Glass Bead Christmas Tree

This is a re-post from a few years ago.

My mother in law gave me a glass bead Christmas tree kit that she had purchased nearly a decade ago.  It was a Christmas Tree made from wire and glass beads. The kit had a few ornaments and a wood base and a glass dome and hundreds of miles of wire and glass beads. The branches took a very long time to try and get into place and attach to a wire armature.   I added a few items including a string of working lights.  I hid the battery pack in the giant red present.  The lights are by Lemax and I was disappointed that they are not very bright.  I used a some antique ribbon that I found in an old building nearly 25 years ago in Nevada.  I believe it dates from the 1920's.  

Here are all the items under the glass dome.  I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Nativities

My mother-in-law has been collecting nativity sets since the 1960's.  Her collection includes sets from all over the world.  Some have great sentimental value while others have great stories to go along with them. This year she has them on display all over her house.  I thought I would share some of them with you.

This set is from Mexico

This is a set that was sold by AVON

This set has a Native American Theme

This set is carved from volcanic ash from the Mt St Helen eruption in 1980

This set was purchased on a trip to Germany

This set is made from blown glass

This is a wall hanging by Willow Tree

This is a large Jim Shore piece

This is a Jim Shore nativity Set

This nativity is made from a laser cutter 

This beautiful hand painted nativity came from Russia and stands about a foot tall 

This nesting doll nativity set also came from Russia

This small hinged nativity stands only a couple of inches tall

This set is actually ceramic but the glaze looks like pewter

This nativity is one of my favorites.  Each piece is about a 12" tall

This set is from Mexico

She made this nativity in a ceramics class

This is one of her first sets from the 1960's

This set was purchased on QVC

These metal figures stand over 1 foot tall

This is a large ceramic tile that has been engraved and sits on a easel 

This large ceramic nativity stands over a foot tall and was a gift from her daughter

This acrylic nativity stands about a foot tall

This piece is a handmade music box from a friend

This snowman themed nativity has a matching table runner and matching place mats

This nativity is very small and came from Russia

This small bell is carved from Myrtle wood which only grows the northwest United States

This nativity came from Peru

The paper mache set had a great story and the pieces stand almost a foot tall and it dates from the late 1970's.  The set was a display at a drug store.  Her husband was in a horrible automobile accident and each time she want to the pharmacy, she would admire the set.  After Christmas, she went in to pick up a prescription and saw that the set was gone.  The pharmacist gave her the prescription and a large box.  He said, "I noticed you admiring this set.  Merry Christmas"

This is actually a large snow globe

My daughter brought this nativity back from a mission trip to Tonga.
It is made from coconuts, palm tree parts and sea shells.

This nativity is actually a glass block filled with Christmas lights.