Ho Ho Ho...

As promised, here are a few of my favourite Jim Shore Santas. They really need to be seen close up to appreciate the work on them. My True Love Gave to Me is probably the most intricate of the Santas that I have. He features all the "characters" from the song The Twelve Days of Christmas under his robe. But his back is almost as impressive - I love the rosemaling design on the back of his cape and the designs around the hem of his cloak. I should have him displayed somewhere where he could be viewed 360 degrees so you could appreciate all of him...

Isn't he handsome?

Another favourite is Naughty or Nice? Santa who is "reversible". He has the same quilt design on both sides, but in slightly different colors. Notice on the naughty side he's carrying a bundle of sticks and a satchel of coal, and his list is titled "Not So Nice". On the Nice side, his bag is overflowing with toys and he has a puppy tucked under his arm. I guess if you had young children in the house, you could use him as an indicator of how they were doing, behavior-wise. My kids are beyond that now, sadly...

Of course Santa with the kitty in his arms is a favourite of both Oliver and I.  Ollie likes the kitty and I love the Log Cabin design around the bottom of his robe.... Log Cabin has always been, and probably always will be my favourite quilt design...


 And lastly, below are my favourites of the smaller Santas - for no particular reason. From left to right, Irish Santa, Topiary Santa and Birdman Santa...  Of course, I love  all of my Jim Shore figurines. They are such fun to get out each year... once Christmas is over, I pack away the Santas and angels and get out the snowmen...

Peace,
Linda

"His eyes, how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow."
~ Clement C.Moore

Here Comes Santa Claus...

I've been ignoring my blog the last few days so that I could get a grip on Christmas preparations... and I have made some good progress with shopping and decorating. Still more of both to be done, but I'm getting there. I'm down to making a list each day of what I have to accomplish before I can go to bed.. it works for me... And crossing things off that list gives me great satisfaction. Are you a "list maker"?
I thought I'd show you my Santa collection today. A few years ago I fell in love with a new man... no, not Santa....  Jim Shore. We've never met, and I don't expect to ever meet him - but I surely do love his work. I started looking for his Santas (and Angels) and before long I had collected quite a few. Here they are - I arrange them on top of my piano, since I don't have a mantle. I have one other, although he is blue and white and doesn't really "fit" with the other Santas - I call him Father Winter and I leave him out till March or April or until the snow is gone. You can see him here. 

The small Santa on the far right is the very first one in my collection- I found him at the Maine Quilt Show, probably 6 or 7 (?) years ago. That was the first time I'd heard of Jim Shore. The tall one on the left is actually a nutcracker Santa. The large (chubby?) one in the middle is one of my very favourites. He is called "My True Love Gave to Me" and has all the characters from the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" on his tummy - he is really quite spectacular. Come back tomorrow for a closer look at several of my favourite Santas....
Do you have special Christmas collections?

Peace,
Linda

 "He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!" ~ Clement C. Moore

Where is Spring?

Okay, I've promised myself I am NOT going to mention the "W" word anymore (that's Winter). I am ignoring the fact that we had snow flurries off and on all weekend... and that we still have 3 or 4 feet of snow on the ground. I'm ignoring the calls from friends out west who tell me their crocuses are done and daffodils are blooming. I'm putting away my Jim Shore Snowmen and taking down my beautiful crocheted and tatted snowflakes from my window. I WANT Spring...NOW!!! I'm off tomorrow to Saint John, to teach for 2 days. When I come back, it better be feeling more like Spring!!

Look at these gorgeous tulips- I can't believe how they have lasted - this bunch is one week old today- and they are still beautiful! This is the second bunch I have had (thanks to my good friend Sue) of these yellow tulips that have lasted more than a week, before they start to fade... Usually tulips don't make a great cut flower as they open quickly and then "flop"...

Anyway, just letting you know, in case anyone has any "drag" with Mother Nature, I'm more than ready for Spring....bring it on!!! I won't be blogging again until probably Sunday... Until then...Piece!

Linda

"Spring comes: the flowers learn their colored shapes" -Maria Konopnicka

I Love Jim Shore!

I love Jim Shore! Well, actually I've never met the man... and I'm quite happy with the man I've got! Maybe what I should say is I love Jim Shore's work. Jim is an artist who grew up in South Carolina. Born to artistic parents who instilled a love of folk art, Jim's grandmother was a master quilter who taught him to appreciate the patience and skill necessary to bring intricate designs to life. Jim has drawn inspiration from these family roots. Although he holds degrees in Engineering and Business, art has always been his first love, and now it is his fulltime work. He produces seasonal and home accessories which are marketed worldwide. He takes designs from quilting, rosemalling and applique and combines them with elements of folk art and a vibrant color palette. I love his figurines. I have a good number of his Santas, and when November rolls around, they are the very first Christmas boxes that I open!! You'll have to wait till next November to see my other Santas, but here is my very favorite- since he is blue and white, I don't think of him as a Santa, but rather, I call him Father Winter. Officially he's known as "Blue Quilt Santa" but to me, he's not Christmas-y, so he stays out all winter.
I collect Angels so naturaly I added a few Jim Shore Angels to my collection. This one is called "Landscape Sleeps". I found her in a gift shop in Whycocamagh NS. Part of the fun when you collect something, for me, is "the hunt". You just never know where you'll find that special item....
I have found several of my Santa's in the oddest places, but that makes them "special"....
I have a few Jim Shore snowmen as well; I will share them with you another day.
We are getting yet more snow today.. snow and rain actually... neither of which we need... I wonder if I put "Father Winter" away, if the snow would stop?
Piece,
Linda

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?" - John Steinbeck