Did you send a holiday greeting that is posted in a public space online?
Leave a link to your greeting in a comment with some words that will entice us to visit and take a look.
Share any resources you have such as printers, special papers, and envelope companies.
My Cards
My holiday greetings (always New Year’s for me – always snail mail) feature the art of Ellen Soffer.
They were printed at PS Print on 13 lb. recycled matte cover and have an interior message.
Thanks to Leah Virsik for sending me a postcard of her work – I fell in love with the paper it was printed on and asked her for details.)
I ordered “Blu Raspberry” and “Razzle Berry” Pop-Tone envelopes from Envelope Mall.
The backs have complete credit lines in large enough letters to actually read!
Your turn.
57 thoughts on “Get a Free Link by Giving Us a Peek at Your Holiday Greeting”
I did a new video – Peaceful Beauty – released on Solstice morning – it’s on my blog at
http://hankinslawrenceimages.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/peaceful-beauty-my-holiday-gift-for-you/
This year I made a blog post http://pocketfullofcolors.blogspot.com/ and I individually emailed this image http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdRsmIAuVF8/TvFPAXQL1gI/AAAAAAAAEAY/l36owQnVFWE/s1600/Black+bird+Christmas+tiles.jpg
SendOutCards is a great tool! https://www.sendoutcards.com/60264/ that I use throughout the year for both personal and business.
You can upload your images, create a card campaign in your contact list, and they will print it, send it and you can add a gift if needed. This year we (my cousin and author, I am the illustrator) created a 3 panel greeting card for our children’s book Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: when someone you love has cancer… a hopeful, helpful book for kids for our list.
For my studio art and personally, I have a blog post. http://nancihersh.blogspot.com/2011/12/on-edge-this-season.html
Have a joyful holiday everyone, and thank you Alyson for a great idea, and all that you do to empower others!
I used this image on our mailed cards and also in a Happy Holidays newsletter. This painting wasn’t done with Christmas in mind, but it definitely gives a nod to the season.
http://www.caseycraig.com/longhorn_with_evening_star.htm
Happy Holidays to you Alyson!
Here’s my holiday greeting post. My Angel who appeared outside my window one year.
http://scrap-bags.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-angel.html
Happiest Of Holidays!
Jamie Kalvestran
I also send New Year’s cards snail mail. I am using this image on my card this year: https://www.facebook.com/Doraficherart . This image started out as a Hanukkah ink drawing / painting. I was very happy with it so I added a Peace quote and a Christmas tree and will now use it as my card and the December page on my Calendar. I get everything printed at Modern Postcard: http://www.modernpostcard.com/ I love their quality, I can get square cards and a square calendar. I am getting 50 calendars printed out to send to folks who collect my art, my family and Alyson of course who as we all know is very special. This year I made my calendar from my Ink drawings (doodles)…a different one for each month. Each page also has a quote. Modern postcard will make them 8×8. I love square these days. And….for fun…Heidi (my partner) & I also made a funny video where we just put our faces on… to email out because we needed a good laugh. Here is the video: http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/0PZS6VIBhVcMPEBx?cmpid=jj_fb_self_holidays.
Happy Holidays to Alyson and everyone.
My greeting at http://weeklyartlesson.com is somewhat of a mea culpa because I was suddenly feeling so meditative that I didn’t want to post a “real” lesson. But the greeting card is sincere: I wish everyone of my readers a year of light and love! You too Alison – joy to you and all those you love this season.
Thanks to your advice Alyson, I hand-wrote 100 postcards using this image https://secure.vistaprint.ca/vp/ns/sign_in.aspx?pf_id=203 (called Always on my Mind). VistaPrint was quick to deliver and I created the postcard with my contact info on the back. For those who live in my area I mentioned that my work (including this piece) will be showing at our local theatre for the first six months of 2012.
Here is also my last blog post of 2011:
http://saramorison.posterous.com/thank-you-for-a-great-2011
Have a happy holiday and thanks for all your great help!
Sara
I have not had time to do cards in several years, but even so, I am hoping to send out a card featuring my art that I am still working on. I will be printing them out on my Epson printer onto printer greeting card stock. If time permits I will be painting individual cards for certain people. I hope to get cards out for the New Year. Given that the art is not finished, it isn’t anywhere on the internet. Besides, even if it was finished I wouldn’t put it up until I had sent out the cards. It’s more of a surprise that way.
Cheers and Happy Solstice everyone!
We created a holiday video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObdKNX8WOoM We emailed the video to our clients and posted it on youtube. Happy Holidays!
Santa Clause plays a big part in Christmas HO HO HO! Enjoy the look of fur around Santa’s hat and tassel. I sketched each card then painted with watercolor. I signed my name on the back of the card.
