New guest post now up: Julie from Dog Cast Radio, part 2!

Julie from Dog Cast Radio talks about her experiences with starting her venture. If you missed it, scroll down the page or go here for Part 1

Julie and an important special guest at work. Click the photo or the upcoming  link to go to Dog Cast Radio, or visit Debbie’s website here (Debbie runs another pet-based show which Julie is a co-presenter on).

5: Can you say how you got involved with The Dog News Show?

I interviewed Debbie Connolly at Crufts in 2011 and we got on very well and made each other laugh. We stayed in touch and Debbie was a guest on DogCast Radio several times; she’s an expert on dogs and has trained and rescued them for thirty years. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience and a wicked sense of humour, and she’s very down to earth like me. Debbie had been looking for an opportunity to podcast but wanted a partner to co-host, when we met again at Crufts 2012 we had such a good time together, that when the issue of a joint podcast came up, we were both eager to go ahead and create it. The Dog News Show is a weekly podcast where Debbie and I discuss dog related news stories with candour and humour.  We have talked about everything from doggy marriages to very serious dog attacks; dangerous dogs and dog poo seem to come up a lot as well!

6: How does being a co-host differ from running your own show. Do you enjoy the experience more or less, or is it hard to compare?

The two podcasts I do are very different in style, as The Dog News Showis Debbie and me debating, while DogCast Radio is a magazine style show. I enjoy both. DogCast Radio enables me to meet and talk to a wide variety of people and I’ve learned a lot over the years. I write it and host it, do all the editing and decide on content so it’s very much my baby – although Anthony’s technical and IT knowledge makes up at least 50% of the show’s success. The Dog News Show is a collaboration, with Debbie and me choosing our own stories to highlight and talk about. It is lovely having someone I get on with so well and who makes me laugh so much, but who also has such an extensive knowledge of the dog world to work with.

What I love about podcasting is it’s so immediate – you record it, you may edit it, then you upload it and hey presto it’s out with the audience. Nobody interferes or tells you what you can or can’t do so it’s very free and flexible.

Dogs…smarter than you might at first think and more than worthy of their own radio show!

7: Lastly, what advice would you give to anyone out there who wants to start their own business venture like this? Are there are mistakes you made which you would urge others to avoid, for example?

One of my favourite inspirational quotes is “If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.” which Walt Disney said. I’m a great believer that you should try and achieve whatever you feel motivated to do; if necessary break it down into manageable steps – what can you go and do today that will take you a step close to your dream – and then get up and get going! It really doesn’t matter if other people think it’s sensible, as long as you believe it’s what you want to do.

I was very lucky that my husband and I had complimentary skills, and I think getting the right person to collaborate with is a big help, and via the Internet finding like-minded people to work with has never been easier.

Don’t be afraid to ask – I’ve been really surprised by the amount people I was braced for a rejection from who said yes. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – I made loads! Once I did a lengthy breed profile with a lady in Australia only to discover I had recorded myself and not her! Luckily she graciously agreed to do the whole thing again. The trick is to learn from mistakes, then forget them and move onwards and upwards.

New guest post now up: Julie from Dog Cast Radio, part 1!

Here at Pets at Rest, we’re interested in absolutely everything pet related — not just celebrating their lives once they are gone. And one of the things we like best is discovering interesting stories we think need to be shared. As a result of this, we recently made the decision to start contacting people out there about doing guest posts, and Julie from Dog Cast Radio stood out as a prime candidate! She was happy to oblige, and the resulting two-part interview should tell you everything you need to know…

Julie, founder of Dog Cast Radio – visit the website now for all the exclusive goings-on!

1: How did Dog Cast Radio come about? What was the inspiration for it?

I waited until I was in my thirties to get my first dog, Buddy, because that was when the time was right; I was working from home and my daughter was old enough to understand that a dog was not a play thing, and must be respected. Once I got Buddy I would fall into conversation with other dog owners I met out walking their dog, and this would delay me. Eventually my husband got fed up with having to wait for me, and suggested we put my communication skills to good use. Anthony knew podcasting was about to become more popular (this was back in 2005) and so we united his technical knowledge with my ceaseless talking and enthusiasm for dogs, and DogCast Radio was born!

2: Can you fill us in on some of your most unusual stories?

We have had covered some quite unusual stories over the years – like the kick boxing Black Russian terrier. The dog’s owner was a martial arts trainer and noticed the terrier used his paws  on the back door  rather than barking when he wanted to go out to the toilet, so he developed this behaviour into kick boxing.

