Exquisite Queen Anne Woodens by Kathy Patterson

Words alone cannot describe the craftsmanship of doll (and Santa) artist, Kathy Patterson. Kathy has captured impeccably the making of Queen Anne wooden dolls. Her ability to carve is unsurpassable. I am grateful that she has offered to instruct me in the how of creating such dolls, and in attempting it, I have put my carving knife away for a while. This is an art form that has wooed me for many years. I will have to stay happy with merely sculpting out of Paper Clay this style, a little longer.

The first doll is right now on eBay for all of two more days. The last doll just sold on eBay for $2, 350.00, and worth every penny and even more so. This style of doll, if old, can command from $16,000.00 up to $160,000.00 a piece. Lucky is the buyer of any of Kathy's incredible creations.

I've highlighted her name to direct you to her blog, and again, here it is in it's wonderful and perfectly appropriate other name, Babes From the Woods.

Some of her dolls are featured in the current issue of Early American Life, which is the annual and the 24th Directory of Traditional American Crafts. Click on Directory, then on 2009, and then on Toys or Dolls.

Enjoy the works of a dear, dear friend.

Fire Board Time!

I did this Fire Board when we lived in Ohio, for my older sister who still lives there in good old Cincinnati. It is in our 1833 home in Lynchburg, Ohio for the picture in this view.

Summer time is when fire boards were properly put in front of fireplaces so as to keep out birds and other pests now that there would no longer be a need to build a fire.

Soy Sauce and Burns

Soy sauce is a wonderful medicine for burns, but the trick is to get the soy sauce onto the burn immediately. Yesterday I burned my left thumb severely when I foolishly picked up the sealing wax stick that I had just used. It was melting and hot and painful.  I ran downstairs to the fridge and immediately doused the owy with soy sauce. It was in pain nonetheless, and after soaking it in ice water and then bandaging it, I noticed later in the day that it was ALL better. My husband, Greg, learned this somewhere. It works every time.

Early American Tinware (Tole)

I love early American tinware. I even took many classes in tole painting back in the '70's and '80's. Of course, early tinware is not easy to find, and has always been rather expensive. Now that we are in the 21st century,well, face it, whoever stumbles across a reasonably priced piece of early American tinware is ever so fortunate. Perhaps this is why it's not such a bad thing that it is no longer a real popular look.

I have a very small collection of it. The first five photos here are my limited collection. My husband, Greg, wrote a wonderful article about tinware. Click here to read it.

The following pictures of early American tinware, I gleaned from the Internet:

Fraktur

The word Fraktur is both singular and plural. One does not have a dozen frakturs, one has a dozen fraktur.

Fraktur is a beautiful art form to me.

My dear and very talented husband, Gregory LeFever wrote a wonderful story about Fraktur for Early American Life magazine. Visit the article to learn all about Fraktur.

The top fraktur is from Winterthur Museum Delaware. Mind you, the pronunciation is Winter ter, don't sound out the th. I know that many of you already know this, but there are some young ones out there who've not been much exposed to this sort of thing.

The second one is a portrait of George Washington by an anonymous painter. Art historians refer to him as the "Washington-Sussel Artist" because his work was first studied by a collector of that name. It is in the Independence National Historical Park.

The third Fraktur is from artist Lana Manis of Honeysuckle Lane. Hi, Lana!

The last one is my little bird fraktur that is a copy of a c. 1790 eastern Pennsylvania, book mark in ink and watercolor. I have framed it in glass and silver solder that I aged to a dark patina.

Pink Trees Everywhere!

Spring comes early in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, where I live just outside of Portland in historic, Oregon City. One cannot look out a single window without seeing the resplendency of flora in my favorite color, pale pink. Enjoy!

Down on the Farm

I found this darling piece of farm ephemera at an estate sale in one of Portland's beautiful, older homes up in the West Hills. Some child did a wonderful job of making this little pictorial of a farm oriented scene. I keep it in my kitchen.

It is so cute the way this piece can be turned open to reveal the hens!

Have I no pride? My kerosene chimney is in need of spring cleaning as it lights up my sheep, and hens and bunnies high atop my baker's table. Above it is my favorite Edward Hicks painting of a wonderful old Pennsylvania farm scene.

Two butter molds nesting in my wooden bowl shelving unit. Time to churn that butter!

This beautiful sunshine overlooking the hills and valleys is derived from a Betty Caithness design that I painted. I painted it onto a piece of roof shingling that dates back to the 1830's from our old house in Ohio. It hangs outside on our porch by the kitchen door.

Twigs

I found this twig arbor and fence online, somewhere, and I love it. Yesterday I pruned my daughter and son-in-law's apple tree so that I might have some twigs to begin creating some of this charming, old world rusticity. I love it!

If anyone has the know how for making twig things, please share! I just love twigs!

Never mind, for I have found a book on it and successfully made a twig arbor!

Spring is in the Air

I have been doing cleanup in my gardens, for the past several days, and it is so invigorating and satisfying to watch my compost heap grow as my grounds take on that of a cleanly swept home.

Of course, the pictures here are all from Colonial Williamsburg, so don't  give me credit for these wondrous sites. Just enjoy and be inspired!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ann, by Currier & Ives, is such a beautiful lithograph of which I am grateful to own a copy. Her rich, red dress and her delicate flowers, remind me of Valentine's Day, and so, Ann is greeting all of you dear friends who visit me. Happiest of Valentine's Day!

Many XO's ,Christine

#31!

It is an honor to announce that Country Living magazine invited me to be the 31st member of their Country Living Guild which is known for "honoring American artisans and craftsmanship". Read about me in the brand new, February, 2009 issue on pages 47 and 49. I am thoroughly delighted. For I have been chosen to be their first and only doll maker to be included in this guild.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It STOP!

The snow has delineated the odd curves of part of our yard, and that is due to the many rock formations that exist there. Basalt to be precise.



Although it is very beautiful and quiet, this has been going on a bit long for The Willamette Valley, Oregon. You see, this area is not equipped to keep the streets plowed, and so we get crippled. The ice has caused much loss of electricity and much damage. Many, many places are closed now for days, and this includes retail stores, antiques malls and of course many offices including the state and city offices.

I know this is lightweight compared to many other areas. I love my cake that the snow created out of the bird bath! This family is postponing Christmas celebration until Saturday the 27th., because we will be back in the 40's by then. Yay hooray!

Peace on Earth

Well, 'tis time again to concentrate on creating a time of peace on this earth, so let us all do our best to visualize through prayer or thought (whatever means works best for each of us). I have chosen a primitive theme for my Christmas/Hanukkah or just plain solstice this year and that is because it is so sweet and simple, plain and unencumbered. My lamb above is featured in my Christmas card next to my new Santa below.


Here is Santa holding his damask bag with a Christmas tree and of course a dolly! But the tree is hidden behind her, so alas, there you have it. But you can see a tree in the painting that I did below. (The real one is white and sparkly.)

If you wish to make some cards from my little Santa, just click on the link below it and print onto card stock. Cut a small piece of card stock as a back. I use a 3" wide by 5" long piece of it, and I fold it over, and attach it to the back of the Santa card with a piece of foam core tape. Then write in the body of it.

Click here for a PDF of this card.

Merry Christmas, everyone!