As recounted elsewhere in this blog, Molly had an almost universal appeal. People loved her, would stop to make a fuss about her, would pick her up and kiss her - just like she was a baby, even when she was an old dog.

Finding it hard not to notice this, I thought I could share the wealth even more if I put the dog's image out in the world in various ways. Starting in 2004, I sent out weekly e-mails (the precursor to my other blog, This Week's Picture) with a photo of the dog attached. Even earlier than that, starting in 1998 and running all the way to 2011, I sent out handmade Christmas cards that - except for 2001 - featured the dog.

These came to be known as the Molly-the-Dog Christmas cards and, in years of peak production, more than 150 would be sent out to friends, family, business associates and other admirers of Molly.

Many people say they've kept their cards. For those not on the distribution list or not inclined to collect, here they are.

1998 - Look Both Ways

It was Bruce's idea to put Molly on our cards; the design, assembly, production and distribution of the cards was what I did.

Molly's first card was a simple two-fold 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet, colour photocopied from artwork I assembled using origami paper and a couple of rare, lucky shots of the dog.

The silly joke inside was "Always look both ways before crossing Santa Claus."

1999 - Simple Pleasures

This card was at the other end of the spectrum from its predecessor in terms of complexity and production values. Still made from colour photocopies of artwork made with assembled (and painstakingly cut by hand) origami paper, construction paper and a photo of the dog, this card actually featured moving parts. You could spin the wheel (see arrow) and pictures of simple pleasures would move into the cut out window: sweet treats (the bone), sweet dreams (Molly napping), new toys (a ball) and walkies (a fire hydrant). It took me about a month to make thirty-five of these.

2000 - Christmas Carol Contest

This card was less labour intensive than the one the year before, but it featured a pop-up when you opened it, which required cutting and final assembly of the card by hand. The concept was a contest to add a thirteenth verse featuring Jack Russell Terriers to "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Bruce and I brainstormed the card one fine summer afternoon sitting on the patio of the local pub.
The contest rules were the joke. For example, entrants - in order to be eligible for the highly undesirable prize - had to recite in their proper order all of the verses to the following skill-testing carols: Good King Wenceslas, I Saw Three Ships and O Little Town of Bethlehem.

2001 - No Molly-the-Dog Christmas Card

2002 - Christmas Card Trick

This was one of two cards to feature Molly wearing something on her head. It's supposed to be a fortune-teller's turban, but it looks more like a croissant. As the ones before it, I made this card by assembling artwork which was then colour photocopied and put together by hand.

It also featured a pop-up on the inside of the card. This was the first card to include a copyright notice on the back. By this point, Molly's cards were sufficiently widely distributed that I thought claiming copyright would be a good idea.

2003 - Election Year

Molly also got a hat for 2003's card, probably one of the least ambitious in terms of production values, concept, copy-writing and colour scheme (not quite sure what I was thinking when I picked that green). On the back it says: "Produced and Distributed under the authority of Molly-the-Dog's Committee to Improve the Christmas Holidays (CITCH). CFO Bruce Clarke, CCO Karen Clark; Maximum Generalissimo Molly-the-Dog.

The joke was that it was not an election year.

2004 - Joy

This was the last hand-assembled, colour photocopied card and the last to feature a pop-up. By 2004, I was deep in the throes of the pesticide by-law wars at the City of Toronto and getting pretty dedicated to my yoga practice. That I had time to do this at all, and cut out 150 pop-up JOYs by hand, is a source of wonder to me now.

Molly's photo on the front of the card, and on the new, improved copyright notice on the back of the card, was taken by Kevan Macrow (though I spelled his name wrong in the credits).

2005 - Peace on Earth

Looking for a way to simplify production of the Molly-the-Dog cards, I took to creating the artwork on my computer and printing the cards myself with my colour printer. This eliminated hand-cutting and hand-assembly and made it easier to match production to demand. However, the card-weight paper and my crappy little Dell laser jet printer didn't work that well together. I lost a lot of card blanks (at a buck a pop) to misfeeds and then lost the printer when I smashed it with my fist in a fit of frustration. I suppose that detail makes it mildly funny that the theme for the card was "peace."

Molly's copyright notice included a special message this year.

2006 - Hide from the Holidays

By Christmas 2006, I had started at the Ministry of the Environment and was 'way too busy to be making my own cards, but I did anyway. I'd bought a better printer so at least that went smoothly. I compensated for the unfestive shot of the dog hiding from me under the bed by affixing Christmas ornament stickers from the dollar store.

2007 - All Purpose Greetings

That we were almost completely out of ideas for cards was pretty clear this year. The inside featured multiple choice lists of salutations and holidays.

2008 - Brain Buster

Without time to put together nifty gimmicks or even well-written cards, I turned my focus to at least providing Molly's fans with a good photo of her. This shot was taken on November 11, 2008. Molly was thirteen, but still chasing the ball like a puppy.

2009 - May All Your Sweaters Come with Gift Return Receipts

I bought these three sweaters for the dog and the card concept just jumped right out at me.

2010 - Old-Timer's Nimble Noggin Festive Quiz

2010's card featured a multiple choice quiz (as did the 2008 card) and a photo of Molly warm and snug indoors superimposed on a shot of our snowy back yard.

2011 - Comfort and Joy

Molly had gone on to her next reward by the time Christmas 2011 came around. I deliberated back and forth about whether or not I would do a card. For her fans, I did one last one.