A National Award for Pipka Collectibles!

I'm so pleased to let all my friends and collectors know that the Collectors Information Bureau (CIB) just awarded Prizm/Pipka Collectibles First Place in the Figurines ($100+) category for the 2008 Cold North Santa! CIB is an organization for manufacturers/retailers that tracks dozens of collectibles from many artists - including my designs - and follows the secondary market for pricing. In addition, they give annual awards, and I'm privileged to have won several through the years, including Artist of the Year. And now the Cold North Santa, one of my favorites (I love polar bears) is the newest award winner!

The large Cold North Santa (the one I'm holding in this photo) is Retired, but the 6" Reflections size is still available (click the title at the top of this blog entry see him close up)...we expect to have him in stock this fall, and with this new award for the design, you should pre-order to ensure that you'll be able to get him!

With this award just announced, I know I'll have a nice weekend...I hope you do, too!

Love,
Pipka

15th Anniversary Weekend with Friends!

The 15 years that I've been designing Santas has flown by, and it's amazing how many paintings I've done...Michele at Prizm said there have been nearly 800 different designs with the Pipka Collectibles name. For something that important, we have to celebrate! I invited collectors from all over the country to join me in Door County last weekend, and we enjoyed many different events.

I had a Welcome Party at my house and spent a lot of time cleaning and getting the house decorated JUST RIGHT...after all, two of my houseguests were going to be Santa and Mrs. Claus! Sparkling lights are one of my favorite things, so my friend Bob and I decorated the trees and shrubs outside...then I announced that dinner was ready!
















After dinner, we had a quiz and gave out prizes...did you know that in the early days of the State of Massachusetts, it was illegal to celebrate Christmas?! The early founders felt it should be observed strictly as a somber, religious holiday. I celebrate the religious meaning, but I don't think I would have liked living in Massachusetts - the ban lasted for 22 years!

By the next morning, we found ourselves eating again at the Northport Pier Restaurant, right the tip of the peninsula. Here I am with the Hodels and on the boat tour with Debbie Hortin (our "Titanic" pose!)...
















We all posed for a group shot by the water's edge:




My garden at the shop was the setting for an afternoon Christmas storytelling party with Roy Swanson telling us how he drove the streets of San Francisco every Christmas as Santa...he was the inspiration for this year's "Christmas Eve Drive" figurine. Lloyd Mickalson from our local Storytellers Guild related favorite Christmas stories, and we even had time to tell about our own favorite Christmases. My best memories are of my parents spending so much time putting up a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and then lighting candles all over the branches. I felt like a princess as I first peeked around the door to see the beautiful tree and its presents!

Last Saturday night, our 15th Anniversary Collectors Dinner brought us all together for...more food! And more stories about the past 15 years and all the visitors to Pipka's whom we love. As you can see, friend Bob helped with MORE lights!

A highlight of the evening was having Santa join us! Santa John Hansen and Mrs. Claus (Barbara) gave out many presents. John is featured on a special Pipka's of Door County ornament. Bill Motzer, another Santa who was on hand for the celebration with his family, is also represented in my work, the "Always Believe" figurine. I think they both embody the joy and spirit of St. Nicholas.


There's just too much more to tell about in a little blog...by the end of the weekend, we were all exhausted but very, very happy.

Love,
Pipka

Christmas in July!

Time has flown with so many summer events at the shop. Christmas in July was great fun, as it always is, and we took pictures of Santa, Mrs. Claus, and my "elves." In the photo are (l. to rt.) Deb, Deanne, me, Cindy, Santa, and Marj. Mrs. Claus was taking the photo.

The day gave us all a chance to do one thing we love (well, TWO things): baking Christmas cookies...and eating them! It was wonderful to see the variety, and most of them were from one of my cookbooks (that have my favorite recipes as well as those from my collectors and friends...you can see those cookbooks by clicking here). Here's one of the tables we set up for the cookies:
The entire Village of Sister Bay joined in the fun this year...more than 30 businesses had special events such as a Krumkake baking demonstration (those are yummy Norwegian waffle cookies), live caroling, free drawings for merchandise and much more. If you're planning a trip to Door County next summer, plan it around July 25 - we'll have such fun!
Love, Pipka