• Home
  • about emily
  • before + after
  • HGTV + DIY Network
  • good press
  • contact
  • Let’s Organize These Posts:

    • Art Attack
    • Backyard
    • Barn
    • Basement
    • Bathroom
    • Beach
    • Bedrooms
    • Being Thrifty
    • Business-y
    • Buying and Renting and Selling
    • Casual Celebrations
    • Closets
    • Curb Appeal
    • Dainty Details
    • Deck
    • Decor
    • Dining Room
    • DIY
    • Dog-Related
    • Entryway
    • Flooring
    • For the Kids
    • Garage
    • Gardening
    • Helping The Economy
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects
    • Holiday-Related Projects
    • Home Safety
    • Kitchen
    • Lighting
    • Living Room
    • Merry Travels
    • Office Space
    • Organized
    • Other Pads
    • Outdoor Living
    • Scooter Fun
    • Stairwell
    • Sunroom
    • Supporting Sponsors
    • The Art Room
    • Tools
    • Uncategorizable
    • Wedding
    • Windows
    • Work-pads
  • Search

  • Hi, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle.

    You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

  • BROWSE POSTS BY CATEGORY:

    • Art Attack (7)
    • Backyard (92)
    • Barn (8)
    • Basement (27)
    • Bathroom (43)
    • Beach (13)
    • Bedrooms (73)
    • Being Thrifty (53)
    • Business-y (12)
    • Buying and Renting and Selling (23)
    • Casual Celebrations (36)
    • Closets (17)
    • Curb Appeal (44)
    • Dainty Details (8)
    • Deck (23)
    • Decor (286)
    • Dining Room (37)
    • DIY (577)
    • Dog-Related (24)
    • Entryway (59)
    • Flooring (58)
    • For the Kids (32)
    • Garage (17)
    • Gardening (70)
    • Helping The Economy (30)
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects (283)
    • Holiday-Related Projects (80)
    • Home Safety (12)
    • Kitchen (83)
    • Lighting (31)
    • Living Room (77)
    • Merry Travels (21)
    • Office Space (21)
    • Organized (41)
    • Other Pads (14)
    • Outdoor Living (12)
    • Scooter Fun (8)
    • Stairwell (20)
    • Sunroom (22)
    • Supporting Sponsors (43)
    • The Art Room (3)
    • Tools (43)
    • Uncategorizable (1)
    • Wedding (28)
    • Windows (14)
    • Work-pads (10)
  • Search

  • Pages

    • blog
    • Merrypad Features
    • Privacy Policy
    • about emily
    • before + after
      • before + after, our current home
      • before + after, our first house
    • contact me
    • choose a badge and share the merrypad.com love
  • Home
  • about emily
  • before + after
  • HGTV + DIY Network
  • good press
  • contact

2011 Tree Ornament Par-tay

November 30, 2011

Last year, I gave a mini overview of all of the ornaments I had accumulated over the year (you can read that post here). Keeping in tradition, I’m happy to show you a bunch of new treasures that I added to my collection over the last 12-months.

Recap: I’m big on ornaments with meaning. Bring on the assorted colors. The unmatched. The handmade. If my tree had a theme, it’d be a Patchwork Quilt. I don’t ever see myself over-thinking a tree theme or creating a new theme year-to-year, because as much as I think those trees are totally lovely, it’s just not my free-form style. I bought a mini tree with roots this year so that I can plop it into the backyard when I’m through, but dressed, it always looks just about the same as any other tree I’ve bought.

Mini-tree happies.

There are new ornaments though. It wouldn’t be a new year without a few new pieces of trimming to blue-spruce-up the place.

This year, I bought two new ornaments from Etsy shops:

Amber Perrodin wow-ed me with these handmade porcelain treasures, crafted by dipping a dried myrtle branch into a handmade paper-clay porcelain. Her technique still makes me scratch my head in astonishment. I had to have one for my collection. The glossy, distinctive ornament that arrived in the mail last fall is precious (it’s been on display on one of my dining room built-in shelves since it’s arrival). Delicate, ornate, clean, it’s probably the one I’m most concerned about Cody’s tail thwacking and destroying.

Porcelain ornament by Amber Perrodin.

I also bought a handmade ceramic Yeti from Meg at Red & Main; she graciously hand-delivered it to me while she was in Rochester recently (we got coffee together, bonus). The little guy is a total stud. I’ve coveted her work since she opened her shop last spring, and the ornament version of my favorite Yeti-concept is a perfect addition to my tree.

Yeti!

I’ve actually been cradling it in my palm since it was delivered on Saturday, as if it was my lucky charm. Look at it’s cute little glazed backside, squeal.

Yeti!

I also stocked up on vacation:

I usually try and pick up ornaments from significant destinations; I’ve already shown this sparkly, bright ornament bought during our trip to Mexico (among other items here). I’m so glad to have those bright colors out of storage.

Mexico ornament, 2011.

