Advent Blog Day 22: A Few of My Favorite Ornaments

For years as a family we had a tree where I had made quite a few ornaments, but when I got divorced I wanted to do something different, especially when I realized how cheap decorations were. So the first year I had a blue and silver tree. The following a red and gold. By then I had quite a few silver and gold ornaments which meant that I could have all kinds of options. One year I went for pastels with the silver and gold. Another year we had a purple tree. When I moved to the west coast I gave all my store bought ornaments to my kids who were just starting out. I then bought a new tree and gold and black ornaments - something I hadn't had before. But I kept my handmaid ornaments, - those that survived. And I started a new ornament tradition. My new tradition? I'm collecting book themed ornaments. Here are the three I have curtesy of Hallmark. I'd also like to try to make some sometime.

This was this year's acquisition.

And this was the first one I bought when I moved here.

And here's the one the year the new Mary Poppins movie came out. Isn't she cute?

It's not easy finding book themed ornaments that are inexpensive. I might have to go the Disney princess route since they did originate as fairy tales. And now onto some hand made ones. A couple that celebrate the millennium.

This was from a trio of Russian Fairy tales. I made another one - but I haven't seen it in years and I never made the third. Black fabric is hard to stitch on and that was when I had good eyes! I can't remember what fairy tale this one represents. Oh, and you can see on the sides a couple of other ornaments I stitched as well as a crocheted snowflake.

I love quilts, but I'm not good at quilting. So I stitch them.

This technique is called hardanger. It involves cutting fabric. It's why it's called hard anger.

I was going to make one of these a month. I don't think I got very far.

And some more cross stitch ornaments.

Clothespin nativity.

Done with folding and pinning to a styrofoam ball. I don't remember how I did this. I did several of these, but they didn't survive very well.

I hope you enjoyed the trip around my tree.