2014 Christmas Ornaments

Hello!  Yes, I am still among the living!  I can't believe how fast this whole year has gone by, but November was a complete and total blur!!  Christmas is quickly approaching and I haven't posted ONE THING I've made yet!  Shame on me!  Well, I'm going to make up for that right now.  Get ready for picture overload! 

Some of you already know that every year since 1990 (yes, you read that right!) I've been making polymer clay Christmas ornaments.  I design and create each one individually by hand.  Each design is limited to an edition of only 5 ornaments.  Someone recently asked me why I only make five of each.  Well, a couple of reasons.  One, I only have so much time, and I would much rather have a variety of designs than a dozen of one.  And two, to be honest, I'm pretty much 'over' the design by the time number 5 is finished....I'm ready to move on to another design. 

This year I started out the season with 12 designs.  Unlike previous years, I worked really hard for a couple of weeks in JULY and got ALL FIVE of every design finished so I wouldn't have to be scrambling to get them done like I have in the past.  I used to start by making 3 of the 5, and then filling in as they sold.  Well, I'm so happy to have done it differently this year!  It made my studio time much less stressful knowing that they were all finished. 

Here are photos of the first 12 designs.

A STAR FOR CHRISTMAS

BRIGHT CHRISTMAS

DEAR SANTA

GINGER ELFIN

HAPPY SNOWBALLS

JOLLY JINGLE

MITTENS AND SKATES

NORTHWOODS SANTA

PENGUIN PALS

RUDY

WINTER WONDERLAND

SANTA'S BIG BUNDLE

 

I'm thrilled to say that only ONE of these ornaments remains available!  Thank you so much to my wonderful customers who snatched them up so quickly.  So quickly, in fact, that I had to get busy and make some more.  You see, I have a BIG family.  And they all EXPECT to have one hanging on their own trees come Christmas.  As the supply was dwindling, I did a count and realized that I didn't have enough to cover my family, keep a couple for myself, and still have a few to sell at the shows I still had to do.  So I added four new designs.

 

FALLING FLAKES

FROSTY FLAKE

LITTLE SANTA, TINY TREE

MERRY CHRISTMAS TRIO

 

And then I added another one for good measure:

 

LIGHTING UP CHRISTMAS

 

And because I sold a few more of those than I expected, I decided to add two more!

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

POLAR PENGUIN

 

And now I am FINISHED!!  I am NOT making any more 2014 ornaments. 

 

I still have a VERY LIMITED number of these ornaments left, and I listed them in my etsy shop last night.  If you want one, you better hurry! 

 

Show season is finally winding down.  I have my last show this weekend at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  If you are in the area, come and see me! 

 

Even though shows are about over, I still have plenty of work to do in the studio.  So I better get to it! 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

Lisa





 

 



Into the Woods Again...

I told you I have had this 'Northwoods' concept in my head this year.  A few weeks ago I showed you a collection of snowmen I created with that theme.  Today, let's look at some Santas.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

 

I love the idea of a white Santa.  There is something very old world about them.  I sculpted this one from a pearly white polymer clay, and gave him a brown belt and boots and green mittens, all sculpted from clay.  I used an assortment of brads for his buttons, belt buckle and the buttons on his boots.  His face is sculpted from clay, with hand-painted green eyes.  I used a super soft and wonderful bit of natural kid mohair for his hair and beard.  The cloak and hood are cut from luscious ivory wool and trimmed with real rabbit fur.  The cloak seemed a little plain at first, so I dug around in my extensive stash of 'stuff' and found that ivory flower trim. It was the PERFECT color and it gives the illusion of hand embroidery on the cloak.  LOVE IT!  A sisal tree and a little sprig of enamel holly finish off this lovely St. Nick.  Oh, the clay base is covered in vintage mica flakes. 

 

(White Christmas is no longer available.)

