TIME FOR 2013 ANNUAL FAMILY AND FRIENDS CHRISTMAS CARD DESIGN

   MYSELF CUTTING CHRISTMAS CARDS IN 2011  LITTLE
   PAPERS WERE EVERY WHERE. I WAS SO BUSY CUTTING, I DIDN'T 
  HAVE TIME TO CHANGE MY SNEAKS INTO SOMETHING MORE
 'GLAMOROUS' FOR THE PERFECT PHOTO!

      'SNOWMEN ARE REAL COOL DUDES!'  
(inside) SO, YOU BE A COOL DUDE ,TOO!    2007
(c) Loren Fidalgo 2007

Oh my gosh... holy cow....Oh, boy..... Yippee...Yowza... I can hardly believe that it is that time of year again for the Annual Friends and Family Christmas Card Design 2013.
Each year I create a new Christmas Card Design, totally handmade. You can read more about it here and here and here.  Each year it gets harder and harder to create something that is unique and innovative and one that I can create solely by hand. I stress and worry over this project each year.  I ask myself, "can I come up with a 'winning design'. Can it out do last years? Will it have the delight it always has. Will it have my signature style and charm?"  I have to say that each year I brainstorm inside this quirky brain of mine and I feel as if I ultimately try to pull the rabbit out of the hat.  I am never confident, never arrogant, never under estimate my card receivers.  They expect the best.  They remember all the years designs gone by, all those designs hanging on their trees and all that gives them the 'MIND GIGGLE when they receive it in the mail and then they take it out of the envelope.' They remember...  I have my work cut out for me.  Printing, folding, scoring, coloring, cutting, gluing, punching are just some of what goes into creating my handmade card designs.  Pop-ups, swinging and hanging, mobiles,  rubberstamped designs, tree ornaments, and paper punched are just some of what will have followed this years' design.  I have to 'hunker down' for a couple of days in my creative isolation zone and go to town constructing these little wonders of joy for the people who are most important to me.

    'Dear Santa, We have been really good this yearr so, please send 
some hope, love and joy!  If not...  (inside) Just send Cash!'
(c) Loren Fidalgo 2012

   'This Season, Let's Celebrate... (inside)  World Peace.  Happy Holidays.
(c)  Loren Fidalgo 1996

I've made some pretty interesting card designs and I have to say it takes some time to create each one.  If you are on the list, you can be sure you will receive this years 2013 card design.  Every year I say that I am not going to be able to make the card. I either don't feel I have the time and energy, my mood is low (winter blues) or I am just not into the holiday spirit.  Then I think of all the people who will wait for this card to arrive each year and signal that indeed it is the beginning of the Christmas season.  I have to ask myself, "Would Santa get out of not delivering the presents on Christmas Eve because he is too tired or just doesn't feel 'in the mood'?"  Absolutely not, so here goes." Do I have a design idea for this year yet?'  I am happy to say ,"I am almost ready to start the marathon cutting session!" Follow along as I try to chronicle the evolution of this years design with sketches and photos of the design.   You can also read more about ths project on my painting blog here.

Cheers,
Loren

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON

The first assignment is almost here for the Global Talent Search sponsored by Lilla Rogers Studio and I am so excited I can hardly contain my enthusiasm.  The anticipation is killing me!  I have been thinking over and over what the assignment could be and the answer eludes me.  I was thinking that it might be designing a party ensemble such as plate, napkin, cup, centerpiece, invites and gift bags. Oh, how cool would that be? But how do I know what will be the assignment for the contest?  I think trying to solve the question quells my anticipation.  I love to bounce ideas around and while I am painting, it's like a game to ponder the possibilities.
I think about all the talented artists that have signed up for this contest. and I wonder where I fall amongst them?  There is no way to know what plan they are hatching in the Lilla Rogers Studio, so I realize that it is endless trying to figure out what that will be.  But for me, for some reason, it's fun!  It's fun to contemplate all the different scenarios and wonder what the assignment will be.
For now, I will be shuffling around all the ideas in my mind and hope that one of the ideas I think of is the chosen assignment. That would be really cool?
Stay tuned...

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

I have some news to let you in on.  A couple of days ago, I signed up to participate in a contest called the 'Global Talent Search'. It is being sponsored by Lilla Rogers Studio.  (you have to checkout her website www.lillarogers.com  It is very 'cool'). The contest is for one chosen artist to receive 2 years of representation from Lilla Rogers Studio and a whole bunch of art licensing deals.

Although I am feeling a Iittle bit nervous...I know this is a great opportunity that I definitely want to be a part of because the potential is huge.  I am filled with so many emotions ranging from joy, exhilaration to anticipation. I am a little anxious to get started. Only one talented artist will be chosen, so the stakes are high.

Along the way, pursuing licensing has been challenging for me.  Many times I have wanted to throw in the towel but something bigger than me has kept me pursuing my dreams.  Perhaps fate has brought me to this potential opportunity. I have learned to never give up even though things do not look promising.  Never take no for an answer, even if other s are not in my corner. I am learning to hold tight to my dreams and somehow, someway my destiny will reveal itself to me.  I think that licensing is the path I was meant to take.  For some reason, my destiny has led me to this fantastic potential opportunity.  It would be a dream to be represented by Lilla Rogers Studio.

I have to ask myself, "Do I have the talent? Is this the right fit?" All I know is that I am excited for the chance and I am ready to let my creative energies do what they do best.  Create!!
 
Follow along with me as I journal my day to day experiences and the process of creating new art for this contest.  I am sure it will be fascinating to go through the creative and emotional ups and downs that it will take to make this dream a reality  I will be linking my blog posts to my painting blog, so you are sure to not miss anything.  Stay tuned!
Cheers,
Loren