It only seemed right to include a bunch of Pete’s ornaments on the tree too.

He moved them all into my attic last spring, and I thought they’d fit right in. We’ve got a bird, a bee, and a pig, symbolic letters (for Pete and Julia), J’s own handmade crafties, the Disney Princesses, and some artful Ukranian eggs, among other things.

A collection of Pete's ornaments.

We also made a few impulse purchases at Target on Black Friday.

I picked out a $3 owl because it reminded me loosely of a seasonal decor piece from West Elm. What can I say, it had its eyes on me:

Pretty Target Owl.

And Pete’s girl picked out a set of new ornaments for the tree too. Lovely. Although I am surprised she didn’t want the Spiderman ornament that she was delicately carrying throughout the holiday section.

Target hearts. Lovely.

We’ve also acquired a few new pieces from yard sales and family members; because I like to have just a few of each variety, we graciously accept no more than 2 from each offered set and put them aside for our own tree. These gold ones are new-to-us this year.

Gold sparklies.

Also new to the tree is a DIY tin foil garland strand, meticulously assembled and draped in all of 20 minutes thanks to a needle and a piece of black thread (I should note that 12 minutes of the 20 consisted of me untangling knots from the beaded thread when I dropped it, so be more attentive to your strand). So simple, the shiny and less dog-appetizing alternative to strung popcorn.

Tree garland with foil and string.

DIY tin foil garland happiness.

The tree’s totally alive with warmth.

Pretty tree.

Birds, lights, yetis, tin foil.

Any other Patchwork Tree fans out there? 

Psst, if you missed it, I interviewed Amber (here) and Meg (here) in 2011 as part of my Workpad series. Meet both of them now if you want to learn more about their inspiration and + their work.

Share

Decor  / Holiday-Related Projects

Emily
I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

14 Comments


Katrina
November 30, 2011 at 9:47 am
Reply

Adorable! I love having ornaments with little stories behind them & your tin foil garland looks great. We’re decorating our tree this weekend and I’m looking forward to using some vintage nursery rhyme ornaments I scored from my parents while they were getting rid of some clutter this summer. Other than that, it will be lots of ornaments from our various travels & whatever else the munchkin picks out – definitely patchwork!



    Emily
    November 30, 2011 at 10:14 am

    Vintage fun! I always keep an eye out for pretty antique ornaments at garage sales (but they’re usually not in good condition, sad face). Love a nice patchwork tree, Katrina!

ethan@OPC
November 30, 2011 at 10:12 am
Reply

I love the yeti! Maybe I’ll peruse Etsy a bit to find some new ornaments. Jocie is thinking about trying to make a sort of “hang a bunch of ornaments from string to make the shape of a tree” thingy. Should be pretty cool.



    Emily
    November 30, 2011 at 10:35 am

    Love that concept and have seen some great ones executed! It’d definitely be a fun holiday accent even if it wasn’t the main tree and was just used to decorate a secondary space in the house (I’m also the kind of girl who wants trees in every room). Can’t wait to see if you try it!

Meg @ Redandmain
November 30, 2011 at 10:15 am
Reply

Your little potted tree is as awesome as I knew it would be! I know your little Yeti-man is totally stoked about his new digs. Thanks for the gorgeous photos and the awesome feature, Emily!



    Emily
    November 30, 2011 at 10:37 am

    Thanks Meg! Yeti’s a real charmer + he’s going to be one of those ornaments that never gets fully packed away at the end of the holidays. Thanks again!

Cait @ Hernando House
November 30, 2011 at 10:50 am
Reply

We are definitely the patchwork-tree kind of people. Lots of colorful Hallmark ornaments from my mom over the years, and one that have meaning to us.

I love the idea of a tinfoil garland! You had me at “shiny and less dog-appetizing”, haha.



Strep
November 30, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Reply

The Repp family tree is ALWAYS patchwork. I can’t imagine it any other way. Also, the ‘rents like to still hang the ornaments I made 20+ years ago with my preschool and kindergarten pics in them.



    Emily
    November 30, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    Those are my favorites – the ones with discolored construction paper and rough, tough glitter like how they made it in 1989.

Condo Blues
November 30, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Reply

I’m a patchwork tree gal too. Every ornament on our tree has a story. They are my favorite part of decorating for the holidays.



Arlene
November 30, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Reply

I love doing a mix and match tree too! We don’t have any box-set ornaments, ours are all from different places because I always try to get one when we go on vacation too =) And I love the aluminum foil garland– that is definitely happening at my house this year!



Colleen B.
November 30, 2011 at 7:21 pm
Reply

All beautiful! You’ll need a bigger tree next year!



