Tomorrow night (Wed. Mar. 17th at 7pm) the Grassroots Business Association is having our Focus Group meeting where we'll be reviewing each others business ideas. It's going to be a lot of fun. And if you're a regular please note the meeting will be in a new location, in the offices of Accounting For Small Business at 920 NE 64th Street, just across from the Ravenna Whole Foods, here is the Google map. You can find more details here, I hope to see you.

I stopped into Immortal Dog, a fabulous independent pet supply store in my neighborhood, to say hello to Nicole. I first met Nicole when she came to speak at the Grassroots Business Association about what goes on behind the scenes in opening a retail store. (She is one hard working lady.) The next time I met her was when we bumped into her in Paris (of all places).

The shop is at 1712 S Jackson St.
Seattle, WA in the Central District and is open Mon - Fri 11am to 8pm and Sat - Sun 11am to 6pm. Phone number is 206-323-9112.

I don't have dogs, but I really want them, so I spent some time looking around.

Nicole bakes her own dog treats "all baked with human-grade ingredients without corn, wheat, sugar or salt" and offers them at a biscuit bar. You can buy them by the bag and she carries lots of flavors, peanut butter, parmesan herb, gingerbread, garlic cheese, sweet potato bacon.

She carries as many eco friendly products as possible, but that doesn't mean the style isn't happening. The items above are made from recycled fibers.

On of my favorite things in the store were these wooden dog puzzles. In this one you put a treat inside the cup, then fit it into the hole there and slide to the other end. Your dog has to work to get it out. So cool. She carries six puzzles total.

These are dog beds that you stuff with old clothing or towels.

There are tons of varieties of pet foods, dishes, grooming tools and even pet spa products.

And of course, her dogs come to work with her. Hi there!

This Thursday night at 7 p.m. Amy Karol (Angry Chicken) will be at The Quilting Loft to sign her book Bend The Rules With Fabric. I be there with that and her first book, Bend-The-Rules Sewing, in hand.

This weekend is the Urban Craft Uprising! Dec. 5th and 6th, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. So many of my favorites will be there:

• Cakespy paintings and cards
• Crystalyn Kae handbags
• Dave Sheely Designs resin jewelry
• Devout Dolls
• Dinah Coops sustainable home goods
• Ex Libris Anonymous journals made from old books
• Glamscience glitter jewelry and clothing
• Idolatre clothing
• Made By Moxie felt lovelies
• Matthew Porter art and books for kids
• Monsieur T. t-shirts
• Polymath Design Labs geek jewelry
• Urban Soule home goods
• Schmancy handmade goods
• Secret Stash Sea Salts flavored salts

Wednesday, Dec. 9th is the Anniversary Party for the Grassroots Business Association. We'll be gathering at Vermillion to talk over the year that has passed, there will be cupcakes.