From These Skilled Hands

By fromskilledhands ( December 20, 2007 at 3:32 pm) · Filed under Art, Change, Christmas, Collecting, creativity, Discoveries, Gifts, Giveaway, little Blue Santa, Passing it on

We have been making Little Blue Santas as fast as these 12 skilled hands are able. We are incredibly gratified by the response to this little guy. The history and courage of the people who come to this country unfamiliar with the language and the culture continues to amaze me.

We have heard from people who live all over this wonderful planet. The Blue Santa’s story has appeared in newspapers in many cities; his story was told on NPR’s WKSU 89.7FM.

To thank you for sharing this process with us, we will be giving away one Little Blue Santa to one reader; leave a comment in the comment section of this post and I will draw one name from a hat (a blue Santa hat) on Christmas Eve, and another on New Year’s Day.
We wish you happy, healthy, peaceful and loving days.


Little

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29 comments »

  1. Cathy said,

    December 20, 2007 @ 11:12 pm

    Thank you for all the inspiration you offer in your posts, Debra! The little blue Santa seems to have a very large spirit that is touching us all and reminding us of simpler, kinder times. May he live on and may the spirit grow. Wishing you and yours much happiness in the year ahead.

  2. kelly said,

    December 21, 2007 @ 6:57 am

    Debra, this story just grows and grows and I can’t wait until I’m finally free of this plague I seem to be carrying in me so we can sit together and I can listen to it all over tea.

    Happy holidays. I’ll call you over the weekend. love!

  3. Larramie said,

    December 21, 2007 @ 10:12 pm

    You and the Little Blue S

  4. Larramie said,

    December 21, 2007 @ 10:24 pm

    Whoops, that comment slipped away before I could say that you and the Little Blue Santa seized a daisy!

    Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year to you and your entire family, Debra.

    [Also, I'm disqualifying myself from the drawing because I AM receiving Santa from a dear friend.]

  5. Sherry said,

    December 22, 2007 @ 1:05 am

    Debra, I haven’t been by for awhile, but I wanted to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know you this year and for all that you share with us. Your art and your passion are wonderful.

    I wish you and your family the very best of this holiday season..love, joy, laughter and blessings for Christmas and only the very best of everything for the coming year!!

    xo
    Sherry

  6. Carolie said,

    December 23, 2007 @ 10:44 pm

    Debra, thank you for visiting my blog, and for commenting! I’m glad to have found your blog…and I love the little blue Santa! I am looking forward to “thumbing through” your archives.

    Please do come visit again…I will post more about Arita soon, I hope, including lots of photos of the ancient kilns and several new friends in the porcelain industry!

  7. Alice Smith said,

    December 24, 2007 @ 7:56 pm

    I love it!

  8. Alice Smith said,

    December 24, 2007 @ 7:59 pm

    I love this Santa because it is not only beautiful but also historical for our hometown in Akron

  9. Elizabeth said,

    December 24, 2007 @ 9:23 pm

    what a lovely little guy. Tradition and history is really what the holidays are all about, right?

  10. fromskilledhands said,

    December 24, 2007 @ 11:18 pm

    Elizabeth wins the Christmas Eve drawing for the Little Blue Santa. I’ll draw another name on New Year’s Eve.
    Happy Holidays to all.

  11. fromskilledhands said,

    December 24, 2007 @ 11:30 pm

    Thank you for your kind words, Cathy. The Little Blue Santa continues to touch so many people with his gentle spirit.

    Kelly–the story does grow, and so do my feelings for the Santa and those who brought his spirit to us so long ago. I’d love to spend some time over tea! Hope you’re better. xoxo

    Larramie–thank YOU for spreading the word about this little guy. Your gift of a Santa will be arriving soon :-)

    Sherry– I have also enjoyed getting to know you. Your courage, gentle nature and sense of humor are a wonderful.

    Carolie–I can’t wait to read more about Arita! Thanks for stopping here.

    Alice–The history of the Santa is wonderful. Akron, Ohio has much of which to be proud!

    Elizabeth—Thanks for coming by. Tradition and history are so grounding–they take us away from the business of this time of year.

  12. Lisa Kenney said,

    December 28, 2007 @ 4:37 am

    I’ve enjoyed visiting your blog so much this year and I love the story of the blue Santa. Much peace and love to you and your family in 2008 :)

  13. anne toepfer said,

    December 28, 2007 @ 11:04 am

    Thankyou for sharing the history of the blue santa. Happy Holidays to all of you.

  14. Jon said,

    December 28, 2007 @ 11:50 am

    Very nice story behind the blue Santa – I’m planning on sending these to a couple families that I stayed with in Germany in 2005, and I think they will love them!

