Tips | Celebrate365

America’sMart Premieres 2013 Ornament Collections

Thomas Glenn Holidays 2013 Debut

Shortly after Christmas 2012, ornament designers and companies from around the world gathered in Atlanta as AmericasMart debuted new holiday collections.

Christopher Radko, Joy to the World Collectibles, Christina’s World, JingleNog, Eric Cortina, Soffieria De Carlini, Kurt Adler Presents David Strand, Bethany Lowe Designs, Thomas Glenn, Mattarusky, Debbie Thibault, Inge-glas of Germany, Vaillaincourt Folk Art … familiar names to ornament collectors.

I’ve been in Atlanta for nearly a week and will be flying home to Ohio this afternoon. Of course, I found lots of beautiful and innovative designs for the coming year. Most won’t ship to designers until late summer. Look for blog updates over the following week as I share what’s on the horizon for glass Christmas and holiday ornaments.

Below are four new designs or colorations from Thomas Glenn Holidays. Many will recognize the Thomas Glenn name from reading Celebrate365 magazine. Glenn is a contemporary artist who has extended his sense of style to holiday ornaments. In fact, one of his designs was featured in O Magazine.

Celebrate365 offers a selection of Thomas Glenn ornaments. Although many styles are sold out from the Christmas season, many delightful designs are still available.The Celebrate365 store will be offering the styles shown above for the 2013 holiday. If you would like to reserve one of these styles, please use the contact tab at the top of the page. I’ll be happy to reserve your selection.

Shop for Thomas Glenn Ornaments Currently in Stock

Traditional German Holiday Artisans: Ino Schaller Candy Containers

ON SALE NOW FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

	*Celebrate365 supports traditional artisan and hand made craftsmanship.*
Whether you’re a serious collector or an admirer from afar, antique papier-måché candy containers from Germany are still highly coveted, and even reproduced today. One of the last remaining native producers is Thomas Schaller, great grandson of noted craftsman Carl Schaller.

Following in his great grandfather’s footsteps, Thomas uses the original molds Carl Schaller crafted in the 1890s. At the dawn of the 20th century, Carl had a successful business creating much-loved holiday decorations. In keeping with the magic of the holidays, almost all of Schaller’s antique figures served double duty: they were candy containers that had secret compartments that opened from the bottom or middle.
	Carl’s son, Ino continued his father’s work after World Wars I and II. Consumer trends forced Ino to shift production to pressed cardboard figures and, in 1961, to plastic. Both Ino and his son Dieter produced plastic plush-covered figures through the 1970s and 80s.
When selecting any Schaller design, collectors can be assured of time-honored family craftsmanship and pride in holiday collectibles for generations to come.
Excerpted from McCann, Susan. “Papier-måché – the Schaller Way”, Celebrate365, Holiday 2005 issue.

Tinsel Time: The Magic of German Lametta

	I confess. I have a thing for tinsel. Not just any tinsel, mind you. I want that wonderful, heavy metal stuff from my childhood, those silvery strands that my father patiently hung on the tree one by one. What incredible dedication. And, what a magical sight to behold! Mom certainly did not have time for that! Taking down the tree was just as time consuming. Off they came one by one to be carefully flattened and saved for another year.
What is the best selling item at Celebrate365.com? Surprisingly, it’s not an ornament! In fact, it is traditional German icicle-style tinsel.How did this tradition begin in our little family? I never knew. Since decorating the tree was Dad’s domain, I think that tinsel must have been a Mitchell family tradition remembered from his own childhood Christmases in Dayton, Ohio.Wow! Have you ever seen so many icicles?
	Tinsel I know that tinsel or lametta originated in Germany in the early 1600s. German glassblowers from the Lauscha region crafted crystal ornaments, some looked just like icicles. When the candles were lit on the tree, oh how those icicles glistened! As the years passed, craftsmen created icicles from tin and even silver. By the 1920s, the time when my grandfather Edgar Mitchell was celebrating Christmas in Dayton, Ohio with his wife and children, German craftsmen had invented lametta, tinsel icicles made from lead. My grandmother’s family was German-speaking. Perhaps that’s how my father’s love for a Christmas tree dripping in tinsel began. Celebrate365 offers this German tinsel.

Christmas is Coming … #1

The Holiday Issue is Coming … It’s at the printer in Erie, Pennsylvania with the final proof approved today.

Here’s sneak peek of the covers. Artist Michael Storrings created the art deco inspired cover illustration especially for this issue of Celebrate365. Santa flies through an art deco sky as his reindeer leap and bound, anticipating the task ahead. Non-traditional holiday hues –black, gray, white, gold, pink and fuchsia – lend a dreamlike quality and set the scene for the gift-filled morning to come.

Inside the Issue:

Meet Joellen Church, Landmark-Creations ornaments
Christopher Radko writes about how to decorate your dream tree.
All Decked Out for the Holidays, a century of change
Behind the Design with Maggie’s Memories
della Robbia, a Renaissance-Inspired Williamsburg Tradition
Pages and pages of Christmas-themed ornaments and folk art

Folk art designs from:

Jerry & Darla Arnold

Joanne Harper

Lori Ann Corelis

It’s Spring in Western Ohio … Finally!

Welcome to Spring!

Do you have decorating photos to share with others? Please use the “Contact” tab above to let us know!

We’d love to see how you display your collectibles.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Who do you recognize?

From Patty B, IL

Manzanita Easter Tree

Creates a stunning display with
255 mini Patricia Breen Easter eggs.

Patty purchased her tree from manzanita.com. They designed a custom tree to meet her needs.

Thomas Glenn Holidays 2013 Debut

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