SNOWFLAKE SANTA

 

This is Santa on a more casual day.  He is wearing pine green pants and mittens and a red sweater with a snowflake on the front.  Who doesn't love a snowflake sweater on a cold winter's day?  I cut tiny bits of clay to create the snowflake pattern.  His brown clay boots are trimmed with tiny brads and natural cotton chenille.  His face is hand-sculpted, of course, with hand-painted green eyes.  I used more of the kid mohair for his hair and beard, and topped his head with a little pine green houndstooth wool hat, trimmed with a bronze bell and a little bit of greenery.  Santa has gathered a bunch of pine cones, berries and greenery to decorate his holiday table.  This piece is dusted with a bit of vintage mica flakes.  I had 'finished' this Santa, but thought he needed a little something more.  The turtleneck sweater made it seem like his head was sort of floating too much, so a cut a scarf from ivory wool.  I think it fixed the problem nicely.

 

(Snowflake Santa is available in my etsy shop.)

GATHERING CHRISTMAS

 

This Santa sort of straddles the line between the traditional red-dressed Santa and an old-world style Santa.  He has a bit of vintage quality to him, I think.  I sculpted his red toggle coat, green pants and mittens and tall brown boots from clay.  Once again, I used tiny brads for buttons on his coat and boots.  His hand-sculpted face is covered in a kid mohair beard.  (I just love how these mohair beards look so real!)  I sewed a little hat out of deep red houndstooth wool, and used a few scraps of the same wool for his boot toppers.  Genuine rabbit fur trims his coat and hat.  He is carrying a bundle of cinnamon stick 'logs', a bit of greenery, some pine cones and berries.  A tiny sprig of greenery adorns his hat.  I gave him a dusting of vintage mica flakes and a bit of fine Japanese glass glitter for sparkle. 

 

(Gathering Christmas is no longer available either!)

 

NORTHWOODS NICK

 

Here is the St. Nick that started this whole series!  He is similarly dressed in a red toggle coat and green pants, a houndstooth cap and socks and rabbit fur trim.  (For the record, rabbit fur is very tricky to work with, and it makes a HUGE mess, but I think it is worth it.  It really adds a nice touch to these outdoorsy Santas.)  The same mohair is used for his beard.  Nick carries a miniature Christmas tree in one arm, and a bouquet of greenery, berries and pine cones in the other.  A little white bird is nestled among the pine cones.  More mica flakes give the illusion he is walking through the snowy woods. 

 

(I actually am keeping this piece.  I made another very similar one, but it is also sold.)

 

 

I have really enjoyed creating these Northwoods Santas, so I am sure there will be more coming in the future.  Not this year, however, because I still have a ton of orders to get finished!  Better get after it. 

 

Oh, and I'm sorry that I'm showing things that are not available.  I'm not trying to tease you, honest!  I just want to show you the best of the best of my work, and these are certainly in that category.  I am honored that they have found themselves new homes with people who love them as much as I do!

 

Have a wonderful day!

Lisa

 





Peppermint and Pfatt

Pfatt Marketplace will be updating today, so I thought I would give you at peek at what I have available over there for this month.  Each of these pieces is only available on Pfatt Marketplace.  None will be listed in my etsy shop this year.

I have sort of a peppermint theme happening here:

PEPPERMINT NICK

 

I wanted to do a few Santas that were not what you expect Santa to look like.  He doesn't wear that fur-trimmed red suit every day!  This time he is wearing a red and white striped shirt with bright green pants.  (I know they don't look that bright in the picture, which is a little dark.)  His black clay boots are trimmed in red chenille and little gold brads.  A red stud buckles his belt and his collar is made from crepe paper.  I sculpted his face with a trim white beard.  His traditional hat is hand-sewn from red wool felt and trimmed with white fluffy chenille and a little holly button.  He is holding a large peppermint candy tied with a green organza ribbon.  Glass glitter covers his base.  It sort of looks like sugar, doesn't it?

KRINGLE CANE

 

This Kris Kringle is wearing a white shirt and green pants, striped stockings and black boots, all sculpted from clay.  I made a vest and matching hat from deep red velvet and trimmed the hat with white chenille and a little gold bell.  A green crepe paper collar finishes the look.  He is holding a big acrylic candy cane that is as tall as he is!  Either that's one big candy cane, or he's one tiny elf, I'm not sure which!

 

HAVE A COOKIE

 

I love making elves!  They always look so fun!  She is dressed in a green polka dot body suit and a little red pleated fabric skirt.  Hidden from view is her black ribbon belt.  Her little black boots have pointy toes and are trimmed with white chenille.  Her collar is crepe paper.  I love her quirky little smile and her pointed elf ears!  She has a lot of unruly light brown curls made from curly wool roving.  I hand-sewed her hat from green felt and trimmed it with tiny pompom fringe, a little red bow and a silver bell.  She is carrying a tray of freshly baked gingerbread cookies. 

