Countdown to Christmas: 9 Days Nicol Sayre, Another Fabulous Santa Claus Artist

Much like Dee Gann's designs, Nicol Sayre's Santas and other exquisite figures have been licensed by the mass market industry (in her case ESC Trading Company) to make them more affordable for people like me who cherish their talent, but don't have the budget to procure their originals.

Even though there is still a chance to purchase one at a very reasonable price on eBay, I am simply tapped out.

Available on eBay

My mother said something to me today that was rather disheartening. She said that maybe the reason so many fine collectible Santas are selling as such low prices is because no one is collecting Santas right now...and that we (Americans) are letting go of Christmas.

Of course we can blame the economy, but even during the depression era, war, and the most dire times in our country, people pulled together to celebrate in some way.

So, I recommend that we (Americans) no let go of the things you love just yet!

If you do even a quick search on the internet, you'll find people are still collecting and/or using the things they love to adorn their homes to ring in Christmas!

Traditions Year Round Holiday Store

By all means, give us Santa artists a chance to keep on making a living do what we love!

Check out some other Santa artists at The Santamakers Guild and while you're at it...check out Nicol Sayre's blog! There maybe something in there you'll want to add to your collection.

31 DAYS of SANTA CLAUS Day 11 I don't collect EVERY Santa!

I am a writer, among other things, and I take the one hour plus drive Bossier City and Shreveport, LA where I attend meetings with a critique group, Romance Writer’s of America, and Sister’s in Crime.

While there in Bossier City and Shreveport, I like to hit a few of the Goodwills and thrift stores in the area. Today, I found a Longaberger basket and the perfect dust ruffle, valance, and pillow shams for my lake house, a couple of  cute things for my house and a very adorable hand carved Folk Art Noah and his Ark.

But sadly, I found no Santas to add to my collection.

Oh, I saw a lot of Santas, but I don’t collect EVERY Santa, which is why I think this is a great topic of my blog.

I went out to my studio and took some quick photos of a few Santas who are looking for a new home.


These were not gifts, I actually bought these, but as my collections change, I trade out.

Collectors can be very discriminating with their taste in their chosen passion. Now, just because I am not artist specific, and collect a variety of styles, this doesn’t mean I prefer just any Santa. So, it is always best, that if someone wants to give me a Santa as a gift, it should really fall into the various styles I collect.  I only have so much room!

Unfortunately, this has rarely happened and I discourage people from giving me a Santa as a gift unless they are observant enough to figure out what Santas I do collect versus those I do not.  What makes me really sad is that my husband and two sons haven’t a clue as to what kind of Santa to buy me even though a portion of my collection surrounds them in our dining room year round.

·      I do not collect dollar, chain craft store, discount super center, or big box store Santas.  

·      I do not collect ceramic Santas, but I do have a few vintage pieces or ones that I painted.  

·      I do not collect other artist’s gourds or cypress knee Santas but I have picked up a couple of small ones. 

·      I do not collect Santa dolls, but I have a few that are mostly vintage (50’s 60’s) rubber faced dolls.

·      I do not collect soft plastic or flocked Santas, but I do collect vintage (50’s to 60’s) hard plastic and celluloid Santas and reindeer.

I prefer name brand Santas (yes, I’m being snobbish) like the House of Hatten and artist’s originals when I can afford them, quality artist’s reproductions (also when I can afford them), and just about any hand-carved Santa.

I just can’t figure out why anyone who has been in my home and, even if they saw only a portion of my collection of which I probably have about a thousand, could not discern the quality of the pieces I do have. I compare it to someone who decorates their entire home in Stickley, and Arts and Crafts style furniture and someone gives them a Queen Anne piece. Hmmmm.

But let me say this…

I am so overwhelmed with joy when someone gives me a gift that says, “I get you, Geri.”  But I really believe that quality time spent with family and friends is truly a precious and graciously received gift.

And I’ve always got room for that!

31 DAYS of SANTA CLAUS Day 1 Vintage Santas from the 50's and 60's

It might seem a bit early to be talking about Santa Claus, but if you've been to just about any retail establishment, you'll see that they are way ahead of me.

Not only is October the time of year for me to bring out my collections of cornhusk scarecrows and those crazy foamy plastic Jack-o-lanterns with the electric bulbs, it also the best time of year for me to start working on my Santa Claus gourds, cypress knees, a various ornaments featuring the jolly old elf.

This year I am doing something extra that I am really excited about. I will be posting a daily blog on my progress along with a bit about the Santas I collect.

Early this year I subscribed to Myquilyn "The Nester" Smith's blog "nesting place" at thenester.com and I purchased her book, The Nesting Place. She started the 31 Days writing challenge on her blog and many of her followers signed up to participate.

Visit these sites and check out all the topics and posts that interest you.

So, read and enjoy, follow the blogs, and don't forget to share them with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

AND NOW...

DAY 1

I should start with a brief story about how and why I started collecting Santa Claus figures, paintings, plates, ornaments, postcards, etc.

My sister, who is one week short of being four years older than I, was given a Santa with a molded plastic and a velvet suit for her first Christmas. We also had a Santa head cookie jar that smelled like Lizzies since before I came along.

Then I received a Santa Claus head that you could hang on the wall and when you pulled the gold knob under his beard, a tinny music box played "Silent Night". I believe it was my Ne Ne (Mother's mother) who gave me a small rubber faced Santa doll with wire arms.  Other Santas, like one I made in school and one my first grade teacher were also added to our meager collection; however, every year we looked forward to them emerging from their boxes my parents kept stored in the attic.

Mother gave Gina her Santas and me mine once we had a home of our own. And, knowing what Gina's Santas meant to me, Mother surprised me one Christmas with one of each plus the hard plastic Santas, sleighs and reindeer that belonged to my NeNe. The Santa head cookie jar might not smell like Lizzies, and the Santa with the velvet suit might now be as worn and dingy from play as the original, and although I never remembered seeing my NeNe's house at Christmas, but I am still excited every year when they emerge from the boxes I keep stored in the attic.

I did, of course, create a Santa Claus today while trying to figure out how to create a button and a permalink.

Yes, it is very tiny...but it still took me over an hour until I made him just they way I wanted him to appear, but most of that was learning how to use Adobe Illustrator...AGAIN!