A Vintage Christmas

It's a vintage inspired holiday scene with seaside greens!  Right?

I hope so... 

Every third time, my Weekly-ish Challenge partner and I "go to the cards" for our new task.  

We draw a card from the Subject section, the Color section, and the Wildcard section.

Here were the cards drawn.

And, speaking of drawing... I was drawing a blank... nothing...

Until...

My friend Joyce said, "Look at this cute picture of us putting our Christmas tree up!" 

Ahhhhh!!!! I need that! Send it to me! Can I use it? It's just what I've been looking for.

I'd like to say that Joyce was shocked and confused... No, she knows me.  She just texted me the photo.

Original Acrylic Painting on 8"x 10" Canvas Board

[SOLD]

Santa & Christmas Lights

Why does this Santa look so familiar?

I think I know him!

He's the guy who's fought with trimmed the tree's light every year. No one was happier than he was when I bought a pre-lighted tree.

Well... maybe Buff was equally excited about the lights on the tree.

How did it get to be mid November already?  I guess it's time to make things look like Christmas again soon!

Original Acrylic Painting on 8"x 10" Canvas Board

[NFS... I think I better keep this one!]

Christmas Tree Surprise

This was my example for the class of seniors I taught.

Just look at how beautiful all of theirs turned out!

Such a lovely bunch of ladies!!!

I find that students in their 70s and 80s just aren't that different from the 9 and10 year old kids I taught for a few decades. Both are kind of nervous with something new. They both want the teacher's approval and praise. They need to see an example.  And, they both just want the teacher to stop talking so that they can dive in to the project!

What fun!

Original Acrylic Painting on 16"x 20" Wrapped Canvas
Click Christmas Tree Surprise if you'd like to purchase it for yourself. Only mine is for sale.  Sorry, theirs are all just too priceless!

Gingerbread House

Gingerbread slabs...

Graham crackers...

Icing...

Sprinkles...

Gumdrops...

Peppermints...

Candy canes...

Licorice ropes...

Chocolate squares...

Marshmallows...

M & Ms...

Gingerbread houses are so beautiful in magazines and on the Hallmark Channel and on Pinterest.  But, let's be real-life honest.... What a mess!  Is anybody really good at making a gingerbread house with (or even without) kids? I didn't think so. Just think, if you had this sweet little painting, you could have the pretty gingerbread house and avoid the mess!

"Why am I bringing out Christmas before Thanksgiving? Well, I had to! "Christmas" was the topic I was given for my weekly-ish art challenge.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Bright & Shiny

 

Tis the season for surprises and gifts, colored paper and sparkly bags, ribbons and bows.

I learned to wrap really well during the Christmas season the first year after we married.  I was a teacher, but during those off weeks, I took an extra job working in the giftwrap department at Dillard's. People would give us their purchase, choose their paper and bow style, then take a number and go back to shopping while we wrapped their gift. Most of the wrapper ladies only wanted to work in the back rather than dealing directly with the customers.  I loved being the go-between customers and wrappers.  I made happy conversation with them even though they always acted shocked that there would be a wait.  I organized the merchandise in the right sized boxes with the wrapping style noted for the ladies in the back.  I took payments. And, I got to hand them their beautifully wrapped presents.  That was always the best part... until... that day. 

It was busy... lots of gifts to wrap... a long wait for customers... boxes (both waiting to be wrapped and ready to be picked up) were all over the place... I don't know that I was taking time to pay much attention to individuals as they came in.  A lady handed me her claim ticket.  I went to find the box.  It wasn't there.  It wasn't anywhere.  She was not happy. I was beginning panic then I remembered,  "Oh, yes!  Yours was that expensive Dooney and Bourke handbag!  It didn't fit in a regular box, so we had to set it in a different spot!"  Silence... I thought she'd be happy. She glared at me then turned to the young lady beside her..."Well, Merry Christmas..." Yeah, I ruined her surprise. Ugh... How to take that back!  

