Happy New Year!!

I hope that everyone has a safe and Happy New Year's eve. Just remember not to drive faster than your angel can fly....she might need to confiscate your car keys ^_^

Until next year......HUGS, Regi

What a WONDERFUL Christmas!!!

It was such a wonderful Christmas this year..thanks to all the amazing "angels" we met through Freecycle. Not just for all the wonderful gifts but the friendships that I'm sure will remain throughout the years. The Chazman had an awesome Christmas...one that filled our home with so much joy and cheer.

I was very fortunate to have entered a few giveaways and WON...YEAH ME!!! Of course, the prizes went under the tree for the Chazman from Santa. Two sets of school uniforms....which were such a blessing...uniforms get worn out very easily when you have a second grade BOY wearing them. ^_^ . There was also two journals with beach scenes and his name on them. How cool is that? One he is going to use to keep all his games codes in and the other he is going to use as a doodle journal and let me have it when it's filled up. A cherished keepsake in the making. How AWESOME is that?

To my surprise on Thursday the mailman comes to the door to say "Merry Christmas" and hands me my mail. One envelope stood out among all the others. It was a check from the Trim-A-Tree event. YEAH ME AGAIN!! ^_^ It seems that the Cheshire cat, 4 weebies and the Santa and Mrs. Claus ooaks sold. So that bought another Santa gift and a gift from his daddy and me and a trip to the grocery store. (yes..I truly am one of the starving artist..hehe)  Thank you to all that made a purchase...you don't know how much you added to this family's holidays. Blessings!!!

So enough of my chatter...here are the photos of the Chazman's Christmas morning!!!

Doesn't he look so happy? He WAS and IS. Every time I look at him I know just how blessed I am. To have a child that holds love in his heart over everything else. My true earth angel!! So amazing to have a gift from God that changes from year to year but still remains the same...a part of you!!

I guess Santa thought I was a good girl this year because I had a gift under the tree too. My studio is now official....I have my own sign. My hubby designed it and then had it cut out on the laser water cutter. Copper folks...it's made with copper and the back is stainless steel. Recycled metal and I LOVE it. 

I hope that everyone had a wonderful and BLESSED Christmas. Now my fun begins.....trying to get my decorations down before the first of the year. My grandmother always said that they should always be taken down before the first of the year....you never want the old year to follow into the new!! Now me taking them down isn't the problem....it's....yes you guessed it....the Chazman...he wants to leave everything up...LOL!!

Until next time.......HUGS, Regi

DON'T forget to Feed the Reindeer!!

The first of December always starts the excitement building in our household. That's when we start our count down using our reindeer " # of Days til Christmas". But there is just something almost magical that happens when we hit that #3 day. This is the time when we make sure we have all the family gifts wrapped and under the tree. The time that we decide what cookie we are going to make for Santa to enjoy on his visit with us. The Chazman (and Daddy of course) have picked out Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. A tradition we started when Chaz was 2 was that he and I made the cookies on Christmas Eve so they would be nice and warm. We place them on a special "Cookies for Santa" plate and we even have a special "Santa milk mug" just perfect for dipping those warm cookies in.

Now leave it to the Chazman to not forget about all the reindeer. He states.....they have to eat too...they are the ones doing so much of the work pulling that big, jolly Santa around with his sleigh chocked full of toys for all the good BOYS and ummmm oh yeah girls...hehe!! So here is another tradition started when he was a wee one....on the first of December we start making our special reindeer treats. Chaz says that everyone knows that reindeer love sweets so that is what we mix for them BUT we add "good for you too" things just to balance it out. As the Chazman puts it.....we don't want those reindeer bouncing off the tops of roofs now do we? ^_^  What's in our mix, you ask? Well, let me tell you. We start with a good base of oats (perfect way to use that last cup of oatmeal in the container) as the month goes on and as Chaz eats his cereal (like Cheerios and walnut Special K) he puts the little bit that always seems to be left in the box into the oatmeal container. Instant Reindeer food!!! A few days before Christmas Eve we take our oatmeal container, add some dried corn, some green and red sprinkles (or MICA flakes for this year...they are earth and animal friendly) and we have the perfect mixture to put out for (taking a deep breath) Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph...unless of course Comet eats to much junk before take off and Santa has to let Chet fly. (yes my child loves all the Santa Claus movies with Tim Allen) We make bags up for all the cousins so they can feed the reindeer too. It makes for a fun tradition. (it's also a great way to feed the squirrels and birds....that is IF the reindeer don't eat it all up)

