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.
 

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.  

A Garland of Vintage Ornaments

This year I decided to fashion a garland for the mantel out of the vintage ornaments I have been collecting at rummage sales.  I just love it!  

I bought a length of gold chain (5 feet?) at Home Depot and pinned it to the mantel with 3 clear push pins.  Then I hung the ornaments (with a classic ornament hook) from the chain.  Voila! It is so simple, but so beautiful.  When the sunlight came in the room each afternoon, the garland looked like a beautiful necklace.

Vintage Shiny Brite Tree

After a year of collecting, my (primarily) "Shiny Brite" Christmas tree is ready for display!  I love these classic American ornaments from the 40's and 50's and have had fun scouring flea markets and antique stores for just the right mix.  I've loaded the branches with as many ornaments as I could and I just love it.

These ornaments are the small and delicate, each is about the size of a small plum.  I love how the bright colors, stripes and shapes catch the light and give the tree depth.  I made a raspberry pique tree skirt with a pom-pom edge and it highlights the pink in the tree perfectly. 

My little vintage tree turned out exactly as I hoped it would - the perfect way to showcase my collection.  Now imagine Bing Crosby singing, "White Christmas" and it will be like you're right here with me.

Merry Christmas!