tannenbaum project kit giveaway & tutorial
*** contest is closed ***
Today {before i begin explaining the process of how i created my vintage tannenbaum tree} i have a surprise. I saved one last kit to giveaway to one lucky reader, such as yourself. consider it a little treat from me & kenner road to thank you for your continued support and to thank you for coming here so we can share our passion for vintage things & pretty paper.
to win, make sure you post a comment telling us what your favorite tree trimming memory is before midnight on december 6th. i’ll draw a winner on december 7th from all of the comments and post that person’s name here, on the 7th. and, because we’ve had a lot of prizes go unclaimed lately {seriously!!} the winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize or we’ll redraw a new name and the original winner will forfeit the prize. and of course, our international friends are always welcome to enter. ;)
now, to enter to win remember to leave your comment at the end of the post. until then… let’s get to trimming this tree!
Supplies used : tannenbaum kit {alot of these elements are vintage and you can certainly substitute the paper and elements as you choose if you don’t have the kit}. craft wire {i used two sizes – 20 guage copper & 32 guage silver. both of these are widely available in craft stores}.
tools used : scissors, edge distressor, hot glue gun, foam squares, dry adhesive, zip dry {wet adhesive}, butterfly punch, pinking shears.
step 1 : attach your vintage sewing bobbin to the vintage tin with hot glue. just a little is needed.
step 2 : create four tiers of wire tree branches.
i like my branches to look very homespun so perfection has no place on my tree. i simply cut a 2 foot piece of wire and and then created a branch by wrapping the wire together. i also left a small loop {see picture above} in order to create an end that wouldn’t allow my mini ornaments to fall off.
after wrapping the branches i attached each branch by wrapping one end of the wire around the bobbin and then wrapping the other loose end the opposite way. i create four tiers of three branches doing this and had each tier of branches get slightly smaller in length so that the top row was smaller than the bottom.
this is a good look at what your branches will look like before you add your ornaments. isn’t he cute? you’ll notice i added a small piece of the 7gypsies gaffer tape to the bottom to just add a little color. we’ll be adding the bird next :)
step 3 : add your bird tree topper.
i backed my two bird cutouts with the red gaffer tape so that the plain side wouldn’t show when i stacked my birds on top of my tree. then i added a white tab {that i stamped with a kenner road stamp} and applied them to my birds with mini foam squares.
then i put three mini mercury glass beads on the white enamel pin and glued the pin to the top of my bobbin. before gluing i used a kraft knife to push a small hole into the wood so the glue and pin end would have a reservoir to rest in. you will have to hold this in place for a few minutes while the glue dries.
after the glue dries, attach your birds together using mini foam squares in between so that they pop out a bit. then you can slightly bend each tail end and each head for a bit more dimension.
this following picture also shows the ribbon and jute cording wrapped around the pin & bobbin. this will be the very last thing you do AFTER you create all of your ornaments as this is all of your extra ribbon & jute cording and you’ll want to make sure you use what you need to for your ornaments first. i’ll remind you about it again at the end ;)
step 4 : create your ornaments.
for these last steps i’ll give you basic instructions for the ornaments that you might have questions for. most of these are very easy to understand just by seeing the images but, please note i saved every single scrap of paper, tissue, etc as i was creating. i love adding these smaller bits back into other pieces {as you will see} and hope some of these ideas help you see that even the smallest bits & pieces can create beautiful things.
also, i did not back all of these ornaments with the red gaffer tape but you certainly can if you choose to, it does add a finished look and makes the ornaments pleasing for both sides, but there is some intricate cutting required with some of them do to the punch-outs, etc.
punch out the butterfly center and use a 1/16″ hole punch to punch a hole at the top and bottom of the center of the butterfly. thread your enamel pin through one hole at the bottom, thread on two white snowflake beads and thread through other hole. secure the pin with gaffer tape on back and add ribbon.
take your butterfly punch-out from the previous piece and attach to the front of the domino with a mini foam square. wrap a piece of ribbon around each side {attaching with dry adhesive} and tie at top. then add loop for hanging.
fill mini glass bottle with rhinestones and glue button to top for lid and wrap wire around center with long tails at each side. cut out two center squares of large bingo tag and punch 1/16″ holes at the “0″ in “30″ and the “6″ in “60″. thread wire tails through and coil ends into spirals, this will hold the wire in place. attach garment pin to hang.
punch butterfly out of the two square piece you cut from your previous ornament and staple a mini staple in the center. apply to crown with mini foam square and wrap ribbon around top and loop to hang.
attach wire to key and thread two mercury glass beads and one snowflake bead before creating loop and twisting ends back round wire to close.
attach domino and mini word ticket that has been trimmed and edged with pinking shears. add garment pin to hang.
this one’s my favorite :)
i created a blanket stitch around the milkcap by first creating 1/16″ punched holes and then threading the wire in a simple blanket stitch. it took some patience and a little time but looks so cute. when that was finished i added a row of 5 snowflake beads for some dimension by threading them on wire and then attaching to the back through the punched holes. add some ribbon to the top to hang.
distress edges of large tag. create a small rosette by pleating the crepe paper {about 4′-6″ is all you need} that has been doubled by folding lengthwise in half. attach a button threaded with jute cording to center of rosette and attach garment pin to hang.
pleat a 6″ piece of crepe paper to circle tag and attach with dry adhesive. type or hand write a favorite holiday saying on the manila tag your trim came wrapped on and trim into a simple banner, attach with dry adhesive.
attach top tag to bottom with a mini foam square making sure to line up hanging holes. type another festive word and attach to top of top tag. thread a mercury bead on the flower’s stem and thread through a 1/16″ hole punched at bottom of large tag. coil end of flower stem to keep the bead on. attach garment pin for hanging.
stitch another pleated 6″ strip of crepe paper and trim ends with pinking shears. attach to pear tag and top with another trimmed ticket saying and enamel pin. attach garment pin to hang.
wrap domino with wire and create loop for hanging. apply trimmed ticket remnant to top and attach trimmed crepe paper edges as desired.
attach another piece of crepe paper to skinny tag and trim bottom edge into banner points. add button threaded with ribbon and another festive word saying. hang from ribbon.
create gaffer tape ribbon and add bingo circle and festive typed greeting. hang from garment pin.
wrap bottle with wire and create loop for hanging. add gaffer tape to bottle and jute cording and fill with half of the remaining flower stems.
attach vintage dennison label to tag. thread remaining mercury glass beads and attach to tag by threading through two 1/16″ pu8nched holes on each end, secure in back. slide remaining flowers through and use garment pin to hang.
type “believe” on last vintage dennison label and attach to glass bottle. glue remaining snowflake bead to bottle {glue so snowflake edges poke into bottle} and use garmnet pin to hang.
step 5 : wrap remaining ribbon around top of bobbin and display.
i hope you enjoy this kit just as much as i have adored creating it for you. please remember to leave a comment to enter the giveaway and i hope you have an amazing holiday season filled with good wishes and lots of holiday cheer!
kennerroad.com
December 1st, 2009 at 11:19 pm
I have no Tree trimming stories, as I am celebrating Hanukkah… but my mom was born in Germany on Christmas eve and she developed a special love for this holiday. Trees and decorations make her think about her happy birthdays back home in Berlin of these days. She has passed on the special affection and I always enjoy listening to some good old Christmas songs. Funny, huh? :)
December 1st, 2009 at 11:27 pm
wow. this project is amazing. simply fabulous.
my favorite memory is from the year I made my boyfriend’s mother a soldered ornament using photos of her childhood family cabin… she loved it so much when the holidays are over she hangs it in the kitchen. a special memory indeed.
