It’s Still a Card, Right?

Have you ever stopped to wonder what is a greeting card? Cambridge Dictionary defines a greeting card as “a piece of thick paper folded in half with a picture on the outside and a message inside, . . .” When I read that definition, I asked myself, “Is that true?”

Historically, greeting cards date back to the early Egyptians who exchanged scent bottles as symbolic presents for New Year. By the 1400s Europeans exchanged homemade Valentines and New Year cards printed using woodcuts. As time passed, greeting cards evolved to become the commercial cards we recognize today.

Christmas Art

The cards I design come out of the old tradition of creating handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces for family and friends. The more elaborate designs are Christmas cards. Named Christmas Art by a dear friend, Meriam Rosen, my cards borrow from embroidery, collage, and book-making techniques. They are inspired by historic anniversaries, vintage cards, Christmas stories, and the musical form, theme and variation. What follows are examples of cards based on these sources of inspiration.