Feathered Friends Tree 2009

It’s another flocked Christmas tree, this one decorated with all sorts of birds.  Some are quite realistic, others are more naturalistic, all are very beautiful.  The decoration on this tree was completed by our talented custom floral department.  Enjoy!

2010 Feathered Friends Bird Tree

Did you notice the deer resting in the boughs of this Christmas tree?

 

My favorite, the adorable Snowy Owl!  Just above him to the right, notice the funny little birdy wearing a knit stocking cap.  He makes me giggle.

Look at this frosty star – it looks like it was made of slivers of ice.

One of my favorite vignettes in the tree, the snow-blanketed winter cabin.

Magnolia blossoms and pheasant feathers mingle comfortably with berry clusters and leafy vines in this imaginative haven for the birds of winter.

These trees just take my breath away, time after time!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

The Doll Tree

This beautiful, flocked tree is located in our doll area, and is loaded in pinks and greens and Christmas sparkle.  Here’s my challenge – it’s a fairly tall tree to begin with, and they have seated it in an antique baby crib which adds another three feet of height, and the angel on the top reaches the second floor ~ she needs her own spotlight!  I hope you will get a feel for its beauty in this series of pictures.

As I was taking pictures, one subtlety I noticed is the use of brown in the color scheme.  It doesn’t jump out at you, but it really enhances the richness of the softer pinks and greens.  Now that I’ve mentioned it, do you notice the brown bead garlands and ornaments included on the tree?

Here’s a view from above.  That’s not a hula hoop, that’s the top rim of the crib.  What a creative way to display a tree  in your nursery or anywhere in your home – if your ceilings are high enough - you can fit plenty of presents right under the crib!

Birds and butterflies, rocking horses, tiny dolls, tea cups, hearts, and stars are just a few of the ornaments on the tree.  The most astonishing thing ~one designer decorated it in one day!  Here are a few close-up images – this is a pretty glitzy tree.

Of course, with this abundance of glittery pink ornamentation, it’s a very feminine style.  Not to worry, men, my next tree will be just for you.  Yes, JUST for you.  Trust me, ladies.  Something the men will appreciate.

~ Janet @ The Christmas Place

Cardinal Christmas Tree

Another work of breathtaking beauty from the design team!  They spent almost as much time on the ceiling around the tree as they did on the tree itself; it’s filled with branches and birds ~ including some darling miniature owls ~ and dripping with frosty fringe and icicles.

First, a picture of the blank canvas, with just a few cardinals alluding to what’s to come.

The ceiling ornamentation is already in place.

My favorite owl!

Add a few bits and bobs to that flocked tree, maybe a couple of yards of ribbon and a pair of deer, and voila! ~ you have a masterpiece!

Cardinal Theme Christmas Tree

It really takes your breath away!  Here are a few close-up pictures.  On the other side of the tree from the image above, you’ll find a delicate white birdcage, dripping with red crystals.  Notice that they have used really large silk poinsettias as additional focal points on the tree.

In addition to a wide variety of cardinal ornaments and cardinal light strands, you’ll also find doves, snowmen, Santas, and snow girls throughout the tree – everything in red and white, of course.  We like to mix in fabric and glass pieces, hand-painted ornaments, and a variety of berries and leaves.

Now that’s a frosty tree for the middle of summer!  I love those frozen pine cones, and the way the lights on the tree glow through the snow-covered needles.

I’m off roaming with my camera for the next tree to show off.  Please let us know if you have questions about any of the decorations you see here – we  add things in the store faster than we are able to get them onto the web, of course!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday Part II

Here are pictures of a couple of the new floral stems being used in the Vintage Christmas tree.  Just take your time looking at the photos and the details will start to come out for you.

First, the luscious geranium, placed in the tree next to Santa, with a glittering red dove ornament and fern stem.  It is the contrast of surface finishes, shiny and matte, satiny and glittery, that bring it all together in complementary style.

Gold-tipped Geranium

Next, the gorgeous, metallic velvet holly with contrasting shiny globes and naturalistic berries on the same stem.  We’ve used primarily gold accents here, but this holly will also work well with silver themes.

Metallic Holly

Remember, when it comes to adding decorations to the Christmas tree, more is almost always going to be better (and it may not be possible to ever have too much sparkle…well, maybe)!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday

So many trees, so little time to take pictures!  How can I keep up when they are decorating over three in a week?  Here are a couple of the beautiful floral elements they are incorporating into today’s Vintage Christmas tree design.