  15. Dianna Tabaj said,

    December 28, 2007 @ 5:04 pm

    Having lived in Cleveland all my life, until 10 yrs ago, I was impressed and touched by your story. We are now in Hawaii,do not miss the snow. We still keep up with the news in the Cleveland area with friends and family keeping us informed along with the internet. I think you have something really special and hope the local residents cherish the memories your company has preserved.Thank you…best of luck. Dianna Tabaj, Mililani, HI.

  16. Eryl Shields said,

    December 28, 2007 @ 6:34 pm

    This is such a great story. I wish you well with the little blue santa. What an exciting discovery!

  17. Patricia Patrick said,

    December 28, 2007 @ 11:56 pm

    Saw the article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and had to add a blue Santa to my Santa collection.

  18. Jody Wilson said,

    December 29, 2007 @ 10:15 pm

    I am sooo excited to receive my little blue santa . . I just placed my order and cant wait. What a great story . . . and interesting history!!

  19. judi zofchak said,

    December 31, 2007 @ 6:29 am

    What a refreshing holiday story. My life this holiday season has been filled with bad news. How nice to read a good story for a change. Thank you for cheering up my day.

  20. Denise Ciresi said,

    December 31, 2007 @ 1:07 pm

    My daughter came home to tell me of her trip with her boyfriend’s mother to Akron looking for the ‘BLUE SANTA” I had to look up the article I was amased so much info and that they are not being sold for someone to get rich off them . Keep up the spirt of Christmas , it is hard these days , with everyone wanting to get rich

  21. Sherry said,

    December 31, 2007 @ 10:56 pm

    Debra, just popping in before the year is over (where did this one go?) to once again wish you and your family all the very best for the coming year. May it be filled with joy, laughter and love…in abundance!!!!!

    xo
    Sherry

  22. fromskilledhands said,

    December 31, 2007 @ 11:06 pm

    Lisa—I love reading your blog. Your insights and comments enrich my life. Happy new year to you. I hope the Chinese food was tasty :-)

    Thanks for stopping by, Anne. Happy holidays to you as well!

    Jon–I am so glad you appreciate the story behind the Blue Santa! Let me know how the German families like them.

    Aloha, Dianna. Glad to see you here. Best of luck and happy new year to you, too.

    Eryl–We are so excited about the Little Blue Santa! Thanks for visiting.

    Thanks, Patricia. We appreciate your comments, and are glad the Blue Santa will be part of your collection.

    Judi–I hope that the new year brings you peace and care. Best wishes to you.

    Denise–thank you for coming by. We love the Little Blue Santa. I am glad you appreciate him, too.

    Jody—we’ll get your Santa to you as soon as we can. We’re taking 2 days off and then will be back at the studio.

  23. fromskilledhands said,

    January 1, 2008 @ 10:57 am

    I managed to stay awake until midnight to draw a name for our Blue Santa giveaway. Two papers were attached to each other, so Cathy and Lisa Kenney win the New Year’s Eve Blue Santa drawing.

  24. Moanna said,

    January 1, 2008 @ 12:20 pm

    Happy New Year to you! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love the story of the Blue Santa and had no idea the red Santa came from a Coca Cola marketing campaign. Very interesting.

    Best wishes to you for a wonderful 2008.

  25. Larramie said,

    January 1, 2008 @ 2:16 pm

    Happy New Year, Debra. Your goal for 2008… I hope it’s focused on filling the Product page! :)

  26. Carol said,

    January 1, 2008 @ 2:43 pm

    The Cleveland Plain Dealer had an article about the Blue Santa on December 28, 2007. Being of German ancestry, I was especially interested in him. My family owned a number of ornaments that came from Germany when the family immigrated in the 1800s. I remember placing these ornaments on the tree when I was a child. They were precious to me. Both my parents are dead now and our family ornaments have disappeared. The Blue Santa is something that will bring me back in touch with my heritage, which I value more and more as I get older.

  27. Lisa Kenney said,

    January 1, 2008 @ 2:59 pm

    I am so delighted to have won a Blue Santa. What an incredibly special piece of artwork with a wonderful story. I loved the piece on NPR. Thank you so much and a very Happy New Year to all of you!

  28. Cathy said,

    January 2, 2008 @ 10:27 am

    I’m so happy I won a Blue Santa! He is magic and he’ll remind us that magic is always there for us! Thank you, thank you, and happy new year!

  29. ALF said,

    January 6, 2008 @ 1:01 am

    Found your site from dooce’s – just stopped by to say hi!

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