This is an extra special post for me! I am participating in my very first Blog Hop EVER!!
Stacy at Poofing the Pillows has put this all together and invited me to join her group of Texas blogging ladies to share something special about our Christmas Homes.
One of the MOST special things I do in decorating for Christmas - other than having at least ONE tree in every room and using as many decorations as a small department store - is the Santa wall of paintings in the den.
I have been painting for nearly 40 years - usually on Tuesdays!
I have taught a class here in my home for the last 35 years.
I painted this Santa back in 1994. He was my first one.
A friend had given my daughter a Christmas present in one of those printed gift boxes.
I still have that very box lid! I looked at it and thought, 'I bet I could do that!'
And I did! It took me only 4 hours of painting time done over 3 sessions.
While I have kept this very special first one, I have painted well over a dozen others as gifts and fundraisers. The first fundraiser was for The Pirouettes of Texas Synchronized Swimming Team. My daughter, Amber, swam with this club for 11 years.
This kneeling Santa was last year's painting.
While this isn't a Santa, it IS a Christmas painting!
I painted one on a large wooden cupboard door I found at a surplus store back in the late 70's.
It burned in the fire of 1983 when we had to gut the entire house.
In 2010 I finally decided to paint a new one!
As my wall gallery wall grew, I started to paint a few smaller sized canvases in order to make a more interesting composition. This is an 8 X 10 from 2001.
Another 8 X 10 from 2006.
I really love the Coca-Cola Santas!!!
My first SHHHH!!! Santa from 2000.
I have always liked this one!!
Then in 2013 we painted another SHHH!!! Santa in art class!
This one made us laugh because I painted him with SIX fingers!!!
And what's more - so did the other ladies!!
Teacher did so they did, too!!!
We fixed it, though, before it was totally finished!
I whipped out two of these in October when we spent 10 days down at my step son's ranch.
We have our camper there and I dearly love to just hole up and paint, read, write, walk, just BE!!!
It is my happy place! We sip coffee in the morning and wine at night and relax in between!!
This was painted by way of inspiration from some Christmas gift wrap!
Another new one I painted this year!
It's is so new - it's still wet!
I have fond memories of painting this Santa.
Louis Dean and I were camping for a week at Mineral Wells State Park in October of 2011.
I painted two of them at a time - one for my sister and her husband who LOVES and collects toy trains. For the longest time he looked just like a clown and I remember that happy moment when he morphed into SANTA!!!!
The Santa in the Sleigh is one of my largest paintings and Louis Dean's favorite!!
It was NOT an easy one!
We lived in our camper for 7 months down in Katy, Texas when daughter had quadruplets.
We pretty much closed up our house here and moved down there from August 2012 to April 2013.
I made a make shift studio in the gazebo we put up by the camper and would paint on the weekends since we were helping with the babies during the weekdays.
I believe this is my best work when it comes to painting Santas.
He was hard but I do love him so!!!
I found this Santa as a jigsaw puzzle!
I have painted him a couple of times - most recently for the auction for our family reunion!
The whispering Santa reminds me of my sister in law's little granddaughter!
I painted an extra one for our Family Chinese Christmas Tree and SHE won it!!
Louis Dean and I married in 2005 and I painted this large Santa that year.
I'm pretty proud of him!
Not all of our Christmas paintings are Santas!
Another wrapping paper inspiration!
This was from a calendar page that reminded me of my grand quad, Logan!
As I was looking at all the paintings, I notice that this is the very FIRST Christmas painting - other than the Raccoon one that burned - and it was more of a tole painting than anything else.
Tole painting taught me a lot about blending and brush control.
I paint only in oils but I wish I could do water colors.....
My very latest painting - which I just finished last night!!!
I think this one looks like Louis Dean - that's why I gave him brown eyes!!!
Every room in our house has at least ONE tree.....the den has TWO!
This is a Santa tree - of COURSE!!
It's a mixture of hand painted, crafted, purchased and gifted Santas!
As you can see - the Santa wall is FULL!!!
Next year I'm going to start on a gallery wall of Christmas paintings in the hall!
The other tree is nestled in here with these Christmas figures!
I still have to put the ornaments on it!
Our den is a happy place any time of the year but especially at Christmas time!
Our grand quads are now 3 1/2 years old and they come over to spend the day with us on Wednesdays! They love playing in here and as busy as my house is and as much STUFF as I have - which my husband lovingly calls 'debris!' - it is still a child friendly place for all my grandchildren.
I am so blessed in that I have lived in this very same house for nearly 50 years and all four of my children and now all eight grandchildren have grown up right here!!!
