Creative Grooming

It is that time of year.

Time for me to start drawing up ideas for Hershey's Creative next year.

I did not compete this past September.

I'd like to say that I did not compete because I wanted to take a break.

That sounds better then the truth.

The truth is...

I messed up.

I messed my design up when I was getting my girls coat ready for competition.

Her coat grows so slow, and I had waited a little too long to put the pattern on her.

So, when I messed up, that was it, no competing this year.

This is my girl.

'Hanna' is 6 years old.

I started competing with her in Creative grooming 4 years ago when two of my dogs passed away from Cancer within a week of each other.

I decided to compete as a tribute to them.

This was my first attempt at Creative Grooming.

It was called 'Heavenly Butterfly'.

I wrote a poem for my two other dogs as my presentation for the contest.

This was 'Hanna' the day before we left for Hershey in 2007.

I had a really pretty design drawn up that I was going to put on the wings.

(Sorry the pictures are so bad. I had not really gotten into photography back then.)

I first problem I ran into at that competition was that a lot of her color washed out when I bathed her the night before the contest.

We were up late that night redying her.

This is right before the competition started.

This is 'Hanna' finished.

Needless to say, I ran out of time and did not get to do half of the design I wanted to do on the wings.

I did not expect to take so long scissoring.

At the very last minute I decided to glue some flowers on her wings.

I never expected to win anything, I just wanted to say I tried it.

To top it all off, I humiliated myself by breaking down and crying before I even finished reading the second verse of the poem I wrote to my dogs.

I had to stop, and hide behind my dog.

Sally Liddick kindly finished reading the poem for me. (She broke up at the end)

I won 3rd place.

You could have knocked me over.

After the competition, I said I would never do it again.

Too much stress.

Too much pressure.

Hershey 2008.

I must have forgot about the stress and pressure, because I competed again!

This time I was going to make 'Hanna' into a Hippy.

The name of my creative groom was 'Wolfstock'.

This picture was right before the competition started.

My plan was to clip a peace sign on 'Hanna's' sides, but at the last minute I chickened out.
I decided to hand scissor a heart on her sides.
I was afraid to use the clippers and have her move at the wrong time.

I used Blow pens to try to make her look Tye dyed.
I was also going for Bell Bottom Pants on her back legs.

I had timed everything out before the competition this time.
I wanted to make sure that I had time to do everything I wanted in my design.
I am very happy to say, it worked.
I did not feel as pressured.
I would be lying if I said I didn't hope to win something for this creative.
I truly would not have been upset if I had not won anything.
I had fun with this creative groom, and I was too worried about messing up the presentation I had memorized.
When I did not win 3rd place I was okay.
So, I was unbelievably shocked when they called my name for 2nd place.

Hershey Creative 2009.

I really planed a head for this one.

In this picture, 'Hanna' had been growing out for 6 months, and there was still 2 more months before the competition.

I was experimenting with different colors.

I was going to use a light gray color, but again at the last minute I decided to use the same color blue that I had used for the hippy.

My daughter and I dyed 'Hanna' at Hershey, the night before the competition.

She had so much hair on her.

She was so good.

We picked up pizza and chilled out in the Hotel room for the rest of the night.

'Hanna' loves pizza!

For some reason I don't have a picture before the competition started.

This picture is about half way through the competition.

Can you tell what the creative groom is?

It is two Dolphins jumping out of the water.

I messed up with this one.

I should have had the bottom fins sticking out from the side.

You could only see the bottom fins if you looked at 'Hanna' from behind.

I think that made the Dolphin look out of proportion.

Yes, there are two Dolphins.

Oh well, I tried.

We did not place this time, but I really liked the design.

So, what to do for 2011.

I have a few ideas.

I am going to start planning now.

Time to draw out some designs.

Oh, before I go.

I also did 'Hanna' for a Pet Expo.

I wanted to draw some attention to my booth.

It back fired on me.

'Hanna' drew so much attention that people hardly paid any attention to what was in my booth.

'Hanna' looks a little ruff in these pictures.

They were taken 3 days after I groomed her.

Lets see if I can put another design on 'Hanna' without messing it up this time. :)

Happy Grooming, MFF