Puppy l ve
In her spare time, East Memphian Gail Besett creates handcrafted jewelry, gifts and unique items for pets and pet lovers.
Her first collection of jewelry included a collection of paw prints. Besett says she hasn’t looked back since the first piece she handcrafted.
It all began years ago when her dogs, Penny and P were playing fly-ball, a team sport for dogs. As a proud team mom, she began looking for jewelry representing the sports.
“I found t hat t here wasn’t enough jewelr y with tennis balls or paw prints,” she said.
That’s when she decided to make her first piece featuring a paw print. The passion for handcrafting the unique jewelry snowballed from there.
“The first fly ball tournament I went to with a l ittle plastic bag full of jewelry,” Besett recalls. “I came home with money. I was very excited about that. The next tournament, I set up a 3x3 table filled with jewelry and came home with more money. That was it.”
Thus, “Penny P & Me,” was established. The business was named after her beloved rat terriers. Penny was Besett’s rescue dog. P is for Perry.
“We called him P for short,” Besett said. Perry died three years ago. “He was a wonderful fly-ball dog.” Now she has another “P,” Pixie Lily, a rat terrier, of course.
As a proud pet owner, Besett appreciates t he love people have for their pets and she shares her crafting skills featuring various pets in her collection. “Now it’s become my weekend passion — showing a collection of jewelry of cats and dogs, as well as tigers, due to the ever-so popular blue paw print. I even feature some horses,” she said.
Besett describes how from t he sta rt t he business took off and years later her collection is still thriving.
“Penny P & Me” can be spotted at various crafts fairs and shows around town. “It’s my passion to make jewelry and please the customer offering costume pieces,” explained Besett. “Customer service is most important and having my customers come back for repeat business and telling their friends.” This all came about because of my dogs.”
She got i nto t he pet jewelry business because of the love of her own beloved pets, and she gets the seal of approval from one her dogs.
“Pixie will now sit in my lap while I make my jewelry. She tries to help, then when she gets tired of sitting in my lap, she gives me a kiss before getting down.”
Besett’s next show will be at the Greater Shelby Kennel Club Agility Trails at the Agricenter International, April 9-11. For more information about Penny P & Me, e-mail Besett at twoflyrats@hotmail.com.