A listener called Sarah contacted us to say she had taught her Bichon Frise to sneeze on command, and I was so taken with the story that we ended up interviewing her, and putting video online of her dog doing his party piece.

We also had an interview with Sandy Hall who owned Gibson who was at that time the record holding tallest dog in the world. We also met the oldest dog in the world.

3: Would you like to say something to people about what it’s like to do something you really love? I’m sure this will seem like a dream job to many of the pet lovers reading this.

I love dogs and I love writing so to me I have the best job I possibly could. And it’s all thanks to my dog Buddy. It’s very rewarding to have a job that is so enjoyable, lets me set my own schedule and allows me to work from home and spend time with my dogs.

Hosting DogCast Radio and writing for dog magazines has enabled me to meet some wonderful people both in the UK and all around the world, that I would never had met otherwise.

I’ve been incredibly lucky, it’s been great fun and my favourite part is getting feedback from listeners and readers.

4: Anything else you’d like to say about your radio station? For example how it has grown and evolved and where you see the future of it going?

When we first started DogCast Radio podcasting was in it’s infancy and we had to explain to people what the term podcast meant. Now it’s more mainstream and also more respected and accepted. We have learned as we’ve gone along and being accepted as part of the wider media has been gratifying. The Internet empowers people and it’s been thrilling to be part of that – for example when there was widespread opposition to an advert that depicted a dog left out in the snow in an open doorless kennel, we made a Facebook page to provide a focus for complaints. The page attracted over 1,000 members in the first 24 hours, and the advert was changed in response. Of course, that campaign was just a part of a whole spectrum of animal welfare issues that we help support, and I’d like us to  support rescue dogs even more in the future.

One of the exciting things about new media is that nobody knows what the future is, but I’ll make the most of every opportunity that comes our way. I love sharing my enthusiasm for dogs with other dogs lovers, and knowing that I am improving life for some dogs. I recently got an email that made me cry from  a lady who said DogCast Radio had made her re-examine the way she treated her dogs, and she gives them far more time and attention now.

I want to continue talking to expert, authors, trainers, and fellow pet dog owners and spreading the word about how truly glorious the love of a dog is.

CONTINUED IN PART 2 HERE…

New guest posts coming soon!

Click to read more about what we do!

For anyone who doesn’t quite buy into the whole Twitter thing — and we do understand, because we were a bit like this! — we have this message: Twitter can be amazing! Since we’ve been using it we’ve gained numerous new followers and had a lot of interest in both the blog and the Pets at Rest website (read about that in this blog post here).

In the coming weeks we’ll be featuring several businesses and services which we think our visitors will love, the first of which is Julie over at Dog Cast Radio, who has all kinds of interesting things to say.

So watch this space!

Are we exploiting our pets? Or is it just a bit of fun?

The coolest dog around? Maybe, maybe…

Here at Pets at Rest, we may spend nearly all our time creating the very best granite, marble and slate memorials, but that doesn’t mean we don’t keep an eye on what’s happening in the rest of the pet world! And one thing we have noticed more and more of in recent years is pets wearing funny clothes and looking a little bit silly, as well as a boom in online shops offering dog and cat costumes etc…not only that but pets wearing jewellery and all kinds of other items more commonly associated with catwalk models and A-List celebrities! (In fact, we could name a few cats and dogs which are probably more famous than some celebrities, but we won’t. We’re nice like that.)

Britain’s Got Talent was something different, however. We really enjoyed seeing a dog up on the big screen doing its stuff and putting the human competitors to shame! Exploitation? In this case, we don’t think so.

So, what’s the future of pets and jewellery and strange costumes? Good question, anything could happen (let’s just hope we don’t see anyone dressing a German Shepherd up in meat like Lady Gaga any time soon…not that the meat would last long, of course, but that is hardly the point!).

Pets at Rest: the firm who does it differently!

Click the picture to see some great deals…

 

Got an idea for a unique pet memorial? Well, just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean we can’t achieve it (don’t worry, the poetry stops there for now!). In fact, Pets at Rest specialises in the following things:

1) The finest photo-engraving known to cats, dogs, and even…scorpions? Yes, we said scorpions. We understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, and our urns and legacy pieces are designed for all of them.

2) Working with the customer on every order, to get it exactly right: that means we send you a proof before we start doing the work. A lot of companies don’t do this but we just think it makes perfect sense.

