2027 Calendar and Diary Winners
The 2027 calendar and diary are done, sorted, proofed, amended, amended again and now ready for a July debut. It’s been another crazy labour of love, this time with the dogs foiling me at every turn and the cats emerging from the watercolour paper like a dream.
Scroll down now if you want to get straight to the winners and spare yourself from my project wafflings. Highly advisable because I waffle A LOT immediately after I’ve finished this particular art project. My poor friends and family. I’m very guilty of oversharing and dragging them through the creative grind stones with my abrupt sorry can’t socialise, can’t multi-task, can’t do Easter, can’t properly focus on anything other than completing twenty-four artworks by a deadline I know I’ll likely fail. If I was a logical creature, I’d do a couple of drawings every month and avoid the hassled, neglected housework drama at calendar and diary time. And that was honestly my promised intention last year. But before I knew it, another twelve months had passed. I’m convinced someone has their elbow accidentally pressing down on Life’s turbo button.
Middle age is continuing to make its presence felt daily. The eyes for one thing, upon waking, they now take a couple of hours to warm up. Trying to do close up detailed work before 9am is laughable and I have a pile of discarded artwork to prove it. I think I’d have done better with my toes. Gone are the days of two designs a day, or a second wind in the evening, pushing through to the early hours. Neither the light, my hunched, aching body, or my ability to concentrate, are fit for purpose after 8pm. That’s my zombie time. It’s also where I bore family with the factual nuggets I’ve half absorbed from the radio and podcasts throughout the day. Memory recall is shot to bits.
I’ve also realised I’m elongating faces despite spending hours sketching, measuring and remeasuring before I paint. I don’t know if I’ve always done this or whether I can add it onto the aging, meno-symptoms list. Or perhaps I just need to book an opticians appointment! One genuine side effect of this project is current date confusion. Working on 2027 for almost six weeks completely throws me when then asked to date something. Getting the day wrong is one thing, but the year! This adds to the overall impression I’ve been perfecting of She’s not all there!
As to the actual project, upon completion, an unconscious bias often reveals itself. With the 2027 cat muses, it’s a black and white bias, last year it was an abundance of tabbies, never consciously chosen but all drawn from the random selection of photos and stories submitted by you lovely folks. And thank you for those, your entries are one of my favourite parts of this project. Opening your emails and reading and seeing your loveable rogues and adorable fur-monsters is my genuine joy. You are very funny with your anecdotes, I wish the calendar space allowed me to include more of your words.
And here’s another weird coincidence. It turns out this year’s Mr November Cat has the same owner of a 2018 superstar winner. Not so unusual as I do like to complete a family set but I hadn’t done this intentionally and it seems on both occasions I’ve draw each of Tanya’s cats in a box. Completely oblivious of the connection. What are the chances!
2027 also has a bias towards ‘loving memory’ muses. The last couple of years have taken a higher than usual number of your soulmates. One of the things about working at The Little Dog Laughed is the muse winners never age. They stay forever in that moment. We see their faces everyday, adding them to new gift lines, picking and packing orders, taking lifestyle photos and sharing the artwork on our socials. So it’s always a genuine shock when owners let us know they have aged or passed away.
Sally lost her bestie, Dougie, a wirehair Jack Russell, last year. He was known to us and maybe to you as Scruffy Love. When she shared his photos back in 2016, we had no inkling he would become a brand ambassador and make his way into so many of your hearts and homes. I really wanted to honour Dougie in this year’s project. Sally had shared a photo of him in the garden, enjoying the sunshine, head raised, sniffing the air. It was the perfect snap, capturing that instantly recognisable moment of true contentment. A moment dog owners know and never tire of seeing. Happy dog, happy human.
As always, thank you to everyone who entered. You never let me down for which I’m incredibly grateful. To those not selected this year, fear not, every one of you has a file which gets saved to my inspiration folder and I return to it often. Sometimes in this project, my artistic ability goes walkabout and if I fail on the second attempt I have to accept temporary defeat. I put it to one side knowing I will return to it when my mojo returns to me!
I have lots of projects lined up and am currently finalising Christmas 2026 so you could well be hearing from me with news of greeting card stardom! Our latest ambition is to dig down into our niche and become the most popular dog and cat card and gift website on the tinternet. I’ve recently created a Breed Gift category so it’s much easier to find your favourites. What it has also done is highlight which breeds I have sorely neglected, so rest assured, I’m on it and I have your emailed submissions for help.
Right, that’s enough from me, time for the important bit.
