Today I was thinking about how beloved individual ornaments can become over the years. I know I have a few that are exquisitely special for Maxi and I.
My parents bought each of us children a special doll ornament when we were born. I still have my little Flapper girl although she is very damaged. I will not place her in the tree this year, but she is still beloved.
I am also sentimentally fond of the ornaments I made when Maxi was very small. They go up proudly each year.
When I was young I owned a massive collection of very expensive (many antique) ornaments which I lost in the apt robbery. So I took a break from Christmas finery for a while then started collecting again when Maxi was born. He has, I think, many Christmas treasures.
I'm partial though to our silver antique spoons and our sea shells... they hang so handsomely!
Isn't it interesting how a specific ornament can conjure up so many feelings and memories?
What about you? Have you a dearly beloved ornament? or two?
Merme
We were given two hands to hold, two eyes to see, two ears to listen & two legs to walk. But why were we given only one heart? The other heart was given to another for us to find.
I wrote on the ornament itself or the box I keep it in so as to remember,but I have many "special" ornamants.
so were given to me by family members but my most beloved are the ones that my DD's made for me when they were small.---I can tell ou a story about each one.
One is a flour/water/salt maple leaf ornament that Mt Emily made and painted for me. Then there is the clothes pin toy soldiers thsat both girls made in school the same year. These are jsut a few of the examples.
sadly they are all ins storage yet--and will have to wait until next year. I have m y small 3 ft tree up this year. & I have small ornaments for it.---
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
I have special ornaments too. My children made them when they were little and at home. I also have a few that Alexis and Tori, my step grand children have made.
Carol, why is your stuff all in storage?
Merme, I would love to see a picture of your tree. The spoons and shells sound lovely.
Sheri, I am still not released from my last surgery. I am not allowed to push, pull ot lift much at all. So when I had the girls come over and put up a bit of my Christmas decorations, I only had them put up my small tree and just a very few of my "things". I have so much that it would of been a lot for me to ask of them--not to mention They will have to be the ones coming back and taking it all down---so I figured the less put up the better,
I was upset about my nativities not being out though, so I bought a small one at the Dollar Tree lst week--now I feel a bit better.
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
I'm glad you've got a few decorations going on. I keep thinking about using a light hand every year but my girls go crazy if I don't fully decorate. Maybe this year.
nope, Sheri, don't do it--you will be so sad--I know I about cried in front of the kids when I looked at my mantle and saw their wedding pictures---I began..."those are not supposed to be there"...then stopped and said well never mind--it is ok for this year.....
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
I have a special heart ornament. It is silver and it opens and inside there are 3 small jeweled squares hanging as well as a square with tiny foot prints and one with a heart on it. The jeweled squares each have a birth stone on them....one for each of our angels. I made Stephen dig it out storage last year because it HAD to be on the tree. Some people buy an ornament for their angels every year, but I didn't want to do that, so I got 1 special one. There are a couple of other ones that are special to me. One with a nose print from my last dog, Essie. ...and one that my Nanny gave to me.
Remember Barleychown? Remember she sent a bunch of us that clear ornament with a feather and that saying on it.....something like, I'm from your guardian angel and it was dropped while I was protecting you. I know a few of you have the same one.
Anyway, that's my favorite....because each time I read it it gives me cold chills........Athena LOVES it. She looked at me and said, ohhhhhh, this is very special Aunt Loz. Can I have it one day? Then she asked me 50 questions about having a guardian angel.
I remember you guys talking about that ornament one year. I looked all over the place for clear empty ornamnets that year---so I could make some for some friends of mine--and I could not---that IS such a nice thing to have.
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
and, if you can't find them, the paint comes off the painted ones if you soak them in bleach water. pain in the bumpus if you are doing large quantities (i did 250 for ellie's first wedding) but a nice easy way to use the scratched ones you'd just toss.
Maxi made those feather ornaments two years ago. His message simply said "With love, from your guardian angel". People adored them! He gave them out at church to special people and mailed some to family far away and then did some for our friends. They were easy for him to do.
My best girlfriend Angel got one from him and liked them so much, she asked if we could make some for her to give away? She bought the glass balls and we had plenty of feathers and glitter to spare, so we just ran off more notes on the printer. EASY!
Maxi chose feather colors for each person for special reasons and added either a small amount of gold or silver glitter in each ball. A few people got a smattering of both.
Merme
We were given two hands to hold, two eyes to see, two ears to listen & two legs to walk. But why were we given only one heart? The other heart was given to another for us to find.
a nice easy way to use the scratched ones you'd just toss.
Another way I sometimes use scratched balls...
I dribble a loopy line of white glue on them and then roll them in glitter. If I'm being fancy, I will create designs with the glue.
This technique spruces up even the worst balls and is very economical.
Merme
We were given two hands to hold, two eyes to see, two ears to listen & two legs to walk. But why were we given only one heart? The other heart was given to another for us to find.
another thing i've done is write on balls with the shirt paints. the vinyl ones that are in the craft section of walmart. they make great decorated ornaments. i'll try to find and post a picture for you sheri.
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