Christmas R & R Retreat...

This holiday season we did something completely different for Christmas... With such a busy year behind us, the idea of getting away to a quiet and beautiful destination was sounding more and more appealing. So, we decided to take a spontaneous road-trip down south to one of northern New Mexico's hot spots, Ojo Caliente.. or "hot eye." It's a rustic resort with several hot mineral pools and perfect for warming those bones on a chilly winter's day. There's something about that hot mineral water bubbling up from the earth that's both therapeutic and healing.... After 3 days of soaking and taking it easy for a change, I feel much more relaxed... I highly recommend spending the holidays in this way :) Here are a few pics from our journey and retreat.....

~ Johanna


* A breathtaking view of the Sangre de Cristo mountains (I believe...) overlooking Fort Garland, Colorado....


* As JP tipped his bottle of Berry Izze and took a sip, the sun captured the hue of the ruby red liquid and caught my eye!...


* We were blessed with blue skies both to and from our destination.....


* JP leans against the adobe style fort-like flats we stayed in for a few nights....


* I roast chocolate-filled marshmallows over an aromatic pinon log fire in the courtyard area....


* JP sits in the hottest nook of the iron pool, Ojo Caliente's oldest soaking pool on the premises...


* Me again at the fire with rustic adobe buildings surrounding the scene...


* Me showing off the latest winter hot spring fashions....


* The journey back home is just as beautiful with the distant mountains over Taos freshly blanketed in pristine snow....


* Stopped along the way, JP throws a snowball right at me! Luckily I ducked just in time!...


* And this time he chases after me on the open road.... The chocolates and coffee we enjoyed earlier were obviously kicking in!...
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Best Wishes!....

Well, I guess this jolly snowman is a keeper after all. I was making him as a potential adoption piece for those who missed out on my web sale. While I was adding the final touches and trims to "Snowy Joey," JP walked in and insisted that we keep him! Guess he didn't have to twist my arm too much, and well, since I rarely keep my own creations, maybe it's best that I did. So, he's a keeper! And now Snowy Joey, JP and myself wish you our best for a very merry holiday week! Cheers.....

~ Johanna



* "Snowy Joey," a one of a kind shelf sitter snow fellow waives high his mitten hand to you! :)
© 2008 Johanna Parker Design * All contents on this site are the property of Johanna Parker and may not be used without permission.

Holiday Tease...

'Tis the season for visions of Santa and jolly snowmen! So, it's the perfect time for a little 2009 teaser... I've been waiting all year it seems for my holiday product line with Bethany Lowe to debut next month. Here are few close-ups which will hopefully entice you to come back for more..... Cheers!

~ Johanna


* A peek at my Santa illustration which will find his face on fun paper cone candy boxes...


* Another Santa, this time in papier mache form...


* What in the world could this jolly snowman be looking at?


* A cheery message in script dances across another sculpted design....


* Another illustration to match a sculpted ornament in the line will find himself on whimsical candy boxes too...


* Another fun Santa, Ho-Ho-Ho-ing along.....


* Sure looks like a snowman up to mischief to me!... hehe!.......
© 2008 Johanna Parker Design * All contents on this site are the property of Johanna Parker and may not be used without permission.

Let's Play Pet Dress-Up!...

I am so very grateful for all of the thoughtful gifts I have received from my collector friends over the years! When I'm least expecting it, a box will appear on the front step with my name on it, and what a treat!... I've received some wonderful treasures like vintage horns, antique postcards and that fabulous kitschy-style wreath now on my front door. Well, last week, a package arrived for "Jack!" If you don't know by now, Jack is my black cat who often appears here on my blog. Well, my collector friend Theresa out in PA often sends me adorable pics of her farm animals. Recently, she dressed up her goat Zinny in the most festive attire and emailed me a photo. Judging from my response, she made a smaller version for Jack! OH, it's soooo cute! Take a looksie....


