More Ornaments - They Tell A Story!

I decided to share some more of our ornaments!  As I was taking pictures I realized that our whole Christmas tree really tells a story of our family through the years.  I love it!

At my bridal shower a friend gifted me with a small box of ornaments that she had made, including this little soldier and the reindeer below.  Mike and I got married on December 21st and another friend loaned us the use of his family's mountain cabin for our honeymoon.  On our way up to the cabin we stopped by my old apartment to pick up some things and there was a beautiful, live Christmas tree in the dumpster - complete with tinsel and everything!  Some college student had apparently dumped it before heading home for Christmas.  We couldn't resist so we tied it on the car and headed up to the cabin with our very first Christmas tree.  Lucky us, when we got to the cabin, there on the front porch was a Christmas tree stand!

We did not have any ornaments besides the small box my friend had given me so we hung our luggage tags on the tree too. We still hang this every year as a reminder of our first Christmas together.

Later I made these little Christmas bells using the white bells that were on our wedding cake.

My Mom gave me several of these ceramic quilt ornaments last year.

A lot of the ornaments on our tree are homemade and a lot of those were made by my talented mother!  She made this pinecone with folded ribbons.

 I made this little puffy wreath many, many years ago.  You can see another little wreath to the left of it that my Mom made.

Here is another of the miniature log cabin block ornaments.

My Mom crocheted a bunch of these snowflakes and then starched them stiff.  They look really pretty on the tree.

She also crocheted this cute little dress on a cute little hanger!

I'm not sure who made this one, but it's tiny spools of thread and beads made into a wreath.

I do not know who made this one either, but I LOVE this little wooly lamb.

Gotta have someone working on a quilt hanging on the tree!

My friend Lori made me some pretty snowflake ornaments on her embroidery machine - beautiful!

We also have several ornaments that our kids made or that were given to our kids.  Many of them have their picture on it so it is really fun to hang those and see how they've grown over the years.  One year we made these painted ornaments.  The kids all made some and we even made them with Jeff's 4th grade class, so we have several.  You just buy clear glass Christmas balls, pour in a  bit of desired paint colors and swirl the ball around until all the glass is covered inside.  Let them dry and add a bow.  They are really that easy, and so pretty.

A Christmas tree wouldn't be complete with a quilty looking Jim Shore ornament!  I also have his nativity :)

We have started picking up memorable ornaments when we take vacations together.  The quilt significance of these are that last summer Mike and I went to the first International Quilt Festival of Ireland!  We had SO much fun!  I can hardly wait to go back :)

Here is our tree.  It makes me happy just to look at, these ornaments bring back such fond memories.  Even getting our first Christmas tree out of a dumpster :)

Today I went to the Wool Gatherer's club at Hi Fashion and the Downton Abbey fabric was there!  I bought some for Mike to give me for Christmas :)  It is very pretty.  I did work on a wool table mat, but I mostly shopped.... Big sale there this month!

Happy Quilting, or Shopping, or Wrapping or Baking or whatever you're doing!!