Moira McLaughlin: Dog Art, Dog Talk, Dog Videos. Doggone Fun.

Who is Moira McLaughlin?

Above left: photo of artist and dog lover Moira McLaughlin
Above right: portrait of Moira by Sheila Cameron

She's been an actor's assistant (Kevin Costner), a screenwriter, and a video producer, but says that "being an artist and a blogger has been by far the most satisfying career yet. And, I get to stay home with my Longhaired Dachshund muse, Darby. Perfect!"


above: Moira and Darby

Moira McLaughlin (MORE-a Mc-LOCK-lin) began her career as an artist in 2002 when she made a dog collage for each of her family members for Christmas. They were a huge hit and inspired her to start her company, DreamDogsArt, where she make custom collages and dog art products that she sells worldwide.

Her blog, Dog Art Today, is devoted to daily dog art from around the world. Features include contemporary dog art, the history of dogs in art, dog art auctions, books, posters, fashion and decor. She has lists and links to many dog related sites worth checking out.

Below are some examples of her custom dog collages:



Get pricing info on her custom dog art collages here.

Below are some of her greeting cards:


and some of her limited edition dog art prints:



Her latest endeavor is this fun morphing video of dogs in art throughout history:



Above: 5,000 years of dogs in art. Inspired by Philip Scott Johnson's Women in Art film.
Music: Parlez-Moi D'Amour by CharlElie Couture from The Moderns soundtrack.

For a complete list of the art and the artists within her video shown above, visit her blog, Dog Art Today
Visit her blog here.
Visit her cafepress store here.
Visit her dream dogs art store here.
Visit her etsy store here.

Neoshed: Hip Housing for Unfeathered and Feathered Folk

Neoshed makes architecturally stunning prefab sheds for use as an office or pool house or whatever you'd like. Equally attractive are their birdhouses and bird feeders.

They began with the prefab sheds which then inspired the designs of their bird houses and bird feeders. The birdhouses and bird feeders are made to order and lead time is typically 2-4 weeks. All birdhouses and bird feeders have free shipping. *Please note the birdhouses are listed as either $150.00 + shipping or $200 with free shipping on their site. I'm not sure which is accurate.

The Sheds (for us humans) come in 3 styles:

Type 1 studio is 10' x 10' and starts at $10, 500.00:




Type 2 Studio is 14' x 12' and starts at $14,000.00:





Type 3 Studio is 12' x 14' and starts at $15,000.00:





And for our fine feathered friends, their homes are just as cool.



Inspired by their sheds, they are made of hardwood plywood and finished with a marine varnish so they won't fade in the sun. Each are $200.00

Type 1 measures 6" x 6" x 7":


Type 2 measures 6" x 10" x9":


Type 3 birdhouse was inspired by the architecture of Richard Meier and measures 7" x 7" x 7":


Their latest additions are these stunning birdfeeders. Also inspired by their shed designs. Made of dark stained plywood hardwood with aluminum colored painted roofs, there are three styles. Each measures 18" x 12" x 10" and costs $250.00.

Type 1:


Type 2:


Type 3:



Neoshed is based in Hagerstown, MD.
See the site and buy the products here.

Laura Goldstein's Silk Down Cushions: Twice As Nice As Most Pillows

Above: the front and back of Laura Goldstein's Swimming pillow

Laura Goldstein (aka Grotta & Co.) designs silk cushions that are about as divine as throw pillows get. Made with fine materials and down-filled, her stunning cushions are twice as nice given that the designs on either side are different and equally attractive.





Richly hued silk charmeuse, repeatedly hand-dyed, printed patterns drawn from nature, old family letters and flea market finds contribute to the beauty of each pillow. Feather inserts, hidden zippers on seams and piping in contrasting colors are just some of the details that make these both unique and impressive.

"My pieces are made with the intention that they will be around forever and passed down from mothers to daughters." says Laura.

In this age of mass-produced products, Goldstein's pieces are printed and dyed one at a time. All are slightly different. Many of her fabrics include a layer printed with hand-written family letters. The handwriting is from the late 1800s when penmanship played an important role in defining a person. In her larger works, she often hides a tiny image or two within the design--most of them symbols for good luck.

Some of her pillows shown below:










Goldstein comes from a specialty toy background and recognizes the need for all ages to play and dream. All of her collections boast two completed sides--giving the wearer a "two for one" experience. A pillow or scarf can be displayed one way or the other, displaying two completely different colors and images. Her scarves and wraps, when worn, play off this collage-like effect.


In addition to the beautiful pillows, she makes scarves with the same beautiful fabrics and patterns, also double sided, making them twice as pretty.


Where can you purchase these?
The Artful Home

Or check out the distributors on the Grotta & Co site here.

contact info:
Grotta & Co.
207 E. Buffalo St.
Suite 209
Milwaukee 53202
Phone: 414-273-8066