Romantic Skate

Romantic Skate
Manning de Villeneuve Lee
December 1, 1937

While searching the archives for holiday covers, we’ve come across many joyful Santas, bustling shoppers, and even post-holiday scenes. So, it’s not often that we find a romantic Christmas cover in the bunch, but this 1937 illustration by Manning de Villeneuve Lee (1894-1980) fills the bill admirably.

At the time this sentimental cover was created, the artist and his wife (Eunice Celeste Sandoval) had been married for 25 years. Together they created children’s books; Manning Lee did the illustration and his wife wrote them (under the pen name Tina Lee). They also created artwork for Jack and Jill, a children’s magazine from the same publisher as The Saturday Evening Post and Country Gentleman magazines.

Main Street at Christmas

Main Street at Christmas
Peter Helck
December 1, 1944

From the 1920s through the 1940s, Helck was a successful magazine illustrator and advertising artist, writes Timothy Helck, a grandson of the artist, who maintains a website dedicated to his grandfather. The website shows examples of Peter Helck’s work, including complex industrial scenes for National Steel and beautifully executed automotive paintings done for Esquire magazine in 1944.

Helck created two other covers for Country Gentleman; both, appropriately designed for the rural American magazine, were farm scenes. He did 20 illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post, and many of these were for fictional stories on auto racing. Helck, who grew up in the late 1890s and had followed auto racing since its infancy, authored and co-wrote several books and numerous articles on the subject. Some are still available today, including 1961’s The Checkered Flag and Great Auto Races and Grand Prizes from 1976. The Grand Prix History website gives an interesting overview of Helck’s lifelong involvement with the sport.

Drum for Tommy

Drum for Tommy
Norman Rockwell
December 17, 1921

Norman Rockwell did 35 Country Gentleman covers between 1917 and 1922. One reason he stopped in 1922 was the high demand for his work, a heady situation for an artist only in his mid-20s. In addition to The Saturday Evening Post covers (between 6 and 18 per year during the 1920s) and inside illustrations for Ladies’ Home Journal, Rockwell had a growing stable of advertising clients, including Interwoven Socks, Jell-O, and Edison Mazda Lamps, among several others. In the 1920s, he also began illustrating calendars for Boy Scouts of America, the beginning of a 50-year relationship with that organization.

Although his Santa covers for The Saturday Evening Post (which started the year after this 1921 cover) became classics, this jolly old elf is less well known. It is the only Country Gentleman Rockwell Santa.

Baby’s First Christmas

Baby’s First Christmas
Haddon Sundblom
December 1, 1929

Artist Haddon Sundblom (1899-1976), who was born in Michigan to a Swedish family, was best known for the classic Santa Claus he painted for Coca-Cola ads from the 1930s through the 1960s, he was also well recognized for pin-up art in calendars. In fact, his last assignment was a Playboy cover in 1972.

Because of the popularity of his later work, it is easy to forget Sundblom did anything in his pre-Coca-Cola days. But his earlier work, like this 1929 Country Gentleman cover, “Baby’s First Christmas,” should be remembered for its impressionistic style. His technique was inspired by, among others, artists Howard Pyle and John Singer Sargent, and is described on Leif Peng’s blog as “first stroke,” using the fewest strokes possible to depict a subject. Peng shows several beautiful examples of Sundblom’s paintings using this technique.

Simeon and the Christ Child

Simeon and the Christ Child
Marion Boyd Allen
December 1921

In the Gospel of Luke, God promised Simeon, a righteous and devout man, that before his death, he would see the Christ child. Simeon took the child into his arms and blessed him. From Rembrandt to children’s illustrators, the biblical scene of Simeon and the Christ child has had many manifestations. We recently discovered this image in our archives from the December 1921 Ladies’ Home Journal.

This beautiful rendition of Simeon is by Marion Boyd Allen (1862-1941). Also well established as a portrait painter, Allen preferred the vertical format to horizontal, even for nature scenes. The website McDougall Fine Arts shares an intriguing story about Allen’s landscape painting.

