The Christmas Card

My annual personal project is a Christmas card. Every year my address list seems to get a little longer and every year the card is something a little bit different from the last - and from any other greeting anyone gets in the mail. I avoid writing long paragraphs to sum up the year. Instead, I use photography and graphic design to illustrate some of the highlights.

This year, I chose to develop a 'passport of 2012.' I carefully blended the photos and places I had been together for each page and integrated a verse (James 1:16-18) into the design.

I personalized the front of the passport with some Hawaiian holiday greetings and colorful splashy cutout photos. Inside, I placed scans of the country stamps I obtained in 2012 over photo collages of special memories.

True to a passport, I rounded the corners of each little booklet and twisted a ply of yellow and red thread before tying it around the crease giving it an stitched effect along the binding.

I also made envelopes out of acid free mango (and other recycled material) paper. I pre-printed the envelopes at home to add some additional personalization and character to the card.

Some things you might not know about my cards:

• This year's production and mailing was about 225.
• I enjoy this massive undertaking because it gives me at least one time a year to think about those people who I send the cards to.
• Most of The Earth Ink's printing is done through greenerprinter.com. They use sustainable paper and ink.
• My design inspirations come from several books I have, advertisements, mailers, and ideas I see along life's way.
• The reason my production is so large is because I have networks of people all over the world.
• I send about 10% to international destinations and nearly 15% to family members.
• I have a rule that each card must ship flat for the price of first class mail.
• This year's envelope was .25" too short for International mail. Each card destined for a foreign address was tucked inside another envelope.
• The back of my card this year carries the scans of the Israeli stickers I obtained during my questioning and excessive searches in and out of the country. They will, forever be stuck on the back of my passport and are now forever plastered on 250 copies of my 2012 Christmas card.