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

Beginning life and living without my Mom

It’s been quite a while since I have posted anything on my blog and I want to fill you in on what’s been happening over here at Loren Fidalgo mind giggles TM.

I've wanted to write on my blog and let you know that for some reason, I am finding that I am at a total loss for words that make some sense lately.  I have not mentioned on this blog or my other blog  Loren Fidalgo Designs,  that I am mourning the loss of my beloved Mom.   She passed away on May 6th of this year. It's only been less than three months and I’m really having a hard time writing about how I feel about anything very deep or painful. I have been having a block about organizing my thoughts about this loss. I do not feel ready to write about my Mom right now, and I hope I will be sometime soon. It's as if I am stuck in this mode verbally, and I can't write about anything else and move forward, until I express my grieving and honor her life.  (I am tearing up just writing this post). I miss my Mom terribly and I want to share my story about her and my relationship with her. Her name was Marilyn and she was a very unique and extraordinary person.  Her story is a fascinating and an extremely interesting one, and one that will have you thinking deeply about your own ”life” and what exactly makes up a “life”on this earth.
 

ME, MY MOM AND MY SISTER DAWN
somewnere around 1996

So, please be patient with me while I find and navigate my way to telling Marilyn’s story. 

I Love You, Mom.