With each little bag, we do the cute little munching reindeer with his comic book saying and attach him to the bag with the following saying (that must be said out loud before you throw it on the lawn)

I'm sprinkling this reindeer food outside tonight

So the moonlight will make it sparkle bright

So all Santa's reindeer that fly and roam

Will have this magic feed to guide them to my home

I hope that this fun, simple event might be added to your family traditions...and that you are enjoying all of your traditions....old ones and new ones. We here at the Moore homestead wish to all a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!!

Until next time.......Hugs, Regi

The List-Item #3

Bohemian Bag with felt rose pin attached

Leather & Lace Wristlett with velvet Roses and a Yarn/Ribbon Scarf

Felt Purse with Mermaid Pin

Large Cuddler Monster

Bag full of Felt/fur Monsters

Bag full of felt/fur animal babies

Cloth sock monkey

Large Rabbit Cuddler

2 year old Keepsake

OMGOSH and YEAH!!! I finished with item #3 on my list. I can take a deep breath....ahhhhh haaaaa (that was me taking a deep breath ^_^) I still have the others to do but those won't be delivered until after the first of the year. I think that _______ will be very happy with her mermaid bag. Let's just hope that it makes it until next year....you know how a 5 year old can be...plus they have a new puppy in the house....YIKES...but she asked for one and I just had to make her one. 

I had sooo much fun needle felting this one. I only stuck my finger one time and didn't even need a band aide. YEAH ME!!! This mermaid just took on the roll of a DIVA and that was kinda funny because that's what my sister and I call Ms. Savannah. (I think it's alright to post her name...I don't think she will be pulling my blog up anytime soon..hehe...althooooough she might....nahhhhh...she can't...can she?)

She is a full needle felt with a hand painted face. Green eyes like the sea she comes from and the eyelashes...well...that's her DIVA sign..HA!! She has a small pink quartz on her top and a pearl in her belly button. Her hair is cashmere wool.

The bag I made from felt squares and then placed a crepe lining in it. WOW....I had forgotten how much crepe likes to creep when you sew with it. I definitely had to remember what time of year it was....didn't want to end up on Santa's naughty list for my mouth and I sure don't like the taste of soap...YUCK!!!  I managed to get it placed inside the bag. YEAH ME again!!  The handle is some of my macrame knots using fringe yarn. Not an easy thing to do...I think I gained more fingers than I had starting out...or at least it felt like it. ^_^

On the front panel of the bag I stitched up a seahorse out of a piece of suede.....attached some of the fringe yarn that I made the handle out of, some purple fluffy yarn and a shell we found on one of our beach walks this past summer.

On to the next item...the large cuddle monster. The monster won't be to big but big enough to hold and it's going to have long arms so it can give the "Bestest" of hugs. This gift is for Josh, he was born with severe congenital hydrocephalus, brain damage, muscular dystrophy and is on the level of a two year old. They told my sister in law that he would not live past the age of 5, if she was lucky. Josh turned 24 this year. He is bound to a wheelchair and doesn't talk much or walk but he is the sweetest lil man in the world. He always lets folks know that he is happy to see them and will even throw you a smoochie or two and pat the sofa wanting you to come and sit with him. I am one of the few in the family that he can say my name...it's Gina to Josh and that is just fine.

Until next time....Merry Christmas Hugs, "Gina"

Jack Frost

Someone sent me an email this morning of all the snow that Russia gets this time of year. OMGOSH...I will NEVER complain about our wee bit of cold again. Cars completely covered and I do mean completely and looking like a double Decker bus is actually underneath all the snow.

Now finding your car is something that most of us understand....like forgetting where you parked it when you went to the mall or Wal-Mart. Hopefully, these folks have one of those key chains that let's your car "BEEP" out at you and OH MY for those that forget to roll the windows up (I can't imagine riding with the windows down in this kind of weather but to each his own) this will make them remember to triple check next time for sure.The car upside down and sitting on top of the dumpster must be one of those that did drive with the windows down...so cold they couldn't see where they were going.

