Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

Sunday, November 28, 2010

My Dad, the artist.

My Dad is an artist; always has been.  He ties flies, paints a little, and makes things in his workshop (once he made 4-person canoe).  My Dad also made the best snowmen on the block, but he didn't just make snowmen.  He made igloos big enough so that all of us could stand up inside them (at the same time), giant snow dogs, snow forts, and all kinds of snow sculpture.  He once made a life-size plaster-of-Paris hand painted/sculpted Santa. It stood in our living room during the month of December.
He drew and painted large wooden cut-outs of Santa sitting in an arm chair with his orange soda in hand and eight reindeer hooked up to Santa's sleigh waiting for Santa to hop in and take off from our well-lit roof (as soon as he finished his drink, of course).  We even had Rudolf, the Red-nosed reindeer.  My Dad's not a large man but he has a BIG imagination.

Dad's Holiday tradition started about 15 years ago.  He carved 6 Santas, one each for his 5 children and one for my Mom; each hand painted and unique. On Thanksgiving, Mom wrapped them up and we took turns choosing a package.  That was many Santas ago.  Each year on Thanksgiving day, my Mom passes out the wrapped packages and we choose the newest carving from my Dad. I'm sure that he is tired of carving 6 of the same figures each year, but we treasure them and anticipate them as much or more than the Thanksgiving meal.  I actually have friends who call after Thanksgiving Day to ask about the new carving .  Some years Santa comes equipped with a chair or a sled; a removable gift; wire eyeglasses; a basket with removable fruit; a separate hat rack with a removable hat; and a mug of hot chocolate with teeny-tiny marshmallows.  The details are amazing.

We cherish these folk-art carvings.  Some day they will be divided up amongst my children, but for now they reside on the living room mantel from Thanksgiving until New Year's each holiday season.
My Mom and Dad
And my Mom, she's an embroidress extraordinaire.  That's her embroidery talent on my Header.
Love you Dad and Mom.  Thanks for the heirlooms. 

I'll be posting photos of the Santas throughout December, so stay tuned to this blog.

4 comments:

  1. How wonderful. But where is the 4th stocking in the picture?

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  2. Sue, You are so observant. I made the first petit point stocking in about 2 years, the second took me 4 months. The third took 2 months and a break of 18 years and then another year. I'm still working on stocking number 4. Cross your fingers for next year.

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  3. Your Dad's Santas are such fun treasures! Can't wait to see them featured throughout next month! (I did click on the photo, but look forward to seeing them more close up:))

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  4. Bonnie -- what a fun tradition for you all. I would like to see close-ups of these too! How blessed you are to have your parents still with you. Joni

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