 

*********************************************

This elf is no longer available, but I thought I would show it to you because he is the companion piece to the girl.  He wears a similar outfit, and is carrying two chenille candy canes and little holly-trimmed gingerbread man.

 

 

 

I hope you will all head over to Pfatt Marketplace this afternoon (it updates at about 11:00 Central time) and check out all the wonderful, original art offered by all of the very talented artists represented there.  I still feel very honored to have my work shown on the same website as many of them! 

 

Off to work....(I wish I had those two elves up there busily finishing my orders!)

Lisa

 

 

More Ornaments

December is upon us, and it's about three weeks to Christmas!  Time is zipping by and I am beginning to panic!  I don't know why.  Things always tend to get done, somehow, but when your to-do list is as long as your arm it gets a little bit stressful!  How, exactly, does Santa manage? 

I thought I better show you a couple more of the 2013 Limited Edition Ornaments today.  I'm sure you all have your trees up and decorated by now, but these ornaments also make wonderful gifts!  I still have these designs available in my etsy shop.

JOY

 

Some people like Santa.  Some people like snowmen.  Some people like both!  This ornament has a little bit of everything!  Candy cane-striped letters, a snowflake with a Frosty face in the middle, bows and holly, and a tiny Santa hanging from the side of the Y.  Christmas Joy for everyone! 

DECK THE HALLS

 

This jolly Santa is set against a glittered bright blue background.  Holly and a classic ball ornament complete the scene.  I used teeny-tiny pieces of clay to create the holly garland trim on his hat and coat.  It adds just a little 'something' to the design. 

 

 

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving and are greeting the Christmas season with hope and joy!  I love this time of year, even if my to-do list makes my head spin!  Speaking of which.....I better go get a few things crossed off!

 

Lisa



Santa and Elves

Time to show you a few more of my 2013 Limited Edition Christmas Ornaments.  How about Santa and a couple of elves?

Ho! Ho! Ho!

 

This is actually one of my more simple designs.  I feel I need to have a wide range of ornament designs in my collection.  While I love the ones I make that have lots of tiny pieces and minute details, those are more labor intensive, and therefore more expensive.  Buyers might appreciate them, but they might not be within their budget.  So each year I design a few ornaments that I can produce more quickly and sell for a little less money.  This Santa fits that bill.

 

He is dressed in his bright red suit and green mittens, holding a sign with his classic holiday greeting.  The "Ho!Ho!Ho!" is cut from very thin coils of clay.  "Merry Christmas" is handwritten in bright green ink.  A sprig of holly and the year 2013 trim his hat.  He is simple, but cute!! 

 

Ho!Ho!Ho! is still available in my etsy shop and also at Pfatt Marketplace.

 

Elvin

 

This adorable little elf is another example of one of my more simple designs.  He is dressed in a green and red elf suit, trimmed with white.  I used red striped baker's twine to tie a little silver jingle bell to the tip of his hat.  I love his pointy ears and his big, mischievous grin!  Has he been naughty or nice?

 

You can find Elvin in my etsy shop.

 

Peppermint Patty

 

One of my favorites this season!  She has quite a bit more detail than the Santa and the first elf.  She is dressed in classic red and green, with striped stockings and holly on her hat.  She is holding a big candy cane and a disc edged in candy-cane stripes.  Nothing is painted on this ornament except for the tiny white dots in her eyes. 

 

Peppermint Patty has been sold out already, but I wanted to show her to you anyway.  I think she is really adorable!

 

 

I  actually finished up the remainder of the 2013 collection last week!  YAY!!  Normally it's a scramble right before Christmas to finish up and have enough ornaments to give to my family.  This year it's done early!  YAY!!  (did I already say YAY! ??)  Unless I have a huge selling run at A Piece of Lisa on etsy, or at my final show, I should be OK for the year and not have to add another design or two.  (My family would NOT be happy if they missed out on their ornaments this year!)

