Debra Schoch is an artist from Michigan known for her whimsical papier mâché folk art figurines. I grew up seeing her pieces decorating our home during the Easter, Christmas, and Halloween seasons. Debra’s love of these three holidays inspired her business’ name, Hop Hop Jingle Boo.
My mom bought a lot of her Debra Schoch pieces before I was even born, and the ones featured in this post are from 2000 and 2001 (other than one that is not dated). Any Debra Schoch fan knows that this was an era when Debra was still selling her work at local craft fairs (and to a much smaller audience than today). In 2004, she joined Bethany Lowe Designs’ team of artists and began designing holiday figurines for a much broader audience than before.
Thus, these pieces could be called vintage or pre-Bethany Lowe designs of hers. They are quite unique, folksy, and beautiful. To me, they capture what Easter feels like at home, since I grew up decorating with them every year.
Debra Schoch Easter Bunnies & More
The large bunny seen above is the only Easter piece in this post that isn’t marked with a date, but I know it’s from the same era as the other figurines (around 2000-2001).
I love the little bobbleheads above- I have never seen anything like them.
The bowl with the bunny (seen below) will serve as the centerpiece in the dining room on Easter.
That little sign peeking out from the back of the above picture is one of my favorite pieces by Debra. It hung in my room when I was little, and features Mrs. Rabbit from the Peter Rabbit stories by Beatrix Potter. From what I can tell by looking through Debra’s work and from what my mom has told me, she didn’t do a lot of painted pieces like this one back in the day.
Here’s a close up:
So, that's it for part two of Easter decorating this year...
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2 Responses
I just picked up a Decra Schoch rabbit at a flea market today. I can’t find it anywhere else online, but I found you! It’s got the telltale head of a rabbit, but the body is made out of cloth and is like a rag doll/shelf sitter. Handed signed on the bottom with name and 2001. Have you ever seen one like that? Thanks!
Hi Tricia! No, I have not seen a rabbit specifically like that from Debra. However, I have a couple early pieces of hers in which she used fabric for the bodies of the figurines in a style that sounds somewhat similar to what you’re describing, including a large Santa and some snowmen that I’ll be featuring in a Christmas-themed post soon.
The rabbit you found sounds a lot like her early work (pre-Bethany Lowe) to me. When talking to her at a local craft fair back in the day, my mom remembers Debra saying that she would pretty much work with whatever medium was speaking to her at the moment.
What a find! Feel free to send me a pic through email (happytobehereblog@gmail.com)- I’d love to see! I love her work, especially her older pieces, and wish she was still making more like that.
Thanks for reading and reaching out!