* Is this not the cutest?! And look, he even gets a little dangling name tag!....


* And here's Zinny, the goat and the inspiration behind all of this silly fun!...


* There he sits so proud in his new, handmade holly collar!...


* Uh-oh.... there he goes again, munching on that old aluminum!...


* And Zinny again.... I just want to squeeeeze her!.....

So, THANK YOU Theresa! I don't know about you, but these festive critter collars are pretty darn cute, and I think they would be a hoot in all sorts of holiday themes.... If you want Theresa to make you one for your furry friend just send her a quick note at:
Getsmacked35@aol.com ....

PS..... Another BIG thanks goes out to ALL the folks who stopped in for my web sale today and adopted a special piece!... I wish I had had even more goodies so no one left empty-handed, but I appreciate your efforts as it means so much to me!..... Happy Holidays to all!
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Last Web Sale of the Year!...

Yes, it's this Sunday, and I will have a total of 15 one of a kind Holiday Goodies to offer including folk art snowmen, owls, Santas and cats! Please refresh my Folk Art Originals page after 2pm MST on the 14th to see my latest and last collection of holiday collectibles for 2008. I appreciate your interest and hope you enjoy the sale!

PS... If anything calls to you, simply email me with the name of the piece, and I will let ya know if its yours!...Your patience will be appreciated as I update my site after the sale begins. Thank you :)

~ Johanna

Scenes from our Home Show...

Fortunately, it was a beautiful weekend for our 6th Annual Holiday Folk Art Show, and we opened our home to many special friends. Our 1939 cottage home smelled of holiday spices and yummy cider to warm our guests as they mingled about. Thanks to ALL who made a little time in their day to stop by, visit and support my holiday art endeavors. I hope you enjoyed the event! We enjoyed seeing all of your smiling faces! Here's a peek for all who missed out on the festivities.... (Of course, there is always next year, but you must be on my local events e-mailing list in order to receive the official invite....) Enjoy the photos!....

~ Johanna


* Santas in various heights surround a focal arrangement of vintage silvery decorations...



* A cheery table of snowmen delights welcomes guests as they enter...



* An old drawer is the perfect display for my latest holiday notepad designs...


* Morning shoppers fill the house in search for treasures, some to keep and some to share...


* A retro tree from my mom's childhood now lives with me... perfect for displaying my Santa ornaments...


* A quick photo of me smiling big as the clock strikes 10am, show time!...


* And a quick snap of JP, my "money man" who handles all the numbers and money exchange during my sales.... Luckily, my job is to chat, wrap and sack!...


* And we must not forget Jack showing off his tinsel red collar!.... Cute cute!....


* One of a kind snowmen ornaments dangle from silver painted branches....


* A sampling of sweets await shoppers as they meander through the kitchen...


* A snap of my vintage fridge and a colorful collection of 40s pottery above...


* Cheese and grapes anyone?...


* Through the kitchen and into our breakfast nook you'll find a double-sided
stand displaying many of my illustrated notepads, perfect for the gift-giving season...


* Another peek at the kitchen...


* One of my original snowman candy containers reaches out to collector friends...


* One of a kind snowmen traipse across the mantel...


* And who could forget Halloween?.... A small collection of orange and black fall goodies, placed about my studio room, awaited my Oct 31st fans...


* Another peek at the Halloween with my drafting table in the distance...


* A fun photo of the 2 of us in my studio room, taken by a thoughtful guest... thank you!
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Decking the Door...

Brrrrr, it's snowing today in Colorado, but luckily I decorated the front door and entry a few days back when it was balmy out! A spirited chill is in the air today as the flurries fall, so what a perfect day to take a photo of the holiday decor outside. It certainly puts you in that holiday mood.... hot chocolate mood is more what I'm thinking. But, I must get busy in preparation for this weekend's Holiday Folk Art show and Open House!.....Back to work I go.....
~ Johanna


* A funky old aluminum tree will greet guests this weekend, along with a very special wreath gifted to me..... See caption below!..