The Winners
January | Fergal the Lurcher | Rachael
Fergal has been a superstar more than once because he is my dream rogue and I couldn’t resist this paw photo, instantly relatable to Lurcher and Greyhound owners! Whenever I found the artwork for this project wasn’t happening, I returned to my comfort zone for a bit of a reset. Drawing Fergal got me back on track. He’s been a bit poorly which had many of his fans worried, but thankfully with medication he’s got his cheeky bounce back.
February | Ferdie the Welsh Cardigan Corgi | Joanne
Ferdie had me at those huge ears balanced on little legs! He’s an unusual character, impeccably behaved in the show-ring, revelling in the spotlight, but outside of competitions, a cheeky, mischievous nutter! It really is hard to believe he’s the same dog. Made me smile to think he’s got that ‘showtime’ switch all the great entertainers often mention.
March | Cooper the Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel | Vanessa
I could have drawn Cooper ten times over from the brilliant photos Vanessa sent me. He really is a photogenic chap but I chose this one as it shows him at his aunty’s house where his very presence brings comfort as they care for a loved one. He’s become a bridge for communication in a way that humans can’t but animals so often can.
April | Millie the French Bulldog | Staci
Frenchies have been neglected by The Little Dog Laughed and Staci’s photos of Millie really highlighted the character of this little breed. I could have gone with a comedy girl look but instead opted for the ‘nothing is too much for my little one’ as I felt this would resonate more with Frenchie owners! It was also a great excuse to paint gorgeous upholstered chairs which is a bit of a theme in my work. A nod to my textile designer roots.
May | Dougie the Wirehair Jack Russell | Sally
Mentioned above, this is the legendary Dougie who definitely made it into the ‘one in a million’ category.
June | Arnold the Old English Sheepdog | Clair
I think another unconscious theme of this year’s project was dogs holding items in their mouths. I nearly chose a fourth muse doing something similar but realised just in time and reined myself in! I haven’t featured this breed before but apparently they are great huggers, and by the sounds of it, Arnie is one of the best.
July | Flynn the Border Collie | Amy
Flynn was another saviour when I hit a creative block. After almost five days of failure and a ticking deadline, working on his image set me back on track. I loved his alert ear, soft muzzle mouth and beautiful backstory of rebuilding trust and learning to communicate.
August | Tessa the Red Fox Labrador | Maisie
I do like a beach dog for a summer month and this one of Tessa captures her vitality and exuberant love for life. She’s just coming into her teenage years but I have a feeling her minute by minute, joyous nature will be with her always. It made me smile as I glanced at my own dog who is the polar opposite. He’s an Eeyore to Tessa’s Tigger!
September | Noddy the Labradoodle | Dan and Phoebe
I think Noddy has fallen into the perfect young couple set up and is revelling in the attention of being completely adored by both adults. Again, there were lots of great photos of Noddy I could have chosen, but I opted for this train trip because days out with the furry one are always memorable.
October | Claude the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen | Charlotte
Off the scale character guaranteed Claude this year’s October slot. 100% his own dog, living life exactly how he chooses with no fear or care that anyone will question or deny him his choices. I’m going to call it early but this boy is a legend in the making. Even if you don’t buy the calendar, sneak into a shop and read his story!
November | Olly & Elmo the Whippets | Lee
Simply impossible to resist. Lee introduced herself at Crufts, showed me this photo and thankfully followed through on her promise to send it to me. I added the stage backdrop because they reminded me so much of a comedy duo, the perfect hosts of a Royal Variety performance!
December | Lilly the Border Collie | Helen
Sweet Lily, adored from tip-to-toe and living a life where bright collie and human work together which I always feel puts that human canine bond in another class. I just love the two-way joy of this partnership.
January | Noodles the Oriental Mix | Janet
This chap has bad-ass sass and is the complete opposite of Janet’s beloved Macy who took years of love and patience to overcome his shyness and mistrust. Losing Macy absolutely broke Janet and Noodles arrival was a bit of a rescue mission rather than considered choice but I think his personality has been a blessing and this artwork highlights Noodles confidence!
February | Oreo the Maine Coon Mix | Laura
There is something very satisfying when it comes to painting cat eyes and Oreo’s eyes were gorgeous in this direct look to camera pose. His story was also one of those ‘every day is a school day’ moment where I learnt that kittens from the same litter can have different dads. Apparently it’s not that uncommon in cats and dog, especially when the female cat is free to roam or feral. It’s called superfecundation. Amazing!
March | Tigs the Mackerel Tabby | Johanna
Johanna is affectionately known locally as the mad-cat lady and she’s on everyones speed dial when a situation needs sorting. I think news of her kindness is also well known in the feline world because so many make their own way to her door. I’m on a bit of a mission to honour all of Johanna’s cats, not least because her written descriptions of their arrival and characters are some of my favourite reads.
