Christmas Card 2023 part 4

 Over the weekend I did a few things. One was that I ordered ink and paper from various online sources.  In the old days I used to order them from the same place, but that business, like so many other places that sold art supplies, is gone now.  I also finished the block drawing for my card, both on my block, and on paper.  I find that my mirror in the Studio is better than what I have at home, so sometimes it's easier to draw it as it looks on paper, and then look at it in a mirror there. Next step was to cut the thing, and that's best done in the Studio. Took care of that today, bringing all my tools and the block and my paper drawing to the Studio. Redrew the face on what will be Santa on paper at home, copied from a computer as I don't have the books anymore, then used the hand held mirror I had in the Studio to improve it.  Then I began the cutting.  

Ideally I'd have some Christmas music to listen to as I did this, but like all my books, the discs I had are all in storage and not currently accessible.  So I went with something related, a disc my friend Doug sent me a few years ago, something from a series called Mod Jazz.  I wrote about this on this blog back in December of 2021 if you want to know more.  What I had remembered was that he sent it to me around Christmas, so while none of the songs on this compilation album were Christmas themed. I do associate it with the holidays.  The length did correspond with the time it took me to cut the block, so it all worked out.

Since I do keep the image a secret until December 25th, I can't show the work I did on the block today, but I can show you the wood shavings that came off it.  But the card is small, so I was able to get the cutting all done in one session.  

And as a bonus, I got a big package on the porch today, the paper I ordered. Wasn't expecting it until the end of the week.  Mailed flat in a custom made cardboard box, which I will serve as a way to carry and store the paper.  I opened it to to make sure I had been sent what I had ordered, and I had, so now I just have wait for the ink to see what I have.  At least I should have something to post here in a few weeks, and maybe I'll get some out before the holidays.