Pet Dogs The Beauty of Hybrids aka Designer Dogs

Pet Dogs :The Beauty of Hybrids aka Designer Dogs

Image via WikipediaHave you seen or heard of a Goldendoodle, Pug-Zu, Goberian, and Alusky? Sure sounds like names of strange animals but if you’re not seriously in to dogs, you wouldn’t even know what they are. Well, those animals are Designer dogs or Hybrid dogs. It’s a cross

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Image via Wikipedia
Have you seen or heard of a Goldendoodle, Pug-Zu, Goberian, and Alusky? Sure sounds like names of strange animals but if you’re not seriously in to dogs, you wouldn’t even know what they are. Well, those animals are Designer dogs or Hybrid dogs. It’s a cross between two purebred canines.A Hybrid or Designer Dog is different from a mutt. Generally, a mutt is a mixture of multiple breeds of uncertain ancestry while designer dog has recognized purebred descent, and one knows precisely what it is. When you breed two different types of pedigree dogs, you can get a combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. It’s similar to making a cocktail drink when you mix pineapple juice with vodka you create the taste of bitter sweet liquor.Cross breeding is like customizing, you want to create a mixture of your choice breed, so all the good qualities you admire from each dog would likely appear in your Hybrid canine. However, it’s not a guarantee that all the best characteristics you expected would emerge. Just the same with genetic health issues that comes with the package. It may or may not solve the inherited health problems that came from the stock. Although, Some people believe that the percentage of hybrids being healthier is pretty much higher than that of the purebreds.And so, if you’re thinking of owning a dog, you might want to check the pack of Hybrid first. Who knows? It could just be the perfect dog you’re looking for.Here are some of my favorite Designer dogs:(Photos courtesy of Dogbreedinfo.com) GOLDENDOODLECross between Golden Retriever and Standard PoodleBOWSERCross between Basset Hound and Mini SchnauzerBULLMATIANCross between Bulldog and DalmatianCHIMATIONCross between Chihuahua and DalmatianBERNEDOODLECross between Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle

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marching to the beat..

i saw this video over on a little house in the clouds blog, i love it! how amazing...every age from 1 to 100 marching to a beat of a different drum!

and when i feel this way i really am with you. .

eveline tarunadjaja, who i recently wrote about has curated a show called cups and cuddles at per metre gallery in victoria, australia. it's a group show w/ her work and a bunch of incredibly talented women. the show opened on the 7th and runs through the 18th of november. there will be an opening on saturday night, the 10th from 6-8. i've put together work of a few of the ladies who are in the show, so you can see for yourself how talented they are, along w/ links to their shops, blogs and websites. enjoy!

andrea innocent.andrea innocent is a digital artist, animator and illustrator. she is largely influenced by japanese culture and history having lived in japan for three yrs, she recently moved back home to melbourne, australia. her work is a combination of intense color and symbolism. you can see more of andrea's work on blog, website and etsy shop.

catherine campbell.i wrote about catherine a while back, which you can read here. she was really kind to let me glean a ton of her images, so check it out. her watercolors are so sweet. i love her images of delicately drawn beauties in cute dresses, and tea cups. she has a nicely filled etsy store, i read her blog on a daily basis it's filled w/ what she is working on, art shows and just total cuteness.

lily piri.lily. lily. lily. i am such a fan of lily's drawings. just take a look and judge for yourself. her drawings are soft, lovely and lil bit dark, yet so bright! all of the drawings here are some of my favorites, the black and white drawing will actually be in the show. you can read lily's blog, check out her website or buy things from her shop (check out these adorable buttons.)

maricormaricar.ok, i don't even know where to begin w/ this twin sister design team. i was immediately into their work, images/illustrations of diane arbus' work and chloe sevigny? sold. their work is so dynamic and awesome. they animate, draw, design and i'm pretty sure it doesn't stop there. their blog isn't that old, but it is overflowing w/ talent. animated videos, drawings, designs...these gals are totally impressive. my only wish is that there was more of their work on the web.

* over & over by hot chip.** all images courtesy of the artists.

