Creatures Great and Small

Can you believe that January is almost over?!!! It seems like this month just started and now it's over!

Over the years, I have received some lovely messages about the little Christmas Creatures that I make each year for my husband. I absolutely love doing this, and he especially looks forward to what the new creature will be. So sweet. He now has quite the collection.

In the fall, while I'm out walking Berkley, I pick up seeds that catch my eye. When I get back home, I have a plate that I keep on my kitchen windowsill where I place my little treasures. They all sit there waiting for a couple of months. I usually put the little creature together on Christmas Eve. Talk about pressure!!! But, I have found that when I don't have time to think, the little creatures tell me who they want to be. I know that may sound silly, but that's how it seems to work.

This year I was determined to only use what I had picked up over the previous months. After years of collecting seed pods, I have quite the collection! So here's the little guy that came to life :)

His little furry tail came off of some sort of weed. 

He seems so happy :)

A few years ago, I found this old box. I had shelves and a glass front installed. So now all the creatures have a quirky place to live. The guy on top is just too large to live inside, so he keeps watch over everyone ;) 

I so enjoy looking at the collection!

I took all the creatures out of the cabinet and placed them on my mantle so that I could do a little video. 

All of the creatures seem to have a happiness about them. I think it's because of how I feel when I help them come to life. Who knows? ;)

I love sharing these fun little guys. Hope you've enjoyed seeing them!

 Rhonda

Christmas Tradition/Christmas Creatures

For about the last 10 years...I really haven't kept count of the years, I have been making my husband what I call Christmas Creatures. They are quirky little creatures made from seeds, and seed pods. In the fall I begin looking for whatever has fallen from the trees, and dried up seed pods on plants and bushes. I keep a large bowl on my kitchen counter, and when I return from my walk, whatever I've gathered goes in the bowl. Then, usually on Christmas Eve, nothing like waiting until the last minute, I take all that I've gathered, and begin playing. What amazes me is that each and every year, a new creature comes to life. Below is a number of the creatures that I've made. They are all made out of the same things, and yet, they are all unique.

  

Meet the newest addition to the group :)

He's a happy little guy with 1 ski up in the air, his wings furling in the wind.

The little seed pods that I used for his tail were found on a tree that I had never noticed before.

Last year, I found a cabinet to house all of the little creatures. Last year's creature is quite large, so he sits on top of the cabinet.

I've been approached about making the creatures for art galleries. Quite the compliment, but not something I want to do. They seem all the more special being one of a kind :) 

Making the little creatures was something I never realized I had in me. Truly little creatures created from my heart. 

Christmas Traditions and Christmas Creatures

The holidays are all about tradition. Whether it's a special pie, your auntie's fruit cake, holiday linens, or an annual trip to cut down a tree, it's the traditions that make the holidays special. In 2009 or 2010, a new tradition began in our home, Christmas Creatures. Each year I make a new ornament for my husband made from sticks, seeds, and any other natural bits that I happen to find. If you would like, HERE'S a link to the history of the ornaments.

Each year when a new creature comes to life, I always think that there is no way I'll be able to come up with a new one the following year, and yet they just seem to materialize.

This year's little creature, a little duck with a big acorn hat. 

The head and the body are tiny little gourds. When I was in Galveston, Texas back in November, I visited a favorite antique store, Somewhere In Time. She always has interesting and unique things. While I was there, I saw a big basket filled with extremely large acorn caps and these tiny little gourds. They looked interesting, so I purchased a number of the acorn caps and 2 of the gourds.  After playing around with the gourds for some time, the little duck began to come to life.

I used pine cone leaves for the wings.

As well as his little duck feet. His "skis" are a milkweed pod that I cut in half. 

Somewhere along the way, I picked up the tiny little acorns that I used for the tips of his ski poles.

There were some little divots in the acorn cap. I had a few more of the tiny acorns, so I decorated his cap. The eyes were marks that were on the gourds, so I didn't need to add anything more.