Lessons learned from that? Let's see... Don't forget to pay attention to people even when you multitask? or Don't get a job wrapping packages in a department store at Christmas? or Just keep my mouth shut? Oh, I probably didn't learn anything from it, but yikes... That was in 1985 but is still fresh in my mind.

My weekly-ish painting challenge with my dear friend Cheri was "Bright & Shiny." I always struggle with painting shiny metals.  Thanks to Lynn D. Pratt for a great YouTube lesson, I think I got this one right.

Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Canvas Board

Baaaaa Humbug, Ebaaaaneezer Goat

I took this funny goat's photo at the county fair a few years ago... (I just checked the photo stats... It was August of 2014!!) and put it in my "Painting Possibilities" folder thinking that one day I'd paint this guy.

I guess it was finally time to put his handsome face on canvas.

My weekly painting challenge this time was "Baaa!" 

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

Click Baaaaa Humbug, Ebaaaaaneezer Goat if you need this little painting to be part of your Christmas decorating.

Merry Santa (Mixed Media)

How early is too early to start getting ready for Christmas? 

We used to decorate during the Thanksgiving weekend, but we've scooted that up to the middle of November during recent years. 

Original Mixed Media Collage on 5"x 7" Canvas Board
Click Merry Santa if you need this little guy!

Christmas Tree Surprise (Mini x 6)

This was a fun little project.

Six tiny paintings for six special ladies.

I'm not saying anything new to say that 2020 has been difficult.  We know it's been especially difficult for some of our older friends who are practically home bound with Covid precautions.

I hope these happy little paintings brought a little Christmas cheer to some who we love... My Aunt Anita in Missouri... Ms. Hannah in the retirement center that my dad lives in... Ms. Francis who took care of my kids in the nursery when they were babies... Ms. Mary Ella who greeted us at the door every single Sunday morning for decades...

 

To give some size perspective, here they are beside a large version of this painting.

Original acrylic paintings on 5"x 7" Canvas Board

[GIFTS]

The 16"x 20" version is available. Click HERE if you're interested.

Revisiting Christmas Past

I love coming across old fireplace chimneys.  I wonder about the house that it used to be a part of. I wonder about the family that sat by its hearth.

We discovered this one on a hiking trail in a nearby state park.

 I pass this one on the way to the grocery store.

Sometimes you just have to stop the car right in the road and snap a picture.

Christmas Past
 I painted this chimney twice in 2010 and decided 2020 was a good time to revisit it. 

Remember When...
When I painted this ten years ago, this is what I wrote:
This chimney sits along the road that goes between my two brothers' houses.  It just sits there in a little field all alone, but it's not lonely.  Imagine what this old chimney has seen.  I can imagine it kept  a family's cabin warm for years and years.  I can imagine the farmer who stacked the logs and built the fire.  I can imagine his wife who poked the logs and kept the fire going.  I can imagine the children doing homework in front of it.  I can imagine a cat curled up on the hearth.  I can imagine stockings hanging from the mantle year after year.  I can imagine... 

I knew that I'd revisit Christmas Past the moment I saw Sara's December inspiration image on Inspiration Collaboration. If the black birds could decorate a Christmas tree in a snowy field with lights and ornaments, then cardinals could hang stockings and garland on a mantle.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 10" Wrapped Canvas

Click Revisiting Christmas Past if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Christmas Past is available in giclee or print. Contact me if you're interested.

