Not too long ago, someone asked me what my decorating style was. I really don’t have a style. I’m very hodge podge. I like some modern, some traditional, some shabby chic, some country. I guess I lean more toward the shabby chic style—mainly because I have a lot of old, worn out stuff! Really my style is “Early Grandmother’s Attic.” In other word…hand-me-downs. Don’t get me wrong. I love me some good cast offs! I just like too many things, I guess.
My Christmas tree is the same way.
I am VERY sentimental. Ooo, maybe that’s my style.
Anyway, I don’t have one of those fancy trees where all the ornaments are coordinated. I don’t put that mesh stuff in my tree. There really isn’t room for it anyway. We always buy a REAL tree. Frasier Fir is our tree of choice. We always make the trek to Lowe’s to get one. The girls still like to ride the cart back to the building after we load the tree into the truck!
Here is a brief tour of our tree this year. Keep in mind that this is not all of the ornaments, just a few of my favorites. It is not even all of my favorites!
Bible ornament I made from a matchbox and alphabet pasta.
Chip's Aunt Shan made these red birds. They are wonderful! She is quite the seamstress. All the tiny stitches are so perfectly even. A true labor of love to make 6 of them.
My grandmother, Juju, made this one. I have always loved it.
Chip's Mom painted this Santa on a tiny gourd. She also made a really cool larger Santa. She made feet for him, so he could stand.
My Mom made this ric-rac Christmas tree for me when I was about 4 years old.
I made this one last year. I like the little bells as berries.
My knit-crazed girls each got one of these knitting baskets from me last year. My Mom's friend, Patsy, made a similar one for her years and years ago.
Chip and I fought Sandy Fisher for this starfish Santa at a Christmas party back in '94.
Chip's family used to raise chickens. One year Aunt Shan gave us this ornament. The chickens "bawk" Jingle Bells! We affectionately call it "The Bawk Bawks".
The Martha Stewart inspired glitter birds I made. I love that Martha Stewart glitter!
Spool ornament made by Juju for me when I was too little to remember.
Spool ornament I made for my kids!
Made from the hemlock tree that was in our yard when we lived in Indiana. Megan used to love to collect these little cones.
One day on my way to work, there was a lady passing out Christmas ornaments at the guard shack in our apartment complex. This was where we lived when we were first married.
I painted this at the Christmas window decorating contest in Evans Student Center at Ouachita.The front says Peggy & Chip.
My prize from an ornament exchange. Sandy Goins brought this one. Funny the things you remember.
I liked the neon colors the year i made this one.
When we were first married and living in Memphis, we would frequently ride the downtown trolley. Shan remembered that and got us this trolley ornament.
Sorry, I cut off the birdy's head. I think my grandparents gave me this one. I remember wearing it in my hair (notice the clip) to the church's Christmas banquet. I must have been about 6 years old.
Chip's Mamaw made this plastic canvas mail box. Katie loves how it really opens.
Cotton boll angel. I don't remember where this one came from, but I do know that I made about 50 of these one year. Boy were my fingers sore!
I bought this one as a patten. I made them for my students one year.
This came from the craft bazaar we had at school one year. I must have been in kindergarten.
Mom made this birdfeeder ornament out of a communion cup.
I made this embossed velvet ornament in 2000.
Well, that’s the end of the tour. I’ll have more goodie to show you later.
I joined a couple of linky parties. Check it out!
I also joined the party at House of Hepworths. For some reason I can’t get her button to work. Love her blog though!
December 12, 2011 at 9:03 am
I love your sentimental tree. I’m putting all mine back up some year. After my mom died it was so hard to get those boxes out, but I’ve been wanting to do that so maybe next year. you’ve inspired me.
December 12, 2011 at 4:17 pm
Jan, I remember the year my Mom had a “pretty tree” she was so sad to not have all her special ornaments displayed. You will be happy to put them out again, I’m sure!
