Christmas card features a fantastical red poinsettia mandala spangled with tumbling green and gold holiday bulbs and surrounded by an original poem celebrating the poinsettia flower. The card is digitally printed using archival pigment inks on silky, bright white, acid-free paper. Folded card is 5.25" by 5.25" and comes with a beautifully made, bright white envelope. The photograph I used to create the mandala art is printed on the back of the card with the photo location and a story. The paper is super smooth, not slick, and takes gel, ballpoint, and other inks well. The card and envelope are packaged together in a plastic sleeve and mailed in a stiffened mailer. Note: orders of one or two cards are shipped USPS First Class without tracking. Larger orders are shipped via the most economical means, which usually, but not always, includes tracking.

Interior Message. May your holiday season be filled with moments to celebrate.

Framing. This card is created using high-quality archival materials, such as might be used in a museum. The print is sharp, bright, and frameable. To protect the vibrancy of the artwork, I frame using UV glass or acrylic, and I recommend it. If you use plain glass or acrylic, make sure you hang this sweet, little piece and all your beautiful art away from direct sunlight.

About the art. The digital collage on this card, titled Fantasy Poinsettia, was created from this photo of a red poinsettia taken in my home on Pleasant Hill, near Brookhaven, West Virginia. A familiar sight during the holiday season, poinsettias traditionally came in red or white. They can now be found in a range of both solid and streaked colors. Long associated with wintry Christmas scenes and displayed in foil-covered pots, the poinsettia we know as a tabletop holiday decoration started life as a small tree native to Central America and the hot, dry forests of Mexico, where it’s known as Christmas Eve Flower. Packed with green baubles and glowing with golden lights, the abstract poinsettia on the front of this card pops with the joy of a Christmas Eve celebration.

The Poem. Ember flower, glowing red; candle from which shadows fled. Winter flower, burning bright; blooming through the longest night. Christmas flower, bringing hope, for peace and love and joy’s rebirth.

~poetry and artwork created by Linda S. Gribko