dogs | It's So Fabulous!

Beautiful Family Living (Part 2): Sharing Your Home With Pets

Yes, I have three dogs!

Dog number one is Stella. She is a standard poodle and the love dog of my life (pictured in first photo below)! For anyone who knows me personally, you will recall that my beloved Stella went missing for FOUR entire months! Heartbroken, I thought that we had [...]

7 comments to Beautiful Family Living (Part 2): Sharing Your Home With Pets

Coley

July 12th, 2011 at 6:36 pm · Reply

I use baby gates and store their food in garbage bins in the garage. Their treats are stored in the open in cute mason jars, and they are NOT allowed on my furniture or in my room!

Great post
- Kimberly Grigg
  
  July 14th, 2011 at 5:35 am · Reply
  
  Great tips! I guess you noticed my furry family members are slung up all over my furniture in the photos?! ha. Love the mason jar idea!
Tammy@InStitches

July 13th, 2011 at 9:05 am · Reply

Your fur babies are so adorable ! I used baby gates but now that Zoe is all grown up she gets the run of the whole house. I used leftover drapery fabric to make her a matching bed for the family room. Hope you are having a great summer !
- Kimberly Grigg
  
  July 14th, 2011 at 5:34 am · Reply
  
  What a GREAT idea, Tammy! So chic! Thanks for your comment! Hope you are having a great summer, too!
Coley

July 14th, 2011 at 11:59 am · Reply

Also wanted to mention that a) we recently got a goldendoodle, best breed ever! and b) I added you to my blog roll finally
Sam

July 23rd, 2011 at 1:17 am · Reply

Thanks for sharing the information. Love all of your wonderful photos. I just about live outdoors, so there are a few ideas you need to consider. Wood deteriorates and falls apart eventually. You need to treat it yearly, which is no fun. And you must get every nook and cranny on each piece, you know moisture will find a path in. Resin will stain and needcheap. It can be kind of uncomfortable. The right patio furniture is wrought iron. And if you get a decent set. It’s worth the money. I’m a long time lurker and first time commenter!
Amanda

August 14th, 2011 at 9:38 pm · Reply

I loved your blog and will be back to visit often. Found it to be educational and informative,

Staffordshire Pottery (Part 3): What Makes It Valuable?

19th century Staffordshire figurines of Queen Victoria and Prince of Wales

Staffordshire pieces, like any collectibles, are only as valuable as the price a purchaser is willing to pay for them. So, the first thing to remember when selecting your pieces is that YOU set your personal threshold of value. Depending on how much you [...]

2 comments to Staffordshire Pottery (Part 3): What Makes It Valuable?

Susan, North Carolina

June 15th, 2010 at 12:20 am · Reply

Hi, Kimberly. I haven’t had a chance to keep up with the blog in a few weeks, but I did want to let you know I just read the posts on the Staffordshire pieces. This is such good information for all of us. They are such fine pieces. You offer such good insight and many needed details………..love it! I don’t own any pieces, but I do like them.

Oh, yea, FYI, I did get a chance to read the blog you mentioned to me about the “bikini”. That was hilarious….you go girl…..flaunt it while you can!! Thanks for recommending the reading! How in the world do you find the time to research and write about such interesting and detailed topics, recipes, quotes, gifts, etc….all while attending to interior design projects and a family? You inspire and amaze me! I really do mean that. I’d love to know your trick to it sometime! I still plan to email you with more about my business, just as soon as I find the “quiet time” to sit down and do it. Any “tips” for the trade on that? LOL…Ha!
- Kimberly Grigg
  
  June 16th, 2010 at 7:01 am · Reply
  
  Oh, Susan, you truly do make me feel like a hero… very good for my self-esteem! Thank you, as always, for your kind words of encouragement! I am thrilled that you were able to take a few minutes out of your day to swing by again! Welcome back. You are just in time for my new video blog I am launching today!
  
  By the way, what do you mean by “quiet time”? Not sure that I am familiar with the concept! ha. Here’s my basic plan for each day that allows me to complete all of my tasks…. run around like a chicken with my head cut off; put out the most critical fires first (smoldering issues need not apply for consideration); make endless “to do” lists on anything within reach (paper towels, tissue paper, gift bags, truly ANYTHING!); and finally, the most important element…. I delegate just before the point of losing my mind. So, I definitely cannot take all of the credit. It’s true that I am a driven person, but I also happen to have some FABULOUS help from family, my assistant designer, and my staff. Whenever crunch time comes, I can always count on them to pitch in and help tie-up loose ends. I am truly blessed in that way. As for the blog, I come up with the ideas and write down what I want to say, but if I get behind during the day, I sometimes ask one of my staff members to input the blog onto the website after I have written it. So, that is a huge timesaver on the days that turn out to be particularly “hairy”.
  
