2009

Spray-painted pink pine cones

I finished decorating the Christmas tree over the weekend.  Opening up those boxes and getting out the ornaments is like a trip down memory lane.  I’ve added many ornaments to my collection over the years, and even deleted a few.  But the ones I thought I would share with you now are the ones that I made myself.

I can still remember my very first Christmas tree.  I mean the one that I bought myself for my first apartment.  I can remember carrying it home (it was small) because I didn’t yet own a car.  I must have bought a set of lights, but other than that, the only other ornaments on the tree were hand-strung garlands of popcorn and cranberries.  I thought that tree was beautiful.

Lace ribbon bows

After my husband and I moved into our first house, I made ornaments for the tree for two reasons.  One was financial, certainly, as we had so many expenses just starting out and Christmas tree ornaments weren’t a priority.  But the other reason was that I wanted the tree to be pink- and cream- colored, and this was before the era of decorator trees.  If I wanted pink and cream ornaments, I would have to make them myself.

Then, over time, I bought some very nice kits from Mary Maxim catalogues.  There were intricate embroidered ornaments, sewn and stuffed into various shapes.  A set of glass balls was decorated with ribbons, flowers, and lace.  My favorite was a set of lace doilies that were painted with glue and formed into various shapes.  Once they were dry, they were embellished with flowers, pearls, ribbon and greenery.

Embroidered heart

Decorated glass ball

Doily ornament

Pearl beads ornament

I went to a ladies’ Christmas event at church one year where we learned how to make a lovely ornament from a string of beads.  I liked that ornament so much, I went straight out and bought a spool of pearl-colored beads and made myself a set of twelve!  Those ornaments, along with purchased icicles, really transform my tree every year. 

Our Christmas tree now has a lot of store-bought ornaments on it too, and they are special for different reasons.  But I always enjoy opening those boxes of handmade ornaments and all the special memories that go along with them.

1998

1999

Every year, I make a Christmas ornament.  Or, I suppose I should say, I make a bunch of them.  A different handmade ornament, every year.  Since 1998, the ornaments have been made of fabric, fused to a black felt background, and embellished with buttons, beads or embroidery.  They’re easy to make and they come in very handy.

Initially, I made them for my neices and nephews.  I fuse a piece of muslin on the back where I write their name and date with a Pigma pen.  I then attach the ornament to their Christmas gift, like a gift tag.  My thought was that they could collect them, year by year, and maybe one day I would make a quilt for them to hang on. 

2000

2001

2002

2003

Eventually, I realized these little ornaments had other uses.  They could be a little gift for teachers, newspaper boys, or house cleaners.  I could attach them to hostess gifts and gift cards.  Children of my friends started their own collections.  They were a simple way to add a personal touch to Christmas wishes.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

This series of ornaments come from a pattern called Here Comes Santa by Art to Heart.  Each ornament was designed to attach to a wallhanging from buttons on the quilt.  I’m not sure whether I’ll ever make the accompanying quilt, but I sure have enjoyed making a new ornament every year.  This pattern is still available if you would like to start your own collection of annual handmade Christmas ornaments.

What ornament will I make this year?  I haven’t decided yet – and besides, I can’t spoil the surprise!