I'm Nadine Lerner, I started BlueDogz Design just before 2000. Things in my life were in flux. I had always been an artist (a professional ballet dancer), I had retired, just graduated as a person in her late 20's from University and I had just moved back to Montreal after having lived away in various Canadian and European cities for the previous 16 years. I was not sure what I wanted or where I wanted to do it, but I knew I needed to start making art again in some form or another. I also knew I wanted to be my own boss, I was tired of people being the boss of me.

BlueDogz Design began out of my Dad's garage, where I would refinish and recreate old or no longer used furniture.
When I got tired of hauling the furniture around to shows and markets, it transitioned to smaller pieces, mostly children's pieces, rocking chairs, table and chair sets, jewellery boxes, bookends...People took notice, magazines started featuring my pieces and retailers started contacting me. I decided to put an actual line together, pieces that I sourced locally and that could be painted and personalized...by moi!

I took the line to a children's show in NYC a few months later and came home with over 200 rocking chairs to paint!
This continued for a couple of years, I got a little LOT tired of painting and packing and shipping and running to shows to getting more orders, to come back and start all over again.

In early 2003, through contacts I made at trade shows,  I took manufacturing overseas to China.
Again I adapted the line. I kept the focus on children's pieces but this time less furniturey and more room decory , expanding into photo frames, corkboards, wall mirrors, step stools and other smaller accessories.
Gradually, I added pieces that were not just for kids and my client base grew with it!
I designed Teeny Tags and a range of gift boxes and was one of the first companies to introduce the pretty clipboard all in recycled wood and in fun, sophisticated patterns and colors.

Today the evolution continues...
almost 3 years ago I re-found me again (after apparently getting a little lost), I moved to the old port of Montreal with it's brilliant architecture and people, I met a very special person and we had a perfect little girl.
They have both taught me that I had so much more love in my heart than I could ever...EVER have imagined.
Don't get me wrong now, it's not ALL chirpy little birds and meadows and bon-bons...
but it's good and yes...I am going there...(sorry)...I feel very blessed!

BlueDogz Design continues to evolve, this year I have begun designing for other companies, truth is...
I am kind of LOVING it!  My not so secret hope (this week)? One day I might even be able to transition out of manufacturing and do free-lance design full time...but then again...that could change too.
For now, enjoy the line, give your gifts in pretty little boxes, write your notes on perfect teeny tags and clip your lists to the most fabulous clipboards around!
Surround yourself with the people and things you love, when things suck remember to keep your head up and keep surfing...the next wave might be your prettiest yet...and if you get lost, re-find yourself,
you might find more than just you.