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:40 am
The tree is totally cool!!!
Please put my name in the giveaway.
Crossing my fingers & toes I win!
I just gotta have that tree….did I mention that it is super cool!! LOL
Liz
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:05 am
What a unique and beautiful thing!
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:35 am
I love the memory of popping corn and stringing it with my siblings. So many laughs and such a great time bonding and making special memories : ) LOVE this tree!!!!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:38 am
Seriously- unclaimed prizes? wow, that’s strange! Thanks for your giveaway. My fave memory is of being 17 and an exchange student in Germany (from Australia)- my first cold Christmas, it was gorgeous and my host family decorated the tree in all one colour each year (my year it was red). I had never done that before and it was magical.
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:41 am
Oh, just lovely. This looks like so much fun.
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:42 am
I’m hoping this years tree trimming will be a special memory. I’ve handmade all the tree ornaments myself this year, to prevent my 1 year old son from smashing all my glass ones. And instead of buying an Advent calendar this year I’ve got 24 small linen bags on the tree with the numbers stamped on. Each one has a chocolate coin inside except the one for Christmas Eve, which has a Chocolate Santa inside. :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 am
Wow, amazing tree. well we don’t have real christmas tree here, but we making our own. and we started to make handmade decorations with kids:) i think it will be special new year eve this year
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:58 am
wow, your tree is wonderful!!! lovely!
please count me in!!
and go to my blog
http://rosaechocolat.blogspot.com/
I’m hosting this giveaway too :))
HUGS from Portugal :)))
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:39 am
I have loved decorating for Christmas since i can remember. Each child got a special ornament each year, so I have a lovely collection. I have done the same for my daughters. I also have many of my grandmother’s vintage ornaments. So decorating the “big” tree is filled with storytelling and memories and laughter and tears.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful project.
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:51 am
this is lovely. may i ask where you got the pattern for the bird cutout?thanks.:)
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:54 am
So generous of you! My favourite memory is from 2 years ago, of our 18 month old son, fascinated by all the decorations, taking them off the tree and exploring them all, one by one, every chance he could get. We ended up with a tree only half covered in the fragile decorations, from about 90cm upwards, so he couldn’t touch them, and a basket full of the non-fragile decorations at the side of the tree, so he could play with those whenever he wanted. He used to spend hours, looking at each and every one, putting them on the tree, taking them off, so so happy!!! It was great, seeing a whole new arrangement of decorations every time you looked at the tree!!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:04 am
I love, love, love your project! It’s fabulous and inspiring! I have no favorite “specific” memory, but a general longing for the days when I was a kid and the whole family was decorating the HUGE tree my mother always got. Lots of garlands, tinsel, twinkling lights and ornaments that had stories behind them…
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:28 am
my favorite tree trimming is some felt and wood ornaments I made last year with my daughter, or the duck egg ornament I have that is etched.
Thanks!
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:32 am
I love this project! I love to decorate the tree, and my favorite memory is from last year, when my mom and grandma came to visit and the three of us put up the decorations together!
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:42 am
WOW…such an awesome project, I can’t wait to make this!
My favorite memory would be many years ago when we used have a real Christmas tree instead of the fibre optic one we have now. I loved the smell of it, it filled the house and just made Christmas feel even more special. Mind you I didn’t like cleaning up after it…lol! xo
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:44 am
How beautiful! I love seeing all the handmade ornaments my children (now teens) have made over the years.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:13 am
I love your tree! I don’t have a specific memory re: decorating the tree, but we love making ornaments and buying meaningful ones on trips or at certain stages of our kids’ live (Grandma’s especially good about this), so it’s so much fun pulling them out of hibernation and remembering.
Merry Christmas!
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:14 am
First off, I was so sad this kit was sold out by the time I got to the Etsy store!!! This project is so amazing… If I don’t win this kit, I’ll have to figure out some way of re-creating it myself. As kids, my siblings and I always used to fight over who got to put 2 specific ornaments on the tree. One was the pickle (google German Pickle Ornament tradition to learn more) and the other was a 2 ornament set of one li’l mouse holding a tea bag that you’d have to strategically place over the mouse holding the teacup. We’d always fight over who got to hang each ornament on the tree… and of course, finding where the pickle was hung was half the fun!
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:17 am
OMG the ornaments on this tree are just spectacular! I’d love to make a wire wreath this way. Thanks for the inspiration.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:33 am
I always had specific ornaments that were mine to put on the tree first when I was little- a Snoopy and a Woodstock !
what a great tutorial and prize :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:35 am
Awesome project! My fav tree trimming memory is every year when my boys open their own box of ornaments from years gone by (some they made in school, some with their photo on it, some from vacations we’ve taken, some attached to something else significant in their lives). We chat, we laugh, we trim. Some day when they get married, they will take their ornament box with them. :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:41 am
OK this is spectacular! My fave tree triming memory was when I was 5. I remember coming home and having a slurpee while finishing up the tree with my mom.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:49 am
That tree is AMAZING – my favorite tree trimming memory was probably from when I was in 1st or 2nd grade – we actually went to a tree farm and got to cut down our own tree.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:50 am
This is such a stunning project.
I don’t know that I have a favorite memory because every year feels like the first … pulling out my favorite decorations and getting to enjoy them all over again.
My most memorable tree trimming experience would be 6 years ago now. My dad was very ill and a lot of my usual Christmas decorating didn’t get done. We didn’t even got to the tree until part-way through December. I went with my FIL and oldest son (who was 2 1/2 at the time) to cut down a tree on our property. We didn’t realize how big and clumsy it was until we got it in the house because I usually get my tree from a tree lot. We finally got it up and partially decorated. By that time, I was done. Both physically and emotionally from the strain of the last few months. I went up to soak in the tub, was just beginning to unwind, and CRASH. My husband came to the door and said “you probably don’t want to come downstairs”. The tree had fallen over. Water, needles, ornaments everywhere.
Definately memorable. But maybe not for the right reasons ;)
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:01 am
What a cute little tree!
My favorite tree trimming memory is ongoing- each of my four children choose an ornament each year, and my mom buys them one each year as well. Every year when we unpack them it’s fun to look back and see how their interests and tastes change as they grow.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
Wonderful give away. I love the vintage look of this tree. My favorite tree memory is when my parents were trying to get a giant tree into our tree stand and it kept tipping over. So, my dad got a huge nail and nailed the tree stand to the floor in order to keep the tree upright. Right through the carpet!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
I loved trimming the tree when my boys were small. We always had a special ornament wrapped for them to open and place on the tree first. I kept a small log book of the ornament, date, where we lived etc. It is a memory book and fun to see all the places we lived. (previous military)
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 am
How cool! My girls would love this.
We used to trim the tree while listening to records on the little tiny portable record player. Singing and decorating the tree…. good times. Though I am certainly showing my age – do record players even exist anymore???
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:32 am
I love that kit! What a great way to use all those vintage bits! We cut down our tree every year so I think my favorite memories are the kids discussing just how big it could be and still fit in the house! :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:39 am
My favorite tree trimming memory is of making Christmas ornaments with my mom and brother as a child. We baked and painted (non-edible) “Christmas cookie” ornaments that we still have, and made these little washcloth bunny rabbits–not particularly Christmas-themed, but pretty cute! Thank you for a wonderful giveaway–your tannenbaum tree is really a work of art!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:41 am
That is adorable. I have marked this tutorial and will have to try to make one myself. Thanks.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:43 am
Oops…I forgot to mention my favorite decorating story. It would have to be when the kids were young and we had to secure our tree to the wall because we could never keep them standing with the little ones tugging at them. It is so nice to recall those memories as I decorate my tree nowadays.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:44 am
This is an incredible project, I absolutely love it! So very creative and totally original!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:44 am
I love this little tree! It’s adorable.
