Enchanted Holiday Swan

I was so excited when I realized that my Duncan Miller glass swan dish would look incredible mounded with my collection of silver, aqua and green Shiny Brite Christmas ornaments. She looked enchanted and became the centerpiece for my dining table this year.
 

Upcycling: Ornament Storage Solution from Costco

I've been collecting vintage ornaments for a few years now and I want to remind you of my favorite way to store them: in Costco's clear apple boxes and clear organic egg cartons.  Save your clear containers throughout the year and your precious ornaments will have a free place to stay safe and sound. This is upcycling at its best. 

#upcycling #ornaments #storagesolutions #christmasornament #costcototherescue #costco #anappleaday

Refresh Your Beeswax With Hot Air

I absolutely love to decorate our house for Christmas, especially the trees. I just unpacked our ornaments (25 years worth!) and I'm surprised at how many beeswax ornaments I own and how lovely they look mixed in with my collection of blown glass ornaments and handmade paper baubles. 

Today I wanted to share a quick tip with you on how to remove the dry white bloom on your beeswax ornaments and candles. All they need is a quick burst of air from a hair dryer! I have 2 identical Santa ornaments to showcase the difference: before (left) and after (right) a bit of hot air. 

Be careful not to melt the beeswax - don't hold the hot air source too close to the ornament or for too long. You may see a greasy sheen appear, but relax, the beeswax will firm up once you stop the hot air and your ornament will look fresh and new. 

It's also worth noting that I gave my beeswax ornaments the hot air treatment last week and they still look smooth and honey colored- no bloom has returned.

There aren't any presents under the tree yet and I still need to make and hang my gingerbread men, but our Christmas tree already looks beautiful. All of our decorations have been in storage for the last 2 years and it was a happy reunion when we unwrapped them and found that none of our fragile ornaments broke on the trip cross-country. Hallelujah! Remember when I decided to pack most of my vintage ornaments in Costco apple containers? I added a layer of bubble wrap and it worked perfectly! 

O Christmas Tree: Make Your Own Ribbon Garland

Beautiful and interesting. Those are the words I think about when I am buying or making Christmas decorations. The "11 Ladies Dancing" ornaments came to me when I traced a Martha Stewart magazine template (for an extending paper garland) and converted it into 11 ballerinas that I could dress in paper gowns. A ribbon at their waist is the perfect place to catch the hook of an ornament hanger.

Since we are spending Christmas in an apartment in Seattle, the majority of my Christmas ornaments are still back in Michigan! I flew some non-breakable ornaments out with me (i.e. dancing ladies) and purchased a collection heart ornaments made of laser cut wood. 

This post, however is meant to highlight the plaid ribbon garland I made. Can you see how it adds a bit of depth and shine. I just love it. I have never made garland before and it was too easy (and effective!) not to mention it to you.

It all started when I attended a church rummage sale in Issaquah this fall. I bought a Ziploc bag full of tiny vintage ball ornaments for 50 cents. Inside there were roughly 60 faded blown glass balls, all about the size of a macadamia nut. I cut 15 lengths of plaid ribbon (two inches long) and threaded 4 ball ornaments onto each one. Then I tied each group of 4 ornaments onto a long length of the same patterned plaid ribbon. It created a beautiful garland with shiny baubles every few inches and the whole project cost less than 5 dollars.

While its not realistic to count on rummage sales, you could easily buy small ornaments at the craft store and create your own version. Deep green velvet ribbon with a mixture of both shiny and dull gold balls; Pastel plaid ribbon with lavender and yellow balls. The options are endless. 

While this was my first custom garland, it won't be my last. I'm having too much fun.

Farmers Market: A Different Perspective

As you head into Saturday's farmer market, appreciate the beauty of the vegetables and try to think of all the different materials artists have used to replicate their beauty.  Here are blown glass ornament vegetables at the Kristkindlemarkt in Chicago. Have you seen vegetables made with wool felt? Carved from wood? Molded out of soap?

