On Other Days ... There's the Jewelry

The beginnings of a sterling silver spoon bracelet.

And the set sold before I was done the second earring. Now that is a confidence booster!

Peace amidst the chaos ... and the "key to figure it all out .. if only it were this easy!

The matching earrings may look large ... they aren't ... about 1 3/8 inch drop from ear insertion to bottom ... sterling earwires.

Pretty spring/Easter colors ... all costume parts, beaded/looped.

SOLD!

Waren ... The Timekeeper Elf

Waren was made as a tryout piece for my 1st set of sculpted hands. He turned out to be very satisfying to me and to the customer who bought him. He is 22 inches overall and made entirely of "found" items except for my sculpting compound which is always purchased "fresh"
He presently resides just outside Ottawa Canada

His rocker accompanied him ... he just couldn't be without it! As the timekeeper {Santa's special elf who keeps the toyline running smoothly and all the other elves organized in their duties] Waren has earned his place and wears it well, don't you think? His walking stick is fashioned from a beautiful piece of elderberry treeroot! His lantern is a must have in the elfin world as electricity is just not used. SMILE!!

A Few Other Santas Who Have Found "Homes"

All Dressed Up for Christmas Eve

Father Christmas's boots are handmade as is almost every item that goes into these creations. His sack of toys is an amazing place for curious adults to browse. Each creation is slightly different and "socks" reflect the number of family members - if known.




Southwest Santa
Handsculpted face, handmade high, laced, leather boots. Curly wool beard and Hair .... all handapplied! Family owned.


 A Victorian Father Christmas

Complete with knee high handmade, laced leather boots, supported by a NovaScotia maple "staff", tapestry sack, filled with all sorts of vintage styled toys.

He is carrying a muslin ragdoll for
little Cindy and has all her family's stockings hanging from his
bag. Handsculpted {sculpey} face and combed wool beard SOLD

Commissioned "Old Man Of the Sea"
 

European styled Father Christmas ...... details private at request of the
owner


Commissioned "Santa Rests" - to protect you from drafts

... ragdoll type Santa, trimmed in wonderful vintage mink, with combed
wool hair and beard. All other details private at request of the
owner. Last 2 pictures included with kind permission. SOLD

Father Christmas, Santa, Pere Noel

Santa is called so many things worldwide. Here are some of the ones I have tracked down:
England – Father Christmas
Finland – Joulupukki (Old Man Christmas)
France – Pere Noel
Germany – Weihnachtsmann (Christmas Man), Nikolaus
Hawaii Kanakaloka
Netherland – Kerstman
Iceland – Jolasveinn
Italy – Babbo Natale
Japan – Santa Kurousu, Hoteiosho (a god or priest who bears gifts)
Mexico – San Nicolas, Santa
Norway – Julenissen (Christmas gnome)
Poland -Swiety Mikolaj (St. Nicholas)
Russia -Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost)
Spain – Papa Noel
Sweden – Jultomten (Christmas brownie)
Switzerland – Saint Nicholas, Chriskind
Interesting I think ... but obviously Santa is recognized, if not revered in so many countries, languages and cultures.
I pay my respects to Santa [Father Christmas] with a sculpture, usually turning into a small vignette before I'm done.
I will let my pictures do most of the work for this one. Again ... all "found" materials except my sculpting materials. These stand 20 - 25 inches when complete.
This is my work from 2008 [Sold]

All my Father Christmases carry a tree ... ready to pop up if mom and dad have been too busy to get one ready! Anyone remember the days when everything came on Christmas Eve?? Tree and all ........ phew!! I do!
We know that Santas carry lots of toys for good girls and boys. My Santas also carry a piece of coal ;-) for the other kinds! People seem to get a real charge out of that!

Santa MUST have high boots to get through all that snow and ice and in warmer climes, to protect him from such things as snake bites. These are completely handmade.

Will post other pictures as I can. Hope this brings a smile to a face or two today. Be kind to each other ... there's always someone waiting to add to your bag of rocks ... others carry theirs too!

