We're In Bergdorf Goodman!!!

We are thrilled to announce (while by this time it's no big secret), that we're in Bergdorf Goodman!!  We were honored to be asked to create an exclusive collection for this super high end, classy and filled to the brim with amazing things, department store in Manhattan, located right across the street from the south end of Central Park.

We made a large collection of small ornaments for them including snowball throwers, skiers, prancing foxes, animals on mushrooms and large fabulous belsnickels.  In addition to that, they really pushed me outside of my comfort zone into the world of larger and larger and larger pieces.  I had some help, but it took me three months working non-stop (I'm talking 16 hours days), plus tons of time before that to get everything created.  The results?  Endless amazing new pieces that I never thought I would make!  Ben took a ton of photos, so see below.  If you see something you like, either head to Bergdorf's before it's scooped up, or call them and ask for the seventh floor Christmas room...they can ship. 

Their Christmas room is overflowing with sparkle and whimsy!

Ben with Saint Nick.  My mom sculpted his head with paper mache.  His body is made with a welded iron skeleton (thanks Dad!) and very light weight foam and cotton body.  His coat is beautiful vintage batting and his beard is pure, raw cotton.  I'm very proud of him!

 He has lots of detail...including pockets filled with dried moss and other goodies.

And if he weren't enough all by himself, his sled and team of foxes really make it!  His sled is an antique doll sled that I was very tempted to keep for myself.  The toys and treats inside lift out so they can be replaced with other gifts if desired (maybe ones that can really be opened?).  My mom sculpted the life sized needle felted foxes from wool.  Everything comes apart too...just to make things easy.  Winnie is not included.  ;)

I'm very proud of these creations...a brand new take on the Christmas tree!  Instead of your traditional conical conifer, imagine this woodland wonder filled with ornaments!  The log base is heavy and sturdy and the branch growing from it is made of metal and covered with cotton.  Very strong!  Ben and I both loved this new notion of display so much that we made another for ourselves to bring to shows to show off our ornaments.  The canopy effect is amazing!

A detail photo...

Our exclusive ornaments made just for Bergdorf's...scoop them up at the store before they're gone!

Snowball fight immortalized...

These woodland animals on mushrooms are all one of a kind.

These large Santa's holding spun cotton animals are one of my favorites!  They are holding real goose feather sprigs and the one on the right is holding a giant coastal redwood pinecone and his coat trim is made from redwood tree bark fiber I picked while visiting the west coast...a lucky find!  There weren't tons of these guys left when we visited the store in mid-November.

Sweet carolers with song book in hand.

Woodland animals.  The fox and snow hare leap when hung on a tree. 

Sperm whale, narwhal, and orca.

Reindeer with harnesses...loves these!

Sparrow on feather wreath.

Cardinal on feather wreath.  

And of course...owl!

I made 12 of these very large Santa's...all on a different species of bird.  I intricately painted both the top and bottom of the wings.  They are really eye catching!  This one is a red wing black bird.

Woodpecker

Canada Goose

Robin

Penguin

Cardinal

Snow Owl

Blue Bird

Field Sparrow (inspired by the one that tapped my window every morning this spring)

And the logs....oh the logs!  I have to be honest...these are very large logs and their stump friends really challenged me in a way I haven't been challenged in a long time.  I'm not used to working large, and there was a lot of surface to be covered with cotton.  As painful as they were at times, the results were well worth the effort.

These are the perfect things to put in a fire place you don't plan on building an actual fire.  Forget the stacks of candles.  And these aren't just for Christmas, these are charming all year long.  And you only need one log to make a statement.  Each one is different and there are two sizes, both the size of real logs.  Of course these would be awesome displayed wherever...

The chipmunk is my favorite.

I've made many squirrels in my day, but never one this big!

Toad!

Sparrow!

The larger logs have needle felted animals, made by mom.

Blue bird.

A fat red squirrel.

And a playful gray one.

The stumps....all furry and cotton.  These are awesome and are the perfect surface to fill up with other collectibles of any kind, Christmas or otherwise.  I created them with centerpieces in mind.  The Christmas table, all set with glittering dishes and sparkling flatware.  Pine cones and red berries scattered about...with a soft and natural woodland stump, seemingly fresh in the forest.  With tall bottle brush trees and belsnickels perched atop....little acorn shaped salt and a pepper shakers right on the edge and within reach.  Ok...I could go on.  You get the vision.