My favorite decorating memory is hanging the plastic icicles on the tree just right. That was always my job and I loved hanging them so that the Christmas tree lights shone through them and set them sparkling.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:58 am
I love this project! My favorite memory is my mother decorating the entire house top to bottom, inside and out after Thanksgiving. She always made sure we were surrounded by the warmth of the season.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:59 am
I don’t know if I can pick a fav memory?? I loved it when my son would help decorate the tree with me now he is 18 and I quess it’s not “cool”. The last couple of years I have been doing the 12 days of christmas with him. Each day I’ll leave him a little gift somewhere around the house. He would never admit it but I know that is the first thing he looks for when he gets up in the morning ! P.S. I looove that tree
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:00 am
my fav tree trimming memory is from 2003 when my oldest daughter was still an only child, age 3, decorating the tree with a step ladder singing songs she made up as she went along. she spent hours singing and trimming.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:02 am
I love them all, KL!!! And I loved my kit so much that I couldn’t wait to dig in! lol
But, I still have lots left to make some of these KL-inspired ornaments as well!!!
OH! and since I have a kit, don’t worry about putting my name in the hat…BUT, I DO have to tell you this HILARIOUS memory!!
When I was younger and my brother even younger (I am guess he was probably 6), we lived in a very old country farmhouse and had an even older, hand-me down tree. No worries, though… I knew how to set up the tree, where it leaned ever-so slightly against the wall and you could hardly tell.
Well, my mom and I were in the kitchen and we hear a horrible “AHHHHHHHHHH” that sounded a bit like my brother.
We go run in there and the tree has fallen on top of him and just like a cartoon, his little legs were coming out of it scissoring back and forth. It was quite hilarious! We did, however, have to keep a straight face for a bit b/c Timmy was so scared! lol
Have a wonderful day!
B
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:13 am
This is beautiful! thanks for the tutorial.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:15 am
I love that tree! Thank you for the giveaway, and please include me. :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:17 am
Oh, how I wish I had this kit….maybe not the favorite story, but one year I made 13 quilts for Christmas….then every year after that everyone was like I can’t wait I know I am getting a quilt….NOT…only one year. I started in August and was finished by the end of November!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:18 am
Oh man! I missed out on snagging this and would love to win it! My fav tree trimming memory really happens every year. My kids and I decorate the tree every year and they have their favs that only they get to put on. We listen to music and enjoy spending time together!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:19 am
Oh my goodness, that is the coolest tree ever!!!!! I LOVE it!!!!
My favorite tree trimming memory was always helping my Mom put on her “special” bells that belonged to her Grandmother, my sister and I each got to put a couple on, while Mom did the rest!! Those bells are still on my Mom’s tree!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:21 am
My father would always buy a tree too tall for our house. So inevitably, we’d end up on the porch with a saw, sawing back and forth at the based of the tree to try to get it to fit into the house. One year, however, it was so tall, he ended up having to cut off the top of the tree too!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:27 am
Love this! I think I will make one for my scraproom!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:29 am
My favorite tree trimming memory is when the bottom of the tree was not cut straight. My mom and I would drag the tree back out to the garage and she would use a hand saw to cut it…it would take forever!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:29 am
I guess it’s not really a tree trimming memory, but it is about a tree. I’ll never forget the Christmas our cat climbed up the inside of the tree and knocked it over!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 am
I remember that it was our tradition to put the star on the top of the tree after we were all done with the other ornaments. Me, my brother, and sister would all be excited to see who dad would pick to have the special honor of placing it up on the tippy-top of the tree. He would lift one of us up so high and we would put it up there. It was simple, but for some reason, it has engraved itself into my memory.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:34 am
before my sister was born, my dad took lots of photos (the 2nd kid always gets short-changed here, huh?). there’s a picture of me (I think I’m 2) in a velvet dress, crawling on the floor, trying to slink under the christmas tree and not get in the photo, haha! not exactly a tree trimming memory, but definitely a holiday memory! : .)
tks for letting me share!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:39 am
Let’s see, favorite tree trimming…I guess a couple years back, when my oldest son first got to help hang the ornaments on the tree. We took a short video of him, and he is so cute, talking up a storm about Christmas, Santa, and decorating the tree.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:41 am
Your tree is so stinkin cute! My favorite tree trimming memory is from when I was little…decorating a MINI MINI TINY tree and putting jewelry boxes I’d wrapped (with nothing inside) under them. I don’t celebrate Christmas but I really wanted a tree! Haha!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:43 am
That is the most wicked awesome thing I have ever seen! I loves it! I just wish hubs would get a job so I can start buying again…Boowhoo. Anyway my personal fav part is the look on my little ones faces as they go thru all the ornaments. They get so excited on each one and race to get another. They truly are the best part about christmas for me.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:50 am
First, thank you so much for the opportunity to win such a great giveaway! and I’m so glad that I was led to your site from Sew Mama Sew. You’ve got a wonderful blog!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:51 am
Oh, and my fave tree trimming memory? Adding the long strands of tinsel! (I refuse to use that on my tree as an adult since it would always end up jamming the vacuum cleaner…)
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 am
OMG! I would absolutely love to have this! My favorite memory growing up was putting the “tinsel” on the tree. Not sure they even still sell it anymore…it was individual silver strands that were about 8 in long. Inevitably my dad would get irritated because my brother and sister and I would have it all clumped up in one spot.Ha!
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:14 am
i love this! my favorite tree trimming memory is that our family always listened to handel’s messiah. always.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:16 am
I always loved just opening the boxes and looking at all the ornaments each year
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 am
i love it! i hope i win! tree trimming? the best part is putting up the ornaments. happy giveaway day! here’s my giveaway http://www.simplymodernmom.com/2009/12/the-gift-box-a-giveaway/
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 am
i can’t remeber a specific memoru but i do remeber how both of my grandmothers had those cool bubbling lights on their trees, i could stare at those forever! i adore your sweet tree! thanks for the giveaway!
jacquelynbateman@hotmail.com
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:18 am
My favorite tree-trimming memory is of the wonky Santa head ornament we had when I was a child — it was make from a standard gold ball ornament, with a Santa hat and facial details glued on. The funny thing was that every year, no matter what we did, the ornament ALWAYS hung backwards, with Santa facing the tree. I so wish I still had it!
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:23 am
My fav memorie – are from christmas ar grandmas house;-) dressing the tree with her old glas birds – always at the top of the tree ;-)
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:25 am
WOW! This is absolutely gorgeous and soooo inspirational on so many levels. Just gorgeous! smiles…
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:25 am
My favorite tree trimming memory – hmmm there are SO many. But right now my favorite memory is watching my daughters enjoy seeing their ornaments again and hear the stories behind each one and watch them enjoy decorating their tiny tree in their room. Thanks for the chance to win.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:37 am
That kit is soooo gorgeous. It has such a lovely vintage feel.
My family is spread out all over the U.S. so my favorite holiday memories are just having us all together and enjoying everyone’s company!