That's my Christmas story to share!
I do hope you will visit the other Texas ladies to see what THEY are doing!!
Today's Christmas in Texas featured blogs are:
Ellis at My Heart Loves Here
Laura at White Spray Paint
Katy at Let's Add Sprinkles
Kathryn at The Dedicated House
Susan at Ash Tree Cottage
A wonderful Christmas story, Linda...and another peek into your most interesting and unique life and home. I stand in awe. The Santa paintings are beyond marvelous...they are truly inspired. You are a dear and special friend that brings joy into my life with your blog. So glad you joined this co-op to share your story. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteLove your Santa wall and all the memories that go with each painting. Merry Christmas,
ReplyDeleteJudith
Love all your jolly Santas! The collection of them on your Christmas tree is amazing. I want to see the whole tree :)
ReplyDeleteEilis@MyHeartLivesHere
Love all your jolly Santas! The collection of them on your Christmas tree is amazing. I want to see the whole tree :)
ReplyDeleteEilis@MyHeartLivesHere
These are amazing. You are so talented. What a fun, inspiring collection of works.
ReplyDeleteKatie
Let's Add Sprinkles
Hi Linda, I love all your Santa paintings. Your Santas look so natural and Your Christmas paintings are beautiful too.
ReplyDeleteOh Linda...these are amazing! Having the talent of being able to paint, especially faces is such a blessing! You are gifted beyong measure! Thank you ever so much for sharing your lovely holiday home!
ReplyDeleteLinda, you are so talented! Obviously you were meant to paint....not everyone can just say, "Hey I bet I can do that!" Your Santa wall is out of this world and I'm so glad you shared it in the Texas Christmas blog hop. ♥
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, this was a great treat for me as I also am a artist and paint Santa's. Your wall of Santa's is amazing and I love seeing some of your first paintings up to the present. Each one is a treasure. I have painted for 35 years and it has been a wonderful journey. I know you must feel the same. So nice to meet another Texan who paints and see your gorgeous work.
ReplyDeleteYour room is amazing and ready to greet Christmas.
Have fun on our tour today. Hugs
I was aware of your Santa wall....I didn't realize you had painted all of them! I believe artists see things through God's eyes. I Am sure that is true with you as they overflow with joy. They are amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou have mentioned the house fire a few times. You will have post what happened or maybe you already have in the past and can refer back to it for those of us who don't know.
I cannot get over the amazing talent that you possess Linda! I'll be featuring you on my round up tour this Saturday.
ReplyDeleteMay all the joy of the season be yours!
I cannot get over the amazing talent that you possess Linda! I'll be featuring you on my round up tour this Saturday.
ReplyDeleteMay all the joy of the season be yours!
Linda, I knew you painted Santas every year...but I had only seen about three close up...but I could see them hanging on the wall. So glad you showed more of them in photos today. You are a very good artist. I would love to take some classes with you. Blessings to all, love you, Susie
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Linda. I love that one that you said was your favorite and if I could snatch one from your wall, it would be the trio of old world Santas. I have a Santa collection and the Old World ones are my favs.
ReplyDeleteOh, Linda...you already know how much I admire your talent for painting...your Santas just flat blow me away.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you showcased your Santa Wall....
What an amazing collection! And even more amazing is the fact that YOU painted them all! They are all so beautiful and unique. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
ReplyDeletePS I love your cozy den!
I'm on the lap top so won't say "hi." =D
ReplyDeleteLoved reading the discussion of each Santa. Brown eyed Santa really does look like Louis Dean. Each one has his own unique look and story. All wonderful. I won't share my favorite because they're all special to you.
Your home looks Narnia magical and I can imagine that all your grands are intrigued by everything. My grands would certainly be.
Leaving with bright eyes. Thank you for this wonderful post and congratulations on being part of this tour. I have really enjoyed it over the last few days. I have visited the three of "mine" and many of the others, too.
Wow, you are an amazing artist! I just love all the paintings and detail in each one! Your home is so warm and cozy and full of love! All who enter there are very blessed indeed. Thank you for sharing, my youngest was looking at them too and loves them all!
ReplyDeleteMany blessings,
Jill
Your art work is amazing. Thanks for sharing on the Texas blog hop.
ReplyDeleteWow, so many Santas to choose from but if I had to have a favorite the one in the sleigh is my favorite too!
ReplyDeleteOh my....you are an amazing artist!!! I love the Santa's but I am IN love with the coon, since I collect the silly things!! They always make me smile!