Beaded Friendship Bracelet

Materials

• Beading wire
• Beads
• 2 crimp beads
• 1 magnetic clasp

Tools

• Wire cutters
• Bead board or towel
• Crimping pliers

Directions

1. Decide how long you want your bracelet to be and add 6″. Cut your wire, making a knot close to the end of the wire on one side to act as the bead stopper.
2. Using your bead board or towel, lay out beads in the pattern you want for your bracelet. String all your beads onto the beading wire.



3. To attach the clasp, string on a crimp bead and half of the clasp. Turn your wire to push it back through the crimp bead. Check the fit of your bracelet and add/remove beads as needed.



4. Using your fingers, grip and bend the beading wire at the clasp and push the crimp bead up against the clasp, but not too tightly. You want the clasp to move freely once it is secure. Continue to push the wire through the next 2 or 3 beads, trim wire to leave no tail, and push all beads snug against the crimp bead.



5. Using the “tooth” of the crimp pliers, press the crimp bead to flatten the crimp and crease the center. Move the bead to the next hole in pliers and gently press to fold and round the flattened crimp. Your wire is now secured.



6. At knotted end of wire, use wire cutters to clip off the knot. Repeat the crimp and clasp process.



7. Do not bend the beading wire at the clasp until you have pulled the wire through the next two or three beads and pulled the wire snug with the remaining bracelet beads, eliminating any excess wire in the length of the bracelet. This time you will have a tail outside the second or third bead from pulling the wire tight. When you have secured the clasp, use wire cutters or fine point scissors, if you wish, to remove wire tail.



Congratulations on your new creation!

Fabric-Covered Greeting Cards

Materials

• Fusible web
• Fabric scrap a little larger than 8 ½” x 11″
• 8 ½” x 11″ card stock

Tools

• Cutting tools
• Cutting mat
• Iron

Directions

1. Cut the fusible web slightly smaller than 8 ½” x 11″, then adhere it to the wrong side of your fabric scrap. Trim roughly. Then remove fusible paper and adhere fabric to cardstock.



2. Take a ¼” off each long side, and ½” off each short side,  You will be doing some more trimming after the next step. 
3. Fold the piece of paper in half, short sides together, parallel to the grain.



4. The direction you fold paper is actually very important as to how smooth the fold will be. That is because paper has a grain line, much like the warp and weft in a fabric weave. If you fold parallel to the grain, you will get a nice, smooth fold with little to no resistance. If you fold against the grain, you will get resistance, and the paper may actually break or tear on the fold. You can test which is the right way to fold by gently bending the sheet of paper in both directions. The wrong direction will feel more resistant to your fold.
5. Open your first fold, and use the middle fold line as a guide. Fold again in the same direction, one short side to the middle as pictured below. Now cut through both thicknesses along the middle edge. These trimming steps are to make the card even on all sides. It is hard to make the edges even if the card is trimmed first and then folded. Trust me, I’ve tried.



6. You will now be working with half of your original sheet of paper, folded in half. Slice this strip into 2″ pieces.



7. Repeat steps for the second side of the piece of paper.

You could also print on the cardstock before adhering fabric, as I have done on these little thank you cards. And you could trim the card edges with a decorative blade to get some nice effects. I’m sure you can come up with more ideas for this technique. Maybe add some stitching or embellishment?

Button Snowmen Gift Tags

Materials

• Card stock paper: red, white, green
• Double stick tape
• Black felt (for hat)
• Red string for snowman bow
• 2 white buttons, one smaller for head/larger one for body, with only two holes

Tools

• Scissors and or paper cutter
• Optional: 2″ circle punch
• Hole puncher
• Tacky glue
• White gel pen

Directions

1. Cut white card stock into a 2 ½” square. With hole puncher, make a hole in corner. Pull string or ribbon through. Cut red card stock smaller than the white piece, and punch or cut a 2″ circle.
2. With double stick tape, tape each piece in place.



