September 1st, 2009
It is September and you see them appearing in the shopping centers and outside the grocery stores. I am talking about pumpkins. Summer is winding down, schools have started, temperatures become bearable, all signs that we are moving closer to the typical autumn celebrations.
The first one coming up is Halloween. Soon we will be bringing last years decorations down from the attic. In the stores we see many new decorative items. Of course we have to have real pumpkins, either to carve faces or just to put them on the porch. It is always fun to start decorating for these fall events.
A new type of decoration are the glass Halloween ornaments. These are cool items that do well in front of the window, hanging from a lamp or chandelier, or if you happen to have a big plant in the house, they show well in a house tree too.
Halloween ornaments are like the familiar Christmas ornaments, but of course in the shape of a ghost or a pumpkin.
Take a look at some examples of Halloween ornaments .
Happy Halloween!!
Chris
Posted in 4th of July, Decorations, Halloween, Ornaments | No Comments »
June 2nd, 2009
Independence Day is a time for celebration. US flags in all sizes, stars and stripes and red, white and blue decorations are seen all over town.
Interested in a unique decorating item? Take a look at these nutcrackers dressed in red white and blue and carrying an American flag. This is a real eye catcher in any office or home.
Any birthdays to celebrate around the 4th of July? An Uncle Sam nutcracker is a sure success gift. You could even start a collection of 4th of July nutcrackers!!
Happy holidays!!
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May 28th, 2009
The next holiday celebration coming up in the United States is Independence Day. On the 4th of July we celebrate our independence as a nation. Our national symbols, the Stars and Stripes, are displayed everywhere. The flag is proudly flown over buildings and other locations. Offices are decorated, front porches, cars, stores, etc. Americans are very inventive in their display of patriotism.
Guess what? Here is a new and unique decorating idea: 4th of July glass ornaments.
What is more shiny than glass? Nothing. Imagine a glass ball ornament in red, white and blue. The best possible display of the national colors. The stars and stripes shine and sparkle in the sun.
You could hang patriotic ornaments over your desk in your office, or in front of a window of your living room. I am sure you can think of many applications for the Independence Day holiday.
Take a look at some of the 4th of July ornaments on the market: Patriotic Ornaments
Happy holidays!!
Posted in 4th of July, Collections, Decorations | No Comments »
April 28th, 2009
Do you have the problem like I do, with friends and relatives, who have “everything”? Do you also find it difficult to buy a gift for that person?
Here is a new idea for you!!!
I know it is not yet Christmas, but your solution may be in Christmas ornaments.
Christmas ornaments are these shiny, glittery hand blown glass objects that always look nice, rich and interesting.
The key to your gift idea lies in the fact that Christmas ornaments come in all kinds of forms and shapes.
Your friend undoubtedly has a hobby, or an occupation, a vice, a habit or another aspect that calls for exposure or accentuation. A cat or dog ornament for animal lovers. Wedding ornaments for newly weds. Vegetable ornaments for a kitchen princess!! There are Western ornaments, floral, wine and fruit ornaments. You see there are all kinds of fitting gifts in the ornaments market.
There are ornaments in all of kinds of categories and undoubtedly there is some ornament that makes the connection.
You will score points with your colorful perhaps witty ornament.
Collections
Another option is the hobby or interest of your family member. In a number of ornament categories there is a whole line of figures. This attracts collectors from all kinds of walks of life.
Based on the interest of your friend you could pick an ornament to be the start of a collection. On his/her next birthday you do not have to think hard to find a present; there is the collection to be added onto. How about birds, sports or animal collections?
You see, year round there are lots of gift idea possibilities in the Christmas ornaments.
Happy Gift Shopping
Posted in Collections, Ornaments | No Comments »
March 23rd, 2009
Interested in an Easter decoration idea?
A set of bottles with egg shells on top, filled with flowers. This looks very decorative and the egg part makes an interesting connection to the Easter season.
For this project you need:
* three identical empty bottles, you can save them from dessert wines, or you can buy them at craft stores. Clear glass, or slightly green or yellow tinted, works best.
* three hard boiled eggs
* three (bunches) of blue spring flowers, such as Grape Hyacinths (Muscari), fresh or fake, whatever you can get.
First cut off the top one third of the egg by a swift cut with a knife. The top is the wide or dull side of the egg.
Empty the egg contents into a bowl. With mayonnaise the eggs make a fine egg salad for lunch or snack time.
After the egg shells are emptied we need to make a small hole in the bottom or pointed end of the egg. Hold the egg upright on the table and tap the bottom with the tip of a knife, so that the tip is crushed. The hole should be no bigger than the stem of the flower(s).
Then put the egg shell on top of the bottle with the small hole pointing downwards. Stick the flower stem(s) through the hole until the flower(s) rest on the rim of the egg shell.
When you use fresh flowers make sure there is water in the bottle to at least a level where the stems reach the water. Add water as needed in the following days until the flowers wilt. In the weeks leading up to Easter the flowers can be refreshed as often as needed.
A group of three decorated bottles make a smashing Easter decoration. You can put a group on a coffee table, in front of the livingroom window or in any other prominent place in the house.
