After all these years, I'm a dog lover!

...and it's all thanks to my friend Amy from TheGreedyCrocodile!

My mother was in hospital recently and was not enjoying it much. I knew she was desperately missing her dog, so I took loads of photos, sent them to Amy and *drum roll* she made a felted portrait. It's incredibly accurate, I don't know how she does it!

Go on then - I defy you to tell the difference...well, I suppose Amy's thumb gives it away a bit.

After seeing Archie, I had to ask Amy to make my favourite dog, Whisper. She belongs to my aunt, who is a lifelong dog trainer. She qualified for Crufts Obedience Trials once, but sadly the dog was ill so she didn't get there. My aunt used to do regular dog displays at fetes. When I was a child I was often roped in as a dog jump! I'd stand there in the middle of the field, hands on knees, and dogs would hurdle me. Wouldn't happen these days.

Anyway - Whisper, her current dog, is very clever. She's taught herself to tidy up her toys (shame children don't learn so quickly) and carries her ball-on-a-string by hooking it over a tooth. She's worked out that means she can still pant!

Here she is:

And here's the new version (the grass is too wet to put her down!)

Thanks Amy! If you'd like your pet immortalised by Amy, here's the link for dog portraits. She doesn't only do dogs though, oh no - there are mad scientists, cats, ponies, dragons, bears - even a dismembered FOOT! Check out TheGreedyCrocodile today :-)