 

The ornaments may be finished, but there is still a lot of other work to do in the studio, so I best be off to do it!!  Have a great day!

Lisa

 



Let's Get Started....

with the 2013 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament Collection!

Each year since 1990, I have put together a collection of ornaments.  The first year I just made random designs, all basically one of a kind.  Maybe I would make another of a particularly cute design if it sold right away.  The following year I decided it would be fun to create them in limited editions.  I chose to do five of each design.  I thought that would be a manageable number.  I was also doing five holiday craft shows that season, so I figured that is one per show.  And that is how the tradition of my limited edition designs started!  I have now created somewhere in the neighborhood of 450 designs.  Multiply that times five and that's a whole lotta ornaments that I have cranked out, individually, by hand, over the years.  It sort of makes my head spin!! 

Every year I think it's going to be harder and harder to come up with interesting ways to portray the classic Christmas characters we all know and love.  Santa.  Snowmen.  Gingerbread.  Baby Jesus.  I admit, it does present a challenge, but somehow I am still able to pull a few new ideas out of my head each year! 

Snowmen are a perennial favorite.  Who doesn't love Frosty?  After making dozens of designs in the classic, perfectly-round-ball style, I decided why not switch it up a bit?  Give him some personality.  A few quirks.  An odd-ball shape.  Here are two designs in which I have done just that:

Friendly Frosty Faces

 

I happen to love this one!  I was inspired by my own collection of Quirky Snowmen that were published in the 2012 issue of Holiday Crafts Magazine. (More about that here.)  I like the flat oval shapes of their heads, contrasted with the unusual shapes of their black hats.  Even the size and shape of their carrot noses is something out of the ordinary.  I placed these two quirky guys on a light blue pearl background scattered with snowflakes.  All of my ornaments have the year on them in some way.   

Mr. & Mrs. Snow

 

I took the oval shaped snowman and turned it on the side to create these two tall skinny snowmen.  (Well, one is a woman of course!)  This happy couple is dressed up in sweaters, scarves and mittens and each wears an unusually shaped black hat.  She is holding a long candy cane.  I built this ornament on a background of light blue pearl clay scattered with snowflakes, and a drift of snow.  It's edged with silver and a sprig of holly adorns one corner.

 

 

Each of these designs is currently available in my etsy shop.  But you should hurry if you want Mr. & Mrs. Snow, because as of today there are only two left in the edition. 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Lisa



Behind Schedule a Little Bit

I fully intended to get here with this news last week.  November 1st was a good day for me!

First of all, November 1st is always a good day for me, because that is the anniversary of the day I married my very best friend!  This year David and I celebrated 27 years of marriage.  YAY!!  (I use the term celebrate loosely here.  David took the day off work, but I spent all day on last minute preparations for my craft show the following day.  That evening we set up my display.  It was after 8:00pm before we enjoyed our "romantic" dinner of McDonald's!  LOL!!  We were tired and starving....I was about ready to chew off my own arm!  We will make up for it with a nice dinner another time!)  In some ways it is hard to believe it's been 27 years, and yet, I feel like it's been forever.  We've had a good run so far, and I anticipate many many more wonderful years ahead!

Secondly, and more relevant to my blog, November 1st the newest issue of Art Doll Quarterly hit the newsstands!  I am THRILLED once again to say that my work is featured in the Show and Tell Section.  While this is the third time my work has appeared in this fabulous publication, it never ceases to amaze me to see it on the pages alongside such talented artists!  It is very validating, to say the least!

So, here are the two Santas they chose for this issue.  I created these pieces last year, and blogged about them here.  Since you have to submit entries for the Winter Issue in June, I sent in pieces I had on hand because I didn't have time to create something brand new for this year. 

Santa's Sack of Sweets

 

Dressed in a classic red suit trimmed with tinsel-flecked chenille, this Santa carries a hand-sewn grey wool felt bag adorned with a felt poinsettia and filled with 3 tiny clay candy canes.

Stocking Stuffer

 

This jolly Santa is dressed in a red suit with white chenille trim and a black ribbon belt with a gemstone buckle.  He carries a little teddy bear made from clay and a stocking hand-sewn from red wool felt and trimmed with white mini pompom fringe and a glittered Christmas tree.  Two tiny candy canes fill the stocking.