3. Cut a small black felt hat that fits the button you are using for the head.
4. Tie a small red bow from string or ribbon.
5. Using a smaller button for the snowman’s head, place the buttons on the green circle, turning the smaller button (head) so the two holes are sideways, and the holes on the larger button (body) go up and down. Glue in place with tacky glue. Then, glue on hat and small bow. With the white gel pen, draw stick arms and small hanging heart on the paper, next to the body button.



I think they are cute enough to hang on the Christmas tree, too!

Decorative Gift Card Envelopes

Materials

• 8 ½” x 11″ paper (I used regular 20-pound copy paper.)
• Wax paper
• Glue stick
• Cup of your favorite brew (This craft is addictive, so you might be here awhile.)

Tools

• Cutting mat or ruler
• Paper cutter
• Edge punch (The one I used is from the Martha Stewart line.)

Directions

1. Cut your sheet of paper into quarters (each will now be 4.25″ x 5.5″).



2. Using the edge of your cutting mat for sizing (or a ruler) fold short edges so that they overlap in the center and width is reduced to 2.5″.



3. With wax paper underneath to protect your work surface, run a glue stick down top overlap edge, and bottom long edge. Fold short overlap edges to center, and then fingerpress to secure glued edges.



4. Now fold bottom edge up about a half inch, run glue along the inside, and press to secure.



5. All that is left to do now is edge punch the open end of your envelope through both layers at once.



Voila! You will probably want to make a bunch because they are easy and fun, and they look fab!

Decorative Paper and Bead Ball Ornaments

Materials

• Acrylic paint for foam balls
• Smooth foam balls, your choice of size. (I’m using 2” and 3” balls.)
• Card stock paper
• Glass seed beads in coordinating colors
• Optional: for hanger, eye pins or wire; fishing line, ribbon, or string; Tacky glue

Tools

• Paint brush
• Toothpicks
• Foam sheet or cardboard box
• Decorative punch (I use a flower-shaped punch)

Directions

1. Start by choosing your paint colors, and paint foam balls. I find it’s easier and faster to stick a toothpick into the ball, paint the ball, and then stick it into foam sheet or cardboard box to dry (the toothpick hole will be covered with flowers). You do want a good coat of paint, but remember you will be covering it with flowers.

2. While the balls are drying, start punching your shapes from the card stock paper. I tried to count them when I was making this 3″ ball, and I had around 80 flowers. The number of shapes you punch will depend on how close together you want to put them. Since I was making about 75 covered balls, I just punched each of the colors I wanted to use, and put them in bags. When I ran out of a certain color, I just punched more.


Tip: I found velum paper works well—I used velum paper for the snowflake balls, shown below—and it’s a beautiful look. It comes in colors like red, gold, and silver.

Think about choosing different punch patterns: hearts, snowflakes, two different sizes of flowers. What shapes do you have?


3. Pick your bead color, slide one bead onto the pin, and stick it on a punch shape. Now, I just pushed it right into the ball, but you could dip the end of the pin in Tacky glue if you felt like it needed it. Since I was making so many, I found it easier to slide the bead and flower on, make a bowl full of them, and then put them on the balls.
   

   I found the sequin pins from Jo Ann Fabrics for 99 cents for 300, and of course I used a coupon. But any thin, straight pin will work. You just have to make sure the bead you use as your center will slide on and stay on. I also found that if the card stock was super thick (like some of the heavy glitter ones from Michael’s) it was too hard to punch and way too hard to push a pin through—just thought you should know!

   Remember, it’s up to you to choose how close together to put the flowers. It gives you a different look when the flowers are on top of each other. If you do not glue the pin into the ball, it’s no problem to move the flower pin around, which you might need to do when you are fitting in the last ones.

