This card is digitally printed in my studio using archival pigment inks on silky, bright white, acid-free paper. Folded square card is 5.25" by 5.25" and comes with a beautifully made, bright white envelope. The photograph of a fancy mum I used to create this mandala art is printed on the back of the card with the photo location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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.

Framing. This pretty Christmas card is a true art card. As such, it 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 Sugar Plum Fairies, was created from this photo of a disbud mum taken at Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Garden in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Disbud mums are carefully cultivated to produce a single strong stem topped by one beautifully enormous flower. Each takes months of pruning and training to produce.

This piece is meant to evoke the magical spirit of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite. In this ballet, first performed in 1892, a wooden nutcracker comes to life on Christmas Eve to do battle with The Evil Mouse King. The Sugar Plum Fairy shows up in the second act to dance in the guise of a fairy godmother who brings a flush of magical delight to the young girl at the center of the story. The interior message, Wishing you a touch of magical delight this holiday season, is a nod to the ballet and the magical energy of the season.

~poetry and artwork created by Linda S. Gribko