To join in the fun and enter the contest, just browse through the participating shops listed on The eSMArts Blog. Each time you spot a new Santa, save the URL. When you collect three URLs, submit them for a chance to win the entire collection of prizes which you can give as gifts or keep for yourself. Each time you find 3 new Santas, you can enter again.

My Red White and Blue Patriotic Christmas Stocking ornament will be one of the many handcrafted items included in the prize. When one of my friend’s sons left for Iraq, I designed this ornament as a way to support our service members and military families. As the wife of a retired military man, I am especially grateful for those who have volunteered to fight for our freedom.

Each piece of opaque stained glass was individually hand cut using a traditional hand held glass cutter and then ground with precision to its exact shape. Copper foil was applied to the edges of all the pieces before they were assembled and soldered together. The finished piece was then cleaned, and polished. It comes complete and ready to give as a gift with a product tag and a suction cup for hanging. Show your support for a member of the armed forces by displaying this ornament in a window, on your tree, or by giving it as a gift.

For the official rules of this online Hunt for Hidden Santa event and to keep abreast of its progress, go to go to the eSMArts Blog. The contest begins November 14^th and runs through November 28^th, giving you two weeks to hunt for Santa’s icon and submit the URLs for a chance to win big.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Alas, here in Maine, the neon like autumn colors of leaf peaking season have passed, and the past few days have been gray, chilly, and dreary. Being a southern gal who delights in bright sun light and the vibrant tropical flora of Louisiana, I caught my mood waning. But rather than give in to the call of the couch, a pile of blankets, and a good movie, I decided to create something that would transport my mind and my mood to a warm, sunny and colorful place.

Rummaging through a closet of projects that were put on hold, I came across 17 terra cotta  fish shaped clay pots, which had originally been bought as supplies for a fountain I intended to make as a house warming gift for one of our sons when he moved into his own place. That was many moons ago, so I shook my head and chastised myself for letting my good intentions evaporate into "nada".

Then, "Ding!" The light bulb went off in my head. As I looked at the fish, I began dreaming about all the places I'd rather be. Tropical colors began dancing before my eyes, and it only took a few minutes to gather up some brightly colored paints, and voila... my mood brightened as I painted away.

These pots originally came from K's Studio in Portugal and are approximately 6"x3"x3". I used a glass enamel paint which was oven cured for durability.  Each is a one of a kind original, but they were all painted using the same colors making them complimentary when grouped together.

A collection of them would make a stunning centerpiece in a beach side bungalow, or they could hold plastice wear at a picnic. They'd make unique decorations during a tropical themed wedding/party, and then could be given away as party favors.  Use as a pot for a small plant, fill with glass marbles, or use as a pencil holder to brighten up your work area. Wherever you could use a splash of cheerful color, you can use one or more of these fish. You can find them in my ArtFire studio: ByCoco--Art for Everyday Enjoyment. (They are being sold individually.)

This is the time of year, I'm usually focused on creating traditional holiday themed pieces, but even though these tropical looking fish don't conger up images of enjoying hearth side warmth during a snow storm, they do make me feel Merry, and I hope they'll do the same for you or for someone you know who likes tropical things.

FYI: This article was no sooner published and #4, #10, and #15 were sold as a group, that leaves 14 more for you to choose from...

eSMArts Guild is a team of artists that originated from within the Etsy.com community, hence the name: The Etsy Social Marketing Arts Guild (eSMArts Guild). This group now includes members sellig through Artfire as well and they are collaborating to pool their talents in order to add a little fun to your holiday shopping.  

The fun begins on November 14th with a Hunt for Hidden Santas, which can be found within the shops of participating members. eSMArts members have donated an item to put into Santa's Sack of goodies. Each time a shopper finds three Santas, they earn a chance to win the sack full of goodies, which they can give as gifts or keep for themselves.

To find out more about this online event and to keep abreast of its progress, go to the eSMArts Blog. I'll be donating an item, but I'm not sure which just yet. I've got a few more days to decide.

Hope you have fun with this.  And, please let others you think would enjoy hunting for Santas as they shop know about our promotion by emailing, tweeting, or otherwise passing along this URL:

http://www.esmarts.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Are you looking for one of a kind stocking stuffers that won't break the bank? ArtFire.com, makes it easy for online shoppers to find unique yet inexpensive items as gifts this holiday season. Take a look at Artfire's Stocking Stuffer Trend Page.

On that page, you'll have quick access to items priced $10.00 and under that have be hand crafted and sized to fit in a traditional stocking. Once you spot a photo of an item that strikes your fancy, click on the picture and it will take you to that listing in the artist's studio.

Below are just a few examples of what caught my eye when I went browsing through the stocking stuffer trend page:

Have fun shopping... And don't forget that most of the artists and artisans selling online are open to filling a custom order. Just click on the "contact artisan" button in the top left corner of their studio page to make your request.

And, as always, Kudos for buying handmade! 

Welcome to my Artfire Studio where I offer heirloom quality stained glass and hand painted folk art collectibles. Let me introduce myself.

My name is Coco Watkin and I was born and raised in New Orleans where the atmosphere is rich with culture and where imagination is celebrated through its architecture, music, food, Mardi Gras and other festivals. New Orleans is a large city with a small town flavor and a special love of the arts—visual, performing and culinary.

As a military wife of 30+ years, I've experienced different cultures within the United States and abroad, each exhibiting their own indigenous artistic flair for transforming the ordinary in life into something extraordinary. As the mother of five children, necessity has often been my inspiration and on a fairly regular basis has proven to be the mother of invention. And, as a brand new grandmother (July 2009), I'm prouder than punch.

Among other endeavors, I am a self-taught artisan specializing in stained glass and decorative folk painting (European style stroke work). Over the years, I've also dabbled in carved candles, soap, clay, needlework, fountains, basic carpentry and refinishing, various types of sewing, and jelly making. Often while creating something in my studio, I am tapping into my knowledge and skill in more than just one artistic medium.

My other passion is for transforming trash into treasure or giving new life to something old. Both the process of creating and the process of transforming objects make me come alive.

I look forward to sharing my infatuation with stained glass and bauernmalerei (European Style Folk Art Painting) as well as my enthusiasm for everything creative. I hope you will bookmark me now and visit often.

I'm user friendly, so if you ever have a question about art & craft techniques, selling on line, life in general, or even about me personally, don't hesitate to ask. Just leave a comment or click on the "Contact Artisan" button below my studio avatar (picture) in the upper left hand corner of this page.

Thanks for your interest in things handmade, and have fun shopping.