  Would love to hear from you again, whenever you get a moment! Have a fabulous day, my dear!

Staffordshire Pottery (Part 2): Authentic?

Staffordshire dogs from my personal collection

As I mentioned in my last post, I am certainly no expert in the world of Staffordshire pieces. However, having handled a great many of these collectibles through the years – under the tutelage of many an educated antique dealer – I have come to recognize some of the [...]

9 comments to Staffordshire Pottery (Part 2): Authentic?

danielle eilender

June 15th, 2012 at 9:56 pm · Reply

Are the glass eyes on the dogs found on older figurines or more recent figurines? I would appreciate your comment
Thank you
Pat Halfpenny

June 30th, 2012 at 10:56 am · Reply

I think that glass eyes are more recent. I have handled a lot of 18th and 19th century Staffordshire and never seen glass eyes! Hope this helps. Keep buying the real thing. There is a Staffordshire Figure Association at http://www.staffordshirefigureassociation.com/ and a useful blog at http://www.mystaffordshirefigures.com/ (not me)
Kat Lochrie

July 2nd, 2012 at 7:42 pm · Reply

Did Staffordshire make cats in cruet sets? I purchased a beautiful black cat with it’s head being the stopper and was told that this is a Staffordshire. There are no markings on the bottom. The glaze is on the bottom except where the cat sits. There is also a fading gold diamond on it’s chest. Thanks for your help in this matter
Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood

August 3rd, 2012 at 2:57 pm · Reply

You readers might be interested in Nic Saintey’s blog of cataloguing a major collection of Staffordshire Pottery for auction in September 2012.
Patti Towers

November 30th, 2012 at 2:03 pm · Reply

Were any of the witch riding a swan pieces painted with a black hat? I am guessing mine is a reproduction but it has a black hat and a blue blouse. I am new at this and though I now am pretty sure I have a reproduction I have had SO much fun learning about Staffordshire figurines thanks to you and others who share their information online.
Jackie

April 23rd, 2013 at 9:16 pm · Reply

I have a question. i have a set of two dogs and they are black with a gold collar and the ears are trimmed with it as well. it has england on the bottom. they also have some other gold on their bodies. i can’t find it online at all. is it even real?
Lynette block

May 8th, 2013 at 10:29 am · Reply

Hi just found your site. So happy. Question. I have that same Stratfordshire piece the big tall white guy, vase? It was my Aunts. Do you know what it is called and is that a copy or an original? Any info would be appreciated . Thanks
Claire Robb

May 9th, 2013 at 6:57 pm · Reply

I have been looking at some Staffordshire dogs on EBay (not the best place, I know, and twice I have come across pieces that look pretty good but have an odd little mark on the bottoms. It looks almost like a brush stroke with a dot, or an old Gregg shorthand mark. Sine the current piece is identified as vintage, not antique, I am wondering if it is from Japan. I am still just in an investigative mode but do have an interest in purchasing a couple of quality pieces. Here is the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Staffordshire-Dog-/111067696114?_trksid=p2050601.m2372&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D250%26meid%3D7545767135924688482%26pid%3D100085%26prg%3D1112%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D300901381289%26%26clkid%3D7545767747330743106&_qi=RTM1303753 I am just curious about the mark. FYI–I love your website.
Darlene

May 30th, 2013 at 9:21 am · Reply

I purchased two figurines at estate auction. They are whippets or greyhounds with hare in mouth and one with hare on ground. They are about 11 inches tall. From all indications they are correct for condition, paint etc. Where and how would I go about finding information about them.

Staffordshire Pottery (Part 1): A Brief Overview

Many of my clients ask me about a particular type of figurines that are quite popular in the interior design world…. Staffordshire dogs! Although I have spoken to many antique dealers through the years and have researched these charming pottery pieces on my own, I must admit that I am still not an expert on [...]

Knotting Hill Interiors New Blog

Me!

Did Someone Say “Chicken Bog”? NO? Oh my gosh, What’s a BLOG??

(G8HWR5JXXME6) Several years ago I attended a BPN (Best Practices Network) Conference, an association of 100 interior design firms across the U.S. that convene to learn more about how to run successful interior design firms. The topic of that day was BLOGS. I [...]