Vintage Ornaments & Handmade Stockings

Our family recently added a box of vintage ornaments to our eclectic collection of Christmas decor.  My husband's  relatives weren't interested in using the delicate items saved from a great grandparent's estate.  Several glass balls are stamped "Made in USA," and some also say "Shiny Brite."  A few little felt ornaments are apparently handmade by a great grandmother. 

Like many things passed down in families, these are not in perfect shape.  They were not packed away in mint condition, but rather the wear indicates they were used on a tree year after year.  I like the way it adds a narrative at tree trimming time to say that Great Grandma used to hang these on her Christmas tree.

I have just a couple of precious vintage ornaments similar to this from my side of the family.  The two are stamped "Poland."  I remember hanging them year after year, until the year my mother decided that we would decorate the tree only in white and blue, my father's favorite color.

I hope that someday my daughters will appreciate that I stitched each of them a Christmas stocking out of velvet and silk fabrics.  For the first one, I purchased most of the fabric and trim.  By the time the second one came along, I got more creative.  I reused the velvet from a maternity dress, along with silk remnants from Christmas dresses I had sewn the girls.  The angel's hair is made from a vintage piece of lace from my mother's sewing notions.