 

Imagine will you, in your minds, if snow can cover their cars like this then how bad can it be on their homes. Can't imagine that in your head....well no need to imagine...here is one homeowners snowbound home and BOY do I mean snowbound!!!

See why I will never, EVER complain about our weather again...well..OK, I probably will say a tiny brrrrr here and there but never really complain. I bet if they knew they could catch him that an all points bulletin would be put out on Jack Frost. To bad that no one was awake or around when he was tapping on this window!!

Brrrr!!! Not saying that for our weather but for the poor Russians that have to endure this every year and for a matter of fact for all of those that have to endure the cold, fluffy, white stuff. So as a gift to those of YOU that live in the snow parts of the world....I'm giving you a photo of our warm, soft, white stuff. Want to trade? 

Now..back to saying OUCHIE and working on the little felted mermaid...LOL  Until next time....Hugs, Regi

The List Item #2

Bohemian Bag with felt rose pin attached

Leather & Lace Wristlett with velveteen roses & Earrings

Felt Purse with Mermaid Pin

Large Cuddler Monster

Bag full of Felt/fur Monsters

Bag full of felt/fur animal babies

Cloth sock monkey

Large Rabbit Cuddler

2 year old Keepsake

The leather and lace wristlett is complete and I think it turned out so pretty. I must have my gypsy muse whispering to me because this piece looks and feels the part. I scrunched up a vintage piece of lace that I had on hand and to that I sewed on some pretty purple hued yarn, string and ribbon. Added some glass and silver beading's, velvet handmade roses with pearls and a pretty butterfly charm. Once the lace top piece was complete then I sewed it to a piece of soft black leather. Put sterling silver findings on each end with tiny glass black beads, some links and a closure finding. Attached to one of the closure pieces is a charm I made from tiny crystals beads, silver beads, piece of mother of pearl, tiny peace sign and a tiny sterling silver dragonfly.

I put a few extra links on it, just in case I need to take some off or even extend it some. I couldn't say "Hey ________ (oops..almost said who this gift was for...bad me..hehe) measure your wrist for me, will ya?" LOL She knows that she is getting a handmade gift from her Aunt but I always leave them wondering what in the world it's going to be and with me they have learned that can mean ANYTHING!!  I changed one thing on this gift. I was going to do her some dangling earrings and she does wear earrings...sometimes. Since the keyword about earrings is sometimes I decided to do something that went along with the gypsy feel of the wristlett. I made her a yarn & ribbon scarf or belt...which ever way she wants to wear it.

Now....on to the next gift. Until then....Hugs, Regi

The List...Item #1

Bohemian Bag with felt rose pin attached

Leather & Lace Wristlett with velveteen roses & Earrings

Felt Purse with Mermaid Pin

Large Cuddler Monster

Bag full of Felt/fur Monsters

Bag full of felt/fur animal babies

Cloth sock monkey

Large Rabbit Cuddler

2 year old Keepsake

This is "The List" from my last post. My list of gifts I'm making for the kiddos in the family for Christmas. No names have been listed next to an item to protect the innocent..Ohhh noo wait I think that saying goes with something else. HAHAHA or rather HOHOHO!! I don't know which of my teenage family reads my blog on a regular basis so I don't want to spoil the surprise. That would be like unwrapping the gift and then wrapping it back up and placing it under the tree. NO FUN...well..ok...sometimes it is if the gift is for you and you have shaken it about 100  times trying to figure out what it is BUT these aren't for you or me so let me continue. I'm taking my list in order...not meaning that the first one is actually first or more important than the others, it's just the way I wrote it and I need to stick to it so I can get them all done. YIKES!!! There are only HOW many days remaining til it's time to rip all the paper off the gifts? I'm not going to think about that at this moment...I'm going to my happy place....and start on item #2. Oh yeah...Item #1 is complete...here it is:

I think it turned out AWESOME...well maybe I should say "I think it turned out BOHEMIAN".. LOL.  I do think that ......oops.... I almost slipped and said WHO. Silly me...although I do believe she is going to like it. It is a really BIG bag. I did the strap so that she can put it over her head and wear it crossed over her. You can get more in your bag carrying it like that ya know. Ahhhhh...brings back my gypsy days. Those were the....ok no time for past stories...maybe another time. I used a vintage rose tapestry fabric and a matching striped fabric. The back of the bag is the rose side...I thought the stripes leaned more to the Bohemian look. I attached two roses at the base of where the strap is attached on each side. One made of felt and the other left over fabric from the bag. I made a small flap and attached a pretty vintage button so that she can close it and feel safe about what's inside. She is actually getting two gifts in one. See the pretty bunch of felt and fabric flowers on the front of the purse? Well, it's a pin. I loved big bags when I was a teenager and always attached a pretty pin with beads on it...gives it that "look". As with mine, she will be able to remove it and wear it on a jacket, sweater or shirt. Do I rock or what?  I may be old but I'm a gypsy old!! Here is a closer look at the pin.

