I have been talking a lot about Christmas and holiday graphics. As they are forming and some of them actually approved it is amazing to see how sometimes the things that are the most fun to do become the ones that get the go. Case in point. I was doing a series of card proposals using the word Peace in all sorts of languages. We had done something like that the previous year and had some success as no one could be offended. To make it even more innocuous, I used oranges, tans, greens, blues as colors...not the traditional green and red or yellow and blue. So, bland but acceptable. The client said, lets try this again, so I moved the parts around, make some patterns with the words et cetera...but it all still looked like a slightly better designed version of Unicef cards. And, the client thought so too. However, as a whimsical moment took me in the mix, I threw in one of my tree of life illustrations and put the word peace below it...quiet, but there. I figured, hey, if this thing is as universal a concept...across the spectrum of religions and it has to do with life (which my customer is in the business of), how could this offend unless of course, it is my illustration ability. And, surprisingly, this was the card that appealed to them. May not be that exact illustration, but the concept they dug. So, hey. Imagine that.

Color sketches to Vin here ready for the one/two/three.

Got cakes to make. Olive Oil Lemon to be specific>> The tribe of runners arrive at 4. Fresh salsa and chips. Loads of veggies and fruit. Lasagne and hot bread and cake. Carbs for big big boys. We should get Cranium out. And if it doesnt rain, they will be out on the back forty getting muddy and having fun.

more later>

(from my sketchbook, unedited--messing around with pomegranates and their flowers.)