Ha, I had the same idea, oakley. Glad I picked a different topic.

Your ornaments are darling. I didn't take pics of my tree because we didn't put much on it this year (new cat).

The types I collect are bells (mostly red) and glass icicles. I've added some pretty red swirled icicles in the last few years. They are the base and then I fill in with different vintage ornaments, pine cones, and ribbons.

I used to love to add the bunching tinsel but will have to do without, from now on (cat again).

Parma, go ahead and post some pictures anyway! I have a new cat too and so far so good. Once she got spayed she calmed down. All she does with the tree is sleep under it. lol

I'd love to see the icicles. I tried hanging them once but I can't get them straight.

Love your ornaments and all the hand painting - so pretty! I have about 800 vintage ornaments that I have used on my tree for years - mostly old mercury glass bells, indents, bulbs, and those old glitter cardboard Christmas houses, old mercury garland...love all that but such a pain to put it all up and take it all down and they are so fragile...I break 3 or 4 each year.

This year I went with a Pottery Barn silver and glass type tree - lots of big beveled glass glitter snowflakes and sparkly glass and white lights of different shapes and sizes...love it for a change.

Received our first Christmas married, from a dear friend.

tina

Cattknap, pictures please! I love vintage ornaments, that's why I bought a lot of the vintage style. I wish I had my mom's old ornaments though.

This ornament is in honor of our *pup*, who looks somewhat similar (yorki-poo).

And this one is one of the tinsel and scrap vintage ornaments I've collected for several years:

tina

PS - Disregard the date - obviously it's wrong on my camera! LOL

Catt - I love mercury glass and of course you know, I love all things old/vintage/antique! I was just looking through Etsy this morning to see what vintage ornaments they might have to offer.

tina

my two favorite decorations.

My MOST favorite, my 6 month old grandson.

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Another favorite.

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Our family had a dear friend when I was growing up who made eggery ornaments. She passed away more than 10 years ago. My mom has about 30 of these on a little tree in her sitting room. They are lovely! I am hoping to inherit some of these someday. The picture doesn't do them justice, but it's the only one I could find!

Here's one of my favorites, made by my youngest child in Kindergarten:

And this is my daughter's favorite "special ornament":

I really cannot pick just one, although my grandmother made several handmade velvet sequined and pearl balls that are very special. My siblings and I divided them up. I have memories growing up of the ornaments hanging on my grandparents tree.

There are two reds and a green ball in this photo

A gold is also in the bottom left of this photo

I posted on the tree thread, I'd say my favorite ornaments (at least the most sentimental, and ones I have on the tree this year) are knitted ones my grandma made (she passed in 2001).

Santa hat and stocking (not in this pic), sweater

Skate with paper clip blade

And if I'm allowed to pick another one (actually several), the stars that DS painted (not evenly covered - see ones in the first pic!) when he was a preschooler - we gave one to each aunt/uncle and grandparent, kept the rest for ourselves. I'll have to look at my mom's for the date since I didn't date the ones we kept (but will rectify that this year!)

Oh, oakley, I forgot. I was looking through Sunday's ads, Michaels' has Old World ornaments for $2.99 this week.

My niece said I had a Christmas tree on crack. (This is a good thing, apparently.) I will upload some photos tomorrow. I have several favorites but I must warn you. My tree doesn't look like any of these. Oh dear...

Beautiful memories which seeing them each season makes decorating the tree less tedious. My favorite ones though really aren't ornaments but rockers my DH made our grandchildren the Christmas they each were 1. He was such the elf in his woodshop building them. Our son still places them by their tree each year though the kids are 7 and 10 now.

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Neat post! Here's a few of my favorites I bought this year. I know mine are a bit 'different' .. but different is good. :)

The Christmas frogs are my absolute favorites, they are glass and kind of delicate. The white ornament is also glass, I bought lime green and red of these too. The candies are glass and I have an assortment of candies on the tree. I'm in love with the big lime green sequins balls. I have a thing for polkas dots, so the red and white polka dot ones are among my favs also. I bought both red and lime green of the big textured balls, they have a velvet pattern on them and bring in a nice look.

Cute zipdee!

ajsmama - I agree about the best being sentimental. :)

BTW - You may want to move the knitted stocking away from the tree bulb. That's a fire hazard waiting to happen!

Thanks NHB - I moved lights around after taking this pic (when I couldn't buy any more and wanted them to go all the way to the top), plus these are LED.