December 12, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Your tree is wonderful! It always is. Now, I have to say that I admire the elegant, themed trees. But it’s the same way I admire a home that has been staged. They are nice to look at but not to live in. The joy and the memories that come back every year in a “sentimental” tree are priceless. The love that went into that special handmade ornament or that thoughtfully purchased ornament is felt year after year. You know, maybe a better name for such a tree would be the LOVE tree.
December 12, 2011 at 4:18 pm
I LOVE that!
I have a LOVE tree!
December 12, 2011 at 1:16 pm
I love your tree! That’s the one thing I miss the most out of the stuff we lost in the tornado………my ornaments collected over the years! I had a cotton boll angel and a small stick horse that Brenda made me years ago. A pewter angel from Mexico (I think), nativities, from all their travels. Keep your tree! It’s a “memory tree” and that’s the best kind! (PS…..I’ve sent something in the mail for the girls to add to the tree) 🙂
December 12, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Oooo, that’s good, too! A MEMORY tree!
December 12, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Peggy, I love your ornaments. My tree is full of ornaments students and others have given us. They all mean so much. I have a little sweater ornament that I knited. I’ll have to show it to you.
December 12, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Carla, I would love to see your little sweater ornament. I am always tempted by those when I see them at the store. I’ll have to get the pattern from you for my knitting monsters!
September 8, 2012 at 8:23 pm
[…] ornament at a crafts fair. I wanted to make some for friends. You can see the angel that I bought here. (You will have to scroll down a […]
December 17, 2012 at 11:32 am
[…] her note that once she received my information she started snooping around my blog. She came across this post from last year. She saw the ornament that Chip and I made back in our OBU days. Turns out that […]
January 7, 2013 at 4:07 pm
[…] #5 Christmas Tree Tour […]
February 5, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Hi i have fallen in love with several of your ornaments and was wondering could you tell me how you made them. i can tell most of the steps but just want to make sure if i attempt to do them that i don’t leave anything out. i love the bible out of a matchbox and felt and the little birdfeeder out of the communion cup. can you tell me what you used on the birdfeeder to make the top and bottom. also tell me a little bit about the matchbox bible. thanks so much. you can send me an email at kesonhernandez@yahoo.com or find me on facebook at pamela schwartz hernandez thank you so much. my tree is very much like yours with mostly homemade ornaments or ones that look homemade.
February 5, 2013 at 1:26 pm
Hi, Pamela! Thanks for stopping by!
The matchbox Bible ornament was very easy. I used a small empty matchbox. I wrapped a piece of black felt around the box to get the size right. Before I glued it to the box, I stuck a think piece of red ribbon to the “spine” of the box. The ribbon is for the hanger but also kinda looks like a Bible bookmark. Glue on the felt. Round the corners. You can do that before you glue if you like. Then I used yarn as the “pages”. Nothin’ fancy. I just used white yarn. You could use gold for a nice effect. Good ol’ Tacky Glue holds the pasta letters on the front.
As for the birdfeeder…my Mom made that one a loooong time ago. I think she used chipboard for the top and bottom.
I hope you’ll be back to visit or even subscribe. You can follow Pork Chop Tuesday on Facebook as well.
February 21, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Love the tree. I waswonderng about the mailbox. What size mech did you use and do you still have the pattern for it? I have recently got back into these crafts and would like to make one of these.
February 22, 2013 at 12:38 pm
So sorry, Richard E. I didn’t make the little mailbox. It is one of my favorites though. If you figure out how to make it hollar back!
September 18, 2014 at 5:15 pm
is there a pattern for the sequin redbird?
September 19, 2014 at 11:53 am
Sorry, Jesssica, the red sequined birds were a gift. No pattern.
September 19, 2014 at 12:10 pm
aww 😦 thank you for responding! 🙂
December 17, 2019 at 2:25 pm
Loved the tour!! I put Hershey Kisses in my mail box ( from Santa, for the good kids)
My grands have always loved it now my Greats are experiencing the joys!