3) Affordable options: we stock a whole range of memorials for all budgets, so why not visit the site here and see what the fuss is about?

A quick post to say a big Thanks to all our followers!

Click the logo to see our brand-new website!

We’d be the first to say that although we’ve been in the pet memorial industry for some time now, Twitter and social networking is slightly newer to us! We weren’t sure how our voyage into this aspect of the internet would go, but after a few weeks we’re pleased to say that we’ve had lots of lovely messages and kind re-tweets from people all over the globe.

We really do appreciate each and every one, so thankyou very much for the support!

Need a pet memorial? We cater for all kinds of pets, large and small; but this blog isn’t just about memorials, oh no…we’re also doing general interest blog posts like this one here, and soon we’ll be featuring other companies who we think are doing great things.

Thanks for now,

Team Pets at Rest

This week’s blog: all kinds of memorials

Yes, you are reading correctly!

Are you a new visitor to this blog? Well, if so then you may want to head on over to our new website — read the breaking news post here — and get an idea of what we’re about. Just a short blog this week, and this one is about all the various things we can do. A few examples are below:

1) memorials for cats and dogs in various stones! We can offer you amazing slate, the best Italian marble and all kinds of interesting formats. You can choose from square or rounded, upright or flat. Whatever you choose, we ensure the very best result by working through every stage with you.

2) memorials for horses, snakes, reptiles…you name it, we have probably done it! Got a question? You’ll more than likely find an answer to it on our website.

3) we’re not ONLY about memorials, we also write general-interest blog posts too and soon we’ll also be doing guest posts on some really interesting companies!

What do you love most about your pet?

He may look slow, but do NOT be fooled!

Pets are amazing, and that’s exactly why we set-up our business: we were sick and tired of  seeing people make pet memorials (see the posts below for breaking news) that our pets wouldn’t have been happy with (in fact, we know a few dogs that would have barked their heads off for hours!).

Another thing which happens every week here at Pets at Rest is emails…emails which aren’t just about pet memorials, but about pets in general and all the amazing things they do and say (in their own special language, of course). Don’t get us wrong, we work as hard as anyone when it comes to our business, but we also like to have a bit of banter with our customers when we can as well!

Here’s 2 of the best recent emails we have had. And if you want to leave a comment about your pet experiences, please do below! Note: all names have been changed to protect the identity of pets and owners.

1) Deborah from Wales liked the way her tortoise — Terry the tortoise — would always run into the living room whenever the Eastenders theme-tune came on. It scared the dog (Harry) but made for good entertainment.

2) David from Staffordshire is always competing for the arm-chair in his reading-room with Sarah the Jack Russell. You’ll be familiar with tales of dogs and cats stealing owners’ seats, but this tale — and David was adamant about this — was particularly gripping. As gripping as a bestselling novel, maybe! Because every single time David tried to move Sarah from her seat, Sarah would give him a powerful stare, raise her eyebrows slightly and emit a low- dangerous-sounding growl which was a little bit scary. OK, so David was convinced she would never bite (and she definitely loved him, because she never left his side) but it still made David feel a little bit anxious sometimes. Still, he loves her anyway, and you have to, because pets are brilliant, even if they do steal your favourite seat.

 

 

Pets at Rest: at the cutting-edge of quality pet memorial products, and here’s why…

Our new website just launched! And yes, we are EXCITED. Want to read about all the great changes we’ve made and all the innovative new products we’re making the bench-mark for quality pet-memorials? Then you just need to click here.

And now, allow us to take you on a journey…

Imagine a perfect world: think about something happening in the best possible way and it happens without any effort whatsoever, leading to the ideal result. Or, perhaps, when you order something online you know exactly what you are getting before you order, as isn’t always the case when buying some personalised products. In this perfect world, when you open that box up, there are no nasty surprises. Instead of saying “I wish they’d done this…” you smile and say, with more enthusiasm than you can ever remember having: “this is exactly what I wanted. They have done a fantastic job!”

Please click the photo to read our About Us page! And don't forget we have a special offer on now...quote NEWPAR25 on our website and you'll receive 25% off for an entire month...