Christmas Palette was sketched and outlined with a black Sharpie. Check out the brush holding the palette and dripping red paint.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Barbara
Our family sends valentines, not holiday cards, but here’s what I posted today…my paintings are done in gouache resist.
http://kierendutcher.blogspot.com/2011/12/light-in-darkness.html
Kieren: Valentines are great! I’m sure they stand out better. And I love your painting. Thank you for sharing.
My holiday greeting this year is a list of ideas for Santa to give the artist on their list:
http://skartz.blogspot.com/2011/12/santa-is-looking-for-just-right-giftfor.html
Add to it if you’d like!
Patty: I was going to add “balance” to your list, but your blog doesn’t allow for non-Blogger comments and I like to leave my own URL with my comments. That’s a setting you might want to change. Thank you for sharing your list. I just tweeted it.
Yipes, that explains a few things…
Thanks, I’ll get it fixed asap!! Happy Holidays Alyson, and thanks so much for your support for working artists!
My daughter illustrated our card this year! 🙂 Dana Evans
What was it, Dana?
Love the two samples!!!
This year at the Gallery B we sent out Holiday Giraffe postcards by New Orleans artist Ally Burguieres. You can see the front and backs on our “Fun Gifts” page!
http://www.galleryburguieres.com/fun-gifts.html
Thanks!!
So curious as to WHY giraffes? Because they are unexpected?
Seems like I received a giraffe greeting from someone else. Maybe something is in the air!
I create a holiday card every year, a tradition going back over twenty years, This year’s card can be seen at http://www.bsiw.us/plogger/?level=picture&id=327
I love it, Michael! How is it printed? Or is it email?
I used to send hand made cards for years, following a tradition started by my artist aunt. It eventually became too big and postage costs huge as my list grew. For the past few years I have sent a photograph of a recent painting to personal friends and collectors with my good wishes.
This year I have added greetings to a cropped painting and posted this on my blog and Facebook.
http://carolleebeckx.blogspot.com/2011/12/seasons-greetings.html
Here is a link to my holiday greeting. It has to do with an 19th century murder and the “bird man of alcatraz”. They are printed on found paper cut to the perfect 4″ x 6″ and used a hand proofer for the text, handmade rubber stamps and a digital copy of an 18th century engraving. I sent them as postcards, with a link to the site if anyone was interested in the strange combinations. Thanks for taking a look.
http://thewrenandthemistletoe.com/
Patricia: I’m a sucker for everything letterpress. But you turned your letterpress into something easier to print for the greeting, yes?
And now we have to know how a murder became the subject of a holiday greeting. 😉
Although I did not create a conventional holiday greeting card — I was asked to decorate my own, unique Christmas tree by a corporate contact and I used this as a platform for a blog post and a “Happy Holidays” newsletter.
Here is the link – http://lisapenz.com/blog/2011/12/oh-christmas-treat/
Really nice, Lisa! I’d love to see the whole tree.
i’ve been looking for a good recycled stationary company. you just answered my question! now i will go and finally make cards of my own. thanks!
Betty: I’m not sure they have all recycled stuff. Did you find it there? On Envelope Mall?
I made xmas cards and a xmas tree, photos of both are included in a xmas message on my blog….I hope you have a peek!
my cards this year are collaged from copies of my vintage stash of fabrics and wallpapers … see them here >>> http://www.redbubble.com/people/fynearts13
i have been greatly influenced in my reading of fabric artists, quilters, dyers, etc … >> Gina
I sent a holiday thank you to my personal e-mail list and on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=2526209357432&set=a.1139873419900.2023365.1319365702&type=1&theater
The picture I used in my holiday e-mail is a watercolor I painted called “Birch Reverie”. The original is for sale now at a local pop-up gallery in Winooski, Vt.
Here is the link: http://winooskiwelcomecenter.com/market/
The pop-up gallery has been successful this year and is expertly organized by kasini house.
Here is the link: http://artmapburlington.com/
I composed my e-mail using Microsoft Publisher and saved it as an html file for my e-mail. I also saved it as a .jpg and this was used for the Facebook import. I’m happy with the way the picture looks on the screen.
My Pandy Claws Holiday greeting can be seen at
http://yourbrainonpandas.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/happy-panda-days/
Thank you for all your words of encouragement and inspiration. With your help I’m hopeful that I can get my art career out of the doldrums!
Be the Bear.
I did a blogpost, an email and blurbs on both Facebook and Twitter accounts referring back to my blog featuring one of my newest paintings called “City Celebration”
http://comingabstractions.blogspot.com/2011/12/happy-holidays-to-all.html
Happy Holidays everyone!! Here’s to a successful and wonderful New Year!