Just to give you an idea of how big he is.

 The crew :)

And a complete "family" photo. One is missing, Rudolph. He fell and broke apart, so maybe a new Rudolph will appear in an upcoming year.

I absolutely love making the creatures. It's a part of me that until 6 or 7 years ago, I had no idea even existed. 

Before I go, I thought I would share a few holiday memories. The boys pictured below belong to a very dear friend of mine. They came for a visit and fell in love with Gracie. Gracie was the BEST babysitter too! There were actually 3 little boys here. At one point I thought I was going to see 1 of them riding the dog! What is it about boys and dogs? :)

One of the quieter moments of the evening ;)

Not the best picture, but you haven't seen me in a while. I'm sitting in my favorite room, my dining room. It really looked so pretty this Christmas.   

The decorations are now down and the New year is just around the corner. I hope that you had a lovely holiday, and I wish you the absolute best year to come!

Christmas Creatures/My Folk Art

For those of you who have been following the blog for some time, you know that there's a quirky little side to my personality ;) Once a year, I sit down and make what I call a Christmas Creature for my husband. It all began because I was a bit jealous of a ski ornament that an old girlfriend had given him. Each year I would give him a new ski themed ornament thinking that I just might trump the old, but never. When asked, he would always say that the old ornament was his favorite. Not because he had any ties to the old girlfriend, he simply liked the handmade, quirky aspect of the ornament. Once I finally realized what it was that he liked, I decided to give it a try and see if I could come up with something out of the ordinary. Below is the first little guy that I made, and I am quite pleased to say that the old ornament slips farther and farther down the favorite line. He needs a little work on his mustache. The mustache is made from seeds, and one side broke off. A simple fix.

Below is the group, minus this year's new addition. 

    

I'm always amazed by how they just seem to come to life. I actually feel that I don't do the creating. It's like the little creatures know what they want to be and I'm just there to put them all together.

Love this little mountain man with his horse chestnut seed backpack. 

This was last year's addition to the group, and I think my husband's favorite. Actually, his favorite seems to always be the new addition. 

If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would be this guy. I love his peach pit face and his acorn cap hat. And I really like how the pine cone snowshoes worked out. His walking poles are stems from a large leaf that I found.

I call these two, The Cousins, just two dudes sitting back on their skis with their stogies in their mouths, enjoying the trip down the mountain.

And now for this year's addition to the group.....
He's such a happy little guy!

The body/mouth is a huge horse chestnut seed pod that I found. The biggest I've ever seen. There are 3 seeds in the pod. I was afraid that the pod would open completely, but this was it, and so a mouth was born. 
His eyes are acorns, but I took the acorns out and turned them around so that he had bigger pupils. His feet are smaller horse chestnuts and his skis are milkweed seed pods.

His eyebrows are the same seed pods that I used last year to create the ears on the rabbit.

I really enjoy making the little creatures and seeing them come to life. They are truly one of a kind! 
Now, I'm no Picasso, or even a Grandma Moses, or any other famous artist for that matter, but it's something I never would have thought I had in me. I've always loved seeds and the pods that they grow in, as well as interesting rocks and shells. I'm forever picking up whatever it is that catches my eye. So, if there is something that you find interesting, lay it all out on a table and give it a look. You just might find an artist waiting to be born :)
Wishing you a wonderfully creative day!
Rhonda 

I Never Thought I Could Be a Folk Artist

It all began with a little jealousy. As it turns out, a bit of jealousy can be a good thing when it is used in a positive way. My husband had been given an ornament by an old girlfriend. Each year, without fail, when asked which of all his ski based ornaments was his favorite, that was the one. Finally, determined to trump that ornament, I decided to make one. If you've been following the blog for a while then you've seen this guy. He loved it. I finally trumped that old ornament and a new Christmas tradition began.  
      

The following year, I made Rudolph. At the moment he's out getting a new set of antlers, but you can see him here if you like.
Next came this crazy guy with his peach pit face

               

and his sticks made out of leaf stems.

