Folktale Cards So I'm trying something new, and I think I ...

2026-11-02T14:45:41Z

Folktale Cards

So I'm trying something new, and I think I like where it's going.
As I've written about in previous blog posts, I have started writing my own folk tales, and creating art inspired by those stories.
I've written two and I'm developing several more. The first is called Why the Fog Comes at Night and the other is Why Trillium Lives Among the Redwoods. Trillium blooms and the fog are two ubiquitous pieces of Redwood Coast life that make up part of the culture and unique character of the area.
I've struggled with figuring out how to sell my work without having to fork over a huge amount of money to potentially pre-order books, or find an ethical print-on-demand service (which, honestly, is nigh-on to impossible nowadays). But I think I've landed on a workable solution in the short term that is fun and unique and different from anything I've seen. It combines the idea of a greeting card with the text of a story, putting both together in the same package.
It's challenging to sell prints about one's own stories without providing the story itself. It's also challenging to sell stories without making them into a book.
I'm wondering if I can split the difference, and provide a unique gift idea as well.
The thing is, I'd have purchased something like this myself given the chance. It would have depended on whether I had an affinity to the subject matter, or if it focused on a specific place or action or theme I felt a connection with. That's the thing with folktales and fairytales--there's usually a connection to a character or an element of the story that draws someone in. The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, is an interesting tale when as some say it stands as an allegory for a personal unrequited same-sex attraction of Andersen's. It might appeal to specific demographics in that case. It also has a lot of meaning for people--especially young women--who are seeking independence and the pursuit of one's dreams.
So getting them in front of the right people means that I need to make them available to my local community, for whom these pieces were primarily written. And the best way to do that is to start selling them at the upcoming holiday fairs where I'll be vending.
I also really like the size and format, because ultimately it's still a greeting card. It's just a card that has a little extra. And while it's completely blank on the inside so senders can write their own additional message, the inserted pages elevate the card into a unique gift in itself. Additionally, the card is a giclée print, so the image will last upwards of 200 years if taken care of behind glass and out of direct sunlight--longer than some photographs.
In this world of Agentic AI assistants that can find the perfect gift for you, perhaps the process of finding the gift is part of the joy of the experience. And gifting not only a card made in the region but a story about the region by an author who lives here... I think that can be really special. I'm hoping others do, too.

https://coreyartusimagery.com/blogs/musings/folktale-cards

#redwoodcoast #fogcomes #andersen #christianandersen #livesamong #little #hanschristian

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Folktale Cards So I'm trying something new, and I think I ...