4. To make a hanger, I’m using an eye pin (which is used to make jewelry), but it works well for this project. You can also use wire. First, slide the seed bead on, then a flower. Dip the end of the pin in Tacky glue and push it into the ball. Tie fishing line or ribbon onto the pin, and hang your ornament!


Did you know you can get the foam in oval or egg shapes to use as Easter eggs? How much fun! How about making a topiary? Cover one or two large balls with flowers, wrap a wooden dowel rod to use as the stem, and place it in any vase or pot. Could be so pretty for a baby shower or a bridal shower center piece.

How to Make the Santa Ornament

Materials

• Wooden clothespins (sold in craft stores)
• Shoebox
• Fine grain sandpaper
• Acrylic paint: black, white, red, and flesh tone
• Glistening Snow-Tex Glitter Snow (if desired, sold in craft stores near the paints)
• Clear gloss varnish (sealer)
• 18 or 20 gauge sterling silver wire
• Jingle bells
• Silver star wire garland

Tools

• Paintbrush(es)
• Toothpicks
• Cotton swabs

Directions

1. Use fine-grain sandpaper to smooth rough edges on clothespins. Paint ball and one side of clothespin white, as shown below. Depending on the type of paint, you may need two coats. Set clothespins on shoebox to dry. Paint remainder of clothespin red. Let dry. Paint a small flesh-toned oval over the white section, as shown below. This will be Santa’s face. Let dry.



Tip: Practice first on a piece of paper, or use a pencil to draw the features on the clothespins before painting the face.

2. For eyes: Dip toothpick tip into black paint, and place two small dots for Santa’s eyes. Let dry. Dip reverse side of toothpick in white paint, and add smaller white dots in the center of each black dot, then add two vertical lines above the eyes for eyebrows. For mouth: Mix a dab of red paint with a smaller dab of white paint for a dark pink. With a small paintbrush or cotton swab, add a small oval under Santa’s eyes. For cheeks: Add another dab of white paint to lighten pink mixture used for Santa’s mouth. Using small paintbrush or cotton swab, add small circles under Santa’s eyes and above the mouth (it’s OK if they touch in the center).



3. With cotton swab or small brush add dabs of white paint around top of face (this will be the fur brim for Santa’s hat). Then paint a mustache over the top of Santa’s mouth. Let dry. Cover entire clothespin with gloss varnish to seal. Let dry.



4. For Santa’s beard: There are many options to create a white-as-snow beard for Santa. You can leave the beard as is, add thick dabs of white paint, or even glue cotton to the clothespin. I like using Glistening Snow-Tex Glitter Snow. Just apply “snow” to bottom of clothespin under mouth.



5. Cut about 12″ of 18 or 20 gauge sterling silver wire. String one jingle bell onto wire and twist wire to hold bell in place. Curl wire around paintbrush or pencil to create spiral design. Wrap both ends of wire around base of clothespin ball. (Don’t worry if it looks sloppy; we are going to cover it!) Cut 12″ to 18″ of star garland, wrap around paintbrush or pencil. Wrap star garland around base of clothespin ball to cover the sterling silver wire.



Santa is ready to decorate the tree or dress up a festive gift bag. Ho ho ho!

Edison Phonograph

Edison Phonograph advertisement
December 11, 1909

In 1877, a machine that could record and play sound back was a fantasy. Thomas Edison developed the phonograph and gave a detailed sketch to his mechanic to build. What happened next changed the world. “Edison immediately tested the machine by speaking the nursery rhyme into the mouthpiece, ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb.’ To his amazement, the machine played his words back to him.” It had to be a magical moment.

The phonograph manufacturer was well aware that the purchase was a major expense. This 1909 ad suggested that “if every member of the family would take the money he or she expects to use to buy presents for the other members of the family, and put it together, there will be enough not only to buy an Edison Phonograph, but also a large supply of Records.” This was perhaps optimistic. Despite Edison’s desire to see “a phonograph in every home,” the machine cost $12.50 to $200.00 (equivalent to between $300 and $5,000 today).