Your Guide to Buying Good Ovens and Other Kitchen Appliances

Choosing appliances was a lot easier back in the day when there were fewer options. Nowadays, with all the extra options and features, buying even simple things like ovens has become quite a task. If you are in the market to purchase an oven, you may have come across many different models that come in various sizes and each having a unique functioning capability.
The stores are also lined up with various international brands which makes the choosing a bit harder. Below are a few tips to keep in mind just before you head out for one of the European appliances, range hood, cook tops and ovens.
Features:
When it comes to the features in an oven, choose one with the features you will be using. Most ovens have self-cleaning cycles, smart timers, racks and door locks. They also have front facing windows and multiple broiling options. Range cookers also come with different size burners and can also have a dual-element burner.
Go Online:
The internet has made it possible to find information on anything. You can take your search online to different stores in your area to find an oven or any other kitchen appliance you like.
Read Reviews:
Going online will also enable you to check out the reviews of different brands by people who have bought them. This is especially handy when choosing European appliances , range hood, cook tops and even an oven.
Choose a Brand:
Choosing a brand will be the most important part of buying an oven. Go online or visit the electronic appliance section of a store to check out some of the local and foreign options available.
Compare Prices:
Once you have found an oven with the features you were looking for, compare the prices between different makes and models to find one that suits you and doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket.

My comfort item.

At our last birthing class we were instructed to bring a few items that will bring us comfort during labor.Surprisingly.. I wasn’t the first person to say “Can I bring my dog?” Of course, I didn’t remember about my “comfort items” until the night before.. But I started thinking about it.. and immediately came to a conclusion.The first thing that crossed my mind was…… “What do I NEED when I’m sick?? What makes me feel better???” (The first thing on that list is puppy.. but puppy can’t come to the hospital. On a side note.. one of the girls in our class is having a home birth.. and HONESTLY it sounds like she is just to have her dogs there!! funny huh???)My first comfort item is my Hugger Pillow. I don’t remember exactly when I got my hugger pillow. But my whole life my mom has had this squishy lumpy pillow that we always loved. Sometime in my life, I got one too. Mine is actually real feathers that someone down the line in our family plucked from some chicken.. or something. (I’m all about history if you can’t tell!) :)Since getting my hugger pillow I have NEVER slept one night without it. It NEVER gets checked on the airplane, it always gets carried on. Sometimes, it’s not the most comfortable thing in the world. The feathers are all balled up in big lumps now, and when those feathers poke through.. WOW that hurts! But I keep about 4 pillow cases on it at all time and that cuts down on the pokeage!(p.s. I did sleep one night without it… the day my parents devil dog tried to eat it…. that was NOT a pretty moment..)(sorry.. I don’t have any pictures of hugger… really nothing special anyway…it’s actually even more special right now because it has Aaron’s homemade Choo Choo train pillow case on it!)My other comfort item is this little guy…
He’s a beaut’ right???

He is the very first toy I bought for Riddick. I love remembering how little he was compared to this dog. He used to cuddle up so cute to it. When I’m sick I love to have this puppy. It reminds me of those little puppy times…

And considering I have this pile to choose from.. I’m glad I only pick one!! :)

Aaron’s not to thrilled with the fact that I’m bringing this slobbery, crunchy leggless thing.. but it’s not about him.. right????

Now there is just one thing missing……….

(This picture makes my heart melt.. I could stare at it alllll day….)

This is what I woke up to for 3 years… we slept nose to nose for 3 years straight..

He is my ultimate comfort item…..

On the way home last night we started talking about how badly I wish puppy could be there…..and actually started crying!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t believe it.. and Aaron just laughed so hard at me.. But even typing this, I can feel the tears welling…
I’ll just blame it on hormones! :)

Next time I’ll just have to find a pet friendly hospital…

As I was looking through my pictures for “comfort item” pictures.. there was no doubt in my mind what Riddick’s comfort item would be if he were asked to bring one…..

(and these are just the pictures that were in my “misc” folder. I didn’t even look through any other folders….)









He really loves that rat….**UPDATE: At class, only one person brought things to share. And her’s were incense, an IPOD and change for the vending machine..Needless to say, I did not volunteer to show my 20 year old pillow or half eaten slobbery pet toy!

Gaia in SF..