Christmas Ornaments: Birds

I thought about titling this blog post Winged Victory, in a cute reference to all the beautiful wings and feathers depicted on these German blown glass bird ornaments. It is true that birds of a feather, flock together. I was in good company with others at the Christkindlmarket, oohing and ah-hing over this incredible selection of bird ornaments. I would never believe that there were this many choices.

Many of the shop owners in the German Christkindlmarket in Chicago have walk up wooden kiosk to display their merchandise and interact with shoppers. The Lauschaer Glaskugelhaus has an entire wooden cabin that allows for a much larger display. If you can't make it to Chicago by Christmas Eve, you can shop for these spectacular bird ornaments here.

Birds of a Feather Flock together. We have several bird ornaments on our tree already and I simply couldn't decide which one to add to our collection. They are all beautiful.

Ann Arbor's Downtown Home and Garden has Old World Christmas Ornaments

It starts to feel like Christmas when I finally make it to Downtown Home and Garden in Ann Arbor, Michigan. My mom and I always make a day of it and drive to Ann Arbor for lunch and shopping with my Aunt Carol. The excursion wouldn't be complete without a stop at Downtown Home and Garden, formerly Hertler's.

I always find something wonderful to add to my collection, last year it was thin wooden tree silhouettes. I just looked at my blog posts for last December, and the trees aren't in any of the pictures. I'll be sure to highlight them this year.

One of my favorite sections is the glass blown ornament. You can see the wide variety of choices hanging on the pegboard behind the antique oven. They have glass blown ornaments that look like grilled cheese, ribbon candy, cappuccino, cinnamon buns, and many kitchen copper pots and pans. Adorable!

However, my favorite part of the display is hidden from view. The shop girl prompted us to "open the oven and see if it's done." We did gently opened the antique oven's door and found a pie tin filled with slice of pie ornaments. A little bit of humor and delight on a cold winter's day. Bravo.

The treasure I bought this year is a pastel ball ornament garland for my "family" tree. It will bring out the colors (pink, mauve, mint) of my handmade ornaments and bring an old world feel. I can't wait to decorate! It all starts next Friday, the day after Thanksgiving!

City Series: Dallas: Bush Center: Cafe 43

What a way to spend the day!  Carol and I had a leisurely lunch at Cafe 43 (George W. Bush was the 43rd President!), the museum restaurant at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas.

I ordered an entree salad of tiger shrimp, quinoa, arugula and feta with a roasted lemon vinaigrette.  They had me at "roasted lemon." It sounded delicious and it married the flavors of the sweet shrimp and peppery arugula perfectly.

We had a lovely table by the window and enjoyed catching up in the bright and friendly restaurant.  As we were leaving, Carol bought some of Laura Bush's famous "Cowboy Cookies" for us to snack on.

Do you remember the famous "bake off" in Family Circle magazine between Mrs. Bush's Cowboy Cookies and Tipper Gores' Ginger Snaps during the 2000 Presidential campaign?  I do! I thought it was a really cute idea and think that Mrs. Bush's cookies could have won by name alone.  The cookie recipe is printed on the Cafe 43 card and was published with slight modification here in The Washington Post.

After lunch, we looked through the museum gift shop and I passed up my chance to get a really neat souvenir.  Then I drove back the next day to buy it. Have you ever done that?

The souvenir was a Christmas ornament with a photo of a cardinal painted by George W. Bush.  I kept thinking about it afterwards and not knowing if they had an online store, I took a sudden detour when I saw "SMU" on a highway exit.  I made my way back to the little parking lot, walked to the gift shop and got my ornament.    When I left, I showed the parking attendant my new treasure and he too thought it was worth the trip back.  He also told me to "say Hi" to Michigan for him.  Done! 

DIY: High End Holiday: Golf Leaf Ornaments

I wanted the look of high-end, department store ornaments and I got it. My simple 3 item craft project turned out exactly as I had imagined.  I must have seen an ornament like this long ago, because when I found the gold leaf paint I knew exactly what I wanted to do.  I wanted an extra large glass ball painted solid gold at the top, moving down to brush marks and then onto no paint at all at the bottom, so the tree and lights would show through the glass. Pretty specific, huh?

