I thought this year I'd deconstruct the Blue Christmas for you.
My favorite part of the creative process is designing, which takes place far from my teeny studio. It happens on walks, or with friends, or when I'm reading. You don't always know what goes into a card when you see it, and there's no better time than today to celebrate inspiration and design.
So here are all of the parts and pieces of my Christmas card this year.
Text, for the Christmas story - the greatest story ever told.
Music - a sacred joy of Christmas, and a powerful force for happiness and hope.
Peppermint - the most iconic, graphic and beautiful treat of the year.
And of course blue, so that I could give you a little piece of my heart.
Together, just a little paper wish for joy and peace. 
I love making these cards. It's my favorite card of the year. For some of the people on my list, it's the only contact we have all year, and it's such fun to reconnect every December. I send 200 cards a year, give or take a few, so I usually start making them at Thanksgiving. Strange for a procrastinator, I know. :)
By the time I settle on a design, it has become the beginning of the holiday spirit for me each year, and it's just ... fun.
I took it apart this year so that you could see not just my deconstructed inspiration, but my deconstructed process. (Click picture for a closeup.) I added prices for all the consumables - I don't count costs for anything that isn't used up in the process.
You can see that adhesive is the most expensive part of the card, which - all in - cost 43 cents apiece.Not too much for the greatest story ever told and a little piece of my heart. :)
Merry Christmas.
Yeah, I am the first on your blog this morning !! Merry Christmas my dear friend. Loved the way you did the card in parts, especially that I have the finished one right here in my grubby little hands. Beautiful card, thanks so much. Have a great day. It is -5 celcius here this morning brrrr Hugs n' Stuff, Lynne
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Merry Christmas to you!
ReplyDeleteLydia -
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the process and elements of your creative inspiration. I love to see how artists create!
Merry Christmas
Mike
Merry Christmas! Your blogs are so inspiring and full of humor - I look forward to unwrapping them each time they appear in my in-box....a little mini-gift from a very talented and giving lady. Blessings and hugs
ReplyDeleteLydia, Merry Christmas! What a delightful story you told in the deconstruction process! daria
ReplyDeleteLydia, I am so delighted to hear the story about your beautiful card. It is my favorite that I received this year. First because it came from you, second because it is blue and came from you, third because the story is so you and it came from you. I sure hope that you are having a most wonderful christmas.
ReplyDeleteLove you my dear friend.
M
Like a candle that can light other candles without taking away from it's own flame, your heart seems to be able to give of itself in every card and yet still be whole and giving....I hope the 200 realize how lucky they are....your cards are huggable! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDelete*smile*
What a beautiful card and inspiring post. Well done to you. 200 cards ! Wow congratulations to you.
ReplyDeleteAOK
Gorgeous card Lydia, thank you so much for sending me one, and please accept my apologies for not sending any Christmas cards out this year, it has been a difficult one and I just didn't get around to it.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Lisa