Dee Gann's Santa's

Local artisan, Dee Gann, is the magic behind her fanciful Santa's. My shop, Scentimental Gardens, aka SG Geneva, is the fortunate recipient to present her vintage inspired heirlooms

Every face is handcrafted by Dee, the beard, accruements, the costume.........scattered among antique elements sourced and collected for over 25 years

Asking Dee if I could visit her workshop, a total of three rooms, and interview her was a treat for me. You can only imagine how my face lit up when I entered one of the rooms, akin to discovering Geppetto's workshop.

Imagine a niche career that one can do from home setting your own hours, having fun amassing a collection,  antiquing for vintage furs, costumes and miniatures, culminating in squeals of joy brought to others!

Meet Dee, enjoy her story and photo's (mostly poor quality....my ongoing issue)

My Dad owned an antique shop and as a child I watched him turn others "trash" into treasures, antiquing is in my blood. 

I started doing craft shows at our local mall 30 years ago. The Christmas shows were always the best, so I eventually gravitated towards Santa's. A friend came by and saw my first Santa then encouraged me to pursue this adventure. When I see those early versions I want to die of embarrasement!

Being self taught, I spent a lot of time in libraries studying Santa's from Old World countries, folklore and customs. Extensive research on clays and compositions with much trial and error to follow.

Sheep's wool is now sourced from all over the world to craft my beards

My inspiration comes from worn velvets, metal trims, actually any fabric or trim that reveals a long ago life.

(Dee asked that I include a call out for victorian ladies waist coats, getting very hard to find)

I knew this was my destiny when I received a call from Better Homes & Gardens in 1990. They wanted to feature a profile on me! The first thing she said was, "We received your letter and your timing was perfect." Little did she know that when I mailed that letter I silently prayed, "Lord, please let my timing be right."

I knew then that I had God's blessing and that has made me feel that my job holds a certain responsibility.

Yes, she makes these faces too

And she makes all the clothing and SHOES!

After several features in BHG, my business grew in a hurry! From that 

I received offers and worked with four companies who reproduced my work

  

Walking through this room housing her collection of finds, and fabrics was magical for me. Dee, you could have left me here for days on end exploring......

My business card says "Find the child within you, and you shall dance to the joys around you" 

What I love best about my career are the sweet compliments from people about the joy I brought them or how certain embellishments provoked a long ago special memory

Hope you can come by the shop and visit, we are filled with the best of Dee's collection, all originals.
Too far to visit? Drop me a line, we can send photo's
debra@scentimentalgardens.com

                                                     Have a joy filled December!

                                                                Debra

Bits and Bobs

 I am home from Sherborne England and diving head first into all that is Christmas retail. But there is much to miss from there, mostly my dear friends and...

 All that is English country life in the damp cool of Autumn

 Taking walks and making discoveries like these beautiful stone walls

 The architecture

 Grand entryways

 And THIS wine! I am ruined, sanctioned by the Queen and Prince of Wales, the experience is unrivaled. Did see an opportunity to have 6 bottles shipped for $600.00....not happening...

Never heard of Samphire, have you? Pronounced "sam fire". Finally I thought to myself, a very low calorie snack I loved. It's crisp/salty flavor is like a moment at the coast with salt sprays on a hot summer day.  Kale move over, this is the future, if, I can find it......

My personal design aesthetic is 'British Country House' with a masculine lean. Their antiques  leave me drooling and quite covetous! 

Many items, in VERY HEAVY suitcases came home with me, the rest, over the pond awaiting their ship. This shop is the Snooty Fox in Bridport, an antique mecca in the south west 

Here is Stanley, a vintage upholstery connoisseur. Love the British attachment to their dogs, seen everywhere!

Ready for this.......As Sylvia and I were about to leave the owner asked if we would like to view her "head". Naturally I am game, but was not prepared for this 1920's era wax head from Paris. Eerily life-like, we suddenly gasped when it we noticed the teeth were real! This led to a massive dose of curiosity and required further research into Victorian era orthodontics.
When women of means were born with less than perfect teeth, all of their teeth were removed then fitted for a sparkly, new set. Young women born with beautiful teeth, in poverty,  removed and sold their teeth.  Hmmmm, a win/win? One of my British friends was non-pulsed by my story, "oh yes she confirmed, both my Mother and Grandmother had their teeth removed!"

 OK, the goods........ well a few of them. First this bottle drying stand.
Stay tuned, these are for a client, to be separated, and wall mounted as light fixtures.....I know,  impossible to describe, can't wait to share

 This massively heavy copper Georgian wine carrier. Yes, came home in one of my suitcases! cannot imagine the weight when filled with the 6 wine bottles it accommodates.
Ah but imagine the picnics this attended, I am envisioning Ascot for one

Mid 19th c. landscape oil by Walter J. Watson, 'Morning near Llangefni Anglesey' (Wales)

Was enamored by the detail and shading

And naturally a good sky signifies a masterful artist

 We named him Benedict. This beauty will be hard to part with

I am told US customs is not as enchanted by moss' and lichens as I am. Horrors.....I have heard stories of them being scrubbed clean!

French Louis Phillipe mirror with original glass. The chiseled 'X' pattern is revealed by worn gold gilt. Personally I enjoy the warm glow of revealed Bole.

 "Brown" wood is out of favor. Painted furniture is in. So, while locals shun wood, this American pounced. My favorite is this combo chest/desk, c early1800's. The drawers are lined in newspaper dated 1835, pre Queen Victoria ascending the throne

 Alas an abundance of secret compartments yielded no secrets

Jackpot! The gnome Mother-Lode, 14 in all, most, such as this one, were charmingly weather worn and miniature. Quintessentially British!

And, a hand carved wooden dough bowl large enough to bathe a Labrador

Dreams of England are still strong

Dreams of France are within reach.

Planning nearly complete, Sylvia and I will reveal our 2015 Paris/Normandy tour of antiquing, gardens and cuisine, shortly

                                          A Very Happy Thanksgiving to all
                                                              xo Debra

Remembrance

What a poignant week to be in England. There was Remembrance Day, quickly followed by Armistice Day, on the same day as our Veterans Day. Ashamedly, back home Veterans Day is not given enough thought, speaking for myself. Having never been here  this week, has been profound and quite though provoking. Witnessing the British pomp and circumstance with seemingly the entire nation in a collective remembrance that touched most families.
This year in particular is the centennial of the start of World War I

Nearly every village, town and city has their War Memorial listing the village boys, lost to war.  WWI was a  brutal war that "lost a generation of the best and brightest."

The Tower of London enveloped in an exhibit called Blood Swept Land and Seas of Red by British artist Paul Cummins

The long ago moat was filled with hand made ceramic poppies, 888, 246, one for each soldier lost

We went to London to see this first hand, along with an estimated 5 million others. The crowds were massive, polite and completely silent

On Armistice Day,  a tradition from 1918, is the laying of the poppy wreaths at the Cenotaph, London's War Memorial
                          

The first wreath is always laid by the Monarch, followed by members of the Royal family, politicians, service and regiment leaders, followed by the leaders of their commonwealths. Here is King George in 1918, Queen Elizabeth's grandfather

The country stopped for 2 minutes of silence. 

The 88 year old Queen and her 93 year old husband, stood firmly in place while all the wreaths were laid.

This year, hailed many terrorist threats and it was suggested the Royal family not participate, the Queen would have none of that

Back in Sherborne I walked to it's memorial in front of the ancient Abbey

I have to say what has moved me is listening to stories of the veterans, people who were children in London emerging from shelters to find everything they knew bombed away, the sights, the sounds and the smells. 

Crosses for each man of Sherborne lost in war

Debra