We’ve been known to hand-make some pretty intricate Holiday cards in the past.

But, I’ve had this particular picture in my “Next Christmas” folder for years now…Looks like perfect inspiration for this year’s Christmas card.

Isn’t he just charming?

John Dunfee is the photographer. I can’t find much about him…. I think this is him.

You know how they say, “People look like their dogs”? – Looks to me like they both need a good brushing.

Anyhoo, great jumping off point for this year’s card.

We have a dog.

We have a wreath.

We enjoy the challenge of  getting an un-drugged dog to pose for pictures.

All’s we had to do was paint the white gate section, that I’ve been shooting pictures on for the past year & 1/2, red.

Took a few tries to get the color right…….I prefer my colors straight out of the crayon box…….but we landed on Ralph Lauren Stateroom Red. RL4025

Then we simply threw a scratchy wreath around Harley’s neck, forced her to sit on the freezing garage floor and yelled at her to “Look at Daddy with the camera!” for half an hour.

What could be simpler?

Took about 100 pictures…..no lie.

…4 of which might, actually, be usable. (In most of them she was either moving or looked humiliated)

We settled on this one.

That one floppy ear melts my heart every time I look at her.

Using my rudimentary Photoshop skills;…….. I cropped, lightened the wreath, brightened her face, color enhanced the red and even removed some unpainted boards and a few little blemishes.

Then added a little verbiage……..in my 2 favorite fonts.

Yeah, I think we found the one.

Headed to Vistaprint.com , and ordered us up some Christmas Holiday cards. (Not all our friends are Christians, ya know)

Only took about 5 days to get them into our hands…..

…..and 2 more days to get them addressed and mailed.

Nothing says “Happy Holidays” quite like documenting a humiliated Doberman suffering through a photo session in a cold garage.

On a similar note, I was thumbing through the December issue of Country Living Magazine the other day ……and what do they have on the last page?

(Looks like they did a little Photoshop magic as well – lightened the wreath, made the wall red)

Now, get out of my head, Country Living.

Happy Holidays