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:47 am
Wow! This is sooo beautiful! My favorite tree trimming memory is of my first Christmas being married. We didn’t have much, certainly not extra money for decorations or nice ornaments for the tree. Our Christmas tree was a small, hand-me-down table top tree of the Charlie Brown variety. It may have looked sad to everyone, but it was beautiful to me because it was MINE and my husband’s, our very first. I was telling a co-worker in passing about how we didn’t have many ornaments but the tree looked so pretty. She’s Jewish, so she didn’t observe Christmas, but she said she’d always wished she could decorate a tree. A few days later, I came to work and there was a wrapped box sitting on my desk. I opened it and it was full of the most beautiful ornaments you could imagine: crystal hearts, gold tassles, and a BIG glass Star for the top. It was from my co-worker, who is now a dear, dear friend. She said she could celebrate the season through me by giving me these ornaments to decorate my tree. I cried, overwhelmed with her thoughtfulness. Fifteen years later, we have a big tree now, with various ornaments, handmade by my son and other inherited through our families. However, we still put up the small table top tree and I use those decorations on that little tree to this very day. I’m reminded every Christmas of the thoughtfulness of love of others shown to me throughout the years.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:51 am
WOW – that is so awesome – One favorite memory of mine is triming the tree when I was around 5 or 6 and we used to put those large outdoor lights on the tree and when they got to hot they popped and broke – So unsafe back in the 60’s – wink, wink)
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:52 am
Thanks for this gorgeous inspiration piece and this great giveaway. Just lovely. My husband and I have been collecting crystal ornaments for each year we have known each other. My favorite part of decorating for the holiday is sharing with him in putting them on the tree. Usually he doesn’t help with anything else but I can always talk him into that little part of the holiday.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:53 am
My favourite tree-decorating memory is of searching frantically with my sister for the tape we MUST listen to every year as we do it – and no, it’s not Nat King Cole or some lovely carols, it’s Soul Hits of the 80s! If we aren’t listening to It’s Raining Men by the Weathergirls, we simply cannot begin decorating the tree. Ridiculous, but true (and I haven’t got a clue how this particular ‘tradition’ started).
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:01 am
Lovely! One of my favorite memories is taking turns with my brother and sister putting the angel on top of the tree. Thanks for the opportunity.
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:06 am
Forgot to leave my memory…I love the smell of a fresh cut Christmas tree and hanging tiny sparkle lights. We live in beautiful Oregon and enjoy cutting our own tree :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 am
Okay pure awesomeness!!! I am loving that tree, so fabulous!!!!!
My favorite memory or it’s more so a “what I love about” decorating the tree is that it’s the first time I put on the Christmas music….and I love to turn it up and we dance and sing and decorate and just love every second of it1 Thank you for reminding me how awesome my life is!
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 am
First off, I love the adventure to the tree farm to cut down our own tree. We bundle up and ride the trolly train out to the tree area and find the most perfect tree. Then we drag it back to the trolly and back to the main cabin where they shake it (don’t want any extra critters!) and drill a hole for it to stand straight on the tree stand. Then we grab our cup of cocoa and peppermint stick and away we go! Once home, I love how the smell of a fresh pine tree fills the house! And then decorating it – I love trimming the Christmas tree with little strands of tinsel – it makes a huge mess and half usually ends up on the dog or in our hair but it is fun! LOL
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Wow! Awesome giveaway. My favorite tree trimming memory is every year . . . especially putting on the handmade ornaments that my grandma made for us. She would make each child, grandchild, and great-grandchild a new Christmas ornament each year.
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:55 am
this is an awesome tutorial. I’m inspired to make
one my own (:
although my family celebrates Christmas, we have
never had a tree (since there aren’t any live Christmas
trees; they can’t survive in our hot climate) so there
was never a chance to trim any trees…
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:01 am
my favourite memory is the year we lost the christmas decorations. i was just a little kid and i remember the entire family searching frantically around the house for the decorations! eventually we gave up and ran to the store to buy some new ones, and even made our own.
to this day i have no idea if that box was ever found, but every year since growing up, whenever we’d pull out the ‘new’ decorations we’d reminisce about that year.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
trimming the tree is one of my favorite things to do during the holidays. every year i put on christmas music and we decorate the tree together. i love putting up ornaments that i’ve had since my childhood and ones we’ve gathered over the years.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:13 am
I remember making paper mache ornaments with my mom. great fun.
Thanks for a chance, your tree is so unique, would love a kit!
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:14 am
Wow! How wonderful this tree is!
I could hardly pick one specific tree trimming memory.. each year we gather ’round the Christmas tree, decorations being hung by young and old while Christmas songs played in the background and the remnants of our Thanksgiving turkey sat on the counter just beginning to cool.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:21 am
Getting out the ornaments from my godmother. She started in 1976 and it is my favorite. Now it’s too fragile to hang, but I treasure it and the memories.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
oh! you know how much i love this sweet christmasy project! it is so precious!!!
my favorite tree trimming tradition? when the kids were littler, and we would put our animated angel topper on the top of the big tree, they would stare in wonder at her beauty and awe. it is one of the sweetest memories i have of each of them when they were big enough to notice her. she has been apart of our christmas from day one, as she was a wedding present. (a most awesome wedding gift i should add).
so that is one of my favorite trimming traditons.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
I love decorating the Christmas tree. My mom hand made all of the ornaments when we were little and I remeber when I was 14 I attempted to make some as well. They weren’t even close to being nice like hers but she put them up anyways.
This year I am making some of my own again but I think they will be a lot nicer : )
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:44 am
I think this is the coolest giveaway item I’ve seen. SO cool! Thank you!
stephanie
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:47 am
It’s such a wonderful thing!
We never had a tree until my dad remarried–then we went out in the Vermont woods (isolated, but the property was ours) and cut down our own tree and hauled it back via x-c skis and snowshoes. Then we used my stepmom’s myriad ornaments while Dad cooked (literally) a goose.
I love your tree version–do enter me in the contest!
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 am
Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful tree! One of my favorite traditions in decorating the tree. It’s a great memory for me.
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:54 am
My favourite tree decorating memory is from the 70s. I loved the silver filaments you draped all over the tree. My mum hated them as they made such a mess to clean up but she always allowed me to do it every year.
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:36 pm
My favorite memory is the year that me and my sister got a little tree just for ourselves in our room, in addition to the big tree in the living room. It was something special!
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:50 pm
This is so, so cute & festive. It would look so good on my table for the holidays! ;)
My favorite memory would be from last year. My son had just turned 5 & I’ll never forget the excitement he had trimming the tree. He loved looking at all the decorations I’ve made over the years so we all sat down & each made a new one to add to our collection.
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Your vintage tree is so imaginative and clever! All of my memories of trimming trees are recent. For the past couple of years I have been the main tree trimmer (with direction from other family members of course) and the experience is fun, exasperating, frustrating and satisfying all at once. We still don’t have the right tree topper and are just using an Eiffel Tower metal ornament to top the tree until we find something just right one. We always add new ornaments each year and as we unpack them we wax nostalgic about them (the year they are from, how we got them, what they represent, etc.). Some of my favorites are ceramic ornaments of children my friend’s family gave me to paint…there is a little boy dressed as a toy soldier that I especially love. Thank you so much for the chance to win such an incredible kit!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Wow, that is gorgeous!
My favorite tree trimming experience is last year because it was my daughter’s first Christmas and she got to hang ornaments (with Daddy’s help) for the first time :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:11 pm
My favorite memory of a christmas tree was the year we didn’t have enough money to buy one… my son was in 1st grade and so sweet he didn’t mind that we could not get a full size tree and helped me decorate a small table top one with ornaments he made at school. Our tree was only about 2 ft. tall but it was still very special to us…
Were the bird cut-outs from the kit???
thanks for a great blog!!! :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Very cool. I definitely want in. Thanks!
