designsgirl

gibson- profile of a paperswell mascot

Gibson loves tennis balls and swimming; has an indifferent attitude toward her fellow canines but loves her big sister; possesses meaty thighs and beautiful feathers; and remarkably loves to have her teeth flossed nightly by the alpha male of our household.

interlude: magazine mascot

 

Our Golden Retrievers love snow more than just about anything, except tennis balls and belly rubs.

Here is our girl Gibson, photographed by Laura Dombrowski Steele, on the set of a recent photo shoot for Laura's and my new magazine - paperswell - coming soon.

We look forward to telling you all about it on March 5th.

essay: "frolicking and creative flow"

Adults have much responsibility and time must be managed wisely. But it is wise to include frolicking in our schedule.

I am reminded of this when I watch "our girls" gambol and frolic. If you want to break through a creative block, take a single-minded focus and direct it to nothing but play. The heart lightens, the senses are sharpened, a perspective changes and then unexpectedly, creativity begins to flow. 

Like a child, you can conjure a sense of wonderment and exhilirating joy with a "play break" every now and then. It is good for the creative soul and the overworked mind, even for the most serious of responsible adults.

photo of Garner and Gibson McCarter by designsgirl

"snow dog"

It is a winter wonderland here in Castle Rock, Colorado and our "girls" are in their element in the snow.

camera crazy

designsgirl is armed with a new camera and an unyielding desire to take pictures of everyone and everything.

My poor family. "Will the picture taking ever end?" asks an exasperated member above.

interlude: "lagniappe"

The philosophy of lagniappe was instilled in me by my father. From southern origins, the word lagniappe means an extra gift or going beyond what is expected.

For my clients, I like to include a small gift in their shipments.

For my dog-loving clients, I send a little something for their canine companions. It is these little lagniappe touches that hopefully show how valued my clients are.

photo by designsgirl

essay: a dog's life and the ranch

Life was not ideal for our "girls" before we adopted them, but after hitting the "doggie lottery" as my husband states it, Garner and Gibson are living a dog's life.

During monthly excursions to the ranch, they chase antelope, elk, porcupines, and chipmunks, swim in ponds and cool themselves in springs.

After a day on the ranch, they are smelly, exhausted and happy- all in a day's play for our "ranchettes", who deserve what happiness we can bring them since they bring so much happiness to us.

our "girls"

We recently had the annual McCarter family photo shoot starring Garner and Gibson- our Golden Retrievers who are the center of our universe.

Here are a few spontaneous photos taken by supremely talented Denver photographer, Laura Dombrowski Steele, who also shot our wedding almost five years ago.

interlude: benched

We take our girls everywhere. This photo was taken in downtown Crested Butte on a Colorado summer vacation where the girls- Gibson and Garner- try to be on their best behavior so passers-by will pet them and maybe even give them a treat.

the wily brown dog

 
Susanne Hogan of Chesterton, Indiana is enamored with Irish Water Spaniels and wanted them to be the central figure in her new logo.

Her innovative venture, called The Wily Brown Dog, tackles the prevailing notion that individuals should defer to "experts" when ultimately, each of us is endowed with the ability to find the answers to life's most important issues.

The Wily Brown Dog serves as a clearinghouse of research and facts on everything from medical issues to how to repair your car, empowering individuals to be their own well-informed expert.

designsgirl was pleased to create a heartwarming dog-themed design for Susanne.

happy menocal

When I saw New York City artist Happy Menocal's painting in the pages of a Town & Country magazine, I was smitten. I immediately went to her website and lost myself in the brightly-hued watercolors and sketches.

Her work has a humor, intimacy and delight that are irresistible and, like all marvelous artists, her work is unfailingly recognizable.

Here is the pet portrait she created of our Golden Retrievers - Gibson and Garner - napping head to head. We now have a "Happy Menocal" in our home and we are so happy for that.

pet project

Kudos to my client Cathy Handfelt whose book "100 Hounds of Kirkland" has become a mighty success. The coffee table book, featuring the most adorable adopted canines, benefits the good works of the Seattle Humane Society and includes two of the logos I created for Cathy.

To see Cathy's fabulous photography and her lovable subjects or to order a copy of "100 Hounds of Kirkland", visit Little Monarch Studios.