OK, so a perfect world is a dream we all have, and in reality that’s never going to happen (well, at least not in our life-times!). But does that mean that when you order your pet memorial product it has to be difficult, dull, or an experience to get over quick rather than one to take time with and enjoy? We certainly don’t think so, which is why we’re all about doing the following things in a pro-active way that doesn’t cause you extra stress at a time which we know is already sensitive:

1: we’re all about going to great lengths to work with the customer on their pet memorial. OK, so we’re a business, but we don’t see why we can’t look after every customer’s individual needs. Here at Pets at Rest, careful thought and attention goes into every single order. And it is YOUR order, after all. We listen to you and what you want, and then we do our best to make it happen just as you envisaged. It may sound like a simple philosophy but we’re finding it really works!

2: we’re all about art and graphics, aesthetics and beauty. For some reason we can’t quite work out, for the last fifty years or so, the pet memorial industry has been much too stagnant for our liking: too few designs on offer, with the art-work often applied crudely in a way that we just can’t be doing with (we must stress that this isn’t always the case, it’s just that we feel there is a huge difference between art and just a product which anyone can make). Which is why the most careful care and attention is applied to all pet memorial products we take on. If you’re not happy then we’re not happy, and if that’s the case…why are we in business, exactly?

Interested in finding out more about how we can help you? Please click the photo for all the relevant information...

3: we’re all about giving our customers a wide range of choice. We can’t deny that it’d be easier to present merely a limited scope of options, but easier doesn’t always mean the best product, does it? With every memorial we do, we discuss with the customer how and where they want lettering placed, how big it should be and how much space the photograph of their beloved pet should take up. Better still, we don’t just produce the product without consulting the customer after we have finished laying out the initial design. We always seek the approval of the customer before production, and, that way, if they have any other suggestions to make we can change things before the piece is created by our expert craftspeople.

Any questions? Feel free to email us at info@petsatrest.co.uk

4: we’re all about personality and style, flow and smiles. We’re all about one-off products which you won’t find anywhere else, which are designed solely with your pet in mind — horse, cat, dog or pig. Basically, we like to think of Pets at Rest as a company which genuinely cares about the legacy we leave behind. It’s worked wonderfully for us so far, and, thanks to the new website – more products, better design and even a real-time Chat function – we’re confident that this will carry on well into the future!

AND, if you didn’t know yet, over at the new site we’re running a great new promotion…quote the special code NEWPAR25 and you’ll receive a 25% discount on anything for an entire month!

Before we leave you, don’t forget to read our latest post all about the new website. And, if you’re on Twitter and Facebook then so are we, so let’s connect and see where things take us.

BREAKING NEWS: Brand-new Pets at Rest site just launched!

Our great new website has just gone live! AND, did you know that we're running a special 25% off promotion? Click the picture to visit us now!

If you’ve visited the Pets at Rest website in the past couple of years, then hopefully you won’t have been disappointed: everything was in place so that new customers and returning customers alike could find what they wanted easily enough. As well as this, every aspect of our service was linked directly to the website – and this blog you’re reading now – so that you didn’t waste hours trying to find out costs or what we had to offer. We also started using Twitter and Facebook a lot more, and that has proved itself to be a great way to connect with people and keep everyone up-to-date with all our daily happenings – which is what it’s all about, don’t you think? We like the fact that you can contact us directly if you need to, and we feel that interacting with our customers makes for a much more personal service.

No, it's not a joke. YES that does say 20% off for returning customers!

Then again, here at Pets at Rest we don’t like to just sit around; we’re all about progression, and one of the best ways good progress is made is by listening closely to all the comments we get; we don’t think any business can do without it, really. So it was with this combination of feedback and a want to make the site even better for you, the customer, that a new and superior web-site was conceived. It’s been a long time coming, and now we can finally say that Pets at Rest has been born again – this time with an even greater emphasis on simplicity and customer service. After all, there are literally millions of confusing and boring websites out there, so when you come to us we want to make you feel perfectly at home in a friendly environment suitable for anyone, no matter what their level of computer literacy. Not to mention make it all easier so that what can be a sad and difficult occasion can be turned around into a worthwhile experience.

Oh, and don’t forget that we’re also doing a special promotion right now…quote NEWPAR25 on the site and you’ll receive an impressive 25% off anything for a month!

Great products. More choice than ever before. AND we'll work with you at every stage to ensure you're completely satisfied. Can you really blame us for being enthusiastic?

