Ho Ho Ho... and mo'

Thank you for stopping by my blog on this most auspicious day: first day of the Ho Ho Ho blog hop sponsored by Sew We Quilt, and cheered on by Carol.

The Story

One year, at the after-Christmas sales, I bought several Santa figurines from Goodwill.  The idea was to give them each a new suit of clothes.
 

Basket o' Santas

This particular Santa (the rear left) is the last to get his Ho Ho Ho on, so to speak.

I used the clothes he was wearing as the beginning of a pattern for new clothes.  Made things prettier
with an embroidered and sequined velveteen in a deep maroon.  Reused the fur trim for Santa's robe.  Found several gold lame fabrics, and was determined to use as many of them as I could squeeze in (I just love mixing fabrics).

The banner he was originally holding was just silly: merely a piece of cloth.  No message.  No embellishment.  And barely hanging onto a dowel by cellophane tape.  Would that do for such a handsome, well-dressed fellow?  No way.

I took a lesson from my youngest daughter and embroidered on burlap (she is making a cross-stitch Christmas stocking in sort of a rustic theme this way).  Had to jazz it up a bit with trimming around the banner (who knew they made gold lame rick-rack?), a fancy metallic on the reverse side, and gold cording to hang it.

Had much fun considering what would be in Santa's sack.  The sack he came with was filled with greenery and holly berries.  Bah!  What about the toys?  Embroidered and added some beads to the top edge of the sack, then made a simple teddy bear. 

 Gold paper-wrapped gifts and toy-shaped plastic beads and buttons fill out the sack.  I still have the intention to make a tiny hobby horse, but we'll see if that really happens.  There is a definite tension here between having actual tiny toys that a child might explore, and having things arranged beautifully so they peek out of Santa's sack just so.  I considered hot gluing everything together because I was having such trouble arranging the items for the photos.

There you have it: the tale of a much-loved Santa who has been given new life.  And now looks fabulous.  (Thanks to my son for going up into the attic on such a hot day to bring down wrapping paper for the photo shoot.  The sacrifices our loved ones make to support our hobbies...)

Have you visited the other blogs who are hopping along today?  Such variety!  How can you pick a favorite?

July 31

Just Let Me Quilt

Grandmama’s Stories

Thimblemouse & Spouse

Pumpkin Patch Quilter

Bumbleberry Stitches

Baas Amazing Adventures

The House on the Side of the Hill

Geta’s Quilting Studio

Felt Free Pa Asly

CLF by Nailaa

How Art You?

Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.  (that's me!)