Gaia sent along a ton of great photos from his recent trip to San Francisco along with his thoughts behind his biggest piece, a lion/rabbit hybrid:

"I had the immense, delightful pleasure of finally getting to know the city of San Francisco much better than on my last trip which was a whirlwind weekend of installation at Gallery Heist and street work. This time around I got to settle down and paint a legal wall on Polk and Eddy with the great people over at WallSpace. The piece was completed with spray paint, and rollers to cap off the ears, throughout three days of cool sun showers. The Lion/Rabbit hybrid is a seemingly innocuous image but represents the subversion of the Urban Planner. Le Corbusier, one of the strongest identities in modernist architecture, took a paternalist approach to planning with the notion that the lion is the architect, the master, and the masses are the rabbits. Rarely does the contemporary urban landscape develop organically but is instead defined by the clamor of contending agendas and legislation. This image and its dissemination throughout neighborhoods all over the world is the embodiment of the resolutions and failures of planners to control the incredible mess and natural logic that is the city."

See more great pics on Wall Space' flickr page.

Home and Improvement Home Buying Tips

Purchasing a house as per our requirements is a difficult process. We have many choices to select good ones, sometimes a house may look good, but it doesn’t match your funds or sometimes the prices may be good, but the house superior may be wrong and so on. There are any things to

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Purchasing a house as per our requirements is a difficult process. We have many choices to select good ones, sometimes a house may look good, but it doesn’t match your funds or sometimes the prices may be good, but the house superior may be wrong and so on.
There are any things to think if you want to buy a house. This is very foremost especially for those who have family. The house is settled close to the office or near with your child’s school is a dream for approximately all families.
Clean HouseUnfortunately the financial situation does not all the time equate to a desire so there is an choice that you must be sacrificed. So that the former consideration is the house that we chose was near the school. That is a top priority.
There are any things to think before you resolve to buy a home that suits with you and your family.
5 factors to think before buying a home:
1. Location of the house which we buy must have a decent passage road and within easy reach in all conditions.
Do not be legitimately influenced by sweet promises from people who want to sell home or ads that say that housing developers are able to reach only 5 minutes from the toll booth. Who knows?, 5 minutes is only in the middle of the night when the street deserted. To be sure there is no harm if you do a test drive in rush hours like mornings and evenings.
2. Make sure the home environment has a pleasant climate and nice neighbors because that is where you will be spending a lot of time.
Try to greet the nearest neighbors to get condolement from them. Neighbor was the first to be asked for help if something happens to you at home, right?
3. Make sure the superior housing involved also has facilities and amenities, such as passage to communal converyance is legitimately accessible, wide roads, electricity, sufficient clean water, 24 hour security, environmental hygiene, market, school, mini market, condition clinics, sports facilities, entertainment center, a playground that can be reached easily.
4. Make sure the environment is a housing involved that has a good drainage system.
5. Finally, note the condition and potential of house construction in detail.
If necessary, make a list to check the condition of the roof, walls, sills, windows, bathrooms, drains, and vent.
If these five steps have been done, purchased the house for you and family legitimately will furnish ease for you and your family.
Home Buying Tips


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Tags: Buying

Anyone have a crane

I feel like I need one to keep my eye’s open today..

I got in bed the second I got home last night and slept alllll night.. however.. I still feel like I could sleep all day today..

Whatever this nasty bug is.. it’s really kicking my butt..

That’s all….

Want Bliss in a Teacup Wood Necklaces..

For those of you who have read this blog for a while now, know that I am a sucker for adornment. I could wear the same t-shirt and jeans for months on end if I had lots of accessories to choose from. Bliss in a Teacup just launched their beautiful new line of wood necklaces. I wouldn't cry if I received one of these beauts. Specifically the triangle charmer above.