And now back to the improvements. Firstly, if you’re sick and tired of websites which have no email address (ours is info@petsatrest.co.uk) and designs which are too much hassle to navigate, you won’t need to worry about this with our new site. It’s clearer and simpler than the last version, at exactly the same address, and the format allows you to peruse all the options available to you within mere seconds. On top of that, we’ve added rapidly changing images on the Homepage so that within just a few moments you get a really good idea of what we can do. Another thing we’ve done is to add a real-time Chat function in the bottom right of the screen, as well as a latest products section on the bottom right (our white marble range is now even better, so that whatever kind of pet you’re looking to create a legacy for — horse, dog, cat or snake — you’ll be able to find something exactly suitable and within your budget). Additionally, we’ve enabled customers to sign up to our PR and News subscription service, which many people are doing, and which is getting them all the news as soon as it happens.

That’s not where it ends, of course, because behind the scenes of Pets at Rest our staff have been busily adding yet more products to the ever-expanding range (one which was great before but is now even better!). Now, within just a few minutes of visiting the website you can view Urns and multiple design ideas, so that by the time you’re ready to email us with your query, we’re all on the same page and looking forward to working together!

Welcome to the Pets At Rest blog – want to know what we’re all about? Read on…

Made from premium quality Spanish stone, this personalised memorial plaque – which has been lovingly sand-blasted by hand with meticulous attention to detail – is available in a range of sizes, with various motifs

The date is October 19th 2011, and today is a special day…it’s the first post of the new Pets At Rest blog!

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You may have found this blog while looking for our web-site, www.petsatrest.co.uk, or maybe you’ve just stumbled across it after searching for a pet memorial specialist in the Cambridgeshire area. Either way, we hope you’ll check back every so often to see what’s new and what’s coming up — because from now on this will be the place to find updates about everything from our special garden pet memorials (only of the highest quality) to our customer loyalty discount scheme.

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We won’t go on about all that here, though, because all that information is available for you to see at the official web-site. Instead, here’s a brief summary of what we do so you know what to expect when you do need a pet memorial or indoor pet tribute:

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1) A unique customer-first working ethos: we know that your pet matters to you as much as anything else in your life, so when it’s their time to go we always try to do our best to make you happy with the best quality product possible. That means a reliable service from the moment you send us the art-work to the moment the piece arrives safely at your door in a timely fashion.

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2) A range of different materials to choose from: granite, slate, glass and wood are all things we frequently handle — and we like to think that the results speak for themselves. Have an interesting idea that sounds a bit unusual? We’d love to discuss it with you and see if we can make it happen. Contact us by clicking here.

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3) A personal and efficient service that focuses on producing memorials that will stand the test of time: many of our products are made in-house. That way, we get to keep an eye on the quality — meaning the best customer satisfaction possible at a price which you can be happy with.

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4) A prompt system so that the second you send us the order, you can be confident the job is in hand: within just 2 days you’ll receive the art-work, giving you a much better idea of what the end result will be. Read more about us at the official web-site.

What sandblasting really is, and how Pets At Rest use it

Very often, the clients who come to us at Pets At Rest – managed and overseen by owner and head technician Stuart Gebbie – are just as interested in the process of sandblasting as the excellence achieved by the final result. A captivating and completely unique way to transform an ordinary-looking piece of stone, sandblasting has evolved and stood the test of time, proving itself to be the ideal medium for transferring words, images and even photographs onto a hard surface that will not easily succumb to rain, sleet and other abrasive elements.

A technique which (as the name suggests) harnesses the power of sand, combining it with force to burrow away at the surface of anything from slate to marble – and even the hardest of stones: granite – sandblasting began life over 125 years ago, and has since rapidly progressed, using the most advanced technology to create brilliantly artistic work. And this is what interests Pets At Rest – by staying true to the origins of this much under-rated art-form and focussing on providing a solution for any vision that a customer might have, the best results are frequently obtained. The best part about sandblasting is that with practice, almost any design, no matter how intricate, can be accurately reproduced.

And if you thought that sandblasting ended with stone, you’d be mistaken. Pets At Rest are also specialist’s in sandblasting on glass and many other materials. Interested in discussing the potential uses of sandblasting to create a stunning memorial to your beloved pet? Stuart’s always happy to hear from you, and is available by mobile on or on email by clicking here.

Stuart Gebbie: founding the company, thoughts and aspirations

Visit the official Pets At Rest web-site, or read the upcoming blogs soon to be featured here, and you’re bound to be intrigued by Stuart Gebbie’s enthusiastic attitude to the art of sandblasting. While many people unfamiliar to the medium might think of sandblasting as a limited and one-dimensional craft, the very ethos of the company is based on an expanse of results to the contrary, as well as feedback from many happy clients. In other words, Pets At Rest aren’t like other pet memorial companies. Why? Because instead of simply settling for what has been proven, this Cambridge-based company are ready and willing to expand their horizons, allowing greater freedom to tackle more complex designs and more intricate work.