Each one has a different animal perched off to the side.

This stump is 3 or 4 feet wide at the widest.  The smaller ones are about 18" wide.

A ssssnake for a more masculine feel.

 Toad!

My favorite and covered in red mushrooms.

Snow hare.

Pretty much a giant redwood stump.

Ditto.

I made 6 of these Santa's sleds, all being pulled by a different type of animal.  These were really fun to make.  My mom sculpted all the heads, my neighbor made the bases with his arsenal of woodworking tools, and I did the rest.  These are pretty big too, but narrow...about 2 feet long.  They are perfectly suited for a mantel (one of my favorite parts of the house to decorate), but also would make wonderful centerpieces.  The sleds are chock full of all sorts of vintage goodies...(that part was the most fun!). 

Flying snowy owls!

Raccoons

Classic reindeer.

Polar bears.

Snow hare.

These horse carriage rides are a similar size to the Santa's with sleds, but a little shorter.  The brown sled is covered in my handmade "leaf glitter", which gives it amazing visual texture.

The lantern pole is made from Chinese take out handles (Ben loves Chinese food), which tends to be much stronger than other wire of the same gauge.  lol  I love not only saving things from being discarded, but giving them a complete 180 in terms of refinement.

This wild bird piece is a true one of a kind.  I found this amazing old "cage" years and years ago while living in Boston and saved it for a long time, not really ever finding a place or purpose for it.  Until now.  It was one of the first things that came to mind when I was asked to do a series of large "collectibles".  This piece, out of them all if you ask me, transcends craft and is instead, art.

Although these pieces are art in the traditional, "put it on the wall" sense.  I love these not only because they came out awesome, but because the Christmas decoration that you hang on the wall is a rare one.  This shadow box above is my favorite of the set of four.  It features a footbridge and caves and sleeping animals.  The frame is really great too.  My wonderful neighbor, Glenn and his nephew made the boxes themselves, which you can't see in the photos, but are beautifully  crafted.

This scene features Santa emerging from the forest to greet a little girl and offer her gifts.  She in return offers food to the reindeer.  Nature abounds in this scene with birds in the trees and dried moss and twigs flanking the sides.

This photo is a bit washed out with glare, but this scene is busy with Santa and his unexpected helpers....the reindeer!  They have a workshop in the woods and are busy making lots of German erzgebirge for all the children of the world.  A handmade feather tree decorates their table.

 This one seems to be everyone's favorite.  It's a cross section of a winter scene with "ice" intersecting the middle.  Ocean creature swim below the surface while children skate on top.  Penguins and a seagull watch from the sidelines.  Oh...and each scene has a handpainted background.  While I was painting them it really gave me the itch to do an actual painting.  It's been a long time! 

The shadow boxes are tied as my favorite with these pieces.  I made six woodland couples.  They are approximately 2 feet tall and are rich in detail....and this girl (me) loves details!  You have to click open these photos for a better look.  At every opportunity this spring and summer, I gathered a myriad of different mosses, pine cones, acorns and other natural wonders and included a massive amount in these pieces.  I really wish I could have kept at least one!

My favorite....stags.  I love those knobby branches.  My mom sculpted all the heads.  Thanks Mom!

Black Bears.  With a badger friend.  These guys are very regal. 

Raccoons.  This piece is particularly rich in detail and piled high with natural goodies.  A school of fish are escaping the king's staff!

Foxes.  This piece has an autumnal rich color that reminds me of the fall we had this year...beautiful!

 Squirrels.  This piece is actually more spring and summer than winter with the green accents.  It makes me long for warmer weather!

 The three months of intense work and creativity is evident in this photo of our studio.  I sat on the floor to work on the shadow boxes and had materials surrounding me within reach as I worked.  It was a heavenly cocoon. 

 

Poor Olive couldn't even access her toy box.  Every surface was used up until delivery day!

Thank you so much Bergdorf for allowing us to create these amazing pieces for you and pushing my creativity to places I never thought it would go!

Many of these creations have comfy new homes already, but if you see anything you have to have, contact Bergdorf for buying and shipping info or just mosey on down to the store and take a look!  :)  Happy Christmas!