Award winning wood carvings since 1963
Award winning wood carvings since 1963
Christine Coffman has been creating thousands of carving keepsakes over her talented career! Many of Coffman’s carvings have been purchased to become family keepsakes that will be treasured for generations. Because she works mainly in miniature, the little keepsake carvings can fit into any household. And because she designs all of her own work, the keepsake carving can reflect any particular moment from the past, such as a little girl or boy holding their favorite stuffed animal, or sporting a special outfit or maybe just showing a trait like shyness with the tilt of a head. A tiny keepsake carving is a good way to share a smile with someone that is many miles away. They can be a way of celebrating an event. Recently a client described the members of a wedding party and asked that a bear family be created to celebrate the event. Certainly that is a one of a kind gift that will be smiled over for years to come.
ASL American Sign Language Keepsake
"I Love You" Hand Sign
One of the best known American Sign Language signs is the "I Love You" sign (handshape). It is an easily recognized sign.
Making the I Love You Sign blends the handshapes for the letters I, L and Y into one handshape.
Christmas Nativity Keepsake Carvings
So clients can feel they are creating their own, personalized nativity scene, Coffman creates separate pieces that can be interchanged among the Nativity sets. Coffman's keepsake nativity sets set the scene using only figures and simple palm tree backgrounds and they are Coffman's specialty. She uses wood carving to create Nativity figures that would be better described as miniature sculpture, rather than simple craft pieces.
Keepsake Christmas Ornaments, which can be used on the tree or as "out all year" figures, are very often used for gifts such as "noggins" and Santa ornaments. Keepsake collectors can find many animal keepsake wood carvings of their interests such as cats, bears, penguins, pelicans, pigs and many others.
Nativity Christmas Crèche Keepsakes
Each Nativity crèche is created to show an emotion that could have been felt at the manger scene. Each figurine is carved with the same care, be it the Baby Jesus or a shepherd. Sometimes the scene reflects joy, or awe or contentment. Sometimes the set will suggest an air of excitement and expectation. Sometimes it becomes a Nativity scene showing of a little of each of these emotions.
Tiny Child Keepsake Ornament:
Often the "tiny child ornament keepsake" is the first Christmas ornament given to the new grandchild. There are boy ornaments, girl ornaments, or "just a little baby" ornaments. The ornaments are dated with the year, or on request the full date of birth could be used.
Butternut Bear Keepsakes
Bear Keepsakes
Coffman has a lot of fun carving the Bear Keepsakes. There are all shapes and sizes of collector bears. And the bears have a lot of fun making people smile. There are silly ones for someone who needs to be cheered, tiny ones for people with little display space, and bear hugs that make it possible to send someone a hug through the mail. They make funny little groups that can be added to easily.
Cat Keepsake Carvings
People often see their own cat's traits in Coffman's cat wood carvings. Cats seem to be able to be posed in any position. Cat carvings can have sleek smooth lines or can suggest a cat that has been very well fed. A simple cat carving can portray a lazy attitude or seem ready to pounce.
Santa Claus Keepsakes
Coffman enjoys carving Santa Claus as both the American traditional jolly Santa Claus, and as the older version of St. Nicholas who is often portrayed as taller and thinner and more serious. When carving a Santa, or Saint Nicholas, Coffman has a general idea of how she would like the Santa to appear, but as the carving develops, Santa's head may take on a different angle, or Santa's hands positions may need to be rethought to call attention to what Santa is holding.
This carving is a special order item.