Show Me Christmas

Whether you call them knickknacks, cha-chas or simply collectibles, you are sure to be familiar with miniature figurines. Everyone knows someone who loves to collect various miniatures, and for me that person is my grandma. She has an extensive collection, mainly featuring selections that she has gathered close to her home in southern California.

Last Christmas I decided to help expand her stockpile, and I wanted to give her an item that was unique to her collection. Since most of her figures had a California theme, I opted for a couple of handblown glass Christmas ornaments. She loved the thoughtful gift and now displays them next to her dancing suns and Disney figures.

There are certain rules when it comes to buying gifts for your loved ones. First of all, it’s the thought that counts and people are truly impressed by gifts that are thoughtfull. Here’s an example of a romantic christmas gift; you and your boyfriend are window shopping and he notices a tie that he likes, and you later return to the store and buy it for him. Your man will be impressed you remembered and he will appreciate the gift.

There are also quite a few examples of hand crafted Christmas ornaments to purchase as gifts that are not romantic. Women, for example, don’t usually want a sport’s jersey bearing the logo of your favorite team. And, don’t even think about getting her a gym membership or exercise equipment. Unless she specifically asks for this, she will think you are hinting that she is fat. Hand crafted ornaments will last a life time and is more personable.

Adding a variety of differently crafted decorations to your home is a guaranteed way to revive any ordinary living space. The days of tailoring everything in a room to look identical expired years ago. Your home should reflect who you are as a person. You don’t want your home to read: an obsessive compulsive plain Jane liver here – or do you?

It’s very easy to spruce up your home by adding touches of handcrafted wood décor. Carvings of animals, puzzles, collectible ornaments and wall plaques are highlights of the many options to choose from when revamping your home. They’re great as wall decorations, centerpieces and mantel objects. Your friends and family will be jealous of these detailed and flawlessly crafted decorations. You’re sure to be the talk of the town.

Hand blown glass is amazing. If you ever are at a fair, I highly recommend going to the station were they show how to hand blow glass. It is quit a remarkable site. It is quit unique. There is really nothing like it.

If you want a unique gift idea, then choosing handblown Christmas ornaments is something to look into. Every piece is unique and different. You can custom design what you would like. The colors that radiate from the glass is mesmerizing. It truly makes for an exquisite gift idea.

The best things about holidays are traditions that are passed down from generations to generations. It doesn’t matter if you are a great grandmother passing it down to your daughter; traditions are passed down for generations. It is a great way to create memories.

Collectible Christmas ornaments are one of the things that can be passed down from generation to generation. It is a great site to see the ornaments that once was your great grandmothers. Knowing that she once had them on her family tree is an experience that is like no other. Knowing that one day the same ornaments will be on your children’s tree is a great feeling.

With a little bit of work you can give new glass ornaments an antique look. All you need are glass ornaments, a tube of white gouache paint, a tube of black gouache paint, two small bowls, two sponges, and tissues. Arrange all of your materials and begin creating your hand painted Christmas ornaments as follows:

1. Put one teaspoon of white paint and one teaspoon of black paint into separate bowls. Dilute each bowl with water until the paint has the same consistency of heavy cream.
2. Using a sponge dipped in white gouache paint, coat the entire surface of each ornament. While the surface is wet, dab the surface with tissues to create a mottled look.
3. Use another sponge to lightly apply black gouache paint to the ornaments. With clean tissues you can lighten, blur and blend the paint to create the effect you desire. When you’re finished, let the ornaments dry.

A friend of mine is expecting the birth of her first child around this coming Thanksgiving. This means that she’ll be a new mom in time for her favorite holiday, Christmas. Already she has started planning ways to commemorate her baby’s first Christmas.

To date, she has bought baby’s first Christmas outfit (complete with a red and white Santa hat), babys first ornament, and has booked a photo session with a local photographer for the family Christmas cards she intends to mail out. Now she’s got me in a panic because I don’t think there will be anything left for me to give to the baby! Maybe instead of a material gift, I’ll make a donation in the child’s honor to a worthy cause.

Glass ornament wreaths can retail for $50 or more, particularly around the holidays. You can make your own gorgeous wreath for a lot less. All you need are an assortment of glass ornaments, a foam wreath, and a hot glue gun. All of these items can be purchased online or at your local craft store.

Start by heating up the glue gun over scrap paper to catch any drips. Lay out your colorful glass ornaments and clip off the loops, but keep the rest of the tops intact. Lay out the foam wreath and play around with how you want the ornaments to look when attached. When you’ve come up with a design, attach the ornaments to the wreath using your hot glue gun.

One of my kids’ favorite family-time arts and crafts projects is decorating glass Christmas ornaments. I order plain, clear glass ornaments online or purchase a basket-full around the holidays from the local craft store. When we get home we adorn the ornaments in whatever way we want.

The smooth exterior of glass Christmas ornaments makes them easy for painting. Acrylic paints work the best for creating intricate designs. Applying frosted glass paint makes the ornaments appear seasonal. Another way to decorate glass ornaments is by filling them with colorful objects. This can be glitter, confetti, marbles, beads, or even small toys.

When it comes to Christmas, every family has their own traditions. Some people string popcorn garlands while singing Christmas carols. Others create elaborate outdoor light displays for the whole neighborhood to enjoy. In my family, we spend a ton of time baking the week before Christmas.

All the women and children gather at my mother’s house to bake traditional Christmas cookies, cakes, and pies. We make up care packages for each family member to take home and munch on throughout the holiday season. We also create edible handmade Christmas ornaments. They come in all sorts of shapes from church bells to angels, and we decorate them with frosting and edible glitter for a bit of sheen.