Already Time For Christmas Greeting Cards?

[fpupulin]

I know, I know… It is just mid-October, and there are still more than two months left for Christmas. But I am living in Costa Rica, and most of my Christmas greeting cards have to travel to Europe, and some as far as Australia, on the other side of the world.

Moreover, nothing is so much warm and pleasant of a greeting card received in the mail box before Christmas, and nothing so sad as a late card to remember one that the festivities are over, as the taste of a sweet already old…

So, in order to be in time, I thought it was almost time to act on this side of the planet. Or, at least, the excuse was good enough to put my pens at work.

I drew a ribbon wound in a spiral resembling a Christmas tree, culminating in a classic star, and let the ribbon slip out from the margin of the page. This would be the recto of my Christmas card, to be fold along the middle.

Inside (or the verso), I have the ribbon crossing the page from one side to the other, making a loop close to the middle. On the right I wrote my wife’s and mine greetings, and on the left I drew a fountain pen (he he he). Actually, I drew my Hemingway, because the orange color of its body is cheerful and festive, and because I simply love this pen…

I drew the ribbon with a Meisterstück 149, F nib, using Parker red ink as the main color. The Hemingway (EF) filled with MB Toffee Brown served for the shadows.

The drawing of the Hemingway pen was done with a Meisterstück 146, F nib, and an old MB Black, and the orange body dipping a 149 extra fine in my inkwell filled with some MB Gandhi (a dark saffron) ink.

The star, and the gold trim of the Hemingway were done with a Pilot G-1 gel ink rollerball pen.

For both the drawings, I used a smooth, hard surface, bleed proof, white paper for pen made by Borden & Riley (160 gr / 108 lb). Then I scanned both drawings and retouched the resulting images in Photoshop to reduce the texture of the paper to a minimum.

With my inkjet printer, I printed the recto and verso drawings on the two faces of a single, heavy weight leaf in ivory color. I can not be more specific about the printing paper, as I bought it here locally already cut in letter size, and the package bore no specific indications. I guess it must be some 150–180 gr, with a fine horizontal texture.

The envelops were apparently made with the same kind of paper, but lighter (80-100 gr). I wrote the addresses with a Meisterstück 149 fitted with a BB nib, and the finer text with the Hemingway, both filled with Toffee brown.

If some of you would be interested in printing the card for his own Christmas use, I made a printable PDF with the recto and 2 versions of the verso (with and without any text), which can be downloaded at:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18928376/Merry%20Christmas.pdf

[Tasmith]

Wow! Very nice!

[oregano]

Stunning design! I wish I was on your greeting card list

[A1979]

Very, very nice. I admire your commitment: my "Christmas Greeting Cards" are usually sent via Whatsapp a couple of days before Christmas.

[Opooh]

Marvellous cards, congrats.

[Chu0009]

simply stunning !

[KJY]

I understand why you have to write/draw the cards at least two months before X-mas.

What a work, but very nice heartwarming feeling for the receiver of those handmade cards.

[bmwboris]

Wow- gorgeous work!!!!!

 

I would so love and appreciate receiving a card like this

 

Well done

[DBQMary]

Your cards are beautiful. I am sure the recipients will treasure them. I know I would enjoy one.

 

I still send cards, although not of my own design.

[jebib111]

Greeting Card? I'd like that Hemingway!

[Toll]

Your work is stunning -- clearly a labor of love -- thanks for sharing this!

[LeonW]

Wow, and thanks for sharing.

[Telebooger]

Not only are the cards beautiful and unique, but will make the receivers feel very special.

[Laurel]

There is nothing as treasured as a hand drawn and handwritten card, I can only imagine how blessed each family feels as they open this card from your family - thank you for sharing this gift with us.

 

I really love your handwriting style! Anytime you want to add me to your list of pen pals feel free!

 

Thank you again for sharing your beautiful art with us and the PDF.

 

Laurel

[_Stormin_]

Those are simply stunning. I've never received something quite that nice for a Christmas card.

[fpupulin]

Sorry for reviving the thread, but I forgot to tell you how great and pleasant a surprise I had at the mail office when I sent my Christmas cards.

 

To reach the amount of postage stamps required for sending the cards, they gave me two stamps for each envelop. One portrayed a sculpture of the internationally recognized Costa Rica artist, Jiménez Deredia, and the other was a stamp showing a Costa Rican orchid flower. Well, not just a Costa Rican orchid, but a set of ten different Costa Rican orchids printed by the national Postal Service using some of my photographs!

 

I work as a professor and botany researcher with the University of Costa Rica, and some time ago I lent to the national Postal Service ten photographs of some of the most charismatic and rare or endangered orchids among the 1600 species that live in the country.

 

So, the envelops of my Christmas cards were doubly personalized this year, with both my handwriting and one of my own photographs!

 

 

[Pen Nut]

We are not worthy...........

 

Well done on both your penmanship and having your very own stamps !

[zaddick]

That is a fantastic update. A merry Christmas indeed! Congratulations.

[pelman]

Beautiful as usual. Stunning card and congratulations on your very own stamps. I would love to receive such a wonderful card either early or late. Happy holidays to you and your family.

Edited November 16, 2014 by pelman

[karmakoda]

Beautiful, meaningful, and so treasured,

 

Thank You, this has powerfully reminded me of the magical Christmas Spirit. Best Wishes!