Nutcracker Guard

Did you ever accumulate a big collection of something that you never really intended to have?  For me, that would be nutcrackers.  
I have a lot... really, a lot... of nutcrackers.  Tall ones, fat ones, old ones, expensive ones, cheap ones, pretty ones, and an ugly one (who sits on top of the refrigerator facing the wall every year).  The kids, now grown, wouldn't have it any other way! He scared them when they were little, so he was banished to face the wall on top of the fridge. No one would consider him having any other place!)
I didn't ever decide, "Hey, I love nutcrackers! I think I should have at least one for every space!"  It just sort of happened.  I remember early in our marriage we bought one on an after-Christmas sale. I think we bought another the next year in the same way.  We may have even bought a third at some point. Then they just seemed to sort of appear over the next three decades.  I'd get one from a student one year... a friend would see that I had several and give me one another year.  Someone would find one at an estate sale and think I might want it.  I had an activity I did at school where I brought my nutcrackers... which gave several students the idea that I needed another one.  That little activity was a good one, so I repeated it quite a few years... which gave even more students each year the idea that I needed another one... 
So.......
I have a lot of nutcrackers.

And sometimes they end up the getting to be in a painting. (But not the ugly one that has to face the wall.)

Click to have a look at some of them.
"Traditions" or "Santa Nutcracker Santa" or "Nutcracker King" 

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Canvas
[GIFT]

Santa Claus

Months ago my friend and art mentor, Cheri asked me if I'd like to be a part of a weekend of Santas.  I had no idea what that meant, but I said, "Yes! I'm in!  What do you want me to do?"  Her instructions were open and intentionally vague.  She said to bring art with a Santa theme. There was no other limit... just Santas.

Cheri had an open house at her Inspire Studio and Gallery in Shawnee, Oklahoma on the night of the city's Christmas event, and she invited us to be a part of it as guest artists.

My painting partner, Julie, and I had fun during the last few weeks creating different Santa themed ideas to bring. On Friday morning we loaded up the car and headed west to set up our little Santa booths. 

Cute! Don't you think!
Lots of people came through, and it was a fun evening.  
But... that was only half of it...

The next morning there was a Santa paint along workshop.  I love being a part of something where someone paints their very first painting ever.  

This was my first time back at the easel doing intricate work since breaking my right arm.  Hmph!!... Being able to use your wrist is pretty much an important thing when painting... I did take my cast thingy off a couple of times but got mom faces (You know... head slanted, eyes cut, lips pursed...) until I put it right back on.

Every one had a jolly ole' time together and left with a nice little Santa painting.

Original Acrylic Painting on 8"x 10 Canvas Panel
Click "Santa Claus" if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

Santa Nutcrackers

I have a lot of nutcrackers that I've collected over the years. Some of them are quite ornate and fancy, but this one is probably the simplest one that I have.  He's also my favorite.  From Thanksgiving to New Year's, he stands on the windowsill beside the fireplace.

It was fun to paint him in four different ways.

Original Oil Paintings on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

These were painted for an upcoming Santa-themed art event, but for now they're available in my Etsy shop.  Click here if you'd like to purchase one.

Whimsical Santas

    

Four Friendly Fellas with Fancy Frosty Facial hair

Wore their Funny Felt hats with a Fine Festive Flair!

Thinking about Christmas in August?? What??

Well, it seems like I'm always painting "in season" when the mood feels right, but by the time I finish, the season has passed.  This time I got a head start.  My art friends and I spent the weekend at Welcome Home Retreat where I had a three goals:

• GOAL 1 - Finish 4 of Whimsical Santas all with the same image but in different styles.
• DONE
• I am so intrigued by style. I asked each of the other artists and crafters there which they were the most and least drawn to.  Everybody had different opinions and different reasons for them. I love that.
• GOAL 2 - Finish 4 Nutcracker Santas all with the same image but in  different styles.
• HALF DONE
• I got distracted by everything in GOAL 3.
• GOAL 3 - Enjoy every minute.
• DONE
• Rocked in the red rocking chairs on the porch while watching the turkeys and chickens.
• Ate amazing food prepared by Don and Jackie. 
• Sat in the hot tub until our fingers were wrinkled.
• Tried to learn to play the Bob Ross board game.
• Helped my partners create their own Bitmojis.
• Talked, laughed, and relaxed.

Original Oil Paintings on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvases

The third one can be found for sale in my Etsy shop. Click if you want to purchase him.
The other three are  [SOLD]