Oh, Mom...

Every year my mom asks me to design a Christmas card for her to give to her friends, co-workers, and family members. She usually gives me a quote that she wants the card to include, and that is a good jumping-off point for me as far as what I need to be designing. It can be tricky getting it just right. I want to give my mother what she truly wants in her card design. I want this for anyone who asks for me to take on a project for them, but my mom is my mom, and I guess there's this little thing with me only wanting the absolute best for her. So I get picky with myself, too, and I allow as many revisions as necessary. No matter how many masterpieces I create, I want to give her the perfect card.


One thing I love about my mom's card requests is that she insists the cards never include anything about Christmas, in general. Instead, she wants her card to be "seasonal," or "holiday," not religious at all, non-denominational, and include a universal message and appeal. It's something that really makes me appreciate my mother's acceptance and openness of other people. Anyone can appreciate something about peacefulness or stillness in the winter time or the way a person's internal light can beam onto other people (no matter how a person interprets that "light.")


This year the theme is peace. It's somewhat cliche, but I am feeling like the bird/dove image may just be the way to go. A lot of women will be receiving the card (men too, but mostly the ladies), and I know a whole slew of ladies who love birds. They're pretty, elegant, whimsical, magical even. So I am trying for the peaceful bird, with a modern "me" spin on it. I didn't give her the quote she suggested, but this can be changed if she absolutely cannot live without the quote that she originally gave me to go on. It was fate that I happened upon the quote I used, and it came at the perfect time, just as I needed to dive more deeply into the design.


"Peace is joy at rest. Joy is peace on its feet." ~ Anne Tammel

This is what I came up with for an idea for my mother. I don't know what it is about the thing, though... because it just feels like something is wrong, missing, or off-kilter just a bit. I have played with colors and shades and tones and texture. I have messed with symmetry and backdrop. I am worried there is too much aqua/teal color in there that it just tips the pot into overkill. I can't seem to put my finger on it, though, and do want to get my mother's take on it first, before making any drastic revisions.

Being that we're in different time zones, I'm not sure when she'll get around to it, but hopefully it's soon. There are other pressing projects I want to move forward with, but the nearness of this one to my family thread makes it feel bigger and more important than some items on my to-do list. 

We shall see! 

I'll do my best to keep you posted.