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

ABOUT NOTHING BEATS GIVING

I just have to share these photos of some decoupage collage Christmas ornaments that I made for my friend Donna.  They are such little gems and they look so sweet together.  Donna loves pink so I really took it up a notch and used mostly pink with a little bit of green.  They look so cute hanging on her tree.  I just love the colors and I think these are my favorites of all the designs I made this season and listed in my shop Dabbling Delights.

These ornaments hang so nicely from a ribbon and they have a pretty ribbon tied in a bow.  so, so cute...

I really enjoyed making these for my friend.  It's such a joy to give something I made to my friends and family.  Nothing beats giving!  I just love to see the excitement on my getters face that just lights up when they see their gift.  Donna loved her Christmas ornaments and I know she really appreciated the time and effort I put into these little gems...  That makes it all worthwhile...

If you have a moment click on over to my shop Dabbling Delights and take a look at the other designs that I have created.  It's worth the time to have a peek at them!

Cheers and sweetness,

Loren

P.S.  My Annual Christmas Card Design will be featured soon.  Every year for the last say 15 years I have been making a one of a kind Christmas card for my friends and family.  Each year they wait anxiously to see what I have been frantically working on.   I will be posting this year's design on this blog when I have completed the 30, yes 30 handmade cards.   Once they are in the mail to my family and friends, I will post the design.

Keep a look out for the awesome 2011 Annual Christmas Card!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

NEW COLLAGE CHRISTMAS BALLS FEATURED

They are finally done!  I haven't been posting any products on this blog, however, I just had to show you these little gems.   These are awesome Christmas balls that I just listed on etsy today.  I am just in love with them!  They are decoupage and collage over acrylic balls.  Each one is made with patteren paper and then embellished with paper punches.  Each ball is adorned with a beautiful coordinating ribbon.  There is also a stain ribbon for hanging.

If you are in need of a gift for the holidays an ornament is a great inexpensive gift.  Each ball is 2 1/2 inches wide.  They are $10.00 each and they will surely make an inexpensive present. There are quite a few patterns and colors to choose from and I can also do special orders for changes in color.  Get them while you can because there is a short amount of time before the tree goes up and it is decorated!

Take a peek on etsy for all the color selections and patterns.  Let me know what you think of these little gems?

Love and sweetness,

Loren