Tuesday 20 December 2011

Bailey the dog gets an overhaul!

A couple of years of ago my Great Dane dog died suddenly while he was playing and I was left heartbroken. Bailey really was my shadow.  I loved showing him whether it be local shows or championship shows and he was the first dog to qualify us for Crufts where he got second in his class.
A few weeks after he died my hubby took me to the one and only garden centre we have up here in an attempt to cheer me up (I love gardening and plants are usually the way to my heart). This particular time though I found no cheer in any of the shrubs or flowers I would usually be slathering over and was all for leaving until I came across an iron garden ornament that somehow reminded me of Bailey!
This statue bought such a smile to my face that hubby snatched it up and paid for it and once we got it  home Bailey got pride of place near the TV (not outside in the garden where it was designed to go) and there he stayed, frightening all the other dogs. (amazing how supposedly 'intelligent' animals can be fearful of an inanimate object huh)
Fast forward a couple of years and we've finally moved into our new house and I decided that Bailey would be promoted from TV guardsdog to Stairs guardsdog!
After a few weeks though I figured Bailey needed a makeover (Ok actually I was hooked on distressing everything and wondered if it would work on Bailey) and so off to the workshop he went.


 metal dog, iron dog, great dane statue, dog makeover

That's Bailey the statue in his former glory! Originally he had a sign attached to those hanging chains that said 'Welcome' but I found that a tad too cheesy so I took the sign away and left the chains to symbolise the Great Danes most endearing feature - slobber!



That's him after his spray job - a lovely cream colour!
Please excuse the state of the dog sitting with him. Kasa the Shih Tzu enjoys our mini lake (as do all the dogs) hence the filthy, wet look she has going on.






Here he is all sanded and distressed - I love the look!





Bailey at his new post of guarding the stairs - though I'm not sure what from! Oh yes, to stop that messy dirty Kasa legging it up there to share her dirt with my cream carpets.






Bailey dressed up for Christmas!




Bailey the original! My best friend and shadow!

Hope you have all enjoyed my garden dog ornament makeover. Thanks for popping by!


 

Linked to:

'Not just a housewife'
'Cherished Bliss' 
'Creative Itch' 
'Sassy Sites' 
'Sew can do' 
'Restore Interiors' 
'The Southern Institute' 
'Blue Cricket design' 
'Ginger snap crafts' 
'We are THAT family' 
'Sew much ado'

3 comments:

lambs and ivy designs said...

Oh I like the makeover...and anyone who has ever groomed a shih tzu will know why it was more fun to make over the metal Bailey first!

Unknown said...

I love this! We have two Great Danes ourselves, and they're the best dogs. I will be heartbroken as well when our older one passes, but what a lovely way to remember them.

Shirley said...

Linda, the overhauled and redone Bailey the guard dog does resemble the original Bailey. Love the pic of the Shih tzu sitting beside him. Bailey is perfect guarding the stairs.