Some of the Teds

I almost put the teds on first ... as they were my first real expression of my artist soul. Lofty isn't it ... but true. I began going over this in my mind yesterday as to the why adn the how. It's all still pretty clear, even though it's almost 25 years old and 1500!! bears later.
A special friend and I had taken to yardsaling and antiquing [auctions etc] together and she mentioned that she LOVED teds. "Nah", I said, "not me ... I like bunnies better." She talked about the teds and I thought ... "she really wants an old style teddy ... I've got a pattern ... how hard can it be?" That first little bear ... made for my friend, has led to half a lifetime being about teds!
Discovery of who you are brings a big relief to some. I'm one of those. It really sucks to walk around feeling different but not knowing why. What follows is a little peek into the whimsy I prefer over the world I find myself in.

Gently holding Honey ... a 7 inch, full jointed mohair ted is Rouge ... a 20 inch, fully jointed vintage faux fur bear with grey suede pads and paws. Watching over them is Celista ... also a mohair ted, 12 inches, fully jointed [which means BTW that all joints are moveable and in most cases somewhat poseable]. All "found" materials!

Now ... for one of my pet projects. This is one of only one ... perhaps forever as it was extremely time consuming. Did I mention that I work from original patterns? Yes indeed. So before I can actually begin to create my bear the inspiration and time must come for the drafting phase. Here is Bun-Bun

Yes, there really is a bear in there; a red wool bear named Maggie with black leather pads and paws. In her special suit she travels under the assumed name of Bun-Bun. Her Bunny suit is made from yardage that just didn't sell ... except to me lol! The lady at the closeout was so interested that I took Bun-Bun back to meet her. Now I wish I had pictures of that! She is 22 inches tall.
My last ted for today is Nicko ... a caramel faux fur with suede paws and pads. Twenty inch Nicko won 1st place in the Interior Provincial Exhibition of BC for toys over 12 inches .. ribbon picture to follow [when found] Why the name Nicko? Well, he's got the cutest Santa suit ... also missing ... will find and post picture. Probably hiding out with the ribbons and the writeups lol!

A close-up of my sweet face follows.

Hope you've enjoyed this ... be good to one another. Life is short and we only survive by the memories we leave behind. I want mine to be soft and warm!

I Can Get "Lost" ... For Hours

This is only one of a number of Christmas stockings completed this season ... some I got pictures of, some I forgot/got waaay too busy. They all have one thing in common. They are made with "found" materials. We are fortunate in the area to have some very good second hand shops. Unfortunate for me that I "See" something in every piece of fabric I pick up. The "hand" of the fabric will determine how it will be used. The heavier, more elegant fabrics, like this matelasse are outer use, linings are lighter and more delicate, like this silk blend. Even trims can be "sourced", as you can see in the top of this stocking, dressed with rayon tassel. Hangers can be twisted cord, ribbon, silk cord, even leather on some more rustic socks ... it all depends. This elegant sock is 16 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top opening. They range in size from a very tiny 3 - 4 inch ornament size to about 22 inches in my normal stock. I have made a couple of very large ones for special orders.

So ... this is my first stocking post, there will be several more ... I make these throughout the year and plan to "take them on the road" this year ... craft shows and fairs and whatever makes itself available. I'd love to hear from anyone with ideas.
The next few are a selection that went out just shortly before Christmas and the customer was kind enough to take and forward pictures to me.

Comes a Time ...

Everyone, I think, comes to a point in their life ... kids have left the nest, time is marching on ... when they have to ask themselves OK what next? My what next has been filled with creative endeavours that I had to stifle for a lot of years.
After all, there were kids to feed, educate and turn into the world. Not to say I always put aside my artistic personality. MANY people, friends and family have gotten gifts from my hands or my garden in place of the $$ variety. Sometimes it was what I knew the person would like and sometimes it was purely a financial decision. I would like to use this blog to show folks what I do, make available some of my finished projects and promote my handmade, GREEN items. I try to use only second hand materials to create my "new" artwork. The planet is bursting with STUFF ... so why not use what is already available. I hope you enjoy this as much as I think I will. Please remember, I am learning as I go, so if it looks a little amateurish .. it is! Have a super day everyone!