When it comes down to it, Pets At Rest are just more dynamic and exciting!

The idea for Pets At Rest began over 10 years ago. In Stuart’s own words: “…I started working for my father who manufactured a sandblasting system for hobbyists’ and for enterprise schemes within schools and colleges. The minute I had a go on it, I was hooked!’

Speaking about what specifically makes sandblasting so special, he says: “The ability to take a blank canvas in the form of stone, or glass, and change it via this method into a kind of piece of art – but with permanent effect – was fantastic. Also, I quickly learned that sandblasting created the finest and stunning results imaginable…”

Background

After gaining an A Star in GCSE Art and studying Art at A Level, Stuart went on to complete a 1 year Foundation course in Graphic Design, spending time at the reputed Colchester Institute. Motivated by a desire to produce art that would also possess a commercial interest – in particular concerning advertising – his move into the pet memorial business was one that aimed to fuse art and craftsmanship with the freedom of self employment. As a result, the company got off to a good start, and almost immediately Pets At Rest was formed, aimed at bringing the best possible pet memorials into the public domain.

Fuelled by the myriad of possibilities that sandblasting offered – among them, corporate gifts to house signs – the pet memorial aspect came about through demand more than anything. “…I kept getting asked to create small garden plaques,” says Stuart. “…People couldn’t believe the amount of money I asked for [in a good way], for what they got and had been quoted for beforehand. I then started looking into it in more detail, as I’d noticed that my competitors’ work lacked a certain amount of freedom to be creative – something which I felt I could offer a solution to at a more affordable price. I also didn’t like how many companies seemed to be obsessed with restricting choice and keeping things so simple. For the crazy money they charged, I knew I could do better.”

Learning curve

While it’s certainly true that you can learn sandblasting in a college environment, Stuart learned much of his technique the old-fashioned way: in a real working environment, from mentors with more experience. For example, he was taught photo-engraving by one of the originators of the art-form, and went on to utilise this rich knowledge base in his own work, which was now beginning to flourish. About his mentor, who developed this new and more painstaking process during the 1960s, Stuart says: “…He was the first person to create the half-tone designs you see on headstones in cemeteries and the like. This is a skill that has to “come to you” over time – your eye suddenly seeing it. In order to get it just right and achieve the perfect end result, a great deal of concentration is required, but that’s not a chore when you really enjoy the work you do.”

Quality Stone and the rise of Copycat techniques

Thanks to advanced machinery capable of replacing an element of human skill and labour, sandblasting – and techniques which attempt to emulate the effect of sandblasting – is now more popular than ever. But although this is the case, Pets At Rest firmly believe that nothing matches the integrity provided by true skill administered by an experienced professional. It is this unique characteristic which puts a grieving client at ease during a time of, at times, considerable stress.

In terms of products, Pets At rest uses only the finest stone available anywhere. Stuart says of this:

“…I took years to end up with the best supplier of stone blanks I could find and I only use the best quality products out there. I use white marble from Italy, black granite from Spain and grey slate from Wales – as well as a range of natural stones found mostly in the UK…”

Another important point about the company’s stone-sourcing is that all stone – from both the UK and abroad – is carefully hand-picked and chosen based on a number of strict requirements.

Fonts, motifs and the customer’s freedom of choice

Using a vast range of more traditional fonts (Times New Roman and Arial) and a number of more elaborate fonts (among them Monotype Corsiva and Chancery Script) Pets At Rest makes any combination of words possible, whatever your personal taste. Popular fonts may be chosen, or a customer may have a specific wish which they would prefer to investigate. Either way there shouldn’t be a problem, and al choice is down to the client, making the process a streamlined combination of skill and love.

The company also work with a variety of motifs and have a collection suitable for any occasion. These may be applied to any design format, and just recently a brand-new range of fonts and motifs has been released. About this Stuart says: “…Now included are far more animal designs and even silhouettes.”

But most of all, at the heart of Pets At rest is a desire to please the customer – no matter how traditional, contemporary or exotic their taste. “I am keen for people to feel that they can express themselves in the format of the pet memorial…” Says the owner. “…That if they want something crazy or very personal they can have it. In my opinion, by far the most important part of our service is the creation of the artwork we do for the client. Once they send in the order to us, we set about creating the best possible layout style and offer advice and alternative layout options if need be. This ensures the plaque looks exactly how the customer envisaged. After all, it’s reflecting the life of a beloved friend and isn’t just a cold emotionless product shoved in the ground and forgotten about.”