I was able to find a set of four (4") clear glass ball ornaments at Micheal's craft store.  I used this brand of gold leaf paint and an inexpensive bristle brush, because I wanted to see the brush strokes.

The only instructions I can give you is that you dip the brush in paint and move it across the glass slowly and carefully.  I hung the painted ornaments in my laundry room to give them ample time to dry.  Then I put them on the tree and voila!  A fancy touch you can make yourself.  

I've seen many make-your-own ornament projects online lately and frankly, they look homemade.  This little beauty looks like it is right from an art gallery or high end department store.  

#michaels #DIY #christmasornaments #momentsofdelight #finddelight 

Gingerbread Ornaments

I have to show you this holiday tip.  You know that I love to make Gingerbread Men to hang on my Christmas tree, but not everyone has time for that.  Look what I found at Costco! Edible gingerbread ornaments that are ready to hang! 

They show them decorated, but I would hang them with a red and white check ribbon and leave it at that.  So cute and so festive.  Merry Christmas!

Shiny Brite Christmas Ornament Box...For A Dollhouse

What do I love? When some of my favorite things intersect! This time it is:

• Vintage items
• Christmas
• Dollhouses

Are you familiar with Shiny Brite ornaments? I have been collecting vintage ornaments for years (Remember this nostalgic tree of mine?)  and many of those ornaments are Shiny Brite.  As a fan, I thought it was too cute that someone had made a dollhouse-size replica of the iconic box!

I found this print-your-own "Shiny Brite" ornament box for a dollhouse free online and couldn't resist making one for my friend, Beth's daughter.  She is in elementary school and already understands what it means to "finding delight." 

When I visited the family last summer in Kentucky, I got a tour of her dollhouse, met the little doll family and admired the work she had done arranging things inside.

I think this ornament box will look perfect, displayed just so under her dollhouse Christmas tree, don't you?  The printable box and instructions are online here.  I put a few tiny ornaments that I found at Michael's Craft store inside.  I love it!

If you are interested in reproduction ornaments in the vintage Shiny Brite-style, look no further than Christopher Radko.  He does a beautiful job making new heirlooms that live up to the Shiny Brite name.  

Collecting Vintage Ornaments

Oh Santa!  I know, I know, I have more than enough vintage Christmas decorations already.  Remember when I strung them on my fireplace mantel?
But look at the detail in these vintage ornaments I found at a church rummage sale.  How could I resist?

There were 3 with an inset of a Winter scene - a pink ornament with a reindeer on snowy branches, a snowman (out of view on the gold ornament, top) and a blue ornament featuring a deer in the woods.  Also, notice the 2 light blue ornaments that have a wire crochet detail. I've never seen anything like it!  I bought all of the ornaments shown above for 25 cents.  Total.  A paper bag filled with ornaments for one quarter.  

I had to bring them home and give them forty more years of holiday spirit.  

Wooden Christmas Ornament Tree

It is so cute!  I never had a chance to show you how my wooden ornament tree turned out!  Remember when I bought 3 bags of small wooden ornaments at a rummage sale for...wait for it....25 cents per bag?  I wrote about it here.

Well this is how it turned out!  I ended up using a hot glue gun and gluing the individual ornaments around a white Styrofoam cone.  Then I glued the cone to a white box and Voila!  The cutest tree ever for my first floor powder room.

Family Tree Ornaments

My tradition of filling a "family tree" with Christmas ornaments that I've made from family photographs was mentioned in the Detroit Free Press newspaper today.  You can see the article here. 

The Family Tree has fabric photo ornaments that are printed on June Tailor Inkjet Fabric Sheets. Then I sew them to a coordinating fabric, "pink" the edges (create zigzag with scissors) and glitter the wedding bouquet or hair bow in the photo. I tuck them into the branches, or they can be hung from ribbon. I also hang old family photos framed in small glass picture frames.  I created labels for the back of each ornament to identify the person and their connection to us.

As for the article, I love having a photo credit in a major newspaper (front page, above the fold, no less!) as well as being mentioned in the same breath as Katie Brown, another lifestyle expert and Michigan-native.  I have long-admired her collection of housewares and the natural aesthetic in her designs.

