Christmas Projects

Ok, so this is a little late, but my life has been C-R-A-Z-Y the past couple of months, so forgive me :)

I had a couple of really neat projects I worked on for the Christmas season that I wanted to share with you.

This first set was an order from a real estate company on the coast that wanted personalized Christmas cards, but also something different and unique.  They were sending them to their clients who had purchased homes within this past year.  In trying to create that one-of-a-kind card, I came up with a play on their name and I think the results were pretty nifty!  Thankfully, they liked them too!  :)

 

I also had an order for birthday cards -- generic sets for ladies and guys.  Coming up with something for the ladies was easy.  Guys, you're tough!  But I finally had a light bulb for something different but "guyish."  What I like about either of these designs is how easily they could become the basis for other things:  a wedding shower invitation (from the ladies' invite) or a boy's birthday party invite (from the guys' invite), just for starters.  I even think the airplanes could be neat for a wedding invite.  Hmmm....(brain mechanics working...)  Look for that soon!  Anyhoo.....

To make these extra different, the binding for the ladies cards is a sewn edge, while a single small brad holds together the guys cards, making them "swing" open.

 

 

 

 

And last, but not least, my personal Christmas cards.  In the hustle and bustle of things, we were unable to send out our Christmas cards like we do each year, so only a select few received theirs hand delivered.  I was disappointed in this because I really liked our cards this year, but it is what it is.  Makes me look forward to next Christmas :) 

 

 

So this was my Christmas joy this year.  :) 

Until next time...

It's All in the Eye

I am a firm believer that good design, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.  It's all a matter of opinion and taste.  In school, I never caught the eye of my professors with my designs, but when I look back on my projects, they were pretty good.  I had some really good ideas and I really wonder why I ever doubted myself.  O wait, yeah, I do remember... 

See, I started looking at things through someone else's eyes.  I was given a perfectly good pair of my own, but for a time, after I spent so much of it with someone who has very powerful opinions, it's easy to start looking at things through their eyes.  But now I've had time to readjust to my own eyes, and I like what I see.  I find beauty in things that most people might not, but that's what's so awesome about it.  It's MY opinion.  And you have your own opinion on design and beauty, whether you know it or not.

I've started a notebook for myself of things I find interesting, beautiful, feel-good, captivating...things that could inspire me.  And from these things is where I find ideas for my collections of stationary I design for my own collection.  And what I've realized on this endeavor is that you may not like what I produce, but it's ok.  Because I like it and it makes me happy doing it.  And if I have learned anything from these last few months of trial & tribulation (another post in itself!), it's that happiness should be priority numero uno, whatever that entails.

So I wanted to share with you a few moments in time that I have found beautiful, and happy.  Enjoy!




Cold & foggy over the lake

Full moon in the trees



Fog & sun through the trees

Oak Alley Plantation

Full moon through a telescope

Water through a crevice

Cemetery in New Orleans

Once upon a time, someone's home

Nature growing on nature

Light through a palm

Peacock feathers, undoubtedly my fav

Somewhere over the rainbow

South Texas Christmas miracle, 2004

My wedding ceremony location

My backyard canopy

Until next time...