Since the early 1990s, I’ve made it a yearly tradition to illustrate, design and print my own holiday cards. That makes me a freak, I know, but there’s a lot of joy in thinking up new ideas and having no creative restraints. The cards end up looking individualistic, sometimes clunky, or surprisingly beautiful. I love them all.
This year was a struggle, since I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired after our horrible election season. Despite the added stress, the card design came out excellent. I thought about doing a drawing based on the famous “Twelve Days of Christmas” carol. Some inspiration came from a lovely book showcasing midcentury modern designer Alexander Girard (an anniversary gift from Christopher). Browsing the Glass Menagerie pottery on Jonathan Adler’s site crystallized the design. A rubber eraser, carved with a pear shape, completed the card.
Some of our other cards over the past 23 years are pictured below (click on each for a larger view). Happy Holidays.
The earliest, funky cards from 1993-96. The deer silhouette is a favorite.
The Santa Claus illustration from 1996 was modified into a LitKids print (and card) in 2012.
Cards from 1997 and 2003 (the year our children’s book, Mama Cat, came out).
In the 2000s, we had cards professionally printed with mixed results. Clockwise: 2007, 2008, 2015.
Christopher’s cut-paper designs graced cards in 2013 and 2014.
