Santa Number 21

My twenty-first paper mache Santa looks more like an old-fashioned Belsnickle to me than any of my other Santas.

He was sculpted over a water bottle with paper mache. Other "ingredients" include paper clay, fabric, linen cord and acrylic paints and mediums. He is just over 10" tall.
 

He wears a barn red hooded cloak trimmed with white. This Santa obviously is from leaner times, when he and Mrs. Claus had to make do. His cloak and bag are patched.

I love the colors of his patches and his mittens. His pointy-toed boots were made seperately and attached securly with wooden dowels and glue. They were sewn from muslin and stuffed with paper mache, then painted. A little unorthodox, but I like to experiment. I doubt that I would stuff anything larger with paper mache, though, as it's a rather messy way to go.

My talented and handsome 11-year old grandson, Devon has been visiting for the past 12 days. We had a lot of fun together, making things, bar-b-qing (on the ground), shopping, etc. He left this afternoon to stay with his Grandpa. While he was here he wanted me to teach him to make an alien. We also made a batch of porcelain clay for him to work with, and take to his Grandpa's house in case he doesn't have anything to do. Although, that's probably not going to be an issue. There are horses and dogs there, and lots of activities with his Grandpa. Here's a photo of him holding the alien (named Diablo) that he made:

I'll miss him, but hopefully he'll be back to my house again this summer before he has to fly back to California.
Thanks for stopping by,
Maggie