Christmas in July…from the studio table

While many people are enjoying long summer evenings, the studio has quietly slipped into another season.

Yes…It's Christmas in July!

Today's newsletter is a little different. Rather than showing finished products, I thought I'd invite you behind the scenes.

Pieces of purple fabric on the cutting table with scissors being prepared for Advent clergy stoles by artist Jenny Gallo of Carrot Top Studio.

One of the questions I'm asked most often is, "How far ahead do you work?" The answer is: much farther ahead than most people imagine.

The Advent and Christmas art you see in November often begins taking shape in July.

Advent stoles are sketched while gardens are in bloom. Christmas fabrics arrive while the temperatures are still in the 90s. Ideas need time to be explored, set aside, and revisited before they become something worth sharing.

A sketch of four candles and swirls of light as Advent art by Carrot Top Studio

That's one of the hidden rhythms of being an artist and small business owner.

Cardinal and holly art is being developed one step at a time by artist Jenny Gallo of Carrot Top Studio for Christmas cards.

And because you're one of the people who faithfully read these newsletters, I'd also love to give you a first look at the 2026 Christmas card.

Many of you have loved our first Christmas card that was a cardinal and evergreens, so I've revisited that theme with fresh eyes. The new illustration (not yet finished) features a cardinal nestled among holly: a familiar symbol of Christmas hope, reimagined in a folk art style. It's been a joy to return to an old favorite and discover something new waiting there.

Thank you for being part of this newsletter community. I love sharing these early glimpses with you long before they become finished pieces.

Merry Christmas...just a little early,