Shiny Brite

 Our daughter Jen set up a tree filled with Shiny Brites as a Christmas surprise. ( Her Christmas surprises always make me cry.) Jen is very thoughtful and always does everything to make us feel right at home during the Winter. 

The tree sits out in the game playing area, where Far Guy woodcarves and I put together puzzles.  We enjoyed the tree every day. 

It was so much fun to see all the special ornaments on a tree again...it has been awhile since they were on a tree and appreciated!  

We undecorated the tree and put away the ornaments a few days ago...thanks Jen for one more Shiny Brite Christmas.  Hopefully is is the beginning of a Shiny Brite New Year:)

Far Side

Cataracts and stuff

 Far Guy had an eye appointment, he has cataracts...he wants to WAIT to get them taken care of.  I couldn't wait to have my cataract surgery.  I could see so much better.  He got a new prescription for glasses. 

We are making progress selling some of some Christmas Shiny Brites and some of the old woodcarvings that were stuck in a drawer.  Less for someone else to sort through some day. 

The Shiny Brites were especially hard to get rid of...they were like treasured old friends. 

We still have one Christmas tree and lots of decorations...not sure what for.  We are not doing much for decorating around here.  

Christmas card report: 16 more were finished drying so the total is now 95.  Yeah me...I am getting tired of watercoloring!  I usually listen/watch sappy Christmas movies while I paint. 

Far Guy has completed the Christmas letter! 

Far Side

Shiny Brite Christmas Eve

 I have many memories of the Shiny Brite tree.  I enjoyed decorating it every year.  

It has been a long time since I searched and purchased a new ornament. 

Here are two of my favorite ornaments.

See how the light is reflected off the tree in the background...Shiny and Brite! 

This ornament was a gift from Edie, it was originally an ornament that my second grade teacher had on her tree. 

I wish everyone a Shiny Brite Christmas Eve!

Far Side

Shiny Brite

The Shiny Brite tree is still up. 

I am still enjoying it.  I think about all the people in my life that are represented on this tree.  So many.  Far Guy, Chance, Jen, Madeline, Grace, Lillian, Susan, Sandy, Hazel, Edie, Kay, Rae, JoLynn, Cyndi, Leann, Mildred, Minnie, Tom and Linda.

The tree may come down this weekend when we are having a snowstorm...we will see.

I suppose I should undecorate the spinning wheel too.  These garage sale Shiny Brites and the Shiny Brite Card from my friend Mildred have been up for about 13 months now.  I have dusted around them:)

I was at the Thrift Shop the other day...they were having a Christmas Sale...so I went to "just look"  well...

It seems I failed miserably at just looking.  This Hot Pink Shiny Brite Tree Topper came home with me ...for 27 cents who could resist?  NOT ME!

I did not "sort" yesterday. Appointments were accomplished and a trip to the grocery store and out to lunch at our favorite place.   I did not go to Bingo it was just too cold to go out again in the evening.

Our high was a brief -2 for a minute or two and then went lower ...officially the high was -5 F or -21 C  the low was -26 F or -32 C  eh! ...just another balmy day in Minnesnowda. (Too cold to snow!) Didya know that the snow squeaks differently under your snow boots at different temperatures?  It surely does.

 Far Side

Unexpected

We went on an adventure on Saturday afternoon. 
 Not far from home and just a short adventure before nap time.

Anyways...along the way I noticed something strange. On our way back we stopped for a photo.

Do you see it?

How about now?  A Shiny Brite tree along the road!    There are no houses nearby. 
Someone probably wanted to make people smile.  And it worked.

Far Side

Christmas Eve

I will let the Shiny Brites speak for themselves.

Red

Bright Pink

Soft Blue

Unsilvered Shiny Brites

These WWII era Shiny Brites are not flashy and shiny because silver nitrate was used in the war effort so ornaments were left plain or sprayed with a transparent color and trimmed in mica or colored glitter.   As far as I know these ornaments were never reproduced in later years.   Often the ornaments had paper tops instead of metal…metal was also used in the war effort.  They may have had their original paper tops and strings replaced sometime in their travels from tree to tree.