Enjoy this easy but effective decoration!!!
Happy Easter
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March 3rd, 2009
Do you like to deck the halls for Christmas? Decorate the Christmas tree?
Now you can do the same for Easter.
The US Christmas decorating traditions come from Europe. Guess what, they also have an Easter decorating tradition. The decorations celebrate new live and Springtime. Eggs are the symbol of new life and they are not only eaten, real eggs and chocolate ones. Eggs are also available as ornaments. Ornaments that are used to decorate the Easter tree or branch.
Several weeks before Easter a branch is cut from a Willow tree, a so-called Corkscrew Willow or Chinese Willow, that you see in many gardens these days. The Latin name of this particular species is Salix matsudana ´Tortuosa´. The picture shows what the branches and leaves look like in summer; perhaps you will recognized the foliage.
The branch is put in a vase filled with water and placed in a light spot in the living room. The light green curly twigs of the branch on its own are already very decorative. The warm temperature of the living room make the branch decide that it is springtime and it will start to grow. The tender green shoots generate a springtime atmosphere.
Next the branch is decorated like a Christmas tree. Easter ornaments like bunnies, chicks and eggs are hung in the tree. Children can use their creativity and make ornaments for the tree, or one can buy all kinds of Easter ornaments.
The decorating can be done right away or after the branch has started to make leaves. You can decorate as simple or elaborate as you please. Just like Christmas trees decorations, you can make it stylish, contemporary, family style, whatever suits your interior and taste.
The result is a colorful and unique decoration for the Easter and Springtime season. I am sure you will enjoy it, and will impress your friends and relatives with something that is new in the States.
Happy Easter
P.s.
When you remove the branch after Easter, you will notice a lot of roots at the bottom of the branch. You can plant the branch in your garden and grow another Corkscrew Willow tree.
Posted in Decorations, Easter | No Comments »
February 13th, 2009
Now it is time to decorate your home for Easter, or to celebrate Springtime.
Those colorful and glittering ornaments that you love at Christmas time are now available for Easter too.
Glass ornaments in the shape of eggs make a fine decoration in your home for Easter. The Easter Egg ornaments can be used to decorate a large plant you may have in your home, or a vase with a bunch of branches from trees that are about to bud in your backyard. The colorful eggs make a beautiful decoration and the branches will start to grow during the Easter season and provide a splash of delicate spring time green.
Easter ornaments in the shape of bunnies and chicks are also available. The choice is yours: artistically decorated eggs, or playful bunnies and hatching chicks. Both are a great addition to the Easter home decoration options.
Take a look at these new Easter Egg ornaments.
Merry Christmas, uh I mean Happy Easter
Posted in Easter, Ornaments | No Comments »
January 14th, 2009
Around this time of year people start to look for a unique present for their loved ones. Often they end up buying chocolate or flowers. Nothing wrong with these items. I love them every day.
Recently however I came across a new gift idea for St. Valentine’s Day: a glass ornament in the shape of a heart. This heart ornament could be hung anywhere in the home or the office or other work space. It is a real eye catcher and will be the talk of the Valentine’s day.
The beautiful shiny bright colors jump right at you and creates a joyful ambiance. The symbolism of the heart is obvious for this occasion.
The Valentine ornaments come in a number of colors and sizes. There must be heart ornaments for every taste and color coordination.
For more Heart Ornaments visit The Christmas Duck.
Merry Christmas
Posted in Ornaments, Valentine's | 1 Comment »
December 8th, 2008
In addition to the Nutcracker there is another traditional holiday item in Germany, the Christmas smoker, or incense burner.
Burning incense adds to the holiday spirit in the German homes. Smoking incense started in practical and simple holders for the incense stick. Over time a similar development as with the nutcrackers took place for the smokers. Germans with artistic talents such as woodcarvers and sculptors developed artistic figures out of the incense burning items.
As a result we now have all kinds of wooden figurines that have a hole in the mouth or hand to fit an incense stick. The colorful men (and a few women) are cheerful decoration items for the holidays. Incense burners represent various trades, such as baker or butcher, and also hunter, or shepherd. Santa is also a logical figure to be depicted as a Christmas smoker.
The German incense burners are great collectible items. It is fun to display the incense smokers during the holidays. And the German smoker is a fun Christmas present for the husband or dad who “has everything”. More German Smokers.
Merry Christmas
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December 1st, 2008
Nutcrackers are a source of collectors fun. I guess I am starting to repeat myself, but I cannot hide my enthusiasm for Nutcrackers. I got the fever.
Anyone can create his own twist around the Nutcracker phenomena. There are so many Nutcrackers on the market that a collection will never be complete. Proof is the Leavenworth (WA) Nutcracker Museum that displays over 5000 nutcrackers from more than 40 countries. Take a look: Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum
And by-the-way, the US Post Office offers Nutcracker Holiday stamps this year. A great tribute to this popular Christmas decoration item. Four important Nutcrackers are represented: the king, the soldier, the musician and last but not least a Santa Nutcracker.
Need I say more about the popularity of the Nutcracker?
Merry Christmas
Posted in Christmas, Collections, Nutcrackers | No Comments »