Want to see the entire Family Tree?  I thought so...

Luster Ornaments

Tea anyone? 

I love this set of tea-inspired ornaments so much (Martha Stewart for Kmart, circa 2006?) that I am ignoring the fact that they are for "Christmas" and am putting them on display in my kitchen.

They are "brand new" to me - a gift from my mom.  She & I used to make a pilgrimage to Kmart the moment we thought that the new Martha Stewart for Kmart ornaments would be on the shelf.  She bought this set and now that I am beginning a collection of full-size pink luster teacups, she thought that I would love a reminder of them on my tree.  So true!

I think they look fabulous against the aqua stripe wallpaper.  They have a "luster-like" coating to them and they are a wonderful reminder of my favorite Winter ritual, having a cup of tea in the afternoon.  Are you with me?

Vintage Paper Ornaments

Just because your vintage object didn't start off as an ornament, doesn't mean that it isn't perfect for the tree!

When my husband was on a business trip to Savannah, he went to my favorite store, @ Home, to scout things out for me.  He called from the store and it was so cute listening to him trying to describe notions, ribbons and cupcake papers over the phone. 

He did a great job, though, and when he said there was a stack of never-used vintage paper ice cream lids that he thought I would like, I said, "Ohhh...I need one!"

It is 6 inches across and looks gorgeous now that I have glittered the most important words: ice cream!

I attached a thick deep red cord to the back and hung it, as is, on the tree.  It looks so pretty and is exactly the kind of thing I like.  Something that is beautiful and interesting.

Try to find an old photo (craft with a photocopy of it) or postcard (something paper), glitter it a bit and make your own Vintage Paper Ornament.  Then send me a picture!

Collecting Vintage Ornaments

I have started another collection.  I know, I am crazy!  I am already collecting:

• Chelsea Dishes
• Salt
• Cookie Cutters
• Dishtowels
• Paper buildings

But it is so much fun!  Anyway, this is more of a project than a full blown collection.  I want to be able to put a bowl of vintage ornaments on display on my front table.  I'll only need 20 or so and then I am finished, I promise.

You are here with me on Day One.  This is my first vintage ornament and I bought it for 25 cents at our church rummage sale this week. 

I love the hunt for charming inexpensive items.  I don't want to spend more than a dollar or so.  That's what makes it so wonderful - the sum and sparkle is greater than the actual value.

If you know of an estate sale or someone who is trying to get rid of old (and worn) glass Christmas ornaments like this, will you tell me?

Pink Poinsettias

Now this is an ornament! When I saw a pack of soft pink balls at Michael's, I knew I had to dress them up into something wonderful!

Enter: glittered pink poinsettia floral picks and a few spools of wired ribbon. As I carried my bounty around the store, I got approving glances from all the ladies.

I set to work in my kitchen one night and ended up with a row drying (the glue gun glue had to set) on my oven door- it was quite a sight!

Love it!

11 Ladies Dancing: Christmas Decoration

Years ago, Martha Stewart published instructions for making a holiday garland to honor the Christmas carol "The 12 Days of Christmas." 

I loved the garland of the eleven ladies dancing and chose to recreate them as individual ballerinas. They're made from white poster board (I traced Martha's template) and are dressed in paper gowns I made. Some have tissue paper skirts, others wear ribbon dresses, some even have paper doily aprons, but the color scheme is always simply red and white. I would include a link to the template, but it isn't online. The Martha Stewart Living issue was from the 1990's.

I love these ladies that dance and swish their skirts around my Christmas tree.

Christmas Cards

One year I received a Christmas card depicting a horse-drawn sleigh carrying a young couple home with a fresh Christmas tree. I loved the image and wanted to preserve it some how. So I thought, why not make it a Christmas ornament?

I collected some newspaper (the movie guide), olive green ribbon (a scrap), a button, silver glitter, pinking shears and a bottle of craft glue. A few minutes later - voila!

Inspiration is everywhere - this time it was in my mailbox!