This clear striped ornament has been painted with a transparent paint and decorated with mica…sometimes  called sugar mica.

Chance gave me this clear lantern shaped ornament that is trimmed in colored glitter.

This tornado shaped clear ornament has a heavy coat of mica. 
They are other shapes also…bells, I have a few, and what are called UFO’s…think the opposite shape of the tornado. The striped round ornaments can be small two inch size or three to four inch sizes. There may be other shapes and sizes also.  I am not an expert…I can only talk about the ornaments I own or have seen. 

So not all Shiny Brites are shiny after all.  These ornaments are the easiest to date.  Since they are not as flashy many people just pass over them but they are sought after ornaments by Shiny Brite hoarders collectors. They were only produced for three or four years.

I think they are beautiful in their simplicity, especially so since they were purchased by someone during the war years, what stories they could tell.

The Christmas Cards have been mailed, the shopping has been completed, most of the decorating has been done, neighbor JoLynn made cookies and brought us a tray full…so we can have cookies and coffee.  Menus are still in the planning stage but our brunch will be simple…juice, fruit, Far Guy’s famous cinnamon rolls and something eggy.

Far Guy is feeling a bit better.  Sadly he has shared with me, but with cold tablets and Aleve I almost feel like a real person.

Shiny Brite Tree and a Anniversary

Finally the Shiny Brite tree is up.  For those of you who follow my blog and the Shiny Brite journey, you will remember that I had a really tall tree…like 9 1/2 to 10 feet tall.  It was just TOO much.  We barely got it in the air last year.  So I sold it.  Yup not the ornaments just the tree.
This is what it looked like last year.

Chance and the Shiny Brite tree 2014.

I purchased a 7 1/2 foot tree after Christmas last year knowing that a shorter tree would be better.  This one I can set up all by myself.  Next year I must put the tree top ornament and a few ornaments on the very top before I put it all together.

In previous years Chance would come up the stairs all by himself to check on me and look out the door or cuddle up on one of the beds and nap.
This year he had to be coaxed upstairs, the cold weather that settled in really kicked up his arthritis.  Mine too …such is life when you are older. 

He really didn’t want his photograph taken. 

This year the tree is in front of the french doors.  I have decorated it all around, front and back and sides.  Not sure how many ornaments are on the tree…enough.

Lots of memories on the tree, many ornaments are named. Some are still with us and some have passed on.   Grace, Rae, Lillian and Susans, JoLynn, Edie, Sandy, Chance, Gene, Madeline, Minnie, Tom and Lindas, Leann and last but not least Jennifer.  I think of all these people that were so kind to gift me with Shiny Brites over the years.  My Sandy’s were purchased at her estate sale and my Minnie was a gift from Edie. All special.

Today is our anniversary!  We have now been married 46 years, through thick and thin want and plenty, better and worse, richer and poorer, happy times and sad times we muddled through together.   We will celebrate when Far Guy feels better.  
 

New Old Box of Ornaments

Our youngest daughter Jen went to an Estate Sale and purchased a box of old ornaments for me!   She said "If nothing else you will have a good ornament box."

It is a mixed box with some interesting ornaments.

Included were a Rose on a clip (It has a broken spot so I will probably add it to the pine cone bowl), One green blown glass very heavy ornament, one red blown glass heavy ornament, two small ornaments one pink and one striped neither are very old, an  unknown Made in America gold striped ornament possibly a Coby Ornament, A Santa Made in West Germany (highly collectible), a rose colored Shiny Brite, Two Gold Shiny Brites (one is little) and two red elongated teardrops.

