pig gift | Pig Lovers Blog

A Gesture of Kindness Leads to Pig Sanctuary Discovery

July 14, 2011 at 11:59 pm | Posted in My Pig Collection, Pig Rescue Organizations | 2 Comments
Tags: Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, pig, pig card, pig gift, Pigs, pot bellied pig, Vietnamese Pot Bellied Pigs

Ironwood Pig Sanctuary card

Yesterday my work pal Drea walked up to my desk and handed me an envelope.

No, there was no cash in it. (We work at a non-profit!)

It was a pig card that she bought at a shop in Phoenix, AZ called Blueberry Deluxe Boutique where she sells some of her handmade accessories.

The card inside read: “Hey Tex-I couldn’t resist thinking of you when I saw this :)”

Do I work with swell people or what?!

I love my new card. On the back is a cute little pig drawing with the words “Ironwood Pig Santuary” so of course, I had to investigate, and boy am I glad I did!

Thanks to Drea’s good deed, I discovered Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, a wonderful place located in Arizona that “provides shelter and care for unwanted and abused pot bellied pigs.”

Their website is great, filled with helpful information about pot bellied pigs,plus what the non-profit organization does, volunteering and visiting opportunities and a whole lot more. The only thing I didn’t see was a place to purchase their cute cards online. Oh well, perhaps in the future.

If you want to learn more about this pig sanctuary, check out their video below. My favorite part is when co-founder Mary lays down the important law: “There is no such thing as a teacup pig.” You said it Mary!

I may be crossing the country later this summer. Who knows, perhaps I’ll stop by Ironwood for a visit. Thanks Drea for your random act of kindness, and Ironwood Pig Sanctuary co-founders Ben and Mary for all you do!

If you’d like to support Ironwood Pig Sanctuary, good for you! Just click here you awesome person!

Piggy Bank Goes Wee Wee Wee, All the Way to Plane Crash

July 11, 2011 at 5:12 am | Posted in My Pig Collection, Pig Gift Ideas | 1 Comment
Tags: pig, pig gift, piggy bank, piggybank, sausalito

Piggybank maker proudly showcasing his wares

Last weekend on the way to Sausalito for what turned out to be quite the adventure across the bay, I happened by a stand of piggy banks amongst the artisan street vendors across from the SF ferry building. After chatting with the bank maker, I bought one. Granted, it was my boyfriend Chris’s birthday, not mine, so buying myself a lil something did feel a bit…gauche, but the surprises I had in store for the birthday boy kept would-be pangs of guilt from emerging. And well, you know how it is. This little piggy bank really spoke to me:)

My new piggy bank

The bank was handmade by JONOVAN, sort of a grown-up version of paper mache, with thoughtfully placed funny pages decorating the outer shell of my new coin collector. And as a cute little touch, each JONOVAN bank comes with a (lucky?) penny in it.

If you want one of your own, simply email Don3Jon@aol.com or call 415-863-9384.

So what’s this you read about a plane crash? Well, after my spontaneous purchase, we hopped a ferry to Sausalito where a vintage 1908 tugboat awaited us. Part of the birthday surprise was that we would be bunking on a posh little tugboat overnight, after cruising Richardson Bay with captain David for a champagne sunset cruise.

Chris and I in front of the little tugboat that could

What I didn’t plan on was witnessing a small plane crash before our very eyes, or helping David and Chris pluck the plane pilot out of the cold bay as his airplane sunk, or having my photo of the plane end up on ABC. You can watch the whole story as told through pictures here.

What is the moral of this story? I have no idea. But I have a new piggy bank and my boyfriend got to feel like a hero on his birthday. All in all, a happy ending.

How Well Do My Friends and Family Follow Directions?