Interwoven Socks

Interwoven Socks advertisement
J.C. Leyendecker
December 17, 1921

“Get him a box for Christmas” says this 1921 ad for Interwoven Socks, a major contract for J.C. Leyendecker. Considered by many the 20th century’s greatest illustrator (he was Norman Rockwell’s mentor), the prolific Leyendecker kept up an almost frenetic pace. He was The Saturday Evening Post’s most prolific cover artist, with 322 covers between 1899 and 1943. For decades, he was as well known for his stunning advertising art as for his covers for The Saturday Evening Post and several other publications. His handsome Arrow Collar man was masculine ideal for more than 30 years. And of course, he drew what would become a timeless St. Nick for Post covers and ad work alike.

Campbell’s Soup

Campbell’s Soup advertisement
Grace Drayton
December 24, 1932

The Campbell’s Soup Kids came about almost by accident. In 1904, Grace Drayton’s husband, an advertising man, had an appointment with the Joseph Campbell Company. He asked Grace to add a few characters to his advertising copy that might work for Campbell’s soup. A children’s illustrator, she drew her typical tots with rosy cheeks, dimpled knees and all. Campbell’s loved the little cuties and, at a time when women weren’t encouraged to have careers, a career was born.

The kids went from magazine ads beginning in 1905 to radio in the 1930s to television in the 1950s. Merchandising also began in the 1930s and even today, an unbelievable amount of merchandise, from dolls to mugs and so forth, is available bearing the chubby-cheeked images. This 1932 ad shows the cherubs in full Christmas spirit with the poem:

If we could only have our wish
To give the truest wealth,
On every doorstep we would leave
The gift of glowing health!

Candy

National Confectioners’ Association Candy advertisement
December 21, 1946

From 1946 comes this ad promising what we all need during the holiday season: quick energy. It further notes that “candy is something the body can really use as well as something the heart and mind can really enjoy,” which is somewhat more eloquent than the slogan at the bottom: “Candy’s Dandy … Keep It Handy.” The ad was placed by The National Confectioners’ Association, an organization founded in Chicago in 1884 and which, yes, is still around today.

Cream of Wheat

Cream of Wheat advertisement
Edward V. Brewer
December 6, 1922

American artist Edward V. Brewer (1883-1971) created distinctive advertising art for Cream of Wheat cereal. The iconic chef would appear in each ad, perhaps front and center and at times, as in this 1922 ad, more obscurely placed (in this case, in the newspaper on the floor). There are divergent views on the depiction of the chef: some see it as racist, a sort of Uncle Tom character; others see the chef as kind and trustworthy. This was a different era, after all, and we present it here as part of America’s cultural history. Because of their historical significance, and the quality of the artwork, the old Cream of Wheat ads are highly collectible today and originals often fetch between $7,000 and $10,000.

Rockwell Plymouth

Chrysler Plymouth advertisement
Norman Rockwell
December 22, 1951

We don’t need a picture of a gleaming new car, nor copy details about hydraulics, torque, or ease of handling. The simple text: “Oh, Boy! It’s Pop with a new PLYMOUTH!” and the faces of the family are enough. And it doesn’t hurt that the illustration is by Norman Rockwell. Yes, along with iconic covers for The Saturday Evening Post, America’s favorite artist sold everything from socks to mouthwash, as we’ve seen in “Norman Rockwell, Ad Man.” The Plymouth ad is from 1951.

Chrysler Plymouth

Edison Mazda Lamps advertisement
Worth Brehm
December 9, 1922

Click this image for a close-up and you’ll observe the family peeking from the doorway at the classic toys, such as Raggedy Ann and Andy. Post cover artist Worth Brehm created this illustration for Edison Mazda Lamps. Another artist who did quite a few ads for Edison was Norman Rockwell.