Now...on to item #2. It's going to be a very busy weekend my friends....VERY BUSY and I LOVE it!!!!

Until next time.....meaning when #2 is complete ^_^....Hugs, Regi

My Christmas Clock

My Christmas Clock...the one I'm keeping time by as I try and finish making all my gifts that we are giving to family this year. The perfect time piece. Do you see why? Look closely....what's missing? THE HANDS!! Like I said...the perfect time piece. No pressure because I can make it be whatever time I want or need it to be. ^_^

I sat down last night and came up with my list of just what to make for all the kiddos in the family. One good thing about kiddos is that they eventually grow up into adults and therefore get taken off the "to get for list" unless of course one of them calls and sweet talks me into making them something. It's so heart warming to know that someone loves what you get them especially when it's not a purchased item. However, the kiddos that are growing up into adulthood in our family are starting families or their own so now I have "gulp" great nieces and nephews to make for. I'm not complaining mind you...OH NOT AT ALL...I love making my gifts.
It's just that I always...ALWAYS...wait until the last minute to figure out just what I want to make for them.  Please tell me I'm not the only one that does that....PLEASE!!! After figuring out my list of names, I then started to work on the design of the gifts themselves. Here is my list.....so hope that none of them are reading this...nahhhh..they are to young or to busy or have totally forgotten that I have a blog....ummmm....I hope so for now anyway but just in case I won't list the names just the gifts and then they can just wonder which one will be theirs.....if they are reading this. AND if you are one of my kiddos then STOP reading right this minute..you hear me. STOP!!!  LOL

Bohemian Bag with felt rose pin attached

Leather & Lace Wristlett with velveteen roses & Earrings

Felt Purse with Mermaid Pin

Large Cuddler Monster

Bag full of Felt/fur Monsters

Bag full of felt/fur animal babies

Cloth sock monkey

Large Rabbit Cuddler

2 year old Keepsake

Whew....now that I see my list I have tons of work again of me for just 9 days remaining. OMGOSH...only 9 days left. Not only do I need my clock with no hands I need a calendar with no days. YIKES!!!!! I need to get busy, busy, busy. Already working on the felt rose pin so let me get back to it. Hope you have all your shopping and gift making complete. If you have then please come and help ME....you are more than welcome.

Here are the keys...just let yourself in and pick an item on the list and GET BUSY!!!!

Until next time.................HUGS, Regi

WATCH OUT..it's a reindeer stampede!!

Finally...after working on these lil guys since Sunday...I have rounded all 18 of them up. The Chazman wanted to give each classmate something FUN for Christmas and I think these little whimsical guys will be just what he ordered.

The reindeer itself is one of the Chazman's doodles....not one that I did for him but one he did for me. I just took that and made my pattern. If you don't have an upcoming artist in your household...no problems...just draw you a pattern for my "HOW TO" that I'm getting ready to do for you.

Supplies Needed:

Felt or Fur (in two different shades)

Black Seed Beads

Black Pompoms or red if you want to make Rudolph

Pin backings

Jingle Bell

Brown Embroidery floss

Black thread

Stuffing/Batting

Hot glue

Glitter or MICA flakes

Now keep in mind that these are simple, FUN pins to make..so you can design your head and antlers in any shape you want. Decide what size you want and then fold over the felt or fur....leaving the fold as the top of the head. (do not cut the fold) This what you should have once you cut out the head.

Next step is to sew on the eyes, nose and pin backing. I use regular black thread to sew these on with. I don't cut my thread after sewing the face but I do make sure I knot each one before I move on to attaching the next eye and then the nose. I add one line under the nose over to the side for a mouth. You can add one...or not. Remember..this is your reindeer. After face is complete then turn the head around so the back is facing you and sew the pin backing on. Here is what you should have after this step:

Next are the ears and antlers. Again...keep in mind what these look like on a real reindeer. Here is the design that Chaz did. The antlers should be a darker color than the reindeer and ears.

