Archive for February, 2010

Amazing World Globe Ornaments

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Unique Christmasphere™ ornaments are the prettiest learning tool ever!

     

Whether you are introducing geography to a class of fifth graders, or you want to impress your boss with a unique desk ornament, you will enjoy visiting World Globe Universe and choosing a patented globe ornament in your favorite color.  The handblown ornaments are an appropriate gift for almost any age and occasion, and they reflect your interest in the world and education.  With dozens of hanging globe ornaments in a variety of colors and sizes, you may decide to do all of your birthday shopping for the year.  Having a generically wrapped World Globe Ornament on hand is a super idea for unexpected or forgotten occasions,  and buying an extra globe ornament might just save you a frantic rush to the mall someday.  Keep extra ornaments available to present to graduates, teachers, or for anyone that you want to say “thank you” to in a special way. 

 Designed and crafted in the USA, each Christmasphere™ ornament is hand silk-screened on the interior surface for long-lasting beauty. The  special process of blowing each sphere gives the colorful ornament the look of glass with the strength and durability of acrylic.  You can complete your gift with a  graceful display stand to show off the heirloom quality ornament. 

The Gemstone Christmas Globes™ are also earth themed ornaments and are available exclusively at World Globe Universe.  Each of these Magellan ornaments are meticulously handcrafted with semiprecious gemstones, and each stone is cut by the artisans to resemble the continent it represents. After the continent stones are affixed to the sphere, the resin based oceans, latitude, longitude and place names are added and the entire globe is sealed in a transparent, high gloss polymer coating. Presented in a beautiful gift box, the total effect is stunning, and there are more than a dozen colors and color combinations of gemstone globe ornaments from which to choose.

Article and images used with permission from WorldGlobeU.com.

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How to Make Valentines Ornaments

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Create fun and inexpensive holiday ornaments for every holiday.

                

With all of the hustle and bustle of the December and January holidays in the past, it’s time to think about Valentine’s Day and the ornaments that can be made for a Valentine’s Day tree!  Valentine’s Day decorations and ornaments are growing in popularity, and kids have always enjoyed making Valentine’s Day gifts for classmates and friends.  This year, why not spend an afternoon with your children creating Valentine’s Day ornaments that are fun and inexpensive?    

Valentine’s Day ornaments do not have to be elaborate to be beautiful.  In fact, one of the latest techniques is to create these ornaments out of recycled materials!  Using things you have around the house or buying recycled art supplies can be a fun and inexpensive way to encourage creativity.    Here are a few ideas for items you may have around the house that can make for beautiful Valentine’s Day ornaments.

  1. Yarn (left over from a knitting project or other misc.);   
  2. Tissue paper (check in some of the gift boxes you saved from Christmas);
  3. Old greeting cards (Valentine’s or not);
  4. Candles (melt the wax and use as glue);
  5. Ribbon and/or bows (check those Christmas gift boxes again);
  6. Newspapers or magazines (paper mache is so much fun).

The options are really limitless!  Get creative and have fun.  Making Valentine’s Day ornaments is a wonderful way to spend a cold, wintry afternoon with your children.  Once you’ve got a variety of ornaments, decorate a Valentine’s Day tree and give the rest away as gifts.  At the end of February, be sure to store the ornaments in a safe place so you can enjoy them next year!

Article and images used with permission from UltimateChristmas.com.

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Butterfly Ornaments for Your Pretty Garden

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Add color to wedding showers or Easter baskets with butterfly ornaments.

 

ButterflyBuzz.com is a non-profit organization for people who love butterflies, and a portion of their sales is donated to the North American Butterfly Association to help with butterfly conservation. They have several glass ornaments that are handpainted with butterflies and dragonflies, and these are all presented very nicely in plush gift boxes. ButterflyBuzz.com also offers handcast pewter butterfly ornaments and even butteryfly hair ornaments and jewelry.

We really like the idea of a Christmas tree decorated with beautiful Lifelike Butterfly ornaments. These beautiful ornaments are made from a durable plastic polymer, come with a gold braid hanger attached and ready for hanging. Because the topside and underside of the wings have markings just like a real butterfly, they can be viewed from the front or back. You may have a hard time distinguishing these unique ornaments from real live butterflies.

The Lifelike Butterfly ornaments definitely are ornaments to be displayed year round, and would make a nice gift to enclose in a card or just to leave on someone’s desk as a special surprise. Use the Lifelike Butterfly ornaments to add a thoughtful touch to Easter baskets or attach the darling butterfly ornaments to the ribbon on a birthday gift.  At only $5.95 each, you can stock up now and use the multi-colored ornaments as unique stocking stuffers at Christmas, wedding favors, or fancy table decorations. 

Article and images used with permission from ButterflyBuzz.com

 

 

 

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Signature Ornaments by Gorky Gonzalez

Monday, February 1st, 2010

The ceramic ornaments are handcrafted in the studio of Gorky Gonzalez

 in Guanajuato, Mexico.

The colorful handcrafted and handpainted ceramic ornaments can be purchased online at La Casa Mexicana for $18 each.  The ornament supply is limited, so hurry if you want to add several Christmas ornaments or spring ornaments to your ornament collection.  The Gonzalez studio produces ornaments for many occasions and the red and green or red and blue heart ornaments are just perfect for a Valentines Day gift.

As the son of sculptor Rodolfo Gonzalez,  ornament artist Gorky Gonzalez  studied sculpture and casting objects in bronze and lost wax with his father. Later he worked in the village San Miguel de Allende at the School of Arts and the Allende Institute, where he built an artistic foundry attended by both student and professional sculptors.

Gonzalez also founded a small workshop of terra cotta manufacturing in the village of Marfil where he reproduced Jean Byron’s designs. His main interest, however, has always been rescuing the traditional majolica. Majolica refers to a type of pottery that is glazed with tin oxide to produce a soft white color.  Intricate designs are painted on the background with other metallic oxides.  These handpainted designs often change colors when the pottery is fired, making each ornament unique.   The name Majolica actually comes from the Spanish island of Majorca, where this style of pottery was exported to Italy beginning in the 15th century.

Currently, Gorky Gonzalez works with his son in his studio in Mexico where they continue to produce unique majolica ceramic ornaments.  You will want to see more of his ornaments as well as many of his other designs and creations at La Casa Mexicana.  You can also learn more about majolica and other Mexican handcrafted art on Wikepedia.

Article and images used with permission from LaCasaMexicana.com

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