We’re starting the New Year off with a brand spakin new image.

Now I realize that it’s not quite the new year yet but I’ve been sitting on this image for the last 2 weeks and I’m ready to show it off.

Ever since I started blogging over 2 years ago I have wanted a fun cartoon image for this blog but I never got around to actually getting out there and finding someone who could create it for me.

Last month, thanks to Kimberly from Keep the Tail Wagging, I found Shawnna from Lovelytocu. Shawnna is a very talented graphic artist based in Yorkshire England and she specializes in “providing ready made clip art graphics for small businesses, hobbyists and crafters… or for people who just love to blog!” 

Shawnna also does custom work for people, like me, who are looking for their very own graphic image for their site.

The whole process was quite simple.

1. Pick a girl image that was similar to me. Dark hair, green eyes and totally cute and sassy. (lol) and pick out an outfit.

2. Decide if I wanted both the dogs to look the same or different. This was a decision that took a little bit of thought because to me, Sherman and Leroy look totally different, but to the everyone else they look the same. I decided to go with both dogs looking the same and then Shawnna decided to have one dog with their mouth closed and one open with a little bit of tongue sticking out. This worked well for me.

3. The image of the dogs was the most difficult thing for me. I had the idea that I wanted the dogs to look exactly like the silhouette of a Newfoundland and Shawnna and I went back and forth several times with images. Bigger paws. Broader chest. Bigger head. The head is important. Squarer nose.

Finally I came to the realization that this is a graphic cartoon image. Me and the Newfs are not suppose to really look like ourselves. It’s a fun image.

So finally we decided on this:

Is this exactly what I look like in real life?

Um, no. My hair is not usually that perfect and I’m not that pretty and I don’t wear pink heels, ever. But I do wear pink v-neck shirts and jeans and most of the time I have a smile on my face, and the dogs, while not so drool-less, can often be found right by my side looking up at me.

I personally love the image, it’s a one of the kind image just for us and in the future I may have it modified to have some drool hanging from the mouths of the dogs and maybe…….. have a drool towel hanging out of my pocket.

Along with the new image I was also suppose to roll out a new design for the blog. I have a new Studiopress theme picked out and had plans to switch over to the Genesis framework. At this time a new design just isn’t going to happen. I have neither the patience nor the mind power to take on such a task. The main goal right now is to get back to writing and taking pictures. The new blog design will come in a few months.

So what do you think?