I sew the ears first. Just a few stitches...simply fold them in half and sew at the bottom...so they have what looks like a tiny ear hole in them. Open them up and then sew them to the bottom part of the antler. Then sew the two bottom corners of the antlers over the bottom of the ear. Here is what they should look like.

Now...let's attach those ears to the face. Take the face and fold over so the face is in front and the back is well....in the back ^_^.  Take the ear and place right at the fold in between the face and back. I use a simple whip stitch with 3-ply embroidery thread. Once you have the front whip stitched then turn it around to the back and stitch the same way. When starting on the front I start at the bottom of the ear so that I am working my way up and around to the back and then I'm lined up to whip around the face. Now...whip around the face. When you get to the other side about half way...STOP...it's time to stuff that face ^_^. It doesn't take much....you just want to fill the face out a bit so it doesn't just lay flat. Our reindeer needs a bit of personality!! Here is what it should like at this stage.

Once you have the face filled out, place the other antler in it's space and stitch the same way you did the other antler. Just remember to stitch it to the front and the back. Don't want any little hands pulling Chet's (that's what Chaz calls his reindeer...LOL..yes we watched the Santa Claus movies this weekend) ear to hard and pulling it off. Now add a jingle bell or two to the bottom and your finished. Here is what the finished piece should look like.

Of course....all of you that know ME...know that I can't have a plain reindeer. I took all of my little herd and using my glue gun and some MICA flakes...I made it look like they had played in the snow. The possibilities are endless here people...honest...just use those imaginations. OK...you need some ideas..well..here are a few. You could sew some of those miniature strings of lights to his antlers and top of his head like he got all tangled up in em. Or perhaps some of those tiny plastic snowflakes that come in a string like garland...sew those to the antlers. Or maybe if you want to make him look "cool" you could make him a tiny leather collar....and owwwww maybe a little leather hat to go ummmm....HEY...I know YOU and I know that you have just as vivid an imagination as I do...well..ok..maybe not everyone but I know you can do it...so do it!! Then let me see what your reindeer looks like...I love to see when someone else has used a shared idea.

So.....on to the next handmade Christmas gift. I think it's MONSTER time....LOL!!!!

Until next time....Hugs, Regi

Wordless Wednesday...my town

Remembering Ms. Bea

Anyone that comes to visit here at the old Southern Ooaks knows that I have temporarily closed my Etsy shoppe. My away notice is that were are doing some landscaping....get it...Southern Ooaks...makes you think of trees....landscaping.....HAHA...ok, well let's just move on then. ^_^  I actually have it closed because of the Trim-A-Tree Christmas event being held here in Foley until the 22nd of this month. It seems though that even with my shoppe being closed that I am getting quite a few "window" shoppers and that is a gooood thing. I love everyone that comes to shop or even just to browse. In the conversations that I have been sent, it seems that there is a big interest in my Dust Bunnies and Rabbits. Thankfully a few orders have already been placed for after the first of the year....YEAH!!! In conversing with one of my sweet shoppers, I told her about my garden bunnies. It was a series I was going to start for my Mom. She loved rabbits...although, I think over the years they had all multiplied to a bit more than she had planned. The last Christmas we were all together (2006) she asked if I would make her a rabbit. I had made her a witchie poo for Halloween to sit on a table where she could see it and I think that started something...which I so didn't mind. She was my Mom after all. She said that she wanted it dressed and to look as if she had been in a vegetable garden. As with the Santa I did for my Daddy, my Mom only got to see the sculpted head of her rabbit and some of the vintage fabrics I had picked out to make her clothes with. I put the piece on hold after their health went down so quickly and then to lose them both in early 2007 was just more than I could handle and working on "her" rabbit was just to hard for me. After some time went by I decided that I wanted to finish the piece and actually start a garden series of rabbits. So began the completion of MS. BEA (named after my Mom...her middle name which seemed to just fit this piece so well)

Ms. Bea is one of my larger ooaks. She stands at a hair over 16 1/2 inches tall. She has a strong wire armature that is covered in a stuffed soft body. Her head, hands and feet were all hand sculpted out of clay...baked and then painted using acrylic paints.

