Holiday Art and Artifacts

I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is next week and Christmas is right around the corner! Where has this year gone?! I am busy making lists of everything that needs to get done between now and then, food that needs to be purchased and baked, gifts that need to be selected and wrapped... I realized I needed a place to keep all of this info readily available. So here we are,

I just added these pretty little lined linen journals to my Etsy shop and just in time too! The covers on them were created using rare copies from my private collection of antique European fashion plate engravings.

You will find each has a hand sketched inspiration and personal message written inside the last page.

I have reconfigured and hand painted these engravings to give them a fresh new style and look.

They are approximately 6" x 9" a very convenient size and have 90 lined pages.

There are even a couple of designs well suited for the man in your life.

It's the perfect place for him to keep his "honey do" list!

I've also been working on some different types of Christmas tree ornaments for my Etsy shop as well.

I wanted to make something a little out of the ordinary this year.

I have a wonderful antique illustrated copy of

The Night Before Christmas, circa 1896. It is printed on linen pages and in beautiful condition.

I used some of my favorite images from that old book, along with the antique hot air balloon images, which by the way

has always been the way I imagined Santa delivering his gifts to everyone! In my Christmas "story" the reindeer are back at the North Pole having a big ole Christmas party with all of their little woodland friends! It sounds festively romantic to me and more jolly of Santa to give them the night off don't you think?!

I have also decided to celebrate the holidays this year in a not so traditional way.

These whimsical heirloom ornaments are rustic, peaceful, beautiful and meaningful.

I am imagining a simple, serene holiday, warmed by wooden logs and hot cider.

The glass orb ornaments are filled with memories

which are kept frozen, forever sealed within.

Placed upon a bed of excelsior are "her" trinkets,

scattered about... a ring she once wore upon her tiny finger,

a tattered scrap of rose colored silk flounce that belonged to her very favorite dress,

you know, the one she wore every chance she got!

Pressed posies she picked on a warm summers day when thoughts of Winters chill was far, far away!

There is even a precious braided lock of hair that still retains the color of her vibrant youth.

They also contain a few Victorian glass buttons and last but not least

an image of "her" a dainty little paper cameo peers out from within! So thats how I am imagining my holidays... How are you imagining yours? And Yes... to be sure, Wishing you and your a Festive, Fun and Happy THanksgiving too!

Peanut Butter & Doll Sandwich?

A funny thing happened...

on the way to Creating!

Again!

Turns out I used the wrong kind of tile to set my little porcelain frozen Charlotte Santos "beads" on, (see the two on either side of the center doll)

the kiln melted the old Spanish tile and the porcelain dolls just sank right down into it. Skwoosh! The entire piece had to be pried and chipped out and off of the kiln shelf! I think it sort of looks like a Nutella or Peanut Butter sandwich! Actually I really love it and use it as a paper weight, every time I look at it, it just makes me laugh and smile!

Any way on to my story. The French have a very old tradition

of hiding a tiny little porcelain Santos miniature doll

in a holiday cake and baking it.

The lucky person to receive the slice of cake

that contains the little Santos doll

gets to make their wish..

and have it come true. Isn't that charmingly romantic?!

The "jewelry" stand display doll you see here is called "Open Arms". She is a piece I designed quite some time ago and finally have gotten her all pulled together. I created her using antique replica porcelain doll parts I made,

along with various found items, some chicken wire, fabric, ribbons and lace. I will be making one or two to put in my Etsy shop at some point soon.

I've recently come to realize that I tend to create in a funny sort of way... I mean I will design something, get all excited about it, create a few, get it out of my system and move on to something new.

I'm not sure why, I don't get bored... I've never been bored a day in my life... too much to do, see and create, you know?!
It's like an odd little game of cat and mouse that I play but it sure is fun!
I guess thats just the way creating works for me and it always keeps things interesting and challenging too.

The little French style porcelain "Santos" bead dolls are in my Etsy shop now, I designed them in a few different styles and hope to create a few more to share with you very soon as well.