Thursday, December 24, 2020

a small collection


It's ironic that while I don't 'do' christmas, neither the religious one nor the secular one, don't feel compelled to get a tree or decorate the house or make endless batches of cookies or even succumb to the obligatory gift giving, I love christmas tree ornaments. Well, not all. The simple balls, glittery or not, don't do anything for me. I have a few antique ornaments and a few others I've bought over the years from fellow artists that I display year round on a metal cup hanger thing I found at an estate sale years ago. I have a few others that aren't on it as all the hooks are occupied. I mostly don't buy the ones I like because I don't put up a tree and unless I have a way to display them, what's the point?

The antique ornaments are left over from the hand blown German ones my parents bought when they first married and a few have survived the years. I have a bird,

a little bear,

a frog,

and mushrooms.

My sister Pam has more of them as she actually puts up a tree though they aren't on her tree this year because of the Demon Duo and their first year with a tree.

A Santa, the only one she could readily find a picture of.

I remember the Santas, a church with a steeple, a pinecone, a table lamp, a swan, a basket of flowers, a trumpet, a house. I'm sure there were others. To be honest, I had to do an image search for antique german blown glass christmas ornaments to jog my memory for some of the ones I couldn't readily call to mind.

From artists...a gilded dragonfly wing by Fahan Sky McDonal on the left and a turned wood ornament by Thomas Irwin on the right,

this one a gift from Kathy Barnard which hangs in my window but the camera would not focus on it there,

a little birdhouse from a gallery in Canada,

and my little robot made from watch and clock parts I picked up at an antique store.

A few others that hang in various places...these two stars picked up at estate sales,

another little blown glass bird,

and a dragonfly my sister gave me.


Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. 



17 comments:

  1. I love your collection. I too have a rag tag band of little treasures of the season and usually hang them on the rusted head of an old rake. One of my daughters friends, when they were in their teens, said that it looked like something someone in a chee chee shop would be selling for some huge amount.....so when others kinda sneer at my rusty dusty and just my style collection of "loved objects" I dismiss their uneducated view and harken back to the teenage boy who complimented me. Because we all know teenagers know it all. hehehehehe. I love your treasures. Merry Everything and ahope for a brighter tomorrow for all of us.

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  2. I love your collection. Especially the glass birds. Nice virtual visit.

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  3. Merry Christmas to you as well. May the new year bring you good health and happiness.

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  4. I love your collection. I've never really celebrated Christmas and have never had ornaments. It's cool to see what you have. I especially like your robot!

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  5. I meant to add, "Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones."

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  6. What a wonderful collection! I have a few glass ornaments, but they're not antique. My favorites are a collection of Texas stars I've gathered over the years: leather, wood, paper, metal. If the Wise Men had seen the Lone Star, they might have made a hard left and ended up here!

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  7. You have some lovely art there, Ellen. I remember so many glass ornaments my parents carefully and lovingly brought out and put away. They were inherited from my maternal grandparents; my father's family had no traditions, or family. Have another nice day, tomorrow.

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  8. We had big primary colored glass balls on the tree when I was a kid. I have battered turquoise balls and drops and love them despite the wear. Those birds are really old ones. New ones are on springs and clip on too the branches. Have a great day tomorrow.

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  9. I love your idea of using a metal cup hanger to display your ornaments year round. I am now going to be looking for something similar to display some of my favorite ornaments year round. I like your robot ornament. Very unique!

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  10. Happy Xmas! Our glass blown birds are very similar, they are resting, wrapped up safely in ancient newspapers, down in the basement.

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  11. While most of the holidays this time of year are religious they all reflect a time to be happy for others and to celebrate what we have. your ornaments are delightful. I have a similar birdhouse.

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  12. I, too, keep ornaments up all year. Why not? They are fine little works of art and they bring me pleasure. Yours are lovely, Ellen.
    Happy, uh, Mary Had A Baby Day! There, that's it.
    Love from Lloyd.

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  13. Your ornaments are works of art , could have their own little gallery. I agree with everything, Christmas is not my gig either. Though I LOVE being in a Christmassy place , like London or
    Amsterdam during the season. It is joyful.

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  14. Lovely ornaments, all. May the coming year bring you everything your heart wishes, and some more you didnt know to wish for, but welcome with open arms. love.

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  15. I have some old ornaments from when I was little. I have them displayed in my china cabinet and curio hutch for the last few years as little grandchildren are too tempted to touch when they are hanging on the tree. Each year when I unwrap these delicate ornaments, they always bring found memories of my family Christmases of long ago.
    Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year!

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  16. Ooo - I love the robot most of all! What fun!

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