All the fabrics used in this piece were vintage. Discovered in an old trunk at an estate sale...what a find!! The lace was some of my grandmothers along with the old quilt piece I used for her apron.

Ms. Bea even has pantaloons. We don't want her bending over to pull the carrots up out of the ground and a big wind come swooshing past...now DO WE?

Apparently, Ms. Bea had a beauty of a crop that year. Scrumptious carrots...lovely heads of lettuce...radishes and even some asparagus. She even found a few speckled eggs to add to her bounty. All of these are some of my hand sculpted veggies placed in a real basket.

I had a design to make a Mr. Walter (my Daddy's middle name) to go with Ms. Bea in the garden. I haven't sculpted him as of yet but I do believe after the Holidays that I'm going to. I'm going to redesign a smaller version of the "Garden Series" and even add a few more cute wabbits to offer for the Bunny/Rabbit collectors that may just happen to wander past my shoppe.

Here's to remembering Ms. Bea....may there be a garden of plenty and all the rabbits you can hug.

Until next time.......HUGS, Regi

Santa for teacher Complete!!

The Santa I have been doing for Ms. Barton, the Chazman's teacher, has turned out rather well.....if I do say so myself. Well...I did just say so myself...so there!!!! ^_^  He fattened himself up.....grew some hair and a beard and even put on his beautiful felted yarn multi-colored coat. Of course, no self respecting Santa would be caught without his magic (seemingly never ending) gift bag. Watch out though...a bunny and a bear have wiggled their way up to the top so they can see out and Ted E had almost made a complete escape until Santa swooshed him up in his big, loving hand. I do believe that they all will enjoy their new home with Ms. Barton. They will be a sweet reminder of one quite, shy, smart young boy that was in her 2010-2011 Second grade class.

 Here is the before photo....some of you will remember the day that Santa recked havoc in the studio. Naughty Santa!!!

Here he is after fattening himself up and growing in his hair and beard. Such a handsome fella!!

Just look at that jolly face with his cheery green eyes. If he turns and looks at you to give you a wink you can see a real little twinkle in his eye.

His beautiful multi-colored coat with attached hood. I love making my Santa be a bit different than the traditional red and white. I do LOVE the traditional  but there are so many different stories of Santa all around the world so I think that Southern Ooaks can have different ones too.

Santa's got a brand new bag....well...ok...it's his old magic gift bag but ohhhhh wouldn't we all love to have one of them....for real!! The never ending gift bag.....just reach in and pull out a big heaping of love, happiness and joy. Ohh YEAH....that would be awesome.

See the smile on Santa's face? He is whispering to me that I have shared enough about him today. I still have to go fetch 18 tiny reindeer.

Until next time......Hugs,
Regi

Tatatata...Hear Ye..Hear Ye...OWOH 2011

For the past four years, Lisa Swifka of an awesome blog called "A Whimsical Bohemian" has sponsored the OWOH (One World One Heart) event. She started it to bring people worldwide together that would otherwise never have met. Bloggerville is a very good way to travel and Lisa found a way to let us travel to places most of us never even knew were out there. I know that I made some amazing friends by being a part of this event last year. My only regret was that I so didn't know about it before then. That's why I'm telling all of you about it now.

This will be the last year for the OWOH event and I don't want anyone to miss out on what might just be one of the greatest journeys and adventures of 2011. It begins on January 30th and will end (sadly) on February 17th.

This event does have a few guidelines to make the journey a more enjoyable one. No jumping through hoops or having to do this or that. Go visit Lisa today and get more details. I hope that you will be joining us this year. Ohhh, another great thing about visiting each other in this event. Those that are participating offer a "door prize" that can be won at the end.

Until next time.....HUGS,
Regi

WIP on the teachers Santa

"Me and my shadow...dancing on Ms. Regi's clay"

"Ohh yeah..Ms Regi gave me strong hands"

"Look..she even gave me feet"

"HEY..where's my stinking toes..she forgot to give me toes"

"Ummm I think I'm going to have to eat more"

"Ohhh noooo...Ms Regi caught me....NOOOO"

Well...it's a mighty good thing.....mighty good thing.....that I'm able to harness the mischief in my whimsical characters Before they go to live elsewhere. Santa just had to show off for the camera before I'm even finished with him.