I am usually not a strident natural, green, organic, home made kind of gal but I have to admit that I LOVE the ornaments that my kids have made through the years. Especially since they are now snarky teenagers. It's hard to be cool when every day you look at the tree and see a picture of your dorky nine year old self with the braces, glasses and bad haircut laminated on a construction paper ornament. Plastic spoons, popsicle sticks, unidentifiable clay shapes, foam, pipe cleaners, plastic beads, tissue paper - I've got it all!

Here's my snarky girls in their Christmas pic. Notice the younger one is on her tip toes. She's almost as tall as her big sis but not quite. She's 12! and my older daughter is 16.

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Hey Marigene! Haven't you seen in a long time!

The corn husk doll was a 25 cent yard sale find years ago. The kitties in the shoe was a gift. I love that they have their own storage box that's almost as neat as the ornament.

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deee - Beautiful girls! I spy the marsh...are you in SC?

What beautiful ornaments everyone has and a great thread.

I've collected ornaments since I was young. Every ornament on my tree means something to me. I can remember where I was when I purchased it. Many of the ornaments were made when the kids were young. Each year we did different crafts. They are on there too. So my tree is always a hodge podge of ornaments, and I wouldn't have it anyother way. The icicles were our mother's and they even have a special meaning to us. My daughter picked out the star when she was 7. She's 39 now. I still love the star.

I painted these. My Shih Tzus are always in a puppy cut. One is already gone (at 18 yo). I still put her up on the tree.

upa_lazy_river - Please tell me something about the pup in a Santa costume. Looks to be a JRT. I'd love to find one. Is it a recent purchase or something you have had for a long time?

WOW dabunch...too cute!

Gump's has their very expensive ornaments on sale.

Now they're just sort of expensive.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gump's

I had no idea that Gump still existed. We received a set of gold rimmed, and signed "Gump" glasses for a wedding gift 30 years ago.

Oh this is easy for me to decide..my dozens of precious crocheted snowflakes made for me by my dear deceased mother, while I have several glass ornaments sent to me from her, her snowflakes will always be number one with me, each one is different in size as well as design, just like real snowflakes..

Suzie, I like your crocheted snowflakes. I have a few, but haven't used them in years. They need re-starching. And how did I know your tree would be pink and blue (or should I say aqua)? ;)

I *love* those snowflakes! How special. Wish I knew how to crochet, love to make some of those, they are soooo pretty!

natel, you problably knew because my xmas decorating co-ordinates with my decor, as it should be...no red, green, gold here, been there done that years ago...here in Florida it's all soft cool colors for me!! still got AC on and almost Xmas..

newhomebuilder, a little story behind this dog. My dear MIL couldn't have a dog where she lives, so I saw this little guy in a magazine and ordered it. It has many outfits to celebrate most of the seasons and holidays. It stands about a foot tall and is made out of resin. I thought it was so cute, I bought one too. I think it was around $30. I only put mine under the tree. She decorates hers and always has it sitting somewhere in her living room. She even named hers :>)

Susie, what beautiful ornaments and something from you mom too. I have two snowflakes, both given to me from friends I shall always cherish.

Once again, here are all the ornaments that have been made by or purchased for me by my DS. Also attached is his very first ornament that we have saved since he was a baby. It is marked 1989.

Here are my favorites, though it was hard to pick ...

I have 3 miniature donkeys, so donkey ornaments (hard to find), are a favorite.
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I collect Santas ...
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three silly ones ...
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A Santa I bought many years ago from the Spiegel catalog
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Another donkey
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Handmade by my neighbor .. "Holy Cow"
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A little wooden present
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Santa made from a lightbulb, made by a friend
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Bought while I was in England ...
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Tree topper I bought at the Smithsonian, many years ago.
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Oh Dear...this is a hard one.
I lost so many in a Rodent Infestation and then again so many more when my tree toppled, that it seems all the ornies that are left, are all my favorites now!

Every ornie that isn't a standard round glass or plastic ball-style, has a memory attached to it or represents someone in my family ie; Woodworker Santa= Mr.Amity because he loves working with wood.

I was able to save one of my Grandpa's ornies...even though it had a few tiny chew marks in it, I just had to clean it and put it on the tree.
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My daughter painted this when she was six years old. She's now 34.
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Me and the kids made these back in the late 70's using a kit and the oven to melt the 'glass'.
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Made by Grandma in late 60's. I've never had to re-stiffen it. I had several. Unfortunately this one is the only one that survived the Rodent Rage.
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Painted by Son back in the late 70's.
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Woodworker Santa;
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