Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The story of 10 Christmas trees (starting with trees 1 through 3...warning: pic heavy)

Yes, I am insane. So hubs says. He wonders why anyone needs 10 Christmas trees.

I don't know how this all started. I've always loved c-mas ornaments. At some point, one tree just won't do. I had too many ornaments to fit on it.

I'm now at the point where I just don't have anymore room, unless I want to rearrange furniture. Which I don't. I'm one of those people who, if I decorate for the holidays, the decorations must fit into my regular decor. I don't want my house changed just for the sake of hanging up some holiday delights. I like my house to be as normal as possible, but simply highlighted with holiday cheer.

Currently I have:

1. The main tree, which features a hodge-podge of ornaments: those I made as a child, ornies given to me in swaps or as gifts, ornies that were on our tree growing up (which when my mother purged, they all came home with me), ornies from our vacations (every time we go somewhere, I buy an ornament representative of where we went, and when I unpack them each year, I'm reminded of our special vacations). I have a clear glass finial-thing as the topper.

We bought it when we lived in our last house. We had a good spot for it. In this house, there isn't a good spot for it, so it is in one of the dining room corners. The dining room faces the street, so you can see it from outside. Our first year here, I moved the table so that I could put the tree directly in front of the window, but it was too difficult to navigate when vacuuming. Now it sits in the corner.

2. Cardinal tree. This tree is my favorite. I have a giant cardinal as the tree topper. I also have clear glass "icicles," antique chandelier prisms, some red glittery ornament things and some cardinals in nests.

3. Dog tree. As I received dog ornaments over the years, I had too many to fit, and as much as I love animals, a tree dedicated to dogs only made sense. For the topper, I use Booger's stocking (Booger was our dog who passed away in 2004 from cancer). Last year, the dog tree was smaller, but I had too many ornaments and had to use a larger tree.

4. Drum tree. For hubs. All drum and music related ornaments. My mother gave me some vintage foil light surrounds (foil shapes you put around the c-mas tree lights to make the lights brighter), so those are new this year. The drum tree was smaller last year, but it was to capacity, so the ornaments were moved to a larger tree this year. For the topper, I use two felted drums.

5. White bird tree. This tree came with pine cones already attached. It used to house the cardinal ornaments until I got too many of those to fit. Right now, it has white bird ornaments, white poinsettias, white berry sprigs, some white glittery glass ornaments and clear glass "icicles." I have a large white poinsettia as the topper. Hubs says this is his favorite tree. I like it quite a bit, too.

6. Antique ornament tree. This tree is new this year. The actual tree isn't new (it was the former drum tree), but my mother gave me several boxes of vintage Shiny Bright brand ornaments, and I had a few of my own as well. I bought one the other day at an antique store for $1.50!!! It's from West Germany. I use an old vintage tree topper.

7. Kitchen tree. I simply put cinnamon ornaments on it, as well as beaded candy canes that were on our tree when we were kids. I think my mother may have made the candy canes when I was a baby.

8. Guest bathroom tree. I have miniature deer ornaments on it. I bought them a couple of years ago at a sample sale at work.

9. Guest room tree. Very simple, just miniature ornaments. Nothing fancy.

10. Master bedroom tree. Again, very simple with miniature ornaments. I used only silver and green so it would coordinate with our bedroom.

So. On that note, be prepared for an overload of mediocre, blurry pictures. You may notice I don't have any of my tree skirts down yet. But I will. After I vacuum.

And why is it that trees can look so pretty in person, but so crappy in pictures?!

Main tree.



Fish ornament from Port Aransas beach trip.



Glass snowflake.



Glass bat. A friend bought this for me when she was vacationing in Lake Tahoe. It also resides on my halloween tree.



Painted ceramic ball from another Port Aransas beach trip.



Glass ball from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands trip. It was hand-painted by a local artist. It's a beautiful hibiscus.



Another fish from another Port Aransas beach trip. I also have a cute sea horse ornament somewhere on the tree from Port A, too. (Can you tell, we love going to Port A).