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:31 pm
My favorite memory is more of a christmas tree un-trimming. When I was little, my family had a cat that would eat the little buds at the end of each branch. We could always tell which branches Ginger had been able to reach… It’s amazing she never got sick from it.
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:14 pm
What an absolutely wonderful idea! I love it.
I remember the year, I was a teenager, our tree fell down twice that Christmas and only a few broken ornaments. I love having a tree of my own now and a bit of an ornament-aholic!
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
That is absolutely the coolest thing I have ever saw!
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Wow, super cool tree! Can I get one even if I don’t win? So, my favorite tree trimming memory is unwrapping the “special” annual glass bulbs that had a year on them starting from the year my parents got married. We would gingerly take them out of their wrapping and put them on the top of the tree to keep them from breaking. So far, my parents still have all of them.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Holy stinking cutesness!! I would beyond love to win this!! My fav tree trimming memory is from about 12 years ago, and my then 2 yr old son was in front of the tree taking off all the
ornaments and lights he could reach. RIGHT after i just put everything on. It was too cute. He sat holding the strand of lights shaking them all over. Fun memory for me.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I just love this tree! I used to take ornaments from our tree at home and put them on my Grandma’s tree when I was little! The ornament’s from our 2 houses got intermingled!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:35 pm
What a beautiful little tree! My favorite memory has been decorating our first tree as a married couple with my husband and including all of the ornaments we got while were on our honeymoon the month before. Every year we reminisce about the trip as we are decorating the tree.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:45 pm
The tree is wonderful, so much better than what I’d planned for this year. I stopped putting up a tree years ago, only a Nativity set nowadays but this year…thinking about a Norfolk Island Pine.
BUT. Your tree would be SO much better!
Tree memory – all those wonderful gifts undernearth, when, as a child I’d wake far too early Christmas day to race into the living room.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
My favorite childhood memory is attaching the now highly collectable vintage birds my dad had on his childhood tree. Love those birds!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:48 pm
My favorite tree trimming memory is not really a “good” memory, but it’s definitely interesting: my grandmother used to put really big mercury glass ball ornaments on her tree. One year, I decided it would be a good idea to take the top off one and stick a pencile into it and poke it through the other side. Well, it exploded when I poked the pencil in and a huge piece of glass went straight into my eye and stuck to my eyeball like a red contact lens! I had to go to the emergency room and they removed it very easily and I had no injuries whatsoever, so it turned out well. But it’s a memory I will NEVER forget for the rest of my life!
KL, this is the most AMAZING kit and I’m DYING to win! You rock,girl!!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Great giveaway…thank you! My fav memory is decorating the tree with my grandparents when I was 5 years old….lots of love, sparkling lights, and magic!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:59 pm
This is a lovely giveaway!
My favorite tree trimmingmemory, would have to be making paper chains with my brothers. My mom is so great to have let us put that on the tree!!! :-)
Happy Holidays!
h_freund@Hotmail.com
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:00 pm
WOW! I mean really! Wow!
It’s hard to narrow down the memories, but one that sticks out is the year my dad taught me how to take photos of a christmas tree and we took pictures of the reflection of the nativity in a gold christmas ball. Those tips still come in handy 25 years later.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:01 pm
I have never seen such a beautiful little tree! Of course, one of my favorite memories is decorating the tree with my sisters and brother. My older sister always put on the large red balls, my younger brother put on the small blue balls, and my little sister got to put on the bells. I always did the ornaments that were shaped like bells and had glitter on them. I will never forget the time my brother was trying to get his ornaments a little higher on the tree, and sure enough, the whole thing tipped over! Now he is over six foot tall and no longer has height challenges!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I love putting up the tree with our daughters every year and putting 1 new Disney ornament for that specific year. I will be so sad when our daughters are too grown or too cool to want a Disney theme tree :(
As for your tree, can I just say that I am loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck to all the ladies :)
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:30 pm
That kit is adorable. Let’s see it was very memorable when we decorated the tree and not five minutes later it toppled over because we put to many ornaments in the front, I will never forget that. Thanks for the give away.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Your tree is just darling. Please enter me in your giveaway.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Wow, what a wonderful tree! I always enjoyed decorating the tree with my family growing up. We all had special ornaments that only we could hang after finding the perfect spot. My dad who is gone now had a bell shaped ornament from his childhood. Even now when I’m at my mom’s I always look first for Daddy’s bell when admiring her tree.
Please enter me in your giveaway contest. Thanks.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:37 pm
My family is always late on putting a tree up. One year we got our tree December 23rd. It was free because it was so late. When we went to put it up it tilted half way to our neighbors house. My dad had to hack off a good chunk of the bottom in order for it to stand straight. Thank you for the chance to win. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. -dez
simply.simon.sisters(at)gmail(dot)com
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:37 pm
i so love it!! i might even have some of those things laying around….still would want to win them though :) thanks!
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
hello!
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I am speechless. This is breathtaking. You have such talent.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I know exactly where I would put that tree! It would be perfect in my kitchen! :) I didn’t grow up having a Christmas tree so I got my first one when I got married. I refused to buy a once live tree so we bought a little Norfolk pine and it didn’t hold up any of the little ornaments I put on it! It was definately a Charlie Brown tree but I loved it! Thanks for the chance to win your tree kit!
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 pm
One of my favorite memories is Elvis Presley playing in the living room, my mother and sisters cooking cookies in the kitchen, and my brother, sister and I decorating the tree! Suzie
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Decorating the tree is always so much fun. Growing up my mom would make cinnabons for us to eat while we put up the tree.
Thanks for a chance to win.
curry(dot)jessica(at)gmail(dot)com
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I am so loving your vintage tree!!! My favorite tree trimming memory is when my sister showed me how to string popcorn and make garland for our tree. Something I am looking forward to teaching my boys this year. {good times} thanks for the chance to win.
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:41 pm
This kit would be so much fun for my son & I to put together.
One of my favorite tree trimming days was the first Christmas that my adopted son spent with us. We spent the previous Christmas with him in Haiti — trying desperately to get him home. When we finally spent a Christmas together — trimming the tree — it was surreal and wonderful. He spent the night wrapping lights around himself (1 1/2 years old).
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:57 pm
What a lovely prize! Thanks for the chance to enter!
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:01 pm
That’s really neat – I’ve bookmarked your site to read later.
My favorite tree trimming memory is the year that my boyfriend, at the time, and I had no money and decorated the tree with anything we could make or find. We were in 20 below weather that year, so we didn’t have much else to do.
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:43 pm
What an amazing prize. Really original.
I love when I was child and trimmed the tree with my sister. After we finished decorating the tree we would sit with our parents and watch A Christmas Carol. (sigh) fond memories
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
this vintage christmas tree is one cool tree! I can imagine it was loads of fun putting it together! We don’t really have christmas trees in Bombay, so every year, we would choose one of my Mom’s house plants to be our ‘christmas tree’ and trim it up ready for Santa’s visit. My favourite trimming was always our cotton wool ’snow’!!!!
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:14 pm
My favorite tree trimming memory is when we moved into our current house, 14 years ago, near Christmas. My husband and I decorated the tree on the day we moved in, to surprise our 5 year-old daughter. She was speechless when she got up in the morning.