* What a surprise it was to receive this holiday wreath from a dear collector friend here in Denver! My friend Gay gave it to me for my B-day at the Trunk Show last September. It was such a thoughtful gesture to receive a handmade wreath displaying her collection of vintage glass baubles and kitschy-fun holiday novelties! I LOVE it!.....

Time to Decorate!...

I'm sitting here at my computer wearing a dirty apron all covered in glitter and mica dust... Oooh la la! As I multi-task in preparation for my 6th Annual Holiday Folk Art Show this coming weekend, I thought it would be fun to snap a pic of Jack. Of course he immediately stirred from his day's long nap to see what stinky old antique goodies I was unpacking for the event. And suddenly he was in the middle of the glass bauble action, sniffing the ornaments and chewing on the aluminum tree branches!... Anyway, I had to shooo him away so that he didn't munch on anything he shouldn't, but first I snapped a cute pic of him investigating my Christmas decorations. So, you'll know what I'll be doing the next few days!.... (I'm hoping Jack takes LOTS of long cat naps between now and then!) For those of you folks in the Denver area interested in attending but not on my invite list, please email me for details. See you soon!

~ Johanna

A Font, Named after Me?!!!...

Well, I must admit that this is certainly a unique honor! My Halloween collector friend and typeface designer extraordinaire, Jason Walcott of JAW Arts.com, recently designed a font and named it after me!.... He surprised me with the news over the summer, so I have been anxious to see the results. Jason designs typefaces for Veer and actually has his very own Font Foundry named Jukebox. The typeface he designed and named after me is appropriately titled "Johanna Whimsy!".... What fun! It's a beautiful font and what a special honor..... Thank you so much Jason as you certainly captured the whimsical spirit of my art and masterfully translated it to alphabet form..... Amazing!....

~ Johanna



To purchase this whimsical font, please visit Veer's Website.....
For more fun, tour Jason's Vintage Halloween site too..... No surprise, this is how we met!....

Images from the Gifts for Yule...

Last weekend we celebrated the 11th Annual Gifts for Yule Show in Denver, but with a twist! This show, rich in holiday tradition, had a new face this year as Sam Robinson hosted it for the first time at the Historic Phipps Tennis Pavilion. Wow, what a beautiful setting for any special event! You will see from the photos below that the artisans enjoyed a glassy rooftop above our heads as our showroom featured a fabulous arched atrium ceiling. There was no need for special spotlights or other lighting as the sun rays filled our booths with natural light. The character and history of this special place was quite captivating. Thank you all who spent your weekend shopping with us! As always, we appreciate your kind words, smiles and support, and I hope you enjoyed our new, yet ancient location :)

~ Johanna


* A quick photo taken the last hour as exhibitors put the final touches on their displays... Look at that amazing glass ceiling!


* A snap of me peeking through my display of Santas and candy ornaments...


* One of two entrances... like stepping back in time....


* A wide shot of my booth featuring a festive theme of red & white...


* Red Belsnickels in various sizes enjoy the company of whimsical snowmen...


* A peek out back on an unusually warm November day reveals a sea of brick patterns and architectural elements that intrigue the eye....


* A quick look about and you see a gorgeous climbing tree, sprawled across a time-worn brick wall... What a peaceful place to enjoy the outdoors....


* Back inside and after the intense lunch rush, a few shoppers rest and enjoy hot soups and muffaletta sandwiches created by the talented Erika McNeish... Yum!


* My tall hutch, housing a current collection of my holiday one of a kinds....


* A feather tree displays candy-inspired ornaments that I designed for Primitives by Kathy....


* More of my holiday reproductions, including snowmen candle holders were a big hit!...


* A snap of Sam Robinson's long table of goodies for the home...


* A comfy seat above the exhibiting space below offers a different perspective...
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