From the studio

The journal.

Gentle, practical writing on grief, remembering, and celebrating the pets we love — from the people who make the books.

A quiet painted scene in low winter light: a single stocking hanging alone by an unlit fireplace with a sprig of evergreen and an unlit candle on the mantel, beside the title 'The first Christmas without your pet,' in Dearbound's calm cream and rose palette.
August 22, 2026

The First Christmas Without Your Pet: Getting Through the Holidays

The first Christmas without your pet — what to do with their stocking and ornament, how to handle questions at gatherings, and gentle ways to keep them present.

A quiet painted still life looking down on a pale, sunlit table — an open sympathy card lying blank apart from two faint, indistinct marks, an unsealed envelope with its flap open behind it, a cup of tea set to one side and a slim pen resting nearby — beside the title 'What to say to someone whose pet died,' in Dearbound's calm cream and rose palette.
August 13, 2026

What to Say to Someone Whose Pet Died (and What Not to Say)

What to say to someone whose pet died: words that actually help, what to avoid, and real sympathy-card messages you can adapt — even if you never met their pet.

A Dearbound guide card titled 'The best photo for a pet portrait', beside a panel pairing a photograph of a ginger tabby cat with the watercolor portrait painted from it, in warm cream and gold.
August 6, 2026

The Best Photo for a Pet Portrait: How to Choose or Take One

The best reference photo isn't the prettiest — it's the clearest. How to choose a photo of your pet for a custom portrait, and take a better one in ten minutes.

A quiet painted scene of an older golden retriever lying comfortably on a blanket in late afternoon light with a human hand resting on their side, beside the title 'Saying goodbye to a dying pet — how to spend the last days,' in Dearbound's calm cream and rose palette.
July 29, 2026

Saying Goodbye to a Dying Pet: How to Spend the Last Days

A gentle guide for the hardest window: how to spend the last days with a dying pet, what to ask your vet before the appointment, and how to say goodbye without a script.

A quiet painted still life of a half-written letter and pen on a wooden table beside a collar, a mug and a small framed photo of a dog, in soft window light, next to the title 'A letter to your pet — how to begin, when the words won't come,' in Dearbound's calm cream and rose palette.
July 27, 2026

How to Write a Letter to Your Pet Who Died: Prompts to Start

A gentle guide to writing a letter to a pet who died: what to include, prompts for when the words won't come, and what to do with the letter when it's finished.

A stylized illustrated child hugging their corgi, who wears a little 'HERO' medallion, in warm golden garden light — in Dearbound's cream and gold celebration palette.
July 22, 2026

Gifts for Kids Who Love Dogs: Ideas That Celebrate the Bond

Shopping for a kid who adores their dog, cat, or any pet? Here are warm, useful gift ideas — from everyday favorites to a keepsake that stars their actual pet.

A relaxed dog resting calmly near a parent holding a swaddled newborn in a sunlit home, in Dearbound's warm cream and gold palette — a growing family, no one left out.
July 16, 2026

Preparing Your Pet for a New Baby: A Gentle, Practical Guide

Bringing a baby home to a pet who was your first? Here's how to prepare your dog or cat gently — start early, ease the introduction, and keep them feeling like family, not replaced.

A grey-muzzled senior dog resting contentedly in soft golden afternoon light, in Dearbound's warm cream and gold palette — cherished and still here.
July 3, 2026

Making the Most of Time With a Senior Pet: Gentle Ways to Cherish the Years You Have

Your pet is getting older — and this is the part that lasts if you let it. Gentle, doable ways to cherish a senior dog or cat: comfort, unrushed days, and a keepsake made while they're still here beside you.

A soft painted still-life of a child's crayon drawing of a dog beside the dog's collar and a few crayons, in golden-hour light, in Dearbound's warm cream and rose palette.
June 30, 2026

Helping a Child Cope With the Death of a Pet: A Gentle, Honest Guide

How to help a child cope with the death of a pet — the honest words to use (and the ones to avoid), what to expect by age, and gentle ways to grieve together.

A small wrapped gift and a handwritten card resting beside a framed photo of a dog, in soft golden-hour light, in Dearbound's warm cream and rose palette.
June 30, 2026

Pet Loss Sympathy Gifts: Thoughtful Ways to Comfort Someone Whose Pet Died

Thoughtful pet loss sympathy gift ideas for a friend or family member whose pet died — from a keepsake of their pet to gifts of presence — plus what to say, and what not to.

A quiet painted scene of an empty dog bed by a sunlit window with a single soft beam of golden light, in Dearbound's calm cream and rose palette.
June 30, 2026

What to Do When a Pet Dies: A Gentle Step-by-Step Guide

If your pet just died, here is what to do — calm, practical steps for the first hours and days, from aftercare to telling your family, with no rush and no wrong way to feel.

An illustrated guinea pig beside a little party hat under the words 'Happy Birthday,' in Dearbound's cream and gold celebration palette.
June 28, 2026

How to Celebrate Your Pet's Birthday: Simple, Joyful Ideas

Your pet's birthday is the perfect low-stakes excuse to spoil them. Here are warm, doable ways to celebrate — a special outing, a pet-safe treat, and a keepsake that lasts longer than the cake.

A happy cockatiel coming home in warm golden afternoon light, in Dearbound's cream and gold celebration palette.
June 27, 2026

How to Celebrate Your Pet's Gotcha Day: Ideas for the Best Day of the Year

Gotcha Day is your pet's adoption anniversary — the day they became family. Here are warm, doable ways to celebrate it, from a special outing to a keepsake of the day.

A soft painted illustration of a child gently embracing an older pug in golden-hour meadow light, in Dearbound's warm cream and rose palette.
June 27, 2026

How to Memorialize a Pet Who Died: Gentle, Lasting Ways to Honor Them

Practical, warm ways to memorialize a pet who died — from keeping their collar to making a keepsake book — and how to choose the one that fits your grief.