Rascal 2013 Teaser….

Tomorrow, I will unveil our 2013 New Years Card but first a little Holiday card history…..

It all started with the 2004 Christmas card (below) I had one of those “good ideas” that I am famous for—the kind that that strikes terror into the hearts of family members and friends. Milo (the Deerhound) would be our Christmas tree, surrounded by pup presents in wrapped boxes. My mother and my aunt were visiting and were invited to participate in pulling the shoot together. They wrapped boxes and helped keep the pups in them. I took the picture. It was FUN; ok, it was hard work. However, despite some nay saying and complaints about my unmerry attitude—the card was produced and the results were outstanding. The whiners gave me credit for my vision, and I thanked them for not stuffing me into one of the boxes and duct taping the lid shut.

The next year, I asked Barbara Ciurej—my friend and photographer extraordinaire—if she would help me produce my 2005 Christmas card. I outlined my idea of a Christmas card, which would be done in the style of the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials: a team of pups pulling a sleigh of presents, with my littlest pup in front. It would bring a tear to the eye of everyone that opened it. Barbara agreed to help me. She loved my theme idea. However, after mulling it around a bit, she wondered if perhaps the Budweiser commercials were not a little overdone for our purposes; perhaps something more original and reflective of my pups’ lives would be more appropriate. She was right, of course. I thought bringing in an outsider might hurt my family’s feelings, but they took it surprisingly well and Barbara became the creative effort behind photographing my holiday cards. I wrangle the pups while she wrangles her camera, lighting and bits of flying treat.

Holiday cards through the year’s…..

We wish you Merry Christmas! What is amazing about this card is it was done without photoshop except for the background. Note to sweet mother…Milo could have used a hanging ornament or ten. Note to son who just looked over my shoulder and remarked, how I was such a  “pain in the ass” when we took this picture…Your Sweet Mother, and Sponsor Of All Things ‘Audi A4’ is Never A Pain In The Ass. So there.

Feliz Navidog!  Trinket was baby Jesus because we were waiting for puppy Rascal to join our family.

This window and I have a long history.

Skippy (black Schipperke) always shined in pictures. We sure missed him this year.

The pups were on sleds, in costume for this picture. It was taken in Cole’s bedroom.

I still wonder how my sweet Mom talked me into making her Dobe the star. Oh well, we all know who the star is…and she is wearing an elf hat.

Scooby (Beagle on the bottom……far right) has never really forgiven me for this card.

Occupy Happiness. Loved this card. Did not remember until these cards were in the mail that two of the featured pups had human parents that worked in banking. Of-course, we were poking fun at the occupiers and not the banks…REALLY!! Love those banks!

This is not a holiday picture. (I just wanted to reassure you that I have not left my family and friends out of the picture entirely.)

My mother’s eyes only twitched a little when I asked her to sew a tutu for Maxine the turtle, and Vickie was more than willing to take on the role of turtle wrangler as we captured what I believe to be the only picture in history of a turtle in a tutu. I mean, really…have you ever seen a tortuga in a tutu? If there were justice in the world, this picture would have gone viral! Update: Turtle in a tutu was googled and we had the only picture! Ha.

See you soon but until then Odd Loves Company!