As I was getting things together for Christmas decorating I found what turned out to be the last Christmas card I received from my brother who passed in April 2006. I can remember him calling me in December 2005 and asking for family addresses so he could send out his Christmas cards. This is the card I received from him:
I remember thinking it was a lovely card. The snowmen are cutout and raised off the background, and have glitter on them. I had never collected snowflakes, icicles or other items with snow motifs. But taking out the card a few weeks ago, I got the urge to collect snowman items. A few hours later, in the Family Dollar store I spotted a pair of salt and pepper shakers. They were so endearing and cost one dollar. Then the next day at a thrift store I found a carved wood style snowman in a top hat, a candle snowman and a wood photo frame with a snowman painted on. Later, at home I saw that the top hat was really a ladies hat with a flower and that the snowperson had a bow!
Then I found the 2003 Christmas card I received from my Dad who we lost in November 2005. Every year my first Christmas card would arrive from Dad. This particular one has snowmen as the motif. So I decided to frame it and the one from my brother.
Reading one of my 2007 Christmas magazines I found a coupon for a free Hallmark ornament with the purchase of two Keepsake ornaments. I had already bought one Keepsake ornament, the one nativity in this year’s Hallmark ornaments.
I had the 2007 mini angels on hold at another Hallmark store. When I went to pick them up, I presented the receipt from the other store and my coupon and got the free snowman ornament.
He is the cutest little guy, with a bird resting on his mitten, and he has glitter all over. So, in a short time there is another Christmas collection at Oak Rise Cottage. In the snowman frame I put some cutout letters on a red velvet background with holly leaves and some glitter strips.
I decided to place the new collection in the kitchen (which already had its own tree motif). Here it is on the counter between the TV and the refridgerator, amid treasured ornaments made for me by my nephew, niece, grandniece and grandnephew. They hang from the knobs of two thrift store glass containers, now holding peppermints
The ‘Merry Christmas’ sign was made for me by my then ten-year old nephew. He took the piece of wood outside, and used a magnet to burn the letters. He then added two tiny pinecones.
The tiny mouse on skates ornament was bought for me by my sister’s three kids in 1986 when I visited their California home for Thanksgiving.
Thanks for reading about my newest collection. Have a happy day!
Clipart from
www.webweaver.nu/clipart