37 weeks.. only 10 more to go! )

Boy do I hope I’m kidding!!! Everything I read says they normally don’t let you go past 42..so I guess worst case scenario only 5 more weeks to go! yuck….Anyway.. Pictures.. right… I’m already in my pajama’s for the night..so this will just have to do..I am including 2.. only because I think the first one look SUPER huge..and the second one looks more like I feel like I look.. Plus.. white??? Why haven’t I learned yet that white = whale???oh well.. here is giant baby boy in all his glory.. (p.s. you’re seeing his butt side.. I wish I could take a picture of his feet sticking out of the other side.. maybe one day I’ll get it..) It’s funny to me that these pictures look completely fake.. I still have these little day dreaming panic attacks every once in awhile that I’m making this whole thing up… 9 month have past and it still doesn’t seem real… Every time I see a picture of myself I always wonder who that is!

oh.. forgot a very important part of the doctor story… She goes to listen to his heartbeat and I pull my shirt up and she looks at me and says.. “Oh.. those weren’t there last time right?”(speaking of my stretch marks..) Too which I said.. NOPE! and she said.. “Wow.. all those in 2 weeks??” Thank you for pointing out that my stomach will soon look completely like a tiger! (Right now we’re still holding strong with just low and little stretch marks.. but they are starting to slowly pop up around the belly button.. not attractive.. but hey.. they’re my battle scars!)

car seats and loathing

OBaby hates his car seat. Just being set in it often brings him to tears, and we’re not even talking about the straps yet.Our strapping in process is probably comical to the by-stander, filled with the positive reinforcement of over-done smiles and high pitched happy voices that have the subtlest of “just please don’t cry” tones. And even if we make it sob-free through the shoulder straps and the five-point harness system, we could lose it if the click in is too jolting, I move too slow, or Mars is too in the 8th house. You just never know.I went to a baby super store (where they don’t, in fact, sell babies) and bought an over priced jingly animal figurine to hang from the car seat handle. ‘Maybe give him something to look at?’ I thought. Except it dangles exactly 3.5 inches from OBaby’s eyes and he has to cross them to see it. Fail.Ok, so I have a baby who likes to be held and don’t get me wrong, I love to hold him, but MAMA STILL WANTS TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, which usually involves the car. Some days my nerves are stronger than others and I can stomach the necessary cries that come with getting from point A to point B, but other days I pull over on the shoulder of the highway and try desperately to calm my baby. A couple of times I have cried along with him because there is nothing I can do. Well, other than not leaving the house.But that really isn’t an option.I’m not sharing this to be Nelly Negative, I’m sharing because I need help. I have tried classical music (cranked) singing to him, that dumb $8.00 hanging toy, and finding my happy place, but none of them have had any consistent results.What worked for your kids? Will this end soon? Could his straps be on wrong or is this fear and loathing of a car seat fairly common?Seriously, what’s a girl gotta do to have a tear-free grocery trip?

O My CBC Week the wardrobe

I remember when I got the email from the coordinators of The Casual Blogger Conference in February? March? (clearly I don’t remember that well) that asked me to be a part of the Faith in Blogging Panel (FBP in the house!) and while my first thought was: ‘ME?!?!?!?’, my second followed quickly thereafter and was: ‘WHAT WILL I WEEEEEEEAR?!?!’.O. My. Goodness.I haven’t been this giddy about finding the perfect clothes since my junior prom. Or maybe since that one dress.*Spoiler Alert*: You are about to see me in the exact outfit that I will wear on Saturday, the day of the FBP (::flashes FBP gang sign which can only be described as a hybrid of crossing your arms reverently and hammering out a spiritual but relevant 700 word blog post::). If you would like to be surprised for some reason I can’t think of at the present time, please refrain from reading the rest of this post.I promise you I didn’t set out to buy an entirely new outfit for this conference. It just kind of… happened. (Well wait! Hear me out!) Remember how DanO and I got a gym membership? Well, it turns out that going from not doing any exercise whatsoever to working out 4 times a week can lose you 14 pounds. I know, I haven’t talk about that because EEEW, I do not want to share my weight, plus this post is already about 300x more focused on appearance than I really ever care to be on this blog. Let’s suffice it to say I am down a size and mama needed some new (hot) clothes.This weekend after the incredible treat of shopping with my friends Cindy of The Flipping Couple, Maggie of Gussy, and (my new friend) Alyssa of Adventures of the Stay at Home Mom, (aren’t bloggy friends the best??) I put together this outfit for the day of the FBP:{Picture taken before the bleach disaster of 2010.}Here’s the breakdown:1. Hair: The side ponytail. I am a hair fidgeter. Nervous? Touching my hair. Day dreaming? Touching my hair. Overwhelmed? Touching my hair. The side ponytail is intentional. (So now I’ll just pick my cuticles under the table instead. Neurosis for the win.)2. Earrings: This is probably one of my favorite parts of the outfit, but you can’t really see them in the picture. They are light yellow flower earrings from here and they are so matchy matchy with the shoes that I can hardly stand it.3. Top: J. Crew flower embellished top (from the clearance section). I pretty much tried on 7 of this same shirt in different colors because, hello! clearance! J. Crew! I went with this one (ok and one other one in pink).4. Fly Away: So I’ve only known that’s what these are called for 5 days now and I’ve owned one for months. Long in the front hangy cardigan thingies with no buttons = “Fly aways”. This white one is from Express and I will probably wear it over everything from now on, that’s how much I love it.5. Capris: This is kind of what started the whole outfit. I have a pair of black long business shorts from before OBaby, and guess what! They fit now. Only there’s this teensy problem called my postpartum stomach. My legs and bum may be able to fit into them and heck I can certainly button them, but my middle section has been through a lot in the last 2 years and well, let’s just say: muffin top. So. These are the Express Editor Pant in the skinny crop and hit me a little higher so as to not be muffin topping my way through the FBP.6. Shoes: Tell me you big pink sparkly heart them as much as I do. They are yellow! And sassy! And comfortable! And match my earrings! They are so perfect I want to cuddle with them at night. (They are Madden Girl from DSW.)That’s it! That’s what I will be wearing on Satruday for the FBP at the CBC in the SLC!::flashes FBP gang sign::

