An excited child waking up Christmas morning to find an adorable new puppy, what’s more timeless? If you’re thinking of adding a four legged friend to the family this year, please adopt. Think of every reason you can to purchase a pet, rather than adopt…..now give us ten minutes of your time, we just might change your mind.

In the U.S. over 7 million healthy dogs and cats are euthanized every year.

That’s over 19,000 per day! If you live to be 100, and said the name of one animal every day that was euthanized, you would not be able to honor the memory of even 25% of these animals. In Dallas/Ft.Worth alone, over 100,000 dogs and cats end up in shelters annually, with 69% being destroyed. But it’s not all doom and gloom.

You can be part of the solution.

Choose the Right Pet for You

Thousands of animals are surrendered daily by owners who chose the wrong pet for their lifestyle. By taking the time to choose the correct pet for your situation, you may save a life. Here is a website that helps you make the right choice.

Never buy an animal. Choose adoption.

This is simple supply and demand. If no one is purchasing dogs, breeders will stop making more. Hopefully one day we will get to the point that all dogs and cats have been adopted and being a “responsible breeder” is possible and viable. We are not in danger of that day coming any time soon.

Myth: I want specific purebred. This means I have to purchase my dog.

Fact: There are rescue groups all over the country that deal with specific breeds. You can get a purebred dog without purchasing a dog.

I have two beautiful purebred Siberian Huskies. I adopted one, and rescued the other when his litter was left on the side of a Texas highway. They are beautiful, fun, and loving dogs and I am constantly complimented on them at dog parks all over the city- and I didn’t pay a penny to a breeder.

Links to Purebred Rescues in Dallas/Fort Worth:
Adopt a Husky
Adopt a Pit-bull
Adopt a Cocker Spaniel
Rescue a Greyhound

There are countless others, just Google “Adopt a ______ (breed) & _________ (city you live in)”

Spay/Neuter

Myth: It is cruel to spay/neuter an animal.

Fact: Recovery time is a matter of days in most cases. Spaying and neutering also eliminates a slew of health problems for your pet including: pregnancy complications, reproductive cancers, hernias, and Perianal gland adenomas.

Myth: I have a purebred, and he/she is too beautiful/smart/exceptional not to reproduce. I am giving a gift to others by creating more dogs/cats in this line.

Fact: No matter how exceptional your pet is, the fact is that pet overpopulation has reached crisis levels. There a literally millions of animals in shelters waiting to die. If even 1% of those animals are as amazing as your pet, that’s far too many to justify intentionally making more animals.

Myth: I will be a responsible breeder.

Fact: I argue that there is no such thing. Responsibility involves looking out for the welfare all of all animals, not just the ones you have in your yard and who can add to your income. What happens all too often is unwanted pregnancies. No matter how closely you watch your pet, there is a stray animal watching them closer, and they will break fences and leashes to mate with your pet. The results are often unwanted mixed breeds that end up in shelters, and ultimately are put to death.

Myth: It is too expensive to spay/neuter.

Fact: There are low cost programs all over the country, the most notable being the SPCA. At the Dallas SPCA you can spay/neuter a cat for $40-$45 and a dog for $50-$100 based on weight. Contact the clinic here to schedule an appointment.

Can’t Take on Another Full-time Pet, But Want to Help?

Foster Animal Rescues all over the country are in dire need of foster families. Many cover the costs of the foster care including vet bills, food, medicines while you provide a loving temporary home. While being a foster parent can be challenging when it comes time to release the pet to a permanent home, the rewards are amazing!

Donate Donate time or money to an organization that rescues animals. Or purchase items from their stores for everyone on your holiday list. Something as simple as choosing to purchase your holiday cards from a rescue organization can save a life, and encourage others to do the same!

Broke? Loving dogs and cats in area shelters are in need of folks to volunteer to feed them, walk them, and snuggle them.

It’s that time of year again & shopping is on your list of things to do. To make the season a little merrier for all on your list, we have compiled a list of Pin Curl Magazine’s Favorite Things! What makes this list even better is not only are they amazing gifts, but every company is individually owned and operated! Give an amazing gift while helping out small business owners, and most are in your own community.

$10 & Under

Pin-Up Balm $4
PinUpBalm.com
With a huge assortment of flavors, all natural ingredients, and their super cute vintage pin-up tins, these lip balms are the perfect choice for healthy lips all winter!

