Santa & the Three Scrooges

I have been preparing seasonal finger puppet gift cards for Crickhowell Craft Fair, Caemawr Studio in Hay on Wye, and The Print Shed, Madley.

 

Here is Santa, happily taking the money, on his own colourful collage Christmas card.

He is joined by three Scrooges, each one with its own Christmas ghost.

Here's the ethereal ghost of Christmas Past. I found a tiny old edition of A Christmas Carol, and have put little pieces of the text onto each card.

Here's the jovial Ghost of Christmas Present,

and finally the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come who does, I admit, look a little like an enraged tea bag. I've had such fun devising these cards - I hope they find new homes over the festive season!
 

Crickhowell Craft Fair, 23rd November, Clarence Hall, Crickhowell.

Caemawr Studio Hay on Wye, open Thursday to Sunday until 21st December.

The Print Shed Madley open weekend, 29th November to 2nd December.

3 knitted Santas in a boat

I have been knitting Santa finger puppets to feature on collage finger puppet Christmas cards.
The collage is going to have Santa happily agreeing to endorse Coke while still wearing his favourite clothes - the modern image of Santa is often thought to be the invention of artist Haddon Sundblom in his Christmas soft drink adverts, starting in 1931.

In fact, Santa as we know him was created and standardised in the 1860s, when artist Thomas Nast made a series of pictures for Harper Magazine. Santa was protrayed as a jovial chap in red and white, with a toy workshop. The idea for writing to Santa also came from Thomas Nast. Until then, Santa had appeared in a number of different guises.
Anyway, I knitted three Santas and stood them in my open glasses case, and it immediately changed into a rather lovely boat.

I saw three Santas come sailing in...
Photos of the finished Santa collage cards to follow.