Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Handmade Happiness

The tree is finally up AND decorated!  This is the first year I decorated by myself and it wasn't nearly as much fun.  In fact, it was kind of depressing.  The upside was that I got to see each ornament and recall the memories that came with each one.  In particular, I realized just how many ornaments are handmade.  Ornaments that I bought at crafts fairs, ornaments that wonderful friends made for me, ornaments that came from ornament exchanges,  ornaments that the kids made and gave to me.  Each and every one with a story and a memory!
Made by a local artist out of a crab shell

Hand painted on an oyster shell by a very dear friend

Hand painted by a good friend and local artist

From another good friend

From a school crafts fair

Handmade and painted by the same dear friend who painted the oyster shell

Made by a local artist

From a good friend and local artist

From a handmade ornament exchange

My son made this one when he was 12

From an Etsy seller who has closed her shop :(

There are so many more but I don't want to put you on ornament overload!  

What about you?  Do you have a favorite handmade ornament or decoration?

I hope you have a happy Wednesday!!!


7 comments:

  1. Big T and I put up the tree by ourselves this year - has always been either with the kids or our delightful grandson - this year was just the two of us. It was sad but peaceful. Christmas shouldn't be sad but the closer it gets, the sadder I get thinking about all the hectic busy Christmases of past.

    Hugs - Marie

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  2. What Lovely ornaments, Annette. :)

    Each one with its own story. I think that is what it is all about, the memories that are created and cherished.

    I have been stressing about everyone coming home for the Holidays and then I had to stop and be incredibly grateful that they all wanted to be tog. and at home. I know that this could poss. be the last year for this to happen, so now I am in a different mindset and excited and who cares if the house isn't totally clean or the tree isn't completely decorated and there are boxes everywhere, only me! :)

    Have a lovely day, T. :)

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  3. Handmade ornaments are the best. My grandmother's tree is filled with them :)

    popping by from an etsy forum blog thread

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  4. How lovely that you have "So Many Memories" hanging on your Christmas tree. Perfectly Annette!

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  5. I too have a collection of ornaments for the tree with history behind them.
    I so often see 'uniformed' trees decorated with matching baubles and ornaments and wish my tree looked so good....but then mine has personal meaning.

    Each year the children get one new ornament each.
    The oldest ornament on my tree is a little half walnut shell with a baby Jesus laying swaddled inside. It was given to me by a friend's mum in 1983.

    carol

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  6. I love them! Handmade ornaments are my favorite. I think my goal next year will be to plan ahead and make a bunch to give to friends as gifts. YAY for the tree being decorated!

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  7. I empathize with your thoughts and feelings on doing the tree alone. This is the first year my husband and I did ALL the decorating alone, including the tree. But kudos to you for finding the silver lining ... and sharing with us the wonderful, memorable homemade ornaments!

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