Chocolate Secrets Handmade Two-Piece Box $5
ChocolateSecrets.net
This independently owned chocolate shoppe is a Dallas treasure. If you’ve never been to Chocolate Secrets, you are missing a divine experience in handmade chocolates!

Eye Dust by Medusa’s Makeup $6
MedusasMakeup.com
You cannot find more vibrant colors with more built in bling than Eye Dust by Medusa’s Makeup. We are partial to Barbarella, Helter Skelter, Soylent Green.

Wicked Winter Collection Votive Gift Set by Evening Eclipse $9.99
EveningEclipse.com
We cannot rave about their scents enough, and with this gift set you get to experience all four scents in the winter collection including my favorite, twisted cocoa! Better still- it comes beautifully packaged with a glass votive cup.

$25 & Under

Peacock Fascinator by Tara to the T $22
TaraToTheT.etsy.com
The extraordinary Tara Tonini has done it again! This fascinator is not only beautiful; it’s super easy and comfortable thanks to its attached wrapped headband. Though her work is known all of the country, Tara still makes every accessory herself right here in Dallas!

Day of the Dead Small Handbag by Dakota Darling Designs $25
DakotaDarling.com
We adore the Day of the dead motif with all of its colorful skulls, and no one does it better than Dakota Darling. She also offers a giant flat bottom purse design with inner pockets that is perfect for toting all of your daily baggage! Another plus: Dakota loves custom orders!

Miss Kitty Craft Apron by MiaMaria Designs $25
MiaMaria.etsy.com
Covered in vintage pin-ups, this apron has lots o’ pockets which makes keeping track of your glue gun and rhinestones a breeze!

$50 & Under

Snitches Get Stitches Black Pencil Skirt by Poisoned Creations $36
PoisonedCreations.etsy.com
We love the idea of dressing like a tough Bettie! The skirt is made of black stretch twill and at the bottom right of the skirt is a metallic silver knuckle duster with a zipper down the back middle. Seams are serged and top stitched.

The Temptress Rhinestone Pasties by Laura Darling $45
LauraDarlingDelux.etsy.com
We love …Laura, darling’s sense of bling! No one will be able to resist you in the Temptress. Pale pink satin is adorned with hundreds of match pink rhinestones, surrounded by black Chantilly lace then finished with a plush black tassel.

Victorian Doll Mini Top Hat by Cryptic Culture Gear $49
CrypticCultureGear.etsy.com
This fabulous mini hat is uber-feminine! It is made with vintage lace (around the brim), beige faux-suede, pink lace, a mini vanity mirror, feathers, bows and flowers. An amazing edition to a costume, or a spectacular showpiece in and of itself!

Dakota Darling, Evening Eclipse,  MiaMaria, Poisoned Creations, & Tara to the T will all be selling their awesome goods at Gifts and Garters on Dec 5th in Dallas.

Originally posted here: http://www.queensofvintage.com/we-love-vintage-manicures/4

We love vintage manicures

by Lena

The most noticeable difference to today’s manicures is in the painting technique. It was considered to be a sign of good breeding during the late Twenties and early Thirties, to paint only part of the nail, leaving the moons and the tips un-coloured.

It may be more time consuming to achieve than painting the whole nail, but it does make the manicure last longer, particularly if you spend a lot of time typing!  This style was considered more conservative and left the painting of the whole nail to those women who were more considered ’extreme’. By the late Thirties however, Helena Rubenstein was an advocate for painting the whole nail, moons and all, heralding a new look in nail fashion.

The basic steps of a vintage manicure are the same as those you would practice today:

• Start by filing the nails into an oval or almond shape before soaking, so they don’t shred or tear.
• Soak the nails in a mild soapy solution. When the skin has softened, use an orange stick to push back the cuticles and remove any dead skin.
• Massage in cuticle oil, then remove any excess from the nail with a remover.
• Cover the whole nail in a clear, hardening undercoat and allow to thoroughly dry.
• Apply French Manicure strips to the moon and the tip area of the nail to create the block-out effect.
• Apply the polish slightly overlapping the strips. Apply two coats and allow to dry thoroughly in between. You may also want to apply a hardener on the last coat.
• Before the final coat is completely dry, remove the French strips, to prevent any lifting or tearing of the polish should it be completely dry.

1 oz Spiced Rum (Sailor Jerry’s or Captain Morgan are good choices)
.5 oz ginger brandy
4 oz eggnog
1 Ginger Snap cookie

Blend all liquid ingredients in blender until desired consistency is reached. Pour into tall glass and garnish with cookie for dunking.