April | Rosie the Kitten | Sarah
Despite kittens being irresistible I realised I hadn’t really drawn very many, so when this one of Rosie popped up it was an easy choice. Apparently she’s grown into her ears and feet now and is an absolute beauty.
May | Midge the Pure White Cat | Sheena
I don’t get many all white cat submissions and Midge immediately stood out for that reason, then the garden setting and the loving memory write up secured the May slot for this gentle soul.
June | Luffy the BSH Tuxedo Cat | Jo
Luffy’s story is ace. I also got a bit seduced by the colour peach on this project and really enjoyed letting the watercolour create the blurred background. Luffy’s artwork was one of those joyous paint moments when I didn’t have to do very much and finished the day feeling better about life.
July | Casper the Ginger Tom Cat | Sheena
Casper, the honorary ginger in this year’s offerings. The project deadline stopped me giving this artwork a second attempt as I feel disappointed that I didn’t quite capture the weight of his ‘now I’m comfortable’ sleeping.
August | Barry the BSH Cat | Emily
Barry, aka Cillit Bang Barry on account of his big BANG of a personality and attitude to life. Need I say more! Great story, great sass, great confidence and I love any excuse to paint some sky.
September | Brian the DMH Tabby | Jo
Gorgeous Brian, my personal favourite artwork for this year. Loved his glance, how the cushion turned out and the colour combinations. Being my favourite is sadly, rarely a good thing in terms of design popularity but I’m very content with this piece and will be sneaking him in to the range wherever I can!
October | Moustache the BSH Tuxedo | Ava
Moustache, another big character and great loving memory backstory. I do like a cat yoga pose. Makes me think we are secretly glimpsing them having a quick break from their masters of the universe responsibilities!
November | Cameo the Dilute Calico Cat | Tanya
This was more challenging than it looks, but again, I couldn’t resist those eyes and wanted to have a go at the cardboard. My mum popped in as I was half way through this artwork, commented negatively in the loving way that mums do as I hastily grabbed it, quickly saying don’t look, not finished! She’s never been a cat person so I won’t show her the finished piece but I’m happy and thankfully so is Tanya!
December | Austin the Bengal Cross Tabby | Susie
Austin is one of those saved from a previous year submissions I mentioned earlier. December was my last month to fill and I wanted a tabby to offset the black and white bias. This photo was perfect and I really enjoyed painting him. A couple of the decorations need more depth adding but the project deadline beat me, so I’ll sneak back and work on them if he becomes part of my Christmas offerings. Otherwise it’ll bug me forever!
And that ladies and gentleman is the 2027 calendar and diary search for a superstar competition over for this year. Oh but wait! We also have something brand new for 2027 in the form of a 2027 Month to View diary. This was suggested by a number of our loyal customers and being a fan of this particular format I thought I’d give it a go.
As we are partnered with Dogs Trust, to continue our fundraising efforts supporting this amazing dog welfare charity, I’ve chosen twelve of the artworks from our A Dog’s Life gift book which features fifty illustrations of Dogs Trust rescue dogs living their best lives. This pocket sized, month to view diary has lots of extras which will hopefully make it a useful, dated gift line. See what you think!
2027 Month to View Diary | Front Cover and Date Grid Layout
Internal Month Colour Page & Notes
Dotted Note Pages & Birthday Reminder Pages
All twelve monthly muses at a glance | Inside cover lining
And now I’ll definitely leave you all in peace. I’m off to finish Christmas. Can you believe I’m already late for this task. Insane!
All the very best, Anna Danielle
The whole scene with Dougie is just a dream and what a lovely caption.
I love the way the light falls on him, the measured breath, the way his curled tail balances the flow of his body. Makes me feel so relaxed. (Small hint: wouldn’t this make a great art print to buy!)
Moustache and Noddy, so funny every time I look at them.
But oh, Tigs! If you can’t have a cat, this picture is the best compensation. The warmth and radiance of him rolls out of this picture. I try to capture this in a photo with my cat, but I am never quick enough.
Now I just have to decide which to get as a calendar and which as a diary, decisions, decisions..
Madeleine, you’ve made a sensitive, world news weary soul a little lighter with your sweet message. Thank you very much!
Anna, Five Star – no, make that 10+ Star – work, as usual. I’ll be purchasing many as gifts for my army of cat and dog lover friends – so Thanks, in anticipation!!
I’ve added the calendar to my Christmas list, I’ve told my husband to get it now once I heard about Dougie. People started buying me scruffy love things because he looks just like my rescue dog ‘Polly’. Hearing of his passing made me cry 😢
Thank you for including Woody again ♥️ I’ll definitely be buying a month to view diary for everyone I know!!
My genuine pleasure, he’s so much like my brother’s dog who sadly passed two years ago. Love his little worldly wise face x