---
title: Christmas is coming...
description: How Christmas Cards started my lino printing journey
image: https://clairerumsby.com/hubfs/string%20line%202019-1.jpg
---

[Skip to content](https://clairerumsby.com/en/christmas-is-coming#main-content)

[![The name Claire Rumsby in dark grey font above a dusky pink block with white writing Artist and Printmaker](https://clairerumsby.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IMG_2075.gif?width=820&height=312&name=IMG_2075.gif)](https://www.clairerumsby.com)

- [Shop](https://clairerumsby.myshopify.com/)
- [Workshops & Events](https://clairerumsby.com/workshops)
- [About](https://clairerumsby.com/about-claire-rumsby)
- [Home](https://clairerumsby.com/)

Open main navigation

Close main navigation

- [Shop](https://clairerumsby.myshopify.com/)
- [Workshops & Events](https://clairerumsby.com/workshops)
- [About](https://clairerumsby.com/about-claire-rumsby)
- [Home](https://clairerumsby.com/)
- [Contact us](mailto:hello@clairerumsby.com)

[Contact us](mailto:hello@clairerumsby.com)

 Sep 19, 2024, 11:22:16 AM

# Christmas is coming...

[Claire Rumsby](https://clairerumsby.com/en/author/claire-rumsby)

Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://clairerumsby.com/en/christmas-is-coming) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://clairerumsby.com/en/christmas-is-coming)

![Christmas Cat](https://clairerumsby.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Christmas%20Cat.jpg?width=200&height=200&name=Christmas%20Cat.jpg)

 

 Did you know my business started because of lino printed Christmas Cards so they hold a special place in my heart. Join me as I share the story of how creating a handful of lino printed Christmas cards in my kitchen for friends and family started to evolve into a full-fledged business venture just last year.

I was struggling to freelance as a surface patter designer & illustrator with the relentless search for clients and portfolio creation and was enjoying the break of carving and printing the card designs I'd done that year when I wondered if I could turn that into a business.

There were 2 differences from previous years which made me think it was feasible - the first was that I had invested in a small lever printing press which made it cleaner and quicker to print. The second was coming up with some diy drying racks which meant I no longer had to peg cards up around my kitchen on string lines meaning I could print many more in one go!

![string line 2019-1](https://clairerumsby.com/hs-fs/hubfs/string%20line%202019-1.jpg?width=1440&height=720&name=string%20line%202019-1.jpg)

The only seed of doubt I had was if I was good enough at lino carving to print high quality designs. I tested that with the first Cut Out and Keep Card - the Scandi Star -  it was much more intricate than anything I'd done before. Fast forward to this year and I've designed 21 designs across 5 ranges.

I can’t wait to show you each range and go behind the scenes from inspiration through to printing cards!

---

 

![COAK star-1](https://clairerumsby.com/hs-fs/hubfs/COAK%20star-1.jpg?width=250&height=250&name=COAK%20star-1.jpg)

 

[facebook-f icon](https://www.facebook.com/redspangles100?) [linkedin-in icon](https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-rumsby-989419212?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios) [instagram icon](https://www.instagram.com/claire.rumsby)

- Privacy Notice

---

Copyright © 2025

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Claire Rumsby",
    "url" : "https://clairerumsby.com/en/author/claire-rumsby"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2024-09-20T08:16:29.652Z",
  "datePublished" : "2024-09-19T10:22:16.000Z",
  "headline" : "Christmas is coming...",
  "image" : [ "https://clairerumsby.com/hubfs/string%20line%202019-1.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://clairerumsby.com/en/christmas-is-coming",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://clairerumsby.com/hubfs/IMG_2075.gif"
    },
    "name" : "Claire Rumsby"
  }
}
```