I love the vintage tree, it will go nicely with all my kitschy vintage decor.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:17 am
My favorite xmas tree decorating memory is a hilarious one I bring up year after year to torture my parents. We had liver and onions the night we got our tree and weren’t allowed to decorate it until we finished our dinner. I (rightly so) refused to eat my liver and had to sit at the dining room table while the rest of the family decorated the tree! EVIL, but fun to bring up every xmas.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:46 am
Super the tree, count me in
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:05 am
Oh my, oh my, oh my – this tree is simply stunning! My favourite Tree Triming memory was 2 days ago when my daughter (18 months old) and I decorated our first ever Christmas Tree – ’twas very special! She’s spent the last 2 days removing the decorations 1 by 1 and bringing them to me and saying ohhhhh! Very Cute! Thanks for a chance to enter your giveaway!
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:05 am
My favorite memory of tree trimming does not come from the actual trimming it self but of a special envelope my Dad put on the tree while decorating it. I was older, probably 12-13yrs. old and we were told not to touch it until Christmas. Inside was a note telling us that my Dad was going to start working the day shift and would be home in the evenings. When I think of tree trimming, I think of that envelope.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:41 am
every year we put on decorations made by the children when they were tiny (over 15 years ago) and every year more bits of glitter/tinsel/beads/cotton wool etc etc fall off!
gill x
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:42 am
wow, this is so pretty! my favorite tree trimming memory is from 2 years ago. We have three kids, and the youngest was only a few months old. My husband lifted up our three year old to put the star on top, and I had one of those moments, you know, Where life can’t get much better? Then we tried to get a pic of all three kids by the tree. Those were some funny pictures. One kid with a finger in her nose, another trying to hug/smother the baby… thanks for the chance to win this kit, making it would surely be another favorite memory!
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:54 am
Thank you for the chance to win this! What an awesome kit! My favorite memory of decorating the tree was the first year in my new house with my husband. It was our first real tree together and it meant alot. Thanks!
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:02 am
Add my name to the hat! Sweet tree.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:20 am
I love putting up the tree with my sons and showing them all of my “old” ornaments from when I began collecting them as a young teen.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:54 am
Usually there was an argument on tree trimming night! (That’s ok, we were arguers!) But the night my Dad tried out the lights near the stairs and they popped and blew out the whole house was the most memorable!
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:13 am
Such a beautiful prize! My favourite tree trimming story. . .is hard! I remember the first year I got to put together the tree by myself! I remember having a fresh real tree in residence in university. I wasn’t there for the de-trimming – but I know the tree was hacked up and put down the garbage chute!:) This year my daughter and her friend trimmed the tree – 3-4 ornaments to a branch. I love it. It looks heavy, full of fruits of the season. Hopefully the cat doesn’t think so:) Thanks for the chance.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:59 am
Adorable! Putting up the old fashioned tinsel as a little girl with my dad, one shiny piece at a time.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:01 am
My mother always has a tree full of ornaments my brother and I made through the years. She dedicates a whole room to childhood fun and fills it with pictures and vintage toys. My brother and I get to decorate the tree and enjoy the walk down memory lane.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:22 am
Oh what an amazing little tree! So wonderful chock full of details! Love it!
I think my favorite tree trimming memory is from last year. It was the first year we put up a tree since my daughter was born. She was only 2, and thoroughly enchanted. To top it off, I let her hand some ornaments on the tree. Her eyes glowed more than the tree did!
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:22 am
I remember, as a kid, making paper doll ornaments with my grandmother, coloring them, looping yarn through them and hanging them on the tree! I miss her…It’s been a very long time since I made paper dolls.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:41 am
What a wonderful project! Each of those ornaments are wonderful!
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:50 am
Thank you for this wonderful giveaway. I am also doing a giveaway. I have two blogs, http://www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com and http://www.artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com
My 9 year old daughter is having a giveaway on her sewing blog as well, http://www.sewingsister.blogspot.com
Hope you’ll stop by and have a look around and enter our giveaways.
Have a blessed day.
Trudy
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:11 am
My favorite tree trimming so far: this year DD is 2.5 and really understands about decorating the tree and she had a blast helping daddy set up and decorate the tree this year!
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:36 am
My favorite memory is ages old… probably my first tree. It was post war London and we had a tiny tree on the table covered with glass prisms from some old chandelier and white candles. The room just danced with flickering candles and the reflections from the glass prisms!
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
My (now) favorite memory is when the cat nearly destroyed the tree playing with ornaments. At the time it seemed horrible. A close second is the several too tall trees we’ve had! Thanks for the giveaway, it’s adorable!
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:45 am
How stinkin’ creative! Love the tree!
My fave memory was my dd’s first Christmas. She helped us hang her baby ornaments and played with the little number 1 one. It was precious!
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:48 am
My favorite tree-trimming memory is a tradition that we’ve always had since I was a child. my mom would get out the ornaments and apply the hooks and the children place them on the tree. I’m passing that on to my 2 sons. I was the oldest of 5 children, 4 girls and 1 boy. My brother was the youngest and one year he put all the ornaments given to him in one area. Bless his heart, he was so young!! Now he has a daughter and another on the way in February!
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:04 am
What a gorgeous tree! My favorite memory stems from an ornament I made in 1st grade. It’s supposed to be a pine cone angel but really looks like a giant roach gone bad! I was teased mercilesly by the sibling but nevertheless, Iwould love to hang it every year on the tree. Now all these years later, my mother still has it and hangs it proudly!
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:07 am
What a beautiful little tree. My favorite story isn’t so much about trimming our tree as it is about finding our tree every year. We bundle up and head to Vermont to our favorite cut your own tree farm. Fresh and beautiful every year.
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:28 am
What a great tree! I don’t really have any tree trimming stories.
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:40 am
My favorite tree trimming memory is being lifted to the top to put the angel on — I absolutely loved doing that each year!
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:42 am
I think this is the most beautiful christmas decoration I have ever seen. really stunning.
My best Christmas memory is of decorating the tree the year before my parent’s got divorced – when I was young enough that I thought Christmas could never be a sad time. My dad played Christmas carols on the piano (the actual tree decorating was never his thing) and my mom and my sister and I all took out the ornaments, a delightful mix of store-bought and handmade – including every ornament my sister and I had ever made at school. It’s what I still think of when I think of Christmas.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:53 pm
every year when we have thanksgiving at my parents house, i love going through all of the ornaments. i take my time and then hand each one off to one of my nieces or newphew as they decorate the tree.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Wow, this tree is gorgeous. Thanks for the step by step tutorial. I sure hope I win this kit! My favorite tree trimming memory is when my first child was about 2 years old and I made some “frosting snowflake ornaments.” The frosting was piped over wax paper covered snowflake patterns, then hardened and hung on the tree. The very first morning after hanging them, we woke up to a barren tree as far us as our little one could reach. She had quite a tummy ache for the remainder of the day and I never attempted that again!
Susan T
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I just found your site. What a treat. I would love to win this kit. Just my kind of art. Nancy P.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:40 pm
My favorite ornament is one my hsuband as a child in Sunday School. It’s a little angel figurine inside a dimensional tear-drop shaped plastic ornament. He stuffed cotton in the botton so it looks like the angel is standing on clouds. It’s vintage and reflects the true meaning of the season.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
My favorite memory is the year I tried to put 1200 lights on a five foot tree, it was beautiful but more work than I have wanted to do again!
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
This kit is so beautiful! It is JUST the type of thing I fall in love with!
I love putting up our tree. I can remember growing up that no matter how rough of a time our family was going through – and we had some very difficult years – no matter how poor of a shape we were in as a family, all of that was set aside on the day we decorated the tree. Everyone laughed and got along and we felt happy – even if only for that night. Putting up the tree always makes me feel good.
Thanks for such a lovely, generous giveaway! And I’ll be bookmarking your blog because it is LOVELY!