These beautiful silk geranium blossoms vary in color from lighter to deeper red, and some of the petals are tipped in gold leaf – gorgeous!

Geranium Stem with gold leaf tips

These beautiful holly stems have a golden-green leaf color and are accented with bright metallic red berries in among the natural berries.  Another beautiful choice.

Holly Stem with metallic finish

As always, the store is filled with a colorful and imaginative array of floral stems for Christmas 2009.  I’m continually impressed with the way our designers mix elements in our trees.  As soon as they remove the ladders and red ribbon keeping me from getting close to the current work in progress, I’ll post some photo examples of their stylish choices.

Are you thinking red and green?  blue and white? burgundy and gold and silver?  purple and lime green and lipstick pink?  You know we have what you need to satisfy that color craving, and I look forward to sharing more ideas with you!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday

Okay, I have two for this Tuesday, and barely five minutes ago I spotted a customer carrying one of my two for next Tuesday, already!  And the warehouse has been overwhelmed this week with incoming boxes of bright and shiny NEW that I just can’t wait to see and share with you.

I just love the artistry of these wonderful ornamental birds, painted with Christmas sayings.   There are three Canada goose poses, both standing and sitting, and different sayings.

Just beautiful, and they would be noticed anywhere around the house at Christmas - on a side table, a mantle, tucked onto an open shelf.

There are treasures everywhere you turn in the store!  (Thank goodness we have a lot of turning space…)

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Last Two Weeks for 20% Off!

Just want to remind everyone that there are only two weeks remaining in our on-line sale ~ 20% off almost everything!

Plenty of people have been shopping early and getting some great deals on Christmas ornaments, trees, and all kinds of decorations.  My guess is that they are buying things now to pack up along with last year’s things, instead of having to find a place to store new stuff and remember where it is next December.  That’s what I’ve been doing, anyway.  That is, assuming I do get around to putting my stuff away.  Some of the bits and bobs that I’ve picked up this year I want to keep out year round!

Also, for our Department 56 collectors, we have just introduced free shipping on all orders over $100!  That’s a wonderful savings, especially if you’re buying a house or two and the accompanying accessories.  The 2009 new releases are up on our site for pre-ordering (the inventory doesn’t come in until late spring or early summer).

This is your chance to enjoy saving money on next Christmas!

Life is good – it’s a gorgeous, sunny day, a tad chilly, but something to celebrate nonetheless!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday

We’ll be celebrating the new year in just a few short hours, so I had to go looking for sparkling things today, and I love these ultra-close images – hope you enjoy them, too!  First, a few silk and velvet flowers and Christmas ornaments for the tree, and then a charming Winter Fairy Christmas decoration.

Velvet Magnolia Blossom

Velvet and Gilt Ornament

Velvet Poinsettia Blossom

Winter Fairy

I hope your New Year’s Eve is a magical one!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Winterfest in Sevier County

Winterfest 2008-09 has begun in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg.  Each year, the three communities display hundreds of lighted holiday decorations throughout the area, and loads of people drive through after dark to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season.  In addition, there are many community events including parades, live performances, a story telling festival, hay rides with Santa, and appearances by local celebrities, to fill the days until Christmas.

The lights continue to glow through February, and there are more activities in the new year.  In January, we celebrate the 19th Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week with free guided hikes, walks, and lectures all about the flora and fauna in the beautiful Smokies.  In February, it’s the 9th Annual Saddle Up! celebration of western life and culture, a week filled with Western music, cowboy poetry, story telling, and action entertainment all over town.

Here in Pigeon Forge, over five million lights are in place - more than enough to delight the kid in everyone – try the Trolley Tour of Lights for an easy ride through town.  Gatlinburg offers a trolley tour of their displays as well.  While you’re touring, be sure to enjoy holiday displays of trees and decorations at many local businesses – especially ours, of course.  We’ve filled our store courtyard and all the trees at the hotel with thousands of blue and colored LED lights, and are quite sparkly and festive after dark!

Click here or here for more information about Winterfest 2008-09.

We are having a lot of fun as it gets closer to Christmas – everyone is ready to celebrate the holiday, and create a little cheer to round out this year.  We’ve continued to receive new merchandise at the store every day, and we carry such a variety of Christmas decorations, from traditional to rustic and contemporary to whimsical, that it is impossible not to find something to fall in love with for your Christmas tree, hearth or front door.

We hope you’re looking forward to Christmas and anticipating the special magic and feeling of joy and peace that Christmas can bring to a home and a community.

Life is good!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place