Variations On A Theme

I'm not the first person to observe that the whole of man's creative endeavors can be described as variations around a small set of themes. In literature, music, painting, and photography, as well as the vast disciplines of science and mathematics, new ideas are rarely new. The most potent, interesting advances usually come by taking an idea that works, and shifting it, subtly and cleverly, in a slightly different direction.

So it is with my adventures in paper. 

Riffing off my basic birthday banner, an idea that definitely works for me, I've challenged myself to create variations suited for specific people, places and events. 

This garland is a perfect example.

I was sending a birthday gift to my friend, Jurie, on the other side of the planet. Every square inch counts in an international mailer, so I didn't want to waste space by sending the oversize box in which his Star Wars LEGO kit was packaged. But on the other hand, I hated to throw out all those cute little shots of the Stormtroopers, not to mention R2D2.

Thus, from the cradle of desperation was an idea born. Cut the box up into rectangles for a birthday garland. Use clean, white card stock letters to spell out the message, and string it all together with some low-tech twine. 

Just one of limitless variations on my birthday banner theme.