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Monday, December 1, 2014

Christmas card weekend

We spent all day Saturday decorating the house for Christmas and writing Christmas cards. I don't want to be a Grinch, but I was definitely skimping on the decorations this year. I will be on crutches when the holiday is over, and I am NOT looking forward to hobbling around trying to take all this down! (Of course, I could always make David do it. I'm sure he's looking forward to being my slave again as it is.)

No fancy themed tree for me this year. Just the ornaments we've collected when we travel, including our newest, a retablo from Peru.
I love it.
Our Christmas cards were a bit of a project. First, I designed them.
Sketched my idea:

Painted it:

Then tried to take pictures. I just used my iphone, but with or without flash made a big difference. I let David pick which image to use.
No flash, but well-lit
Flash in a dark room
No flash in moderate lighting
Then, I ordered cards from Walgreens photo. I got a simple message and chose matte photo paper, and with a coupon code they were $19.95 for 40 cards, with free shipping!

And I think they turned out pretty well. They came out darker than the original, but I like the effect. It's kind of a weird process, I think (and it could have been weirder - if I had addd a filter on the iphone, I'm pretty sure my head would have exploded), but it worked out. That's why I like "design" better than "art" - you can break more rules!

What's your Christmas card this year?

11 comments:

  1. That looks awesome! I wish I had some talent like that! I'm sorry to hear you'll be facing the recovery period again, but hopefully it will be the last of your issues for good!

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  2. Love those cards!!! What an incredibly thoughtful and special christmas card. I'm sure your friends and family will love it!

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  3. Who knew you could run AND draw?!! What a unique card and very thoughtful!

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  4. Wow, Gracie! That's beautiful. You're just all-around talented.

    Our cards are typically whatever my husband finds on sale, though this year it'll be whatever he found on sale the last couple years when I never got around to sending cards.

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  5. Your Christmas cards a re great. A real work of art and such a special thing to send to all your loved ones. You have a real talent there.

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  6. Wow Grace, that looks great, and a great idea designing your own like that! There just appears to be no end to your talents! Ya know, I've had that same experience with our cards coming back a little darker than the original. We've ordered from Walgreen's a few times and I've noticed it more that once. I usually bump up the brightness on my electronic image before I send it and it seems to help. And if my math is correct, that's the Brown Pelican, better known as Louisiana's State bird!

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  7. That's gorgeous! So much talent. Is that indeed a pelican? Which reminds me... yes we need to send cards. :P

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  8. What a great idea! I've used toddler artwork as cards before but photographing it is brilliant.

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  9. Love the art - such a creative idea! I just pay too much on those card making websites and hope to find a coupon code.

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  10. you are super talented!!!!!

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