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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Christmas Card by Phone


Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and the best holidays.


We don't send Christmas cards. We haven't for a few years. Back in the OLD days when our kids were little we would have cards made with a photo of them and send them out with a letter, not a mimeographed letter, a handwritten letter. The first year we were in Bolivia, 1974, I drew cards with pen and ink. I think I drew about 50 with a church and a llama on each one. Some were pretty good. :) The next year I found a printer that made a metal plate of my drawing and printed them with raised ink. (I don't know what that process is called) After the printing I had a wooden block with the metal cut out of my card on it. We did that for a few years. I continued the pen and ink for several years in the states, too. From Lubbock, Texas, in 1980, it was a prairie dog. Lubbock is famous for the prairie dogs.

When we moved here to Bastrop I did a water color of our house and had 8 1/2 x 11 inch color photo copies made. At that time they were $1 a piece. Pretty pricey. Probably sent over 100. It was a nice way to send out our new address and letter. I printed the letters on the computer on the copies. I did customize and write every letter I sent.

The next year, I drew the poinsettias above on the computer. I had a program called Color It and drew with the mouse. Not many realized I had drawn it as I printed them with the customized letter on nice parchment. One of Gene's sisters asked me where I got the stationary to print my letters. :(

I suppose it was in 1999 then, that we stopped sending cards. Gene started sitting down with our address book and calling everyone he could reach on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. That has turned into a great custom and that is our cards at this time in our life. So, if you want a call from Gene and talk to me, we need your telephone number. :)

P.S. To send your phone number, my e-mail link is in my complete profile. Scroll down or send to: jo at jocastilloart.com

12 comments:

"JeanneG" said...

It would be so funny if you got about a hundred or so comments with phone numbers.

Joanna said...

It's nearly impossible to call that house on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. You dial and dial and dial and all you get are busy signals. It can be daunting. Occasionally, he pauses to refill his wine glass, though, and you can sneak a call in. Heh.

Joan said...

Jo, I love the stories about all your different cards. I stopped making my own for a year or two and everyone complained. Now it's a tradition! That and making cookies, which I haven't started yet. Calling people is a nice traditon too.

Bag Blog said...

We don't do a big Christmas anymore, but I do like to send out cards.

David said...

Merry Christmas to all!!

Jo Castillo said...

Jeanne, Sadly most won't put their phone in the comments, but you/they can send your number in an e-mail to me at jo at jocastilloart.com. :) It would be fun!

Jo Castillo said...

Joanna, you know your Dad well. He got a supply of Jack Daniels today as well. Hmmmm.

Jo Castillo said...

Joan, I know what you mean about the complaining. Our complaints settled down after the calls became yearly. :) I can see why everyone wants a card from you! Thanks.

Jo Castillo said...

bag blog, Thanks. Looks like a white week before Christmas for LBB and maybe you! We will get rain it looks like.

Jo Castillo said...

David, Thanks, guess you might get some snow or at least be pretty darn cold. Brrr.

Kasie @ ~The Art of Life~ said...

I loved reading about your different card traditions Jo! I've always wanted to create a special art card but I usually just do the 4" x 8" family photo card each year.
I'm sure that your relatives and friends truly enjoy the phone calls.
:)

Jo Castillo said...

Kasie, thanks. That is what we first did. Just had cards printed with the kids or had photos made and stuck them in cards. I didn't draw them until we went to Bolivia in 1974. Of course there still had to be a photo of the kids.


About Me

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Bastrop, Texas, United States
I Grew up in a small town , Magdalena, New Mexico. I enjoy art and the pleasure other people get from my work. I always donate some of my sales and art to charities, especially for children. That started in Bolivia with Para los NiƱos. "I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colors. I rejoice with the brilliant ones and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns." -- Winston Churchill

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