Christmas Trees and Kitsch

The Christmas season started off with a beautiful flocked Christmas tree.  I love flocked trees with C7 lights, they just glow wonderfully.  Here is a picture of the sun coming through the window shining on the tree.  You can see the beautiful Inge glass mushroom ornament from my friend.  This year I had much better luck finding vintage mercury glass ornaments.  I purchased a complete box of Shiny Brite for $1.99 and you can see one of bells at the lower right.  To the left of the bell is a vintage diorama ornament from Japan--I purchased one off ebay this year and now have a set of 4 one each red, blue, green and gold.

And what did Santa bring me this year?  I musta been a good girl because that aluminum tree I've been dreaming of the past 4 years arrived!  It was purchased on Christmas day and after the flocked tree came down the vintage tree went up!  I also purchased a color wheel and the same musical turning stand that we had in the 1960s, it is a little different than I remember, but an old picture confirms it.  The picture here just doesn't do this tree justice.

Some fun inexpensive vintage Christmas must haves that I picked up over the holidays.  Eleven dollars bought the following 3 blow molds, stuffed deer from Japan, floral arrangement from Hong Kong and a newer German/Austrian woven doily with Christmas candles and sprigs border that the German girl in me just couldn't pass up.

My Putz

Here is the beginning of my putz village.  It's been a lot of fun and I still have plans to make more structures in the coming weeks.  I had a great time over the past weeks scouring the thrifts for vintage accessories.  Little figures such as the snowman, deer, chenille angel, skating Santa, a lighted lamp post with bottle brush tree are the little treasures included in my putz so far.  Oh and not to forget, the vintage glitter felt that the village is sitting on.

Thanks to Retro Renovation for the mid century house patterns and Little Glitter Houses for the house with with bay window pattern!

 

 

Christmas Eve - Mid Century Style Putz Houses

Thank you Retro Renovation for the mid century (house) putz patterns!  I've been hit by the bug and here are a couple I made the past week and a half.  The yellow one isn't quite yet finished, but I wanted to post it as today is Christmas Eve!  I'm planning on designing my own structures of commercial buildings,
 can't wait!

Vintage Napco Figurine - The Joy of Rescuing (and New Finds)

Can't believe the weeks have gone by and I haven't posted even once yet in December.  There has been a lot of hunting for vintage Christmas goodies.  I've got bitten by the vintage putz houses and I started making my first one yesterday.  Then there is the kit I'm building to make a vintage felt and sequin wall hanging (or something) fashioned after this really nice mid century tree skirt I saw online.

We have bought more Christmas (vintage) stuff than I would have imagined.  Below are some of the ceramics we just couldn't pass up.  Three music boxes that my husband would not leave the store without-- and at 2.99 and .99 I couldn't say no.  They are adorable!  There is the Santa that circles over the house with Mrs. Santa functioning as the flagger, the swinging Santa and the Santa on the rocking reindeer.  The figurines were reasonable at .49, .99, and the angel with the accordion was my splurge at 3.99.  Unfortunately, the little girl holding the candle is/was broken, but I fixed that (see below).  The yellow angel is missing part of her wing, what a shame.  I passed her up a couple times.  In the meantime I repaired the other figurine and since it came out so well, I told my husband if the .49 cent broken angel was there I would get it and try and repair it.  It wasn't there that day, but a couple days ago he found it in an odd spot, so I got her.  The angel with the red cape was very faded so I diluted some red acrylic paint and freshened up her flocking.

 
The object missing from this 1958 Napco little girl's hand appears to be freshly broken off (we think while handled at the thrift store).  She is so precious, I just couldn't leave her on the shelf.   I suspected she was holding a candle and  I searched on line to find out I was right.

I molded a candle and holder from polymer clay--mine is a bit Suess-ish, but I like it.  I only had red, blue and yellow clay, so I used the red.  Below, painted and varnished, I'm very happy with the results.  On to the angel with the broken wing.  I'm expecting a challenge with that as it is broken half way down and it will be hard to disguise where the old and new materials meet. 

Gravel Art - Mosette

I'm calling this gravel art because that seems to be what folks are referring to it as being.  When I was a kid my mom got me craft and activity kits. I was always creating things, building things, drawing pictures... 

When I was perusing ebay one day I ran across a finished gravel art piece and it jogged my memory--I had seen this before, and not only did I remember seeing it, but I remembered making it.  Well, I don't know if I made that particular on ebay, but who knows, maybe, just maybe.

Here's a kit I found that is from the early 70s, mine was from the 60s.  This kit has never been opened!  It still has the original cellophane and price tag on it!  Cost me 49 cents.  I'm going to make this kit and try to figure out where the heck I'm gonna put it (kinda hard fitting some of this stuff into the current decor).

Syroco Before and After

I see vintage plastic wall plaques pretty regularly at the thrift stores.  Most don't appeal to me, the ones I might like aren't the ones I find.  I was on my way out one day and did my last glance as I went down the aisle to leave and spotted these.  Not my subject, but spot on for our resident historian.  They were 99 cents a piece and far be it from me to pass up a new project!  A coat of white primer and acrylic paints--voila!

Working with these craft acrylics is new to me.  I love that you can thin them down and apply layers building up the colors and creating texture.  The metallic colors are excellent for a water based paint.  Soap and water clean up and no odor!  I ended up finding way more of these paints than I needed at the thrift (funny--whenever I need something a few trips to the thrift and there it is!)

More Cute Critters!

Been busy lately,  posting to my blog has been on the bottom of my list.  I downloaded some pictures off my camera, they've been on there for awhile.  A salt and pepper shaker pair and three lamby-kins.  They are so darn cute!!!  Here they are drying off after a bath. All five pieces cost me $3.50.  Beats those auctions site prices!