    Emily
    November 30, 2011 at 8:09 pm

    I was thinking the same thing! How big would the root ball be on an 8-ft tree? :)

DIY Wooden Tree Topper | merrypad
December 16, 2011 at 12:18 am
Reply

[…] the new mini, fully adorned with fun ornaments, white lights, and tin foil garland really needed a topper. Unlike some trees I’ve had in the […]



Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • HI, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. Follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

  • Instagram

    The 2020 pumpkin will not quit. #garden2020 #homeg The 2020 pumpkin will not quit. #garden2020 #homegrown #realtime
    Curbside finds and dinner outside ☀️ Curbside finds and dinner outside ☀️
    Should I just, like, plunk this whole cabbage in t Should I just, like, plunk this whole cabbage in the ground and see what happens? 
.
.
Would I really get a small cabbage from each shoot? There are seven shoots, and they seem healthy after growing all winter in my garage 🤦🏻‍♀️ 
.
.
Might it grow well in a container?
.
.
#garden2021 #cabbage #gardenquestions
    Getting a late start on the garden wishlist: Tomat Getting a late start on the garden wishlist: Tomatoes, thyme, and tomatillos, banana peppers, basil, and blueberries, parsley, peas, and maybe potatoes, and garlic-garlic-garlic? 🧄🧄🧄 ~8” of snow still holding steady on a 65-degree day. #garden2021 #merrypadathome #gardening #rochesterny
    Can’t believe I ever bought dumpling wrappers. 🥟 Pulse a few cups of flour in the food processor drizzling in cold water until it forms dough. Roll smooth. Use a conveniently large cookie cutter, or just trim out squares. The end ❤️ #hny #dumplings
    Didn’t think I’d be making more masks, but her Didn’t think I’d be making more masks, but here we are (now feat. recycled t-shirt layer for added softness and bonus-layer protection). #diy #amateurseamstress #diymask
    Get out there ☀️ Get out there ☀️
    The gang finally showed up. 👻 The gang finally showed up. 👻
    A record 233 cloves + 10 shallots 🧛🏻‍♀️ 
#merrypadathome #garden2021 #garlic #gardennotes #whatisnormal
    Load More... follow emily: @merrypad



  • Like Us On Facebook

    Facebook Pagelike Widget



  • Popular Posts

    • How to fix an IKEA drawer. Cheap IKEA Drawers (And The Quick Fix) 42.3k views
    • DIY sideboard rehab. Our Refinished Midcentury Buffet 41.8k views
    • How to design and make a barn quilt. How to Make Your Own Barn Quilt 34.7k views
    • DIY driveway removal. The Driveway Rocks 26.4k views
    • How to hang art on brick surfaces using specialty clips. The Easy Way to Hang Art on Brick or Stone 25.6k views
    • Goodbye, gold fireplace covering. Less Is More: How to Remove a Fireplace Surround 23.1k views
    • Our DIY flagstone patio. Building a Patio in One Day 20.5k views
    • Bedroom paint, freshened up with Snowbound paint. Painting Everything White: We Chose Snowbound, By Sherwin Williams 17.1k views
    • Tips for dying pasta different colors, and a Halloween Recipe for the kids. Tips for Dying Pasta Different Colors (+ A Special Halloween Recipe) 15.6k views
    • Fix an ikea dresser drawer. Life Support For An IKEA Dresser 15.6k views



  • BROWSE POSTS BY CATEGORY:

    • Art Attack (7)
    • Backyard (92)
    • Barn (8)
    • Basement (27)
    • Bathroom (43)
    • Beach (13)
    • Bedrooms (73)
    • Being Thrifty (53)
    • Business-y (12)
    • Buying and Renting and Selling (23)
    • Casual Celebrations (36)
    • Closets (17)
    • Curb Appeal (44)
    • Dainty Details (8)
    • Deck (23)
    • Decor (286)
    • Dining Room (37)
    • DIY (577)
    • Dog-Related (24)
    • Entryway (59)
    • Flooring (58)
    • For the Kids (32)
    • Garage (17)
    • Gardening (70)
    • Helping The Economy (30)
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects (283)
    • Holiday-Related Projects (80)
    • Home Safety (12)
    • Kitchen (83)
    • Lighting (31)
    • Living Room (77)
    • Merry Travels (21)
    • Office Space (21)
    • Organized (41)
    • Other Pads (14)
    • Outdoor Living (12)
    • Scooter Fun (8)
    • Stairwell (20)
    • Sunroom (22)
    • Supporting Sponsors (43)
    • The Art Room (3)
    • Tools (43)
    • Uncategorizable (1)
    • Wedding (28)
    • Windows (14)
    • Work-pads (10)





  • a little bit of everything, friends, DIY, and inspiration

    • Dadand.com < My husband and his BFF
    • DIY Network
    • HGTV
  • Get Posts Via Email

  • Some Legal

    Merrypad incorporates the occasional affiliate link to Amazon.com and Minted; we link to many other websites and products, but if it is in context of a paid sponsorship, it is always noted as such. Please review the privacy policy and contact me if you have any additional questions.

    Theme customized by Pete Fazio Creative, the guy from dadand.com.


© Copyright Merrypad