New styles to come in 2012

Pets At Rest is constantly revising, reconsidering and re-interpreting the humble pet memorial – the aim being to do ultimate justice to a medium which has, before, offered very limited scope. “Coming in 2012 are an entirely new range of products, styles and design ideas unique to the company.”

The main aim, Stuart says, is to “enable people to have something created by us that truly reflects the adoration they have for their beloved friends. We also hope to be able to create a dignified product – one just as worthy and special as any customer’s pet.”

Pets At Rest: some examples of stunning bespoke designs

Here at Pets At Rest, we like to think our work speaks for itself – we have online galleries which can show you what we can do, not to mention pages of letters which give a valuable insight into what past customers think about their memorials. And while both of these things offer good examples of our capabilities, it has come to our attention recently that the personal connection between past customers and those considering a new memorial can get lost sometimes. Which is why today, for this new post on the brand-new blog, we have decided to showcase a couple of past memorials which have presented particular challenges to our talented craftsmen.

Because that’s the thing which we feel makes Pets At Rest different from our competitors. Rather than just offering a stock product, a customer can come to us and make a special request and we will do our best to accommodate their wishes in every way we can. Have a look at the following two examples and…who knows? You might be inspired to think about a design for your pet which you would never have considered before.

One customer who came to us had a very specific idea of what he wanted, and his idea was everything that is interesting about our often unusual job: full of vision, design, and unique qualities which would make it really stand out. The piece was also going to be two feet square, making it a sizeable job, and one that would take considerable time to get precisely right.

Firstly, instead of just requesting an off-the-shelf memorial for his dog, he wanted us to replicate a paw print using separate pieces of specially-shaped granite. We won’t lie…this wasn’t a simple job! It began with a consultation, where we tried to record all the important details, and was followed by a series of sketches being sent back and forth. Then followed a number of phone calls, until soon the design was perfected and the client was satisfied enough that the drawing could go off to be turned into the individual pieces…

Stylish and sleek, this design incorporated classic lettering with an unusual layout

…The next stage involved engraving the letters into the granite, and engraving more text into the centre piece. And when it came to organising the pieces on-site, the client wanted the design laid completely flat. This was no problem, although we did advise that the stone be left untreated and unpainted, as any water lying stagnant on the area for too long would soon wear away the paint. This turned out to be a wise idea for two reasons: not only did it look more natural, but longevity was also provided, meaning minimal future maintenance and less cost incurred.

Another customer came to us with a similar passion for excellence – although this job was very different and involved an entirely different skill-set; one that demanded the finest in artistic stone-engraving techniques – something which has to be done correctly, and with a precision that will allow for the minute details to be accurately represented.

This piece was also a large headstone (see below): at twelve by eighteen inches it was more along the lines of something which you’d see in a conventional graveyard. Adorned with designs that were in themselves individual masterpieces, the work that was to go into this memorial was painstaking, and would test our fine-art skills to the limit…

This design just goes to show that pet memorials really can be anything you can imagine

…It began with a brief, as all our bespoke orders do: create a stunning upright headstone – very much in the conventional sense of the word, as you can see in the photo – with a specially shaped top, and use photo-engraving to transmit images of a rabbit and a pheasant onto its surface, as well as the pet it would be an ode to. The next stage was for us to source the images, which we did swiftly. Once this was done, time was taken to ensure the layout we had in mind matched the one the customer had so often imagined. From there it was, as ever, a case of ironing out the fine details which only appear at the very last moment – details which many of our customers probably don’t notice, but which are obvious to those who work in the trade – before starting work on the finished product.

As you can see from the photograph, we were very happy with the finished article and so too was the customer. Yes it was a tricky job at times, but like all our work, it’s the most complex jobs we do which are the most satisfying.

Two great new products. Interested? You should be. This is PROGRESS!

Some companies in the pet memorial industry like to keep churning out the same old products, day after day, year after year. And while we have to admit that we do a lot of the conventional – if you haven’t already then you can see our About Us page for more info about that – we also do a lot of the new and intriguing as well; it’s something that many customers say they like about us, and something which we think keeps things really interesting. See our testimonials page here and read some great success stories which we feel we have every right to shout about!

