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 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.

Nutcracker King

Want to know why I painted this little guy?
Yes, I love nutcrackers... 
Sure, the Christmas season is near... 
Yeah, I was in one of those between-paintings moods...

But THIS is the real reason!  This my "blue drawer."  Yes... all of these blue paint tubes, yet I rarely use blue.  Go back through my paintings, besides a sky here and there, there's hardly any blue! 
While blue isn't one of my favorites, I don't have anything against it; I just forget about it.  
So, I've decided to go on a blue kick for a while.

I guess that's not a very inspiring reason.  
I do love this little nutcracker so much.  He's one of the favorites in my collection, so I'm glad I got to put him on canvas.

Since I just let you peek into my blue paints drawer to you.  I'll show you the rest of my painting spot.  It's just right for me.


I love seeing people's art spaces.

And, there's Pounce who watches from her throne.






Original Oil Painting on 12"x 6" Wrapped Canvas. 
[SOLD]

Nutcracker Soldier

Who stands guard at Christmas?

At my house about 30 nutcrackers do.  I didn't set out to have a nutcracker collection, it just sort of happened.  When we were first married, my husband bought one that was on sale during a day when he got an extra discount where he worked.  The next year he bought another one, and he did it again the next year.  Once you have three of something, I think it's a collection.

After that, it really wasn't planned, we'd pick one up every year or so if we loved it and the price was right. So, we had six or seven of them. 

Then I took the "collection" to school for E.L.F. Workshop (Eaton's Lots'a Fun Workshop).  I thought it would make a good independent project for the kids to draw and work on while I was helping others with their bigger projects. Well... I guess that gave the kids the idea, so I ended up getting a couple at the Christmas party that year.  The next year I had eight or nine to take for models on E.L.F. Day... Again I opened another one or two at the Christmas party.  Then the next year... and the next year... and the next... 

So, my class will be having E.L.F. Workshop at the beginning of this week.  We'll be having a party at the end of this week. Hmmm... I wonder if I'll have any additions to my collection.

[SOLD]

Traditions

What objects best represent Christmas?


My family has many traditions around the Christmas holiday season that are so important. This painting shows a group of objects that have special meaning to us. 


During December our house is filled with things that make us happy.
***There are nutcrackers of every size and color on nearly every shelf, table, nook, and cranny. 
***Candles add a sense of peacefulness (although I admit that I never burn the prettiest ones).
***I don't think I've ever bought a poinsettia, but we usually have one that has been given to me by one of my students. 
***The red beads have been getting my children (now grown) in trouble for years. They always wanted to play with them much more than have them just hang and look pretty. After years of fighting this, I finally gave up. Now, there's a whole bowl of red beads whose purpose is just to be played with.
*** And the Bible is central to Christmas morning when one of us reads from the second chapter in Luke.


Visit Nutcrackers  to enjoy an Etsy treasury (collection of vintage items, jewelry, and art pieces) which includes this painting as well as other items celebrating nutcrackers.


[SOLD]
Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Canvas Board

"Traditions" can be purchased in several forms.
Contact me if you'd like to purchase this image as a giclee, a print, or note cards.