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
My fave tree trimming incident was when I was a kid. We had a large mahagony Chinese Screen in our livingroom and we decided to put the tree in front of it. It was going to look very nice when we were finished. Being small, my parents decided to let my brother and me go in between the screen and the tree to decorate the back and catch the garlands, and lights etc and pass them around to the front. Fun! Except that we accidentally knocked over the tree just when my parents were busy visiting with friends and got trapped behind it for an hour. Hehe, it turned out great though. We just watched the twinkly lights and talked about the Christmas gifts we’d hoped for until someone came to rescue us. :P
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:21 pm
gorgeous blog. and that tannenbaum – yowsers! i don’t really have a tree trimming memory but since i’ve been married and had my son, i absolutely love going to pick out our tree. i grew up with the artificial tree and nothing tops a real one. thanks
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
This is gorgeous! Thanks for the chance to win. I have fond memories of going to the tree farm to cut down trees with my dad.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:23 pm
each year becomes my new favorite. each year we have new memories to “hang” on our tree.
your project is so inspirational= i am sad i missed out on the kit. here’s hoping!!!
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I usually put up these Angel ornaments my dad gets me every year. Well, this year I’m not there so my 3 year old niece gives me a call yesterday morning and asks, “Aunt April? Can I put up your angel ornaments?” Of course, I agreed! It’s bringing a smile to my face just to think of her carrying on that tradition with my dad.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I love that tree! How awesome. My mom and dad would get me a special ornament every year. I still have lots of them. I do put some of them up each year, but now my two kids ornaments have taken their place. It was nice when I got married because we had a start on ornaments already!
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:51 pm
This tree is very cute. I started giving my daughter ornaments every year. It’s a cool tradition.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:56 pm
What a lovely tree! I would so love that! Our family didn’t do a tree when I was young, but we’ve started it in our own home now. I’m super excited to establish our own traditions! The first year we had one together as our own little family, my 7-month-old son was just so excited to watch the lights go on! :)
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:03 pm
This is so sweet and special! Thank for for a chance to win.
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Every year I buy the boys a new ornament so I love taking out all the ornaments when we trim the tree that I have gotten over the years and talking about why I got that particular ornament for them. They love it and so do I :)
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:10 pm
OOOOOH boy… this is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen!!! All my fingers are crossed. And that hurts a lot, so I hope the week goes by quickly… :)
Laurie love2laugh25@hotmail.com
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:31 pm
What a gorgeous tree. My older kids would love taking on this project with me. Thanks for the tutorial and good luck to all entries!
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:43 pm
As a child we had a silver tinsel tree. We hung balls of one color on it and we had a colorwheel that shone on the tree so the whole tree changed color as the wheel turned. It was really cool but I don’t believe there are any pictures of it… :( I love the tree you created and especially the old dominoes. Thanks, ms.cheryl
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Does anyone remember “Angel Hair”? It was this stringy gossamer fibre you placed on your tree. My Mom always let me put it on the tree and it always made me feel so special. As soon as I was done, we lit the tree and everyone oooed and aaahhhed.
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
My favourite tree trimming moment is each year when I take out the ornaments I have picked up on my travels and remeber the good times and good friends I have made all over the world.
December 3rd, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I think my favorite tree trimming memories are from my childhood. We always had two trees, one for the kids to decorate as they chose, and one for my parents. Our tree was always very bright and festive. We made popcorn garlands and paper chains and used colorful lights. It was really fun to be able to decorate it as we pleased each year.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:26 am
This is stunning! My favourite tree trimming memory is when our children were small, we would put up and decorate our tree on Christmas Eve. We would turn on the lights and put all the wrapped presents under the tree, when the kids woke up on Christmas morning they would run out to our living area to find a beautiful surprise. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed I will this gorgeous kit – if not I think I will just have to make something similar!
December 4th, 2009 at 1:49 am
My favourite tree trimming memory is of being lifted up to put the angel onto the top of the tree when I was tiny.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:23 am
I have never seen anything like this. It is stunning.Thank you for the opporunity to win. Happy holidays
December 4th, 2009 at 4:39 am
This tree is really gorgeous ! Please, count me in !
December 4th, 2009 at 5:25 am
That is beautiful! I would love to win! My favorite memory is the year we went up into the mountains to get a tree. We also sleep out in the living room with the lights lit up at least once during the month…the kids love it.
December 4th, 2009 at 6:12 am
Awesome giveaway,
My best ever triming the tree souvenir was when my 7DS decorated it with me for the 1st time, he was 3 I guess
December 4th, 2009 at 6:27 am
My favorite is my tree topper. I made an old world angel holding a string of hearts for my husband and my first christmas together. Putting it up reminds me of those special years.
December 4th, 2009 at 8:09 am
My favorite memory is trimming the tree and then my mom coming out of the kitchen and ooohing and ahhing over it. I was always so proud of myself. I can’t wait to share the experience with my daughter.
Ps. The tree is AMAZING!
December 4th, 2009 at 8:41 am
what a wonderful giveaway! i’m glad you’re participating. :) one of the memories that stands out for me is from a couple of years ago. we came home to find my mom’s cats nonchalantly sitting in the branches of the tree! we laughed so hard we cried. :)
December 4th, 2009 at 8:47 am
gorgeous! my favorite memory is when my boys were little and they would help me decorate the tree – we’d always use the ornaments that they made in school. looking at those ornaments now bring back so many good memories!
December 4th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Love it! We usually don’t get a tree because we travel during the holidays but this would be perfect for us!
December 4th, 2009 at 10:20 am
I don’t have any particular favourite tree trimming memory, but my best christmas three memory is going out in the forest with my dad, picking a christmas three, taking it down and bringing it home… Magic!
December 4th, 2009 at 11:58 am
This is AMAZING! I can’t even think about how much work you put into it. Wonderful!
December 4th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
This is too cute!! I just bought a bunch of vintage cake & jello molds I can use for a base! Thansk so much for sharing this. My fav memory is when my middle son was 3 1/2. We had just come home from grandmas on xmas eve and the boys were getting ready for bed. We had one last cookie as we set our cookies for Santa out. The boys spilled crumbs on the newly vacuumed floor and I told my hubby we need to get a DustBuster! My son told me, “that’s OK mommy, papa got you one for Christmas!” and it was still wrapped under the tree for Christmas morning :)
December 4th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
We always cut down our own Christmas tree each year. It’s so much fun to see my son search for the perfect tree and help cut it down.
December 4th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
What a wonderful kit and idea! I am keeping my fingers crossed for this one! Thank you for the giveaway!
December 4th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
my husband and i cut a tree every year the day after thanksgiving. but we are starting a new one this year – we are getting a small live tree for our new daughter and the tree will grow with her.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I’d have to say taking out my Christmas music box collection is a favorite each year. I wind each one up and enjoy it before placing it on display. Each evening in December, I play several of them and savor this time of year!
December 4th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
when I was young I got to go with my dad to pick out the tree, it was a nice dad and me time.
I would love that tree craft kit!
December 4th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
My grandma and mom each gave me a new orniment each year. I loved putting up the tree each year and seeing the past years orniments.
December 4th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
How beautiful! I love it! My favorite memory is all of the handmade candies my mom would make each year. One day we would arrive home from school and find the first batch of fudge on the table, surrounded by all of the other items in progress. My brother and I always fought over the first piece of fudge! Now, I’m 31 and if I get a bite of Mama’s fudge before him, I call him to gloat. So, the gloating and fighting isn’t my favorite memory… but the fun and deliciousness of fudge, peanut butter chocolate balls, turtles, sugar cookies, almond bark candy, butterscotch haystacks…..