ReplyDeleteYour home is lovely, and I totally agree that where the grandkids are, is LOVE!!
Blessings to you,
J
all of your santas are just wonderful, i tried to pick a favorite and don't think i can. you are truly talented.
ReplyDeleteLinda, this is the sweetest Christmas story! I can't tell you how smitten I am with your collection of Santa paintings. I have one original Santa painting that a friend did for me a few years ago. I would love to add another. Please message me if you consider special requests.
ReplyDeleteI love that your grands are active with you. Wonderful memories being made in your cozy home! I'd love to see all of this first hand. I admire your talent!
Merry Christmas, fellow Texan! This Christmas in Texas blog hop has been a highlight for me. Love meeting new to me Texas bloggers.
Your home is full of joy! I loved hearing the story of each painting! I agree that brown eyed one is Louis Dean. You have given your children and grandchildren beautiful memories!
ReplyDeleteDeanna
Linda, you are an amazingly talented lady! LD, Amber, and her hubby and the quads, and all your big family are so fortunate to have you! Thanks for sharing your Santa paintings---35 years of teaching---it surely shows! Again, I'd love to live down your street to see all your paintings, and meet you and LD and all your family. I'm so thankful for the Internet a times like this,, so I can visit so many lovely homes of talented women who share my values and interests. Reading blogs is a favorite hobby of mine, and I'm so glad I've found so many like yours that I enjoy. You all light up a darkening world, you know. I'll take this time to say Merry Christmas to you and all your family, but I'll always "visit."
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the hop, Linda! You would not approve of my house - the only Christmassy thing so far is a poinsettia! Cheers
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful paintings.
ReplyDeleteYour home is so fun and festive...I love the beautiful decorations and the warm glow from the lights on all your Christmas trees.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE Santas! Your talent is amazing and I'm so very happy to see more of your work. I don't even have 1 tree up and here you have one in every room! :) The Christmas spirit is lacking in this family...hopefully, we'll get it back one of these days. Thank you so much for showing so many of your gorgeous Santas ~ love seeing them!!
ReplyDeletexo
Pat
P.S. Your blog is so festive too! :)
You are such a talented artist. I love Santa's too and have a small collection of them which I set out each year.
ReplyDeleteI love how you have Christmas infused into your home!
Merry Christmas,
Jemma
Linda, love each and everyone of your paintings. I love good paintings and have several. Never found a Santa as good as yours, so he is missing. I have some pretty bluebonnet ones. I did not do them, but a local artist did. She is now deceased.
ReplyDeleteLinda ~ I am just in awe of your wonderful talent! I love the expressions on each of the faces of your Santas. I am so glad this Texas Blogger party brought us together and I am your newest follower!
ReplyDeleteBig Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Your Santa wall is the best thing ever. I don't paint & even if I did I'd have no where to store these paintings. I'd likely make a hall wall the Santa gallery & leave them up all year. They're amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou are one very, very talented lady. What an amazing collection you have created. I am in awe. Your grandkids must love coming over to visit Santa...and Santa...and Santa... ; )
ReplyDeleteJust WOW ... you are so talented. Love all your paintings.
ReplyDeleteAudrey Z.@ Timeless Treasures
Wonderful paintings Linda. You are very talented! The Santas are so sweet. 40 years is a very long time and you have some lovely paintings to share forever.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to see all of your truly wonderful Santa paintings! You are one very talented lady! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to see all of your truly wonderful Santa paintings! You are one very talented lady! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness Linda I loved getting a good look at all of those beautiful paintings! What a talent you have! And a tree in every room? I love my one tree [truly I do!] but just putting 1 up and down wears me out, lol! Don't know how you do it. I bet the grandkids love it though. 50 years in one house is a LONG time! What memories that house holds! Your brown eyed Santa DOES resemble Louis Dean! I certainly enjoyed myself this morning! Hope you have a good week-end!
ReplyDeleteWow! I just love all your Santa's, what a great display.
ReplyDeleteDiana
Wonderful lady!! you are blessed and so is your family!
ReplyDeleteOh, goodness! You are so talented. I love all of the Santas you have painted! Thank you for sharing. I have so enjoyed being apart of the Christmas in Texas tour and looking at everyone's lovely homes all decked out for the holidays. Feel free to share this at my Make it Pretty party. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/12/make-it-pretty-monday-week-160.html Have a lovely weekend. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic collection, I have loved looking at each one of them! What a warm Texas addition to the tour.
Merry Christmas!
Miz Helen
I love all your Santa's and the wall. Talent!
ReplyDelete