibrant community of crafters and artisans, collectors and socially conscious consumers. Within that community I am able to tailor my offerings to the needs I see. There is a real satisfaction for me in connecting with the people who use my sewing patterns or buy the things I have made. Etsy is engaging from both the buyer and seller perspective.

Q. What are the challenges for your business?
Cherie: I am itching to expand my line like crazy right now. I have so many practical and fun ideas. I want to keep selling both patterns and finished products, but I am going to need to get help to do that if I expand my offerings.

Q. What’s next for StudioCherie?
Cherie: One or two helpers. More patterns more products.

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is, without a doubt, the ultimate K9 beauty contest. Appropriately, visitors to the show this week at New York’s Madison Square Garden walked away with super-stylish arm candy: fabulous Crypton totes.

This year’s winner, as everyone knows, is a scintillating Scottie named Sadie. But Sadie’s not the only dog star in Westminster’s firmament – and there’s more to Westminster winners than just style and looks.

Crypton loves any individual or organization that combines good looks and good works, so we’d like to “paws” to appreciate the fact that more and more dogs around the country – including many Westminster champions as well as shelter-adopted mutts – are volunteering their time as certified therapy animals, spreading cheer at hospitals and raising the spirits of young and old alike.

David Frei, known to millions as the dapper co-host of the USA Network’s Westminster broadcast, is a longtime advocate of animal assisted therapy. His tireless efforts to promote his charitable pet project, Angel on a Leash, are responsible for raising the national profile of therapy dogs and inspiring so many Americans to get their dogs certified.

David doesn’t just talk the talk – he dog-walks the walk. His own three dogs are all certified to do the important work of visiting hospital patients, applying the healing power of paws wherever they go. Here’s the youngest member of the Frei family, a gorgeous Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Angel, taking a break between hospital visits on her Crypton bed, which we think coordinates beautifully with her lovely red hair!

Sweet dreams, Angel – bless you and all your fellow therapy dogs for the wonderful work you do. You are truly Angels on Leashes. 

Posted by Julia Szabo.

Admit it: You sleep with your dog because he or she is very good in bed. You’re not alone: According to the American Pet Products Manufacturing Association, www.appma.org . no less than 42 percent of dogs now sleep in the same bed as their owners, up from 34 percent in 1998. Why is that? Simple: human relationships are fraught with complications, but dogs are easy – and their snoring amounts to soothing, restful, white noise. Try saying the same about the disturbing racket made by a sleeping human!

As with human relationships, sharing one’s bed brings up the subject of protection. Except in the case of dogs, we’re looking to protect our mattress investment – especially if we’ve splurged on a spine-friendly luxury model. www.tempur-pedic.com But here’s something you might not know (I sure didn’t): no matter how deluxe your mattress, it’s one of the biggest sources of germs and allergens in your home. So even if you don’t have pets, you could be sleeping with critters and not even know it. After ten years of use, a mattress can actually double in weight because of the dust mites, skin cells, allergens, and other unwanted debris that collect inside of it night after night. (Of course, if you do have pets, you can add pet dander to that nightmarish mix.) So the first consideration when making the perfect, pet-friendly bed—even before you unfurl your favorite high-thread-count sheets – is covering it with the very best barrier known to man or beast. That accurately describes the Crypton Mattress Protector, www.cryptonnight.com which offers a breathable moisture barrier for the top and four sides of your mattress that’s easy to clean and disinfect (in fact, it’s the only disinfectable fabric approved by the EPA). www.epa.gov I’d say that’s the stuff of sweet dreams.