YUM!
Thanks for the chance to enter!
-Mandi
lalestyleshop (at) gmail (dot) com
December 4th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Wow. What an absolutely gorgeous project!!
My favourite tree-trimming memory(ies) are kind of long, and more about the process of it than anything…My mother and I would always go out every year and get our own Christmas trees on the first night of December with a clear sky and a full moon. We’d go out in our boots, tramp through the snow, and grab the prettiest, semi-Charlie-brown-esque tree we could find, and bring it home. Then we’d stick it in the snowbank and string it with popcorn and berries until it there until a few days before Christmas and go back inside. Mom always made me a cup of hot chocolate with REAL chocolate (Christmas-time treat!) and we’d sit at our kitchen table and listen to Christmas music well into the night.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Growing up I always loved decorating the tree with the hand painted wood ornaments that my parents got one of their first Christmas’s together. We always would get a real tree and after we had the colored lights and ornaments on it we would listen to Christmas music (Mannheim Steamroller) and lay on the living room floor and look at the colored shadows they cast on the ceiling.
December 4th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Well it was not so much the tree trimming but the fact that after all of our hard work. The tree decided to fall over. That was the year I learned not to put so many ornaments on the tree. They do tire of carrying so many decorations! :D
barrigacindy@yahoo.com
December 5th, 2009 at 12:39 am
LOVE the tree. And love the thriftedness (if that’s a word) of it. It’s really hard to get that kind of stuff where I live (in Holland), and I miss it!
Happy giveaway day!!
December 5th, 2009 at 3:19 am
Oh wow — that looks amazing! Thanks so much for this great chance!
Happy Holidays
and happy creating,
Birgit
December 5th, 2009 at 5:43 am
LOVE IT!!! Thanks for a great giveaway. Where can I get the kit?
December 5th, 2009 at 6:21 am
That is such a beautiful project!!
Love your kits each and every month!
December 5th, 2009 at 10:22 am
OMG…I love this…it is fabulous!
December 5th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I think my heart skipped a beat as I gazed through all the photos…..beautiful project. Thank you for sharing the goodness.
December 5th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I found you from the 7 Gypsies blog and thank you for the detailed instructions and photos of this fun/timely and awesome project. I now have you bookmarked as a favorite. I have two old bobbins so maybe I can recreate this with my two grandsons.
December 5th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
This tree is awesome! I just love it’s vintage look and all the detailed photos – thanks!
xo
jeanne
December 5th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Not a memory of decorating the tree but of buying the decorations. Each year we go to the Christmas shop and choose a new ornament as a family.Lots of discussion and fun choosing that year’s ornament
December 5th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Wow this is just great! My favorite memory is of an ornament my parents’ always put up together – it’s a little kissing couple and they would kiss as they put it up. Just cute. And probably the only time us kids were ok with seeing it!
December 5th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Did you pick yet? I hope not, I really really wanted this and missed out because I fell asleep.
I hope I have one more chance! This is the most awesome kit project I have even seen.
December 5th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
My favorite memory goes back approx. 40 years. We used real candles instead of lights and on the night that the candles were lit we’d sing Christmas songs. I have a wonderful old photo that preserves the memory.
Thanks for the inspiration!
December 5th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
My favorite memory is probably when we had my niece over to help decorate the tree. She was probably five or six and took her job very seriously. And of course all the ornaments ended up on the bottom half in one spot. It made for great pictures! I waited til she went home before spreading them out more :) I love this tree! thanx for the creative idea, its awesome!
December 6th, 2009 at 12:11 am
Love the idea of making my own tree. We’re not big on having our own tree as we are never at home this time of the year, but this will certainly work.
Thank you.
December 6th, 2009 at 12:38 am
Oh my gosh, it’s a little past midnight — hope I’m not too late for the giveaway — I’d LOVE to win. I just found your blog and I plan to visit often!
December 6th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Wow what a gorgeous tree
My favourite memory of trimming the tree was when we trimmed it as a family a couple of years ago for the first time all five of us.
December 6th, 2009 at 2:29 am
Wow that is an out of the world handmade Christmas tree!! I have never seen such delicate ornaments!! Ur tree rawks!
At my country we have no Christmas trimming, we only purchased fake ones & put it in our home year in year out!! But it doesn’t dampen our Christmas spirit cause Christmas is all about Jesus!!
December 6th, 2009 at 4:53 am
Love this tree and elements you used! My favorite tree trim memory is the year my DH and I were just starting out and barely scrape money together–we decided on Christmas Eve that we were going to get a tree. We found a small lot up the road–guy had left a couple of trees-no one was there but we left our little $10 bill to thank him–or the ice cream guy got a treat opening in the spring! who knows! It’s a memory to treasure and one of our special tree memories!
Thanks for offering this great giveaway!
December 6th, 2009 at 6:17 am
WOW! Absolutely stunning! Please enter my name to have a chance to win this amazing kit. My favorite part of trimming our tree is hanging the six Precious Moments (started our family in the 80s LOL)Baby’s First Christmas ornaments at the top of our tree. The kids, even the college boy and high schoolers, love to see their ornaments hanging right under the angel that watches over our Christmas every year. Have a bleesed Christmas season!
December 6th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Actually this will be the 1st year we’ll have a Christmas tree as our previous place was too small. Now that we’ve a bigger apartment, am lookin fwd to decorating a tree wif the kids!
December 6th, 2009 at 8:53 am
This project is simply stunning! I’d love to win the kit!
We have a tradition that we decorate the tree whilst my son is in bed and then wake him up in the night to come and put the star on top. My favourite memory is the first year he was big enough to do this, and seeing his sleepy face when he spotted the tree!
December 6th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Love, love, love that tree! When I was a kid, we kept our ornaments in an old box from oranges. One year I decided to write the contents of the box on the lid–”ornagments.” You can tell I never won a spelling bee. I’d look that box and lid every year and laugh! My mom never corrected me, either.
December 6th, 2009 at 11:12 am
there’s always a joke in our house to see who will knock the star off the tree first. it’s a really pretty star, but doesn’t stay on very well. well, this year it was me! the hubby kissed me while i was by the tree turning off the lights and i bumped the tree and down it came! now we tease eachother to see who’s next!
lol
December 6th, 2009 at 11:42 am
This is an AMAZING tree! I love it!
When I was a kid, my sister & brother and I spent a lot of the Christmas break painting ceramic ornaments, while my mom baked gingerbread molasses cookies! My parents still have these ornaments on their tree every year!
mc.crafty.bunny(at)gmail(dot)com
December 6th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
This is so creative! Thanks for the opportunity!
December 6th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
When I bought my first house my first Christmas tree fell 4 times!I never put a tree up now that I don’t say a little prayer that it won’t fall down.
December 6th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Love that tree- thank you for the directions!!!!
My husband assembles the tree and puts the lights on and then my daughters and I add the ornaments- we try to do it the day after Thanksgivng — no black Friday for us! and this year we did! We love the lights at Christmas time!
December 6th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
O.M.G. Cutest thing EVER! As a kid I loved to lie under the decorated, lit tree and read “A Christmas Carol” by the light of the tree. Weird, I guess, but I loved it!
December 7th, 2009 at 12:41 am
I’m sure I’m late because I have no idea what time it is in California :D. But it’s worth a try and here’s my comment :D. I love the tree, I love everything about KR and can’t wait to start creating with my new kit! Hugs, Reija.
December 7th, 2009 at 3:58 am
Oh, how I would love to hang some vintage Christmas decorations from that tree!
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January 14th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
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