I painted a snow scene of my crepe myrtles on a 6″ x 6″ square canvas panel. I realized later that I wanted to make into a 6 ” x 4″ Christmas card. I stretched the image in photo shop to get the look I wanted. I sent it to Vista Print and added a greeting on the inside. A week later I started addressing my Christmas cards to friends and family.
Last year during the Christmas snowstorm I took this photo. This year I had it reproduced and sent it snail mail. It’s on my fb page and blog too. Happy Holidays!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150482772228139&set=a.260187363138.143878.94421108138&type=1&theater
I created a Christmas Card and a postcard, as well as a blog post
http://kim-werfel.blogspot.com/2011/12/merry-christmas-happy-new-year.html?spref=fb
that I sent out on my personal and private fb pages.
This pastel painting of a buck in bold colors is called “fire and ice” due to the treatment of the background. It was an experimental painting that I’m very pleased with….wasn’t intentionally done as a Christmas Card, but seemed to fit perfectly, a happy accident, so there you go!
Would not have done any of this without all your help and encouragement this year. Thank you for all you do Alyson, and have a fabulous 2012!
Merry Christmas!
Hi Alyson! I hope you have a festive holiday! What a fun blog posting. I’m having fun looking at the ideas and comments left by everyone; such a creative community. I posted a kitty, (well KittyKlaus) to my blog (http://dancingclouds.com/?p=964). I’m emailing the image to my family and friends just for fun. I’m also doing a New Year’s Mailing. But, this one I’ll do with a different image and send it out snail mail to my contact list. It’s fun. And, thank you! Happy 2012!
Being an abstract artist I often find choosing a suitable image tricky. But I thought this one worked!
http://cathyreadart.com/2011/12/christmas-wishes/
Happy Christmas to you Alyson and all at Artbizblog and hope your New Year is amazing!
Thank you for all the helpful advice which I am trying to put into practice, honest!
Cathy: That’s perfect. And you can see that I chose abstract, too. Of course, mine are New Year’s greetings, so that helps. I think abstract is a nice twist.
Thank you Alyson! I love a good abstract! Cathy
I wanted to draw a critter sleeping all cuddly in their home — this came out:
http://annameasures.com/2011/12/24/merry-christmas/
I did it fast in photoshop, which is good practice for me 🙂
it’s on my blog and I linked it to my facebook page, sent it out to the twitter-verse and emailed it individually to clients, fam + friends.
Thanks everyone for sharing their Holiday Greetings~ Merry Christmas!!
2012 is going to be great, I can feel it 🙂
I certainly did do this Alyson. I posted a short blog about the reason why I painted it and a bit of the history as well.
Hope you’re having a great holiday as well!
http://www.aaronbmiller.com/god-jul/
That’s a great story, Aaron! I was going to leave a note, but I didn’t want to leave my FB login there. Is that the only way to comment on your blog?
yeah, second time that’s come up. I thought it would be a welcome preference. But I guess not. Thankfully an easy change with WordPress.
This is my online Christmas Card to my fellow artists and friends on fineartamerica.com.
I have such good friends on the website.
Charlie
My online holiday post features images of handmade ornaments this year.
It’s been several years since I’ve sent snail-mail greetings… thanks for the nudge, Alyson!
(Chinese New Year’s cards are about my speed…)
Is a chance to win my original pastel painting, Christmas Reds, enticement enough to subscribe to my first ever e-newsletter, Alyson?
Facebook post https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1388565309, and
website http://carolynhancock.com
Bought I’d rather be in the studio a year ago. Now embarking on Action 8! Thank you.
Carolyn: Good work! And a lovely, lovely painting.
Thanks, Alyson. Looked at lots of my photos for a Christmas image before realizing that the live poinsettia right in front of me was the perfect one! Appreciate the compliment.
My greeting is JOY in 11 languages. Wish I could add the image to this! (The images is on my FB page)
Love getting your emails Alyson.
Norma: It would be great if you could share the direct link to your page – IF it’s a public page and not your profile.
Digital Art Card I will be sending out via email for New Years (the snail mail card isn’t finished yet) is here on my fb Page:
https://www.facebook.com/SilverDragonPatriciaCVener
I did my card a bit last minute before having my baby in October. I did a blog post with some work in progress photos of my Christmas card image: http://capappasart.com/2011/11/07/a-dahlia-for-christmas/. I had them printed by Moo, and was pleased with the quality.
This year I sent out greetings via my other love- the gift of music. I’m a visually impaired artist and aspiring singer, and for a while put out a little podcast called Eclectica. So to greet my FB page’s visitors and wish them happy holidays, I shared my podcast’s holiday episode. 🙂 That way they could browse my art, surf the web, and just ring in the holidays with a fabulous, merry new soundtrack. 🙂
Here’s my holiday card this year. “Winter in woods”, scratch board. Enjoy
http://lisasart.com/blog/?p=716
Lisa G.