Currents 2nd Anniversary Party

Wednesday night was a special night for everyone in the Currents Magazine family. Currents celebrated their 2-year anniversary with a fabulous party at the newly relocated Havana Social Club inside the Palace Theatre. The Oscar-themed event featured a red carpet entry, entertainment, wine tasting, and great company with the Currents crew, writers, photographers, designers, and readers.Inside the Palace Theater, guests were given the Paparazzi treatment with a photo op and interviews...A great time was had by all.Entertainment was provided by local recording star and Currents' January cover model, CiCi Jansen. Continuing the Oscar theme, tables were topped with gorgeous Academy Award centerpieces designed by Deborah Bell Design. However, amid the props, there was a real trophy given out. Currents was honored as the 2010 MarCom Gold Winner! Congratulations!

For more pictures from the event, click here: http://www.mcgrawphotography.com/?sproofing=events. The password is: events

Select the Currents Anniversary Party gallery in the lower, left corner and enjoy! I will be adding more photos over the next few days.

Barktoberfest 2010

The third annual Barktoberfest was held yesterday at the WFNZ Dog House - a great little venue right by Bank of America Stadium. This appropriately named location hosted hundreds of dogs donning their snazzy Halloween costumes all in the name of charity. Each year, the American Cancer Society organizes Barktoberfest to raise money to aid in the fight against human and animal cancers. With the gorgeous weather and large number of attendants, I really hope they met their goal. I had so much fun at the event and enjoyed meeting all of the sweet dogs and people. I must say, this was one of my favorite events of the year.There were plenty of refreshments for the dressed-up dogs including Bowser Beer, water, and treats from Canine Cafe.And of course there were refreshments for us humans! Proceeds from the sale of these awesome pint glasses went to Murray's Fund - a fund which provides financial assistance to people caring for a pet with cancer.There were so many dogs at Barktoberfest! They were all so adorable, yet probably not too happy they were dressed up! :) Here are just a few of the pups that came out to support a good cause...Puppies? Yes, please.The day was filled with contests including Best Kisser, Best Trick, Biggest Dog, Smallest Dog, Cutest Costume, Scariest Costume, Best Doggy/Owner Costume Duo, and Best in Show.And the winner of Best in Show! Doesn't he really look like a lion?!? His mom hand-made this...without a pattern...over a period of a couple days...and has won two years in a row! Dedication!And some more doggies with their people... Thank you to everyone that came out to Barktoberfest. If you are looking for more pictures, you can find them here: www.mcgrawphotography.com. Click on the Client Area tab and enter the password "events". Then, select Barktoberfest 2010 from the category list. I will be adding more over the next few days! :)

Helping Paws Dog Show

I was so happy and so honored to be able to attend the Helping Paws Dog Show this past Saturday in Davidson. All proceeds went to Project Halo - a non-profit, no-kill rescue and the same rescue I adopted my Eva from. This annual fundraiser is the brainchild of 13-year-old Brooke Phillips, whose family adopted her dog, Roxie, from Project Halo on Brooke's 10th Birthday. Ever since, she has been eager to help other dogs find their forever homes. How freakin' cool is that!?! The event was a huge success with almost $1000 raised! Tons of pooches and families attended to browse vendor booths, participate in competitions, and check out the dogs available from Project Halo. Many thanks to Brooke and her family for hosting such a great event. Brooke, you are an inspiration and I'm sure all of the dogs your have helped send slobbery kisses to you! XOXO!

This is Roxie, the event Grand Marshall. She is the inspiration behind the start of the Helping Paws Dog Show.Great gifts, trophies, and raffle items were given away throughout the dog show. Contests included Best Groomed, Best Trick, Best Personality, and Best in Show.Many of the dogs showed off their skills in effort to win Best Trick... and the winner of Best in Show...

The young volunteers all chipped in to give dog washes. It was very touching to see such a young group of kids help out for a good cause.An what's a dog show without cute doggy faces?

I love how this little boy's mom changes her expression once she realizes why her dog is jumping away from her. He was just hamming it up for the camera! :)

This doggy makes me giggle! I have a whole series of funny faces from her...

Love this...

UPDATE: The rest of the images from the event are now up in my Client Area. Click here: http://www.mcgrawphotography.com/?sproofing_id=5 and enter the password: events. Select the Helping Paws Dog Show from the Category list on the bottom, left.

Bone-ified Dog Opening Event

Saturday marked the Grand Opening of a great new groomer (and more!) here in Cornelius. Ran by two amazing girls, Jennifer and Amy, Bone-ified Dog is your one-stop shop for everything you need for your four-legged friend. Jennifer and Amy have an incredible history and they blow my mind with all of the knowledge and experience they have. If you ever have any pet related questions, they are more than happy to give their honest opinion and steer you in the right direction. Bone-ified Dog offers grooming, a day spa, obedience training, day care and a cute doggy boutique. Bone-ified Dog is located at 20901 Torrence Chapel Road, Suite 104 in Cornelius, NC. Don't forget to check out their website to learn more about the company and all the great services they offer.Bone-ified Dog's boutique is filled with toys, food, adorable dog carriers, and precious outfits...Mom, why are you making me try on this jacket?Tons of other cute dogs stopped by to say hi and take a quick tour...This sweetheart is Bailey. She is one of the co-owner's dogs and the mascot of Bone-ified Dog. Isn't she just so beautiful? She looks gorgeous next to the red brick building... For more pictures from the day, click HERE. Go to the Client Area tab and enter the password: events. Select the Bone-ified Dog Open House gallery in the lower, lefthand corner.

