A set of five handcarved linocut print cards featuring a flying snow goose with milky way stars, inspired by Germanic winter folklore. Printed on matte finish vintage deckled edge cardstock, along with five matching Kraft paper envelopes, and five FeathersandFolktales envelope seals.

COLOR: The cards are soft wedding white color, and the design is printed with Caligo safewash ink in a blue-gray color. The ink is hand-mixed so please expect slight variations.

SIZE: the cards are 4.25" x 5.5", the print is slightly smaller, and the Kraft envelopes are 4.5" x 5.75".

This comes as a set of five flat cards (print on one side, and blank on the other side), they are not folded greeting cards. Individual cards are not for sale.

This print is inspired by Germanic winter folklore where it is believed that the first flakes of snow are the feathers from Mother Goose’s featherbead as she shakes it, marking the arrival of winter. Mother Goose, also known as Frau Holle, may have been a goose herself, or may have shapeshifted between an elderly woman and a white swan or snow goose, because in some versions of the story she has a one large foot, like that of a goose, perhaps a splayed foot from pressing the treadle of her spinning wheel. Because she can appear as both a white goose and an elderly woman, she represents both maiden and crone, and her spinning wheel represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth as well as this transitional time of the year: the Winter Solstice.

The Brother’s Grimm thought Mother Goose may be a modern iteration of a more ancient pre-Christian Alpine Goddess Perchta, who is also associated with winter and weaving, and the Yuletide, an in-between and magical time between the past year and the new year. Mother Goose / Perchta lives in multiple worlds (past and present, young and old) and mediates between them.

GIFT OCCASION:
This greeting card would make a wonderful seasonal card for Christmas, Winter Solstice, Yuletide or anyone who loves nature and the magic of winter wildlife and folklore in general. Even beyond these occasions, the card would be wonderful for someone undergoing a transition to elderhood or rite-of-passage into motherhood or coming-of-age in general, because Mother Goose / Frau Holle shape shifts between a white swan and an old woman, she represents Maiden, Mother and Crone. She is also a goddess, so this card would be ideal for a woman discovering her own goddess within.

PACKAGING: This set of five cards and envelopes will be carefully packed in a recycled clear bag and shipped in a recycled Kraft paper mailer. A one-page insert including a description of the folktale is included with the cards. Learn more about this shop’s sustainable packaging choices.

Free Shipping within the USA. Ships out within 1-3 business days.

Flat rate international shipping for $35.00

Questions? Please feel free to email diemdangers@gmail.com or contact me here. you will get a response within 24 hours.

Please note* the copyright of this work is retained by the artist.