Cardinal tree. I wish I could take a pic of each and every cardinal ornaments because they are all so unique and beautiful. But that would take decades to do.





One of my many antique chandelier prisms. Over the years, I've bought a few, and this past thanksgiving, my mother gave me all of hers.







This one is new this year. It was one of my birthday gifts from hubs.











Dog tree.

















Tomorrow I'll post the rest of the trees. Stay tuned! ;)

21 comments:

Pleasant Living said...

Oh man! 10 trees! That's a lot of work! I, too, love Christmas and themed trees! You have a knack for decorating them!

Shell in your Pocket said...

Oh my how fun!!!! What a festive home you have!
-sandy toes

Carry Grace said...

Wow! 10 trees! I can barely fit 1 tree in my house with moving everything around.

They are all beautiful!

Anonymous said...

I AM IN LOVE WITH YOUR TREES!!!!

I wish I could see them all close up and look at every single ornament.

That bat ornament is adorable! I also love the dog tree, I may have to start one next year.

I am a HUGE dog lover and have many dog ornaments too! I could dedicate it to my dear baby Carmen.

Thank you soooo much for all the pictures, I can't wait to see the rest!!!!

AJ said...

Woman you are crazy!! Putting lights on the Christmas tree usually makes me bitchy. Even though I am quite Scrooge-ish this year, hubby and I didn't get testy with each other. Might be a first. Go figure. BUT to put up that many trees! We'd probably kill each other:) Yours are so pretty though. Love your ornaments. And how cute is the dog tree! Your furbabies are well loved♥
Ok, just had to come back and say my word verifcation was "gleaked." Ewwww:)

Candy Allen - Junk Sophisticate said...

Wow! You're pretty amazing for this. Love your cardinal tree! That's Ohio's state bird so I'm partial to it. In fact I just bought a vintage tray with cardinals all over it but would love a tree filled with them.

Can't wait to see the rest!

Unknown said...

wow I have two but ten you go girl I love the dog tree!

Leah said...

ADORABLE! You are SO creative.

Sweet Simplicity said...

10 trees! That is the most I have ever heard of one person having. I love it! The cardinal tree is so pretty. And I love all the dog ornaments! Can't wait to see more pics!

Kristin Joy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shannon said...

I am so impressed with your energy!!! :) I love all the trees! They are so cute! You have some great ornaments! I can't wait to see the rest!

Liz Harrell said...

Whoa. My hat is off to you for Christmas spirit! It all looks fabulous, but where do you store it all?

Ashley said...

10 Trees??? Really??? Last year I put 3 trees up and thought that was quite an accomplishment! This year only one b/c we are going out of the country a week before Christmas and won't return til after New Years so what's the point. Gorgeous!

Ally's Corner said...

Well I have 4 trees.
Two of the 4 trees are in my girl’s rooms. My older one has a purple tree with music ornaments on it and my little one has a pink tree with dance ornaments on it. Our main tree has everything on it and we do like you do everytime we go somewhere we get an ornament.

Amy said...

I do the same thing with ornaments... we get one everytime we take a trip somewhere.... It's soo much fun remembering all the fun places!!!

Sunny said...

WHOA! kewlness! I have to say that the doxie ornie is my fave!!!!! gee...wonder why?!? ;)

Kristen said...

Wow! You should win an award for the most trees! They are beautiful!

Thrifty Decor Chick said...

Ten?? TEN???? You know what though, they are beautiful and I will have ten eventually, I'm sure, so I need to shut it. :) I love the cardinal tree!!

Thrifty Decor Chick said...

Ten?? TEN???? You know what though, they are beautiful and I will have ten eventually, I'm sure, so I need to shut it. :) I love the cardinal tree!!

Brittany said...

I love that you have 10 trees! My husband thinks my 7 are crazy, but I would love to have more if we had more room! I need some of those fish ornaments for my son's tree.

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