Nature Themed Ornaments for Christmas.

Nature themed Christmas decorations can be displayed all year.

This year, once again, I went beyond the traditional red and green holiday themes on wood slice ornaments. Actually, I also went beyond the pet portraits I most often paint on wood slices.

At first, I was thinking I might paint only bees on each of the ornaments but you know me…I need variety. As the client let me decide what to paint on the four ornaments she ordered, I went with butterflies and bees, dragonflies, and hollyhocks. The client ordered whimsical poinsettias from me last year.

While painting, I let my imagination run wild.

What would a tree look like completely filled with the wood slices I am painting?

What if we added dried orange slices, maybe some baby’s breath, cinnamon sticks, eucalyptus leaves along with red beads, and perhaps other handmade decorations along with the wood slice ornaments? This daydreaming gives me ideas for future trees...

I heard on the radio that the minimalist tree is out. In 2024, the best trimmed trees are the ones that are stuffed with trinkets and baubles of all sorts.

What do you think? Do you prefer an airy tree or one that is trimmed to the hilt?

Crystals and sparkles added for interest.

Once the wood slices are painted, I add embellishments: Swarovski crystals on the delicate flowers above the golden butterfly, and a variety of different sparkles on each of the other three ornaments. They all received two coats of Liquitex Gloss Varnish as protection against dust before delivery.

And I can easily imagine a tree decorated with all the wood ornaments this client has purchased from me in the past. (see Three Feline Amigos and Pretty Poinsettia Ornaments, as examples). I can also imagine conversations that might be had around the tree. reminiscing about the various pets and their quirky behaviours. (Kit Kat the Crazy Choir Cat.)

Favourite Christmas ornaments.

Wouldn’t you agree that the best decorations are the ones that bring to mind pleasant memories?

Ceramic reindeer, wood rabbit and geese were bought from Mary Maxim (Canada) long ago and painted and glued together by little hands. As I open a box containing these treasures, memories of a day when the children and I spent a morning listening to carols and crafting come to mind.

Hand painted by my children, these Mary Maxim ornaments are precious mementos.

And yet other Christmas ornaments are also preciously stored as reminders of loved ones who left us long ago.

Vintage glass ornaments.

For example, these colourful vintage glass ornaments belonged to my Italian grandmother and were passed along to me from my mother. My grandmother once had quite a collection of fancy glass ornaments, but they are so very fragile that many were broken over time. As a result, my mother inherited only a small amount of the wonderful assortment Nonni once had.

Hand embroidered Christmas banner.

Finally, my mother finished this project for me a few years before she died. It is another treasured keepsake that I display in my home around Christmas.

I would love to hear about your favourite Christmas decoration.

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. (Agnes Pharo, 1904-1985).