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

IN MEMORY OF OUR BELOVED FAMILY MEMBER SYDNEY A PUG

I would like to let everyone know about the love, loss and sorrow of Sydney,  Bev and Ron's (my anut and uncle)  beloved pug who passed away New Year's Day at the age of 12, and just shy of 13 years old.  Sydney passed away from congestive heart failure.

It is a painful time for all who knew Sydney and her gentle and funny spirit.  Sydney had been sick for awhile and the night before Sydney passed away she was acting somewhat peculiar.  She was having trouble breathing and could not sit or lie down so she stood for almost 24 hours.  Bev told me that Sydney passed in their arms as they weeped as she took her last breathe.  As anyone who has loved their pet so intensely can understand that this is a very emotional time for Ron and Bev as they process the loss of their beloved Sydney.  To Ron and Bev, Sydney was not just a pet, she was a baby, a family member and she will be missed as one.  They just adored her and gave her all the heart and soul they could.

I want to share the things I remember about Sydney and how she touched my life as well as others who had the joy of interacting with her.

To me Sydney was a extremely lovable and gentle soul.  She was a beautiful companion dog.  When I would go over to Ron and Bev's house or to visit my Gram, Sydney would sense that I was there and she would come barreling down the stairs to see me.  She seemed to really like me and I felt an honor to have captured her heart.  Sydney had a little snort as most pugs do and she would also grunt while she got excited jumping up onto my leg to greet me. Sydney had away about her that made her so lovable and I would so enjoy to be in her presence.  When Sydney would open her mouth to breathe she had a smile that went from ear to ear.  I was always certain that she was smiling at me!  My Gram would enjoy it when Sydney would some down to see her during the day.  She would keep her company.  She was a friend.

I don't have any animals, however, I can surely tell you that the love for this special pug was immense.  She was not just a pet to everyone.  She had a human nature that would rival any dog I have ever known.  When she was with you, you felt like she was just a bundle of love.  When she would lie in Grams TV room, she would rest her head on the curved bottom of the rocking chair and go to sleep there.  This was Sydney's funny way.

In her last years, Sydney lost her hearing and she could not see very well, but she seemed to always know who was there with her.  I am going to miss Sydney and my heart goes out to all who are grieving over the loss of her.  I will miss her her snorting, grunting and the excitement she evoked in me when I saw her.  Since my Mom passed way in May, I can only think that Sydney and my Mom will cross paths on another plane and they will feel the same joy that they have given to us all these years and they will be at peace.

Time to say goodbye...
We will miss you Syd!

Loren