The elongated teardrops.  One has a solid crimped metal cap marked West Germany, the other has a ribbed scalloped metal cap marked Shiny Brite.  Shiny Brite made this style ornament and this style ornament was also made in West Germany.  I think that these are both West German Ornaments and one cap was lost...but one can never be sure.

I don't have any elongated teardrop ornaments, I have some regular teardrops.  I will be getting them out soon and taking some photos.

I have two real heavy blown glass ornaments that I purchased from Auntie Esther's garage sale so the two real heavy red and green new ornaments will join them on our downstairs tree.

I know I am slow with the trees I may get some time later today...maybe.

Road Trip

The weather is rainy, cloudy and cool barely 50 degrees F or 10 C eh! It was a good day for a road trip.  We originally had a destination in mind, but decided to just meander on Highway 71 South.

We don’t see many of these Wind Turbines.   This one was someplace along Hwy 71 near Long Prairie.

The Clarissa/ Long Prairie area has Amish.  You can usually tell by the horse poop on the roadways.

We saw some baleage.  Hay that is baled at a higher moisture content and sealed in white plastic bags.

We ended up in Osakis…then over to Little Falls…visiting antique shops along the way.  Each one is interesting as are the proprietors..from a 1950’s wannabe to a little old lady with huge hair that was all her own…teased and I am certain hair sprayed to be stiff as a board.

Marbles have gone up in price.  The going price for marbles is 12 cents each.  It used to be a 10 cents. 

I only bought this small bag of marbles because of the shooter.  12 cents is a bargain for a shooter.

Three Polish ornaments and two Shiny Brites were purchased…40 cents each, a bargain I couldn’t pass up.

It was good to get away for a day.  We returned home just in time to warm up leftover lasagna for supper.  Cook once eat twice that is our menu plan this week.

Getting Organized

We got a little snow..not much..an inch maybe two.  The storm that we were supposed to get Sunday afternoon kind of fizzled out.

It might be a white Christmas..unless it turns warm and melts.  Monday morning it was –17 F  or –27 C ..talk about a wake up call.  It was a good reminder that the weather can change drastically from one day to the next and that is why I never schedule anything before noon in the winter. 

Far Guy finally got out his parka..and warmer gloves. –17 F will make you come to your senses.

I shouldn’t have vacationed over the weekend..I should have baked and shopped.  I have vowed to get the shopping done before next Tuesday.  We are cruising right along with another gift purchased yesterday.  Menus are being discussed and decorating plans have been made.

Today will be a getting organized day..making a list and checking it twice and round one of decorating.  Round one is getting out the Shiny Brite Tree and decorating the top half in the tree stand and lifting it WAY high in the air onto the bottom half of the tree.  Far Guy has to stand on a ladder..and I hoist it up from another chair..it is always a tense moment..until it is settled into it’s proper place.  It will take me the rest of the week to finish decorating the bottom half of that tree.  Since it is such a large tree I decorate it one box at a time.  This year seven boxes of Shiny Brite ornaments have been added to the collection…I am going to try my best to count them all this year:)

Last of the Red Hot Shoppers

I was so not ready to run out on Monday morning to shop.  I waited till Wednesday..then I hit Menards.

You see Menards had a 50 % off sale.  I knew I might be able to find what I was seeking there.

My list: Shiny Brites, a tree skirt, gift tags and wrapping paper.  The wrapping paper was a bust..I could have purchased Green Hornet or Transformer wrapping paper..there was not a plain piece of paper or one with whimsical little Angels or Birds left to be found.

My perfect Christmas wrapping paper exists only in my mind.  It has a white snow bank filled  background.  Cherub like children are decorating rows of trees with little birds and strings of cranberries and popcorn whilst forest creatures like deer and foxes and bunny rabbits look on. It has all colors on the paper so what ever color bow I grab works perfectly.

I got everything else on my list.

I really needed a tree skirt for the tall tree upstairs..I have a little tree skirt that barely goes around the tree that I purchased at a rummage sale for a quarter..this new one will be perfect.