will bryant new print in his etsy shop..

just in time for the 90˚ weather we will be having this week, will bryant has just updated his etsy shop w/ this sunny print. ahhh, swim in sunshine indeed! i have to say summer on the east coast is really lovely if you like the heat. and so far i am loving it this summer! i hope you are having an awesome summer. nothing like a bummer when you are down in the summer! (oh lord i just typed that out loud.) there are only 8 prints left of this golden print...$15 clams and it's all your's. plus will bryant is such a sweetheart he'll throw in some extra goodies...perhaps some of his awesome buttons!

nugget is stoked

Florida Vacation 2007 (aka Honeymoon)In preparation for paradise Florida and vacation (our flight departs later this morning!), Nugget has really been practicing his hammock stretch these last few days: both hands behind his head and both elbows jabbing solidly into my digestive system.In this way, Nugget already reminds me of Daddy: always so much limb going on (Doctor, are you sure that’s not an octopus in there?). DanO’s limbs get in the way when we’re sleeping, getting in the car after I drove last, or buying jeans that don’t come in sizes longer than 34″.On the other hand, I have no need to own a kitchen step ladder ( “Hey… hunny?”), so I guess I can’t complain.Nugget has been doing so much gangley hokie pokie in there that DanO actually saw his extremity hit the wall of my abdomen yesterday.“Was that an arm?!” No, babe, I think it was a tentacle.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~My brain is already on vacation, so I really have no closure for this post other than:WE’RE GOING TO FLORIDA TODAY!Followed by:NANNER NANNER! (and other youngest sister-type taunts)

flipping friday let there be a second story

Once upon a time in January, a family bought a house to flip. There was floor plan drawing, there was permit submitting, and that was the first month. There was demolition, there was dust and mess, and that was the second month. There was excavation, there was foundation pouring, and that was the third month. There was roof removal, there was more dust and mess, and that was the fourth month.Then, going weary in their toils, the family hired a crew to frame out part of the house. The crew arrived, worked quickly, and added the second story in a week, roof trusses and all. The family looked upon the house and said “Behold, it is going to be freaking awesome.”The end.(Well, not really the end because there is electrical and plumbing and walls and cabinets and flooring and siding and windows yet to do. Then we can rest.)More pictures for you. If you squint really hard at the labyrinth of 2x4s you can see three bedrooms and two bathrooms in there. And yes, the entry way is open to the second story and the stairs/balcony will have a gorgeous railing. Amen.

newton interviews wilfrid wood..

last november i wrote a post on the sculptor wilfrid wood. i can't gush enough about wilfrid's work. his characters are hilarious, creepy and adorable all rolled into one. there is a great interview over at newton w/ wilfrid. it really made me think about doing what one loves in life. perfect w/ a nice cup of coffee. interview here.

oh pretty..

i found catherine cambell on flickr recently, she's an artist that lives in australia. i absolutely love the delicate lines and colors of her drawings. just look at how pretty they are...

these adorable buttons, along w/ many others can also be found on her etsy shop. you can find paper dolls, prints, original artwork and handmade dolls as well. also be sure to check out catherine's blog www.myfolklover.typepad.com where she regularly writes about her drawings, shop updates, artiststs and her bunny w/ heart shaped fur patterns among many other topics. so cute.