Last year, 2 little guys came to be. First up was this crazy mountain man. I have no idea what the seed pod that I used for his face is, but it worked. It was just something I found while I was out for my morning walk.

While I was putting my things way, this little guy just decided to emerge from the pile of seeds and pods. His glasses as well as his mustache are seeds.

He's even sporting a backpack! Of course the hat is my creation ;)

This year, a cousin to last year's mountain man came to life. Even Christmas Creatures need family!!!

His hat is a horse chestnut seed and the white "ball" on top is another seed that I popped off of a tree in Texas. Look closely and you'll see that he's smoking a stogie just like his cousin.

Once again, a new creature emerged as I was putting away my bits and pieces.

  

 I just love how he came together. I still need to add his sticks.



Here you can see that his ears are really just a seed pod that opened up.

The gang in all their glory :)

I was looking at the group all together and it occurred to me that never in my wildest imagination did I think that I could create these little folk art creatures. I'm glad that I was a little jealous. The creatures give me a tremendous sense of joy as I put them together and even more as I look at them. My husband has insisted that they don't get put away with the other ornaments. He feels that that are too special and need to be seen all year long. That makes me very happy :)

Creatures Who Love To Ski

Happy Day After Christmas to everyone!!! I hope you all had a lovely holiday. I had a wonderful time, ate some good food, enjoyed the company of some good friends, and visited with my family. 

Last year I shared with you a little something that has become a tradition in my home. It all started with this little ornament. I have been jealous of this little guy for as long as my husband and I have been married, well that is until 4 years ago. I think an old girlfriend gave him this ornament. Anyway, each and every Christmas, I have given my husband a ski ornament for Christmas. He now has a tree full. We've been married a long time :) Every year when I pull out all of the ornaments, I ask which is your favorite and without any hesitation, he would always say, "this guy."    

He finally told me that what he liked was that it was handmade and so creative. Ahhh, the magic formula. So 4 years ago I decided to make my ornament and this is what I came up with. I need to do a little repair work as the"mustache" broke off on one side.

As you can see, it's all made out of natural seeds, pine cones and seed pods, except for the hat and scarf of course. The result, success!!! He loved it. Finally :)

The next year I made Rudolph. The story behind this guy is, after the long night of flying all over the world has come to an end, Santa tells the reindeer, "great job boys, enjoy your vacation." With glee, Rudolph straps on his skis and flies down the mountain.

His hoofs are acorn shells.

 And I even found some furry little seeds for his tail.

Last year I made this little guy.His face is a peach pit that I just happened to find, the body is a black walnut and his hat is another acorn shell.

 He has such a great personality.

This is this years addition. I have no idea what type of seed pod his head is made out of. It was found while I was out on my morning walk. He too has a black walnut body. His feet are horse chestnut seeds. The tiny pine cone is from a neighbor's tree. I thought it worked well as a stogie.

He was a blast to make. He also has an acorn hat, but with a little decoration. I am so happy that I was able to get the scarf to look as though he is really flying down the mountain. Sitting back and enjoying the ride ;)

I only intended to make one ornament, but as I was picking up my things, the pieces just seemed to come together and bring this little guy to life.

His head is from a sago palm and his eyes and mustache are also seeds.
His backpack is a horse chestnut seed. The sticks and the baskets at the bottom are from a tree that I walked past while out with my dogs. And then of course he has pine cone leaves for his snow shoes and the tiny pine cone boots.

The entire family. My husband dropped Rudolph, so I need to find some new antlers.



My husband asked me how I come up with these little creatures as they are all so different. I told him that I really don't feel that I am the creator. They tell me who they want to be and it all just comes happens. Well, however they come together, they have become such a joy, and a true holiday tradition. Had it not been for the little clothespin guy, I don't think that any of these little guys would have ever come to life. In this case, a little jealousy was a good thing!!!