Filed under: Fleeting thoughts..., printmaking, Sewing | Tags: Charlie Brown, Chicago, Christmas, Christmas tree, crafts, hand made, Holidays, ornaments, Real tree, Shopping, Tree
Hello all! I’ve been asked to try to provide progress images of what I’m up to. Here’s a serigraph (screen print), that is in progress:
Here some images of my holiday cards…relief print:
And here is something in progress…tree ornaments! This is a good segue to my next topic: tree debate!
Okay. When I was growing up, our family would sometimes get a real tree at Christmas time…and sometimes not. When we didn’t get a real tree, we used my mom’s FABULOUS silver aluminum tree. I believe that she and a girlfriend bought the tree when they had a tiny apartment in Chicago. Anyway, I loved that tree. Much to my horror, she threw it out one year WITHOUT ASKING ME FIRST. I know…get a life. Whatever. So, I’ve wanted one of those trees for ages. I got a vintage one from ebay last year, and I was SO excited. I think that my mom’s tree was better.., but this one is pretty cool. Okay, so the debate is: the rest of my family is not fond of the idea of a fake tree, never mind a silver one. So, I’m posting photos to get more opinions. Am I crazy, or is this thing kind of cool? Be honest. The first photo is just the plain tree…bare bones:
I know…it has a sort of Charlie Brown sparseness to it. But wait! What if I add some lights?
What if I go crazy, and add some PINK lights? (as we had in my childhood…should explain a lot about me)
I know. My husband is NOT going to go for this. But whyyyyyyyy??? Isn’t it COOL? No? Hmm…okay, I also made some silly, pillow ornaments for the tree. You may hate these as well, but give me your opinions on them:
And now, in the silver tree:
So, what do you think? Creepy? Cute? Blah? Yucky?
I like them! I know. Mies van der Rohe would throw up.
My son, inspecting the tree:
10 Comments so far
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slightly wonky 
I love it! Of course I would encourage you to burn the “Tree in a Can” candle to get the traditional pine smell.
Comment by Caitlin December 7, 2010 @ 5:23 pmYes! Or, I could just get real wreath, huh? But why go the real route, when fake has so many more possibilities???? 🙂
Comment by slightlywonky December 7, 2010 @ 7:02 pmVery cool silver tree! My kids love all things shiny and sparkly. And no annoying pine needles to clean. Paul is anti-fake tree, so we went with the boys to pick one out. I suppose you could get a small real tree to appease the others… Or put forest green tinsel on to create the “inverse” tree look 🙂 (just kidding). I lost the battle with ours- the kids decorated it with colored lights and way too many ornaments.
Luv the holiday prints and ornaments!
Comment by Lynn December 7, 2010 @ 11:52 pmI’m basically lazy, as a real tree is such a mess! You’re moving into your new house soon, right? SO EXCITING!
Comment by slightlywonky December 8, 2010 @ 10:12 amWhy not?! If will be a memorable Christmas! The colorful ornaments are great – I like the soft fluffy contrast against the metallic needles.
Comment by Sumi December 11, 2010 @ 11:29 am( Joe’s response was “didn’t they stop making those trees in the 70’s?”)
It’s wonderful to see all of the amazing things you are creating!
Thank you! I know…the aluminum tree doesn’t have the nice tree smell. But, it also doesn’t have the mess/sap/watering! Yes, it’s probably from the 60s. There was probably an aesthetic reason why they stopped making them…nah.
Comment by slightlywonky December 11, 2010 @ 12:24 pmWhen my mom lived in the somewhat Hispanic part of LA back in the ’80s, we used to drive around looking at all of the flocked trees and Mexican flare. This is OH so much better. Though I must say, a real tree with pink flocking [flocking being fake sprayed on, foamy-like “snow,” was also pretty great). I see the pillow ornaments didn’t make it in the end but I do love how it looks. I guess the only thing with a really mod tree like that is that all of the homemade ornaments and meaningful items from yesteryear don’t look quite right on it, oh wait, the whole TREE is from yesteryear, never mind
Comment by Growing Muses December 26, 2010 @ 10:26 pmThe pillow ornaments ARE on the tree! They just aren’t as flashy and eye-catching as the other ornaments. We can have more homemade ones…they just have to be BRIGHT. Yes, this tree is yesteryear circa the 60s…i think. Post-Norman Rockwell aesthetic.
Comment by slightlywonky December 26, 2010 @ 10:37 pmby the way, who insisted on the progress report? Damn genius idea I say!
Comment by Growing Muses December 26, 2010 @ 10:27 pmYOU DID! BRILLIANT!!!!
Comment by slightlywonky December 26, 2010 @ 10:37 pm