They decided they also wanted to make the ornaments. So we got a bunch of styrofoam balls, glue, and hundreds of beads, all kinds of them with just as many sequins and began to pin them in all different designs. We had so much fun; and for about a week that is all we did. When you look into the photo, if you see a beaded sphere -the girls made it. We also made wired beads on thin small gauge wire.
The (6 ft.) tree was hand wired with over 1,500 lights. So many that Thor had to go in afterwards and re wire the tree in three parts so that the fuses would stop blowing out! If you stand close to the tree you can feel heat from the lights. It took me about three days, but EVERY branch on that tree has lights up and down it. Yes, I am crazy.
The heart tree. Each year I add at least two more (matching) hearts to this tree. It's only a 3 footer, but it is full of those hearts! A few years back I hand made pomendor hearts filled with spices and potpourri that have "love must be felt" embroidered on them. Each also has a hand made hanger with two jingle bells (just in case there is a wanting angel nearby).
Next comes the (this year) "blue" tree. Also hand wired (and 6 ft.) it started out with silver French wired ribbon swirled though the branches from top to bottom and tucked inside a bit. Next came the boxes. I have (over the years) collected nesting boxes. This year instead of stacking them up full of gifts, these blue snow men and tree boxes were tucked in the boughs and tumbled down the tree eventually landing on the floor surrounded by more snowmen figures, wooden, metal and otherwise. Lots more blue packages also add to the trees over all look. Blue ornaments and a nice silver star are added. The final step is draping the tree with the fine micro coiled silver wire tinsel that is stretched over the branches and towards the floor at four different levels, causing the tree to glitter in the light.
There are other trees, the White Martha tree, the tiny Eskimo tree, the Snowman tree, the talking/singing tree (with a strong black voice that I adore!), the tree made from all beads, the tree of bells, Nativity, Angel, and Star trees, a wooden tree, a Scandinavian candle tree, a Crystal tree with ornaments smaller than your baby finger nail, the "50's" aluminum tree complete with gaudy ornaments and colour wheel, the tree on the porch, and others. There are five sets of nested boxes stacked around the room, some filled with presents - shhh!
I get asked all the time: "why?" Because I really love Christmas. I love that most of what I have on display were originally gifts from people who love me and my family. I like it that people are happier when they see all the weird trees. I like to decorate them and drive my kids nuts. I like remembering when the kids did all the decorating. And the best reason? For Thor, who misses it when I don't. I like making him happy and I love that he digs it.
I won't even go into the whole Nativity collection, except to say the trees don't feel superior in numbers...
(to see more trees and detail, click on any of the pictures, which will take you to the flickr! page where you can browse.)
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2 comments:
It is so great that you get so excited about the holiday. I love al the different trees! And, what great reasons to have them.:-)
(now if they only made life sized chocolate trees...)
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