Usually, I make my Christmas cards in the summer - kind of like Christmas in July! There is no pressure then. The chaos that is the holiday season has not started and I can just enjoy the crafting of the cards.
This year, I'm not sure what happened. Maybe it was the beach, or cycling, or gardening, or just hanging out on my swing under the trees in the back yard reading a book. Whatever it was, the cards didn't happen.
I'm sure I did other crafty things (really, I craft for several hours each day, unless I'm so sick I can't get out of bed, and that doesn't happen very often). I'm sure I crocheted and cross-stitched. Heck, I'm sure I even made other non-holiday-themed cards - yes, I am very sure of this. What happened to the Christmas-card-making?
So, now, in October, 5 days away from Halloween (we haven't carved the pumpkin, my son doesn't really care what he is for Halloween so has yet to choose a costume), I have finally finished the drawing that will become our family's Christmas card this year.
In an effort at full disclosure, this was not supposed to be our Christmas card. Last week sometime, I had an idea for a drawing - lots of limb-like things coming out from a pebbled centre, surrounded by nature-type things. I know, very specific. I started drawing and I partway finished when I realized that I had no plan whatsoever for the cards. The cards I should have already made, back in July.
At that point in my drawing, I knew I had to inject some "Christmas" into this drawing, or I might have to buy some cards at WalMart this year (not that I haven't done that before). Up until this point, I had been drawing inspiration from a wonderful science textbook I have, that depicts patterns in nature. I love that book - I almost never read the text but the pictures make me want to draw.
I decided that snowflakes and holly would do the trick. Luckily, I had already been working in a green/red colour scheme (luck, or the universe trying to remind me I needed cards? Who knows.). It was quite simple to add a little snowflake who looks like he's caught in a snowdrift and a string of holly.
I guess I won't have to buy my cards this year (sorry, WalMart) as I've ordered several dozen photo prints of this drawing from Snapfish (www.snapfish.com - sign up for their newsletter and you will never pay full price for anything there) to mount onto cardstock and send out to our loved ones. Phew! Crisis averted for one more year.
Happy holiday crafting, everyone!
Current giveaway: like Monsoon Calamity on facebook to be entered into a draw for one of my encaustic paintings (your choice from my Etsy store!).