March 15, 2010 at 10:45 pm | Posted in My Pig Collection, Pig Gift Ideas | 4 Comments
Tags: pig gift, Pig Gift Ideas, pig hat, pig t-shirt, vintage pig

In 2009 I created my first Online Pig Gift Guide. It was a joy to put together, because it helped me absorb the sensational pig finds, without actually having to own them, thus keeping the chaos of clutter at bay. An excerpt from the guide stipulated:

Despite constantly reminding friends and loved ones that I am not actively seeking to add to my overly abundant pig collection, I receive numerous pig related gifts each holiday. The caveat I’ve placed on receiving pig gifts is this: if it has a practical use or is a vintage find with lots of character, I’m willing to make exceptions:)

So did friends and family adhere to the aforementioned ground rules? As my pig blog readership grows (to a whopping 10 people and counting) I figured you, my loyal readers, deserved to know. So here goes:

During the 2009 holiday season I received the following items from friends and family:

1 Pig Hat, wool with fleece lining (that’s me above sporting it; I can relate to The Christmas Story scene when the kid wears the bunny suit)
1 Pig Steamer that fits on top of pots to let steam out (through the 2 pig nostrils, of course)
Porkchops (they’re punny chopsticks with pigs on them)
A pig t-shirt (extra points for organic cotton and local artist-designed)
Pig Cutting Board (made of a sustainable wood = a definite plus)
A Vintage Pig Figurine (love it!)
A farmer pig decorative item from a local second-hand shop (2nd hand shop items=cool, less crap being added to the world)
A pig ice-cream scooper (my second one, shhh!)
A pig umbrella (garners much attention on the streets of San Francisco)
Reusable pig shopping tote bag (I use this bag almost every day when I go to the produce market)
Book The Whole Hog: Exploring the Extraordinary Potential of Pigs by Lyall Watson. This was actually his last published book, according to Wikipedia. R.I.P. Lyall!

Did these gifts meet the criteria set forth in the original blog post? You be the judge.

Do you see now why I have more pigs in my life than I know what to do with? I’m almost 40. That’s 40 birthdays, 40 holidays, and 40 National Pig Days x 11 pig gifts. You do the math.

The word gluttonous comes to mind. Pigs are not gluttonous, G-d no. I’m talking about myself. One definition of gluttonous: greedy; insatiable.

Ahhh, yes. Insatiable. That is the word I would use to describe my pig habit. No quantity of socially responsible-made pig products and vintage finds will fill me up. It’s an appetite that never goes away.

Pig Gift Guide 2009

November 22, 2009 at 1:06 am | Posted in Pig Gift Ideas, Uncategorized | 9 Comments
Tags: fair trade pig, pig candles, pig gift, Pig Gift Ideas, pig t-shirt, pig toys, piggy bank

It’s holiday shopping season, in case you haven’t noticed. Below are some pig-themed gift suggestions to help you serve the needs of your swine loving pals.

In lieu of collecting these pig finds myself, I’m hoping that sharing them with you will help purge my need to actually own them.

Friends and family, please note: This is not my holiday wish list. Those who don’t know me, here’s the deal: Despite constantly reminding friends and loved ones that I am not actively seeking to add to my overly abundant pig collection, I receive numerous pig related gifts each holiday. I’m sure you fellow pig collectors can relate.

The caveat I’ve placed on receiving pig gifts is this: if it has a practical use (like the hand-blown glass pig vase my friend Laird hand delivered to me last week) or is a vintage find with lots of character, I’m willing to make exceptions:)

Side note: I realize that my caveat is rarely adhered to, as reflected in the glutinous assembly of pig tchotchkes in the creaks and crevices of my too-small cottage.

Check out these unique pig gifts, and if you find others, share them in the comments field. I’m sure my 5 blog readers will appreciate the recommendation:)

Pig earphones. Talk about practical! http://www.spoonsisters.com $12.95

Set of Mini Pig Notecards. Say what? http://www.etsy.com $3.25 for 5

Fair Trade crocheted pig. Designed and handmade by a Mom in Thailand. http://www.globalexchangestore.org $18.50

Fair Trade Piggy Bank. Pottery crafted by artisans in Chili. http://www.tenthousandvillages.com $16.00

Pig Pals Infant Outfit. Profits go to Pig Pals Sanctuary, a non-profit dedicated to the long term care of pigs. http://www.cafepress.com/pigpals $11.99