Monday, December 22, 2008

O Tannenbaum!

These are a few of my favorite trees! This year I have 14, I think. That counts the wee ones. I think nine or 10 are three feet or more. I like trees even more than ribbon!

The Living Room tree is the biggest.


It displays a variety of ornaments... some handmade, some purchased, some rather old, many are gifts.

The oldest is Grandma's beaded ornament.

One of the newest is by my friend Beth, part of a collaged ornament exchange. She did this using a photo I'd posted on the blog of me and my first dog, Major.

I have to say that everything on this tree is a hodgepodge. Lately on morning shows while getting ready for work, I keep hearing "pick one or two colors and work with that." This tree has everything. Stimpy's collar. My Barbie doll (holding down the back of the tree as ballast, since I didn't have enough kitty litter boxes to anchor the legs). Poor childhood art. Framed photos over the years. Ornaments picked up on trips to Canada, Japan, and all over the US. Things my friends have made so thoughtfully and beautifully. Stuff I bought because I loved it. Lots of cats...

My big tree is my life story in ornaments.

Generally, I have a tree that is the Winter White tree -- maybe a few Santas, but mostly snowflakes, snow-people. It stays up through February.

This year I decided to feature some of my antique postcards.

But I did leave a few Santas and ornaments!

This is the Solstice Tree -- suns, moons and stars.

The ATC tree is in my art room -- all ATCs from various swaps. It's a wonderful tribute to original art in miniature.

Gypsy always gets a tree, but this time it's on the kitchen counter! I'm hoping he doesn't visit it!

In my bedroom, there are two trees. The Snowpeople Tree has wee snowfolks.

Dad's memorial tree includes ornaments related to fishing, nature and the lake.

In the family room is "Mom's Tree." This has ornaments she collected, as well as old favorites from our family tree like this "winter wonderland ball," which was always the first ornament on the tree! (I'm hoping to later post a children's story illustrated with her storybook ornaments, so I'll save those for another time. Probably May.)

And here is a tree not at all my own -- it belongs to my friends Mark and Jan. It's enormous and simply breathtaking. No photo can bring its magic into clear focus. And it is my favorite!

Here's my blogaversary drawing item -- felted bag, big enough for a small craft project or a book.

Speaking of comments, thank you all for the wonderful kind and lovely thoughts you have shared with me on my blogaversary post. They mean so very much to me -- as do you!

20 comments:

Jeanne said...

How lovely and beautiful is all that you share.
Love Jeanne

anno said...

This is amazing to see -- beautiful Christmas magic you are making here!

Janet said...

All your trees are beautiful. It must take you forever to put them up....and then take them down! We have two trees and that's more work than I like at times!

Judy Winter said...

You are in your creative element during this magical season, Ms. Jeanie. And I am so proud you have a tree named after me (Winter White Tree)! :)
Merry, Merry!
xo Judy

Quiltmoose - Dagmar said...

14 trees!!! Wow! You must have spent days to decorate them. They are all lovely. What an amazing idea to put up a life story tree! I wouldn't have enough space to store all those ornaments, though.

Merry Christmas!
Dagmar

HerzBlatt said...

Wow....Jeanie, you don`t collect only Santas you also collect marvellous Christmas trees.....I have never seen something like that.....every tree with an own story or memory......you will be disappointed to see, that I have only one tree, but in Germany people only put up one.A minute ago my daughter phoned me and I asked her to look at all your great trees.
I am not sure, if she will have 2 or 3 trees more tomorrow in her big flat.

jet1960 said...

Wow! I stand amazed at your Christmas tree greatness! These are all wonderful! We have 3 and I don't even have them all decorated yet, lol, only Tiny Tim is in his full glory right now. Wooly Mammoth has his lights but is waiting patiently for his decorating to be done as well as Kerry's Nascar tree. For my 2 main trees I decorate by color but I like, no love, your ideas for themed trees and can definitely see myself stealing some of your ideas in the future. The memorial tree is one I wouldn't have thought of but might be one I could do for my Dad. I could make some ornaments with his picture and then include some items like you have on yours to reflect the things he loved.

Thanks for sharing your love of Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you!

Annie Jeffries said...

OMG. Your trees just knock my socks off. Don doesn't know it but I think small fake trees 50% after Christmas are in our immediate future. I love trees and would love to predecorate small ones and then store them away to put up from year to year.

Of course, I'm sending this link to him so if he reads the comments, I'm sunk. LOL

BONNIE K said...

Amazing. We have our one tiny tree. I am overwhelmed looking at this. David says your mom was the same way as you.

Anonymous said...

you had me right here:
"My big tree is my life story in ornaments."
that is a wonderful thought jeanie. makes me want you to tell the story of each one in turn...i guess that is a lot what blogging is though. telling your story in photographs, words memories for all of us to know one another more. the treea are all pretty. i know you were a little bit overwhelmed at the thought of getting ready for ths holiday. i can see it takes a lot of heart to do this, memories of your family., tributes to your artist friends, gypsy :)

XOX i hope the put-away-the-christmas things-fairy comes along in january to help you jeanie :)
xo

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness - that is a lot of trees!! And what fun. I can't even imagine how much time it takes to put them all up..... and then to take them down!
I thought two trees was too much work and went back to one. You are very energetic. Your big one with Grandma's ornament is gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

Well, I love the big tree and its beads and strung popcorn!!!! And your white tree?! It's magical. (I just did one this year for the first time.) And the solstice tree, and each of the trees for your parents...and your ATC tree ...and Gypsy's tree with the mouse ornament!
This is a Christmas treasure.
Looking forward to your storybook using your Mom's ornaments. What a perfect idea.
And the felt bag is cool and the Xmas and blogaversary excitement weaves all through this entry.

Unknown said...

Such beautiful trees!!! I'm amazed you have the energy to put up so many!

Sandra Evertson said...

I LOVE your Grandmother beaded ornament! Such a very special piece! Happy Holidays to you!
Sandra Evertson

beth said...

HOW MANY TREES.....did you say 14 ?

I am amazed at the beauty in your home !!!

have a wonderful christmas with all your loved ones xo

Rosa said...

I always enjoy seeing all your trees and ornaments. They are all equally beautiful. Merry merry.

said...

Hi Jeanie! Thanks for stopping by! I love your trees; each one is gorgeous.

Beth said...

Wowza!!! You sure have some beautiful trees, Jeanie! I Loved them all! I bet that takes some time to get all of them up and decorated. The spirit of Christmas is definetly at your house. Love the felted purse too!
xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxox

Crafty Green Poet said...

what wonderful ornaments! Have a wonderful Christmas!

Bree said...

14 trees! Wow, I'm amazed. They are simply beautiful. People use to think I was crazy having 4. I love the main tree with its mish-mash of memory lane. I think that is one of my favorite things at Christmas time. I only put up one tree now and its a mish-mash as well. Honestly, I can't imagine doing a tree in 1 or 2 colors. Where is the personality in that?

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