Dec Exchange to Smash

Another one that has probably not arrived. I was liking this one - and then did a wretched job on the tiny street/city/state/zip - that is in black ink directly on the envelope under the white bar.

 You'd think that by now I would remember to test any pen or marker before writing on the final envelope - but you would be wrong.



I suppose I should tell the story about how these wacky December envelopes evolved. After a 4 week ordeal of travel/illness/more travel/more illness/houseguests/family obligations/sensory overload....
I seriously contemplated skipping the December exchange. Then, I came to my senses and remembered that puttering at my desk is the antidote for everything. My desk is in the guest room and there was a guest for several days - so I could only sneak in and work when the guest was off doing something. There was no time to do roughs or figure out something that was going to work. I grabbed random envelopes, a tube of gold gouache, a junky paintbrush used only for mixing, and proceeded to do the most random, wonky lettering. I figured I'd do something wacky - like painting myself into a corner - just to see how creative I could be in my effort to get out.

I could care less if anyone likes what I ended up with. I like some of them. A few are a bit weak. But (sorry - I gotta shout here) IT'S NOT THE CONTENT, IT'S THE PROCESS. And I would put some expletives in there if I were an expletiverator. I don't care if anyone agrees with me. I am committed to the concept that Kurt Vonnegut put into these words:

Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.

This is just our opinion, but we are right.