Tra-la-la-la-la

Above is my Santa gouache painting. I needed something quick to bring into the office, so I copied the little Victorian postcard shown a few posts ago. I decided to add the glitter mustache because it gives it a dimensional quality for the gift wrapping. Sometime today, I have to find time to "paint" some ribbon and a bow. Unfortunately, I didn't bring the frame home, so I have to approximate the measurements. (No one is supposed to know who is doing what frame, so I thought lifting it off the wall and carrying it home might be seen as tipping my hat with the selection committee. Hey, do you have any idea how hotly contested a contest can be where the prize is a day off?? Last year an attorney almost came to blows with another attorney because her kids helped her glue candy all over her winning entry. I kid you not~)

But whether I win or not, I am grateful for any reason to take time out of this crazy season and paint.  Yesterday afternoon, I sat on the bed amidst all the boxes waiting to be wrapped, and carefully made room for my board, watercolor paper, my pan of gouache, and a water container.  I sharpened a drawing pencil and sketched out the chubby face, the luscious folds of the hat, the funny pompom. I drew my pencil across the page and made the folds in the arm that would hold the baby doll and the bouncing ball.

The season came alive as I mixed up the reds for the velvet coat, the palest palest wash of blue for Santa's whiskers, and midnight blue for his crinkly eyes. Of course, Santa needed Ermine cuffs and a toy drum sneaking out of his Prussian blue pack. And what is a pre-Christmas day without a touch of glitter falling like the finest snow on a Santa mustache?

I'm wrapping the frame in plain brown paper and mounting the Santa cut out and ribbons on it. I thought a plain background of a sturdy package would symbolize all we hope for in the transformative power of Christmas.

Magic. Glitter. The background music of pencil scratching and brush sweeping across page.