Have a Happy Peaceful 2026

I love the symbolism of doves, and it is a theme I return to again and again.  For the people who are important to me, I wanted to give them a Christmas decoration which was both hopeful and peaceful. Let me share the process of how I created these little wooden doves. 

Like I say, doves are a theme I have drawn repeatedly, and I went back to a fabric design I had created a few years ago for a Spoonflower Design Challenge. I wanted to rework the image of the dove flying with an olive branch as a vector image, and then cut it out in plywood.  We are very fortunate here in Perth, Scotland, that local artists can access a laser cutter at the Perth Ideas Centre, based at the WASPS Creative Exchange.

The vector image was surprisingly easy to produce. I always enjoy the creative process - sometimes your ideas have to be winkled out of your brain, with huge effort - sometimes they just flow out no problem. This decoration was ready to go in my brain! I think it works well, as it has just the right amount of detail in the leaves and tips of the feathers which forms part of an otherwise strong, simple shape. As ever, I created the vector image on Inkscape software. I tested the shape to assess where the hole should go to ensure the final decoration hung at the correct angle.  You can see in the image above, I tested it in matboard first, then cut out 11 little doves.

The hardest part was without doubt, painting it! I used PlasticKote Twist and Spray paint, which covered the plywood well. However, we are the owner of a Patterdale Terrier, and his hairs get EVERYWHERE!!!! I would paint a coat and inevitably I'd end up picking out his hairs with tweezers! Infuriating! However, eventually, about 4 coats later, they were done. The paint needed to cure overnight. 

I was pleased with how they turned out, and they captured the image of peace I wanted to convey. If I did it again, I'd make the olive branch slightly thicker so it was more robust. However, with care, they will be endure.  Somehow their fragility reinforces the message that peace is precious and should be valued. I feel that is very much a message relevant today. Happy New Year everyone!