And we think there’s no better example of the latter — the intriguing — than our brand-new-in Engraved Optical Crystal Tea Light Holder. A fresh and innovative way of remembering your nearest and dearest pet, the Tea Light Holder is ideal for pet owners who would prefer to keep their memorial indoors rather than outside at the mercy of the elements. Decorative and also a great tribute, we think that this is a fine way to celebrate a pet’s life while also doubling-up as something practical which you can really use.

So, why not light a candle in memory of a loved one? Furry or with feathers, we can cover everything. And, as you would also expect, our Tea Light Holders are of the finest quality and expertly fashioned out of the best solid optical crystal going. Even better, the fact that they sit inside the comfort of your home means that maintenance is minimal. In reality, an occasional polish will suffice, and keep your pet’s memory shining whenever the candle is lit.

Of course, a Tea Light Holder on its own can be attractive, but with your own personalised engraving added to it, it becomes stunning. All designs are sandblasted in-house, where we can keep a strict and steady eye on the process at every single stage in the process. It is this commitment to the fine details which means that you get a vast array of choice – have anything you like sandblasted onto the surface – in the way of both lettering and motifs. An example of this can be found in the photo below.

Naturally, the Engraved Optical Crystal Tea Light Holder won’t turn up at your house in some second-hand cardboard box. Pets At Rest are big on making sure the customer is always happy, and as such we supply all our Tea Light Holders – as well as memorials and the like – in a pleasing black foam-lined presentation box.

Summary and fine details

With a size of 80mm high by 50mm wide, this pet memorial is small enough to fit virtually anywhere. And don’t worry about the piece becoming lost in a background of ornaments and small indoor plants – once lit, the Tea Light Holder emits a powerful glow that filters majestically through the prism of glass beneath it. In other words, during the day it will look precious, and during the night it will retain its magical charm excellently, always reminding of a pet but without the merest suggestion of anything morbid.

Included in the price is your choice of up to 2 motifs and wording. If you’re unsure about how your design and text might be incorporated into one of our memorials – or if you have any questions about anything you have read on this blog – feel free to contact us by clicking here.

Another forward-thinking memorial we have newly on offer is the Rustic Slate-Stone Pet Memorial.

Made from the best authentic solid grey/blue natural Welsh stone, this memorial offers a compromise between the traditional memorials we all know and love, and the slightly more contemporary designs which we are beginning to see more and more of (something which we are very keen to emphasise, as we feel there is still much more to be developed within this almost infinite concept). Once again, it comes personalised with your very own choice of wording, and we are more than happy to discuss any ideas you may have for motifs. You’d be surprised what’s possible, and with sandblasting techniques becoming ever more refined, the limits which were present twenty – or even ten – years ago are now no longer a concern for the skilled craftsman.

Another attractive quality about our Rustic Slate Stone Pet Memorials is the way they integrate into their environment. While the stone is somewhat more honed than any that exist in the average garden, they also possess a familiarity that doesn’t make them stand out so much they look ridiculous. In other words, it’s a great way to compliment your garden, while also making a statement that is obvious enough to remind you of your pet, whenever you come across the stone.

Other slight differences from the conventional pet memorial are as follows: this memorial has no base-holder, and doesn’t need to be placed on any special device to keep it firmly in place. Thanks to a reasonable weight and suitably flat base, the stone rests easily wherever you would like to position it. This means that not only is installation incredibly simple, but moving the memorial to a new location – such as when moving house – is easy and trouble-free.

Details on size, fonts and other information

At 10 inches wide by 8 inches high, these pet memorials are a decent size. Bold without being bulky, and attractive without outshining anything in the surrounding area (the stones are roughly 10mm thick, which means that they stand proud of the ground just enough to create a nice relief against the flat earth beneath).

Ordering your Rustic Slate Stone Pet Memorial genuinely couldn’t be easier or less hassle. Simply head over to the official Pets At Rest website and complete the online order-form. Specifically designed to make ordering as stress-free as possible, we won’t keep asking you seemingly irrelevant questions or bombard you with a whopping questionnaire once you’re done. Just enter the text you’d like and we’ll do the rest. You’ll also be able to see a full range of Standard Pet Motifs or Fonts. If you like, see these pages now by clicking on Fonts Choice Page and Standard Pet Motifs Page.

Finally, once we’ve received your design – for those of you who are looking to add a sandblasted motif to the memorial– we’ll take a look at it and then email the refined art-work to you so that you can check it and make sure that everything is where it should be.

Thanks for reading. We will be back soon with more!