An Evening of Hope

For those of you that attended An Evening of Hope, pictures from the event can be found here: http://smcgraw1.photobiz.com/cart/. Just click on "Events" and then select the "An Evening of Hope" gallery. Thank you and enjoy!

Cover Dog Contest

I had the honor of attending the first annual Lake Norman Currents Magazine Cover Dog Contest this past Saturday and it was an astounding success! Over 50 pups competed for the title and the winner will land on the cover of the October Pet Issue of Currents magazine. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Cornelius Animal Shelter Alliance (CASA). CASA is a non-profit group of volunteers who support various shelter functions. Costs associated with the shelter include website management, adoption publicity, special purchases, payment of the intake exam for each animal, veterinary expenses, fostering expenses, and targeted adoptions (pregnant females and special needs). I love dog events that benefit a good cause and I thank each and every person that came out for supporting such a heart-warming event.

I don't want to share too many pictures of the event yet...just a sneak peak to tide you over 'til the October issue hits stands. You HAVE to pick up a copy to see the winner. I will say the winner is a "he" and he is as cute as a button. I LOVE him!!! I wanna show you a pick but I have to control myself. Arrrggghhh! I'm so not good at that!

In the meantime, here is a sneak peak of the event...

There were several great vendors at the event and I love that each and every one is passionate about dogs.Guests were entertained with some relaxing music, a silent auction, a Zumba demonstration, and a "parade" of dogs!Judges narrowed the contestants down to the top 10. The dogs had one last chance to show their stuff as they circled in front of the crowd... Please pick up the October issue of Currents Magazine or look for it online. Many thanks go out to the publication for letting me shoot the cover of my very first magazine! I'm truly honored and will have butterflies in my stomach until the issue comes out. Also, thank you to all the awesome dog lovers that supported the event!!!

Is it October yet?!?

Bags for Wags Tournament

Saturday might not have been the prettiest day out, but it sure was a great day to raise money for a good cause! Hundreds of people ignored the mist and rain and headed out to the Thirsty Beaver Saloon where the 2nd annual Bags for Wags Corn Hole Tournament was taking place. I don't know exactly how many teams participated - all I know is that you could go cross-eyed reading the ladder! :) All of these dedicated teams participated to help Bags for Wags raise money to support the Coalition to Un-Chain Dogs. Between the tournament, drink specials, BBQ, silent auction, and raffle, over $6,800 was raised!!! This blew away their $3,500 goal! Congratulations!!! Bags for Wags was formed by three guys looking to give back to the Charlotte Community by assisting local animal organizations with their fundraising endeavors and helping educate the public on the need for spay/neuter and improved welfare of animals. Last year they held their first tournament with 30 teams participating and raised over $3,200 for the Humane Society of Charlotte. This year, they focused their efforts on the Coalition to Un-Chain Dogs, a group of animal lovers that has unchained over 500 dogs over the past 4 years at no cost to the animal owners who typically can not afford to build a fence.

I'm so happy to have donated and participated in this great event! Thanks to the sponsors and everyone that came out to help our fellow four-legged friends!

A raffle and silent auction helped raised money while providing some awesomely cool stuff! I was lovin' the hand-painted corn hole boards and the mini PBR fridge! Now on the the "Wags" part of the day! When I first arrived, it began to rain and everyone, including the dogs, piled into the bar for cover. A couple of the dogs made themselves right at home...

Once the rain let up, it was back outside for some socializing and posing. Not too many dogs were hanging out but I tried to photograph as many as I could!

I love the drool!This sweet boy was an unfortunate victim of dog fighting. He is now fighting back in his own way! Although he lost his leg, he has found a loving home and has learned to be a well-balanced, social, and affectionate doggy.

Bowling For Fur

This past Sunday, I got to hang out with a great group of people and volunteers from the Humane Society of Iredell (HSI). They hosted an awesome event, Bowling for Fur, at Victory Lanes in Mooreville. The day was filled with bowling, food, raffles, and of course, pet adoptions. I was on hand to offer a gift certificate in the raffle and grab some quick shots of the pups on display. I was even allowed to bowl and I didn't do *too* shabby ;). Many thanks go out to the the sponsors, volunteers, NASCAR drivers, and supporters that came out to make this event a success. I had such a blast and couldn't keep the smile off my face the whole day! I can't wait to do volunteer work for this great organization!

HSI is not supported by government, county or state funded, nor are they supported by the Humane Society of the United States. They are a volunteer-based organization that rely solely on donations and support from people like you. If you would like to adopt a furry friend, volunteer, or donate food, blankets, towels, crates, leashes, etc, please contact the Humane Society of Iredell.

On to the doggies!

This first gorgeous girl is Lilly. She is still pretty young and just the cutest lady!

Next up is BB. She is a little scruffy dog and, yes, I LOVE me some scruffy dogs! Not to mention her underbite and Gremlin-style ears are to die for! :)This next girl is Sarah. Her foster mommy spoils her with pretty dresses and Sarah just eats it up! Can't you see the love these two have for each other?

This is Sarah's "sister" Daphne. She also gets to dress up and hang out at the adoption events with the volunteers.What is a pet adoption post without a success story? Well almost two years ago, Chaddy, the kitty pictured below, was rescued from HSI and placed in the best home EVER! He gets to hang out in public just like a dog and even has his own tricked-out stroller. He travels to races and has even had his picture taken with some of the greats in NASCAR! He gets the best clothes and is sporting a HSI volunteer shirt in these photos. Oh, what a life!