Christmas Ornaments

We celebrated Christmas at my Mother's house so we decided to come home via Omaha to shop at Whole Foods.  While lunching there (love their soups) we decided we needed to make a few other stops before heading back home, and am I ever glad we did.  

We found a display of Christopher Radko's "Shiny Brite" glass ornaments in the vintage 1940's designs on sale at one of our stops, and we fell in love with them.  Both my husband and I were born in the 1950s and have memories of growing up with ornaments just like these.  Of course, over the years the thin glass ornament walls didn't have a good relationship with the wood floors and many were broken.  We still have a few of the originals, which we treasure, but finding these just made both of us happy that we could get that vintage look again because of the availability of these new ornaments.

We found them in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors and can't wait for next year to put them on the Christmas tree farm's display tree.   Every customer that purchases a tree gets to select a new ornament to place on their fresh cut tree, and I have a feeling they will like them as much as we do.   They are magical!

Here is hoping your holiday season found magic as well!!  ; )

Off to the studio to mix paper mache clay!  Have a great week!

Laurie

Ean Elf

Ean Elf is completed so I thought I would share him with you as he is my last Christmas piece of the 2010 season.  Unlike Ean's brother, Edgar (prior post), Ean is a little further along in his hatching process from the Christmas ornament, and has managed to push one of his curlie tipped shoes out of the lower side.

He sits atop a painted base, which holds a Christmas tree scene complete with hanging ornaments and a small elf putting the finishing touches on the tree.





Ean has lots of details from the jingle bells and stripes of his hat, shirt and shoe, to the fine cracks found on the ornament's edge and the sculpted ornament hanger on the side of the round form.  Rosy cheeks and lips, pointed tip ears and tiny fingers finish out this little character popping out of his ornie.

I still have last minute details to complete in the coming week as we prepare for Christmas.  Here is wishing you a happy holiday season...now, pass the cookies please!!   
Laurie

Edgar Elf's Emergence

Introducing a new Monkey-Cats' original, "Edgar Elf's Emergence", a new piece finished in the studio over the weekend.  This funny little fellow will be placed on eBay this week with an auction ending next Monday.  Edgar, and the top sphere shaped ornament are made of paper mache, wire and 5 tiny jingle bells (yes, they actually jingle), which sets independently atop the wooden base with a complementary painted image. 

There are lots of little details in this piece from the red and white striped hat with green curved-points tipped with jingle bells and accented in gold paint, to the tiny stars and swirls painted in the night sky over the tiny red elves' house painted on the base.   

Edgar is the first elf for 2010.  Hope you find him enjoyable!

Here is the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180597583382

Laurie

Auction Ends this Evening

This evening marks the end of "Smiling Santa's" auction on ebay.  Don't miss out on a chance to purchase this little fellow.  He is the first Santa to come from Monkey-Cats Studio since 2008, and is the only Santa completed to date for 2010.

He comes with lots of added details and he just informed me that he is hoping for a warmer home (we are having a bit of a cold spell here!!)...Silly little Santa!

Here is his auction link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180594378233

Good luck!

Laurie