IT'S TIME FOR THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN

Well, it's that time of year again and the pressure is on.  You see every year I design a unique family and friends Christmas Card, you know for my peeps.  It is always a lot of angst in the beginning phase of the design process when I don't have the slightest idea what I am going to make.  Right now... I don't know what I am going to make.  I'm drawing a blank for that special idea that will meet the expectations of my peeps!  I have been doing this annual Christmas card for at least 20 years, yes 20 years!  You can check out my last year's design in my post here and you can see the pressure I am under!!!

CHRISTMAS CASRD DESIGN 2011

Some years I've done plain ol' cards and some years I have really gone all out and created ornament and hanging mobiles.  Some of my Christmas card designs are in my etsy shop for sale right now.  Take a peek over to Dabbling Delights to have a look at the ideas I have come up with each year.

CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN 2009

Every year about this time, I begin to realize time is passing and I don't have a clue what to do.  I do a little sketching on napkins and scrap paper in hopes that the super charming idea just flows out of me, however it's not happening this year.  The problem I find myself in is that every year my peeps think it is the best I have ever done and so the following year, it has to get better than last years.  You may wonder, "why all the stress over the annual Christmas card?"  You must know, it has become a family tradition for my family and friends.  They wait for the card to come and when it gets there, they are thrilled and they call each other to see if they have received it yet.  They oooh and aaah over the little wonder that I shipped to their home.  They all say, "it's not Christmas, until Loren's card gets to my house."  Even when I don't feel that great since my Mom and Gram have passed on, I still feel compelled to keep the tradition going regardless of my own personal troubles...  So, this year's card has not been hatched yet and I'm working up some ideas in my mind as well as I've mentioned on paper.
I don't know what it is about this Christmas tradition that makes me feel so strongly that I need to create something neat and unique every year?  It's not to get the kudos from my family and friends, I already have that from them.  I guess it is because I want to share my joy with them.  I love to see their faces when they look at the design , which they put on their tree.  Yep, that's right.  They put every design on there tree each year.  It's getting kind of  filled up with the cards/ ornaments.

CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN 2005

CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN 1996

For now, I will sign off with this to you.  Stay tuned if you can because you will never know whether I make it to the end with a creation that meets the standards of my peeps. and maybe you too.  Keep checking back.