Mon Petit Fantome..

I received a lovely package in the mail the other day from Chad Merritt of Mon Petit Fantome. There was so much care and thought put into the package, I almost didn't want to open it. You know that lasted for about  a minute! But seriously as I tore through the packaging (jooooke, I did open it nice and sweetly as I was raised to do, so...back to the package) in it were beautifully hand cut paper cuts. One of a bear, and in his eyes were silhouettes of a woman, super nice touch. The next was of intricately cut spider webs, my favorite. You can check out prints of these originals here. I can't wait to get some nice frames for them.

He also included a few other jointed shadow puppets, a disc of his music, awesome promotional pics and the way to a girls heart: a doily. I love mail. Thanks Chad!

doing Portland, baby style

We touched down in a sunny, 68° Portland, Oregon on Wednesday afternoon. It was so nice I could hardly stand it. Since we’re at the coast much of our time in state, we decided to stick around the city and do some browsing of the shops on 23rd while eating gelato with those cute little shovel things.{The sunglasses were a sleep aid.}[Aside: I'd like to officially introduce you to our baby carrier that we wore to the zoo (that some of you noticed). Yes, it's new and yes it's awesome. It is a mei tai style carrier from Baby So Smart (who did not pay me to tell you about them, although if they wanted to I'd be open to the idea ::wink::). We super duper love it. OBaby can actually sleep all snuggled in there (unlike our ring slings now that he is so big) and we bought it before this trip for that exact purpose. While we walked 23rd Ave, he napped happily as I debated leaving my socks and underwear behind so that some stunning candle holders could come home with us.]{OBaby, wondering if there’s space in the luggagefor that $180 baby boutique jumper.}Parenting on the go is so much easier for us with babywearing. We didn’t pack his stroller and we are just borrowing a car seat while in town (which has stayed in the car for the entire trip). We packed so light that we didn’t even check bags and so far we haven’t forgotten anything.There’s something about flying [by the seat of your pants] with an infant that appeals to DanO’s and my problem solving sides. For example, when we landed, OBaby was in entirely the wrong outfit for the warm and sunny afternoon we were experiencing so we did a quick in-arms wardrobe change standing the shade in a parking lot, then carried on our way. Later when we realized that he would be snuggled right up to us for a good period of time in the mei tai, we nixed the pants we had just put on him.That’s right, my baby walked around “trendy-third” in nothing but a polo and his diaper because that’s what worked for us. There’s something to be said for doing what works in parenting and not what ‘looks good’.That’s not to say that he didn’t look good, because clearly, he did.{and I think he knows it}~~~~~~Speaking of questionable behaviors, we took our pants-less-baby-on-the-go to a Starbucks there on 23rd where I had made plans to meet someone from the internet (somehow, the more often I say that the less creepy it sounds). This wasn’t just anyone from the internet though, this was the outdoor wife herself, my future roommate at The Relevant Conference in October.We talked about churches, husbands and the struggle of trying to keep up on blogging. I also confessed to her that I was going to have to milk myself pump while at the conference, so we should probably get comfortable with each other sooner rather than later (which began well as I fumbled to nurse OBaby while sitting directly across from her in an uncomfortable wood chair. Nipple flashing: now that’s what I call bonding.)Joking aside (I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again), I love this crazy blogging on the interwebs thing. It has brought so many great people into my life, some that I’ve met in person and some I haven’t yet, but all of them beautiful.

Ana Benaroya X Reed Radar..

Ana Benaroya recently animated fashion photographs in the online mag 160g magazine. Pamela Reed and Matthew Radar shot the images. They're divine. I wish I had the patience (ie: time) to sort out the gifs so they stay animated...alas, I don't. See the images in action here. They're wonderful and inspiring you'll be happy you clicked.