 

 

If you are interested in purchasing this magazine, here is what to look for:

 

 

You can find it at Barnes and Noble or at stampington.com

 

In the coming days I will begin showing you the fun Christmas figurines I have been working so hard on, as well as my limited edition Christmas ornaments. 

 

Hope you all had a frightfully fun Halloween!  I anticipated more trick or treaters than we had.  Which means that I have waaay too much candy left over.  Which means I'm eating waaay too much candy these days!  EEK!! 

Lisa

 



 





The Last Two

Well, since Christmas is now LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY (gulp!) I am going to share the final two designs from my 2012 Limited Edition Christmas ornament collection. 

Stocking Stuffer

 

Santa in his bright red suit is set against a blue metallic night sky with tiny snowflakes falling gently around him.  He is filling a green stocking with a darling little teddy bear and a candy cane. 

 

A Joyful Noise

 

A pair of children are bundled against the cold winter's night with snowflakes falling around them.  A cute little dog has joined them in their joyful carol. 

 

Both of these ornaments are still available in my etsy shop. 

 

I hope you are all a lot closer to being ready for Christmas than I am.  I'm getting there.....slowly but surely!  I can't wait to spend some time with my family. 

 

Lisa 

 

 



Friday Favorite--Rustic Road Studio

I'm sorry I didn't take you to a shop last Friday.  The week just got away from me.  But I'm back today with a wonderful, seasonally appropriate shop.

Rustic Road Studio is full of beautifully hand-carved Santas. The attention to detail is amazing.  The faces are exquisite.  The details in the clothing are wonderful.  The colors are perfect.  Each of these Santas has a charming personality all its own.  It's hard to choose which one is my favorite, because Erik does such wonderful work.  But here are a few that I love:

Santa in Green Robe with Walking Stick

 

Traditional Santa

 

Santa Holding a Sack

 

Santa in a Snowbank

 

Slim Santa

 

Santa in a Red Robe with Walking Stick

 

I will admit, I'm a sucker for a Santa.  My house is full of them right now.  I'm very particular about my Santas now that I have so many.  These certainly would make the cut!  I would LOVE to have one of these in my collection!

 

I hope you enjoyed our visit to Rustic Road Studio, and I hope you will go have a look at the rest of Erik's exquisite work.  Which one is your favorite?

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Lisa

 

 

 

 

A Different Take on Two Favorites

I've mentioned before that sometimes it's difficult coming up with fresh ways to make the holiday's most iconic characters---Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus.  Here are two ornaments that I think fit that criteria.  Yes, they are Frosty and Santa, but in an unexpected way.

 

Celebrate Winter

 

This is Frosty's most favorite time of year, and he loves to celebrate the season.  He's off to a holiday party, wearing a polka dot party hat and a ruffled collar made from lime green, bright green and red metallic clay.  Doesn't he look festive?

 

Angular Elf

 

Someone asked me why I called this one an elf and not Santa.  Well, Santa is a 'right jolly old elf'.  This Santa is short and wide and a little bit angular---sort of a modern take on a traditional motif.  He wears a bright red suit trimmed with white, with little triangle toggle buttons.  He has lime green mittens that match the sprig of holly on his hat.  Even his beard is a little bit pointy.  An angular piece of clay has the year and another spring of holly cut from tiny pieces of clay.  A shiny silver jingle bell finishes off this adorable elf. 

 

You can find either of these whimsical ornaments in my etsy shop.  They are also available here, on my Pfatt Marketplace page, during the month of December.  Pfatt Marketplace updated on Monday, with each artist offering new creations.  If you haven't checked out this awesome site I encourage you to do so.  The artists represented are wonderfully talented.  I feel honored to be among them.

 

I hope these two unusual ornaments put a smile on your face!

Lisa

 

Here is a look at one more ornament.  A little bit more traditional version of Santa.  Sadly, this one is no longer available.  It joins the list of retirees for 2012. 

 

Father Christmas

 

Dressed in a long, red coat with white 'fur' edged in teeny-tiny holly leaves, Father Christmas is on his way to deliver a few toys.  A doll, a toy soldier, a tiny wrapped present and a candy cane stuff his pouch.  He is carrying a walking stick with a candle lantern on top.  I loved this one!