The Shiny Brites are retro ones by Christopher Radco.  I now have two boxes of them.   Last year I missed the half price sale at Menards.  Two years ago I bought a box..at full price..I couldn’t restrain myself.

This year the retro ornaments are nestled inside these Shiny Brite tissue papers..now how cool is that?  Someday..in about 50 years these will be collectable too.

Next we hit the Antique Mall..a quick trip around looking for Vintage Shiny Brites..only one was found for $3.50..I passed.   John smiled as I walked up to his booth..he said “here look at these while I run home I have been saving some old photos for you.” I think John had a belated Merry Christmas..he now knows exactly what kind of old photos I will buy.  He had saved a whole bunch of old black and white photo Christmas cards…perfect.

Yesterday I was in another antique shop..a new gal was working.. I asked her if she had any old photos..she replied “ Someone must collect them..so we don’t have any.” The shop owner came out and said “Hi ..we have no old photographs..you have bought them all!” I did find four old photos there..sometimes  shop keepers have no idea what they have in their shops:) 

The Tall Tree

The big tree was not completed until Christmas Eve..the Grands along with their Mothers helped to finish it off. 

They heard about the oldest ornament..

Which I believe is a fish..there used to be one on our tree at home when I was a little girl. Adam took this one very gently ..and found a secure spot for it.

I told them..that this one is from next door neighbor Jo.

This one is from Rae..it is one of the ornaments that is called a Polish.. and it is an indent. 

I showed them how the Shiny Brites are marked with their names on the top of the metal cap..and how the polish ones have a different crimped cap.

  This is a painted Shiny Brite..and paints were not washable years ago. So these ornaments cannot be washed..just wiped off with a dry cloth.

I told them about how some colors are plentiful, there are many red, silver and gold ornaments.  Orange and purple ones are few and far between. There is a beautiful aquamarine blue color..I have a few..

It is a tree filled with childhood memories. Minus the messy tinsel. Mixed with memories of trips to antique shops and garage sales, sprinkled with gifts from friends who understand the obsession and with new memories of little hands gently reaching for ornaments.  Someday perhaps the Grands will see a Shiny Brite and say “Hey, that reminds me of my Grandma.” There are worse things that you can be remembered for.

  It has no lights..and the Christmas tree skirt I purchased at a garage sale is not quite large enough..but I was still pleased with the way it turned out. The final count?  I lost track after 420 ornaments.

It will take many days to de decorate..but I am not quite ready to put it all back in it’s coffin yet:) 

The Tall Tree : Part One

Far Guy bought me a TALL tree last year after I whined publicly on my blog about the time when I picked out a really tall tree for him to cut down..he did..then he cut it off about 6 feet tall when I wanted a 12 foot tall tree. Miscommunication at it’s finest.  Last year he felt so guilty that he bought me a ten foot tall artificial tree for upstairs.  It gets no lights..and is the perfect tree for all of the Shiny Brites that I collect.  Shiny Brites are glass ornaments from the 1940’s and the 1950’s.

The “Grands” helped me decorate the TALL tree it last year..I will save several boxes of ornaments for them to put on the tree on Christmas Eve.  It is a new tradition.

The tree coffin was opened, the tree set up and the ornaments spread out.

Luckily the top part of the ten foot tall tree can be decorated separately and then hoisted up in place with only a few of the 200 ornaments falling off..and minimal cussing.

It is about one third done..since I am counting the ornaments I will know how many I have on it when it is complete.  I wonder what will happen first a full tree or an empty coffin?  Last year I ran out of ornament hooks..that won’t be happening this year.

I would like to have all the fancy ornament hangers like the one in this photo..they don’t get nearly as tangled as the other plain ones.

Shiny Brites are what they are.  Many people used to spray artificial snow on their trees years ago, the red Shiny Brite in the background is sporting some old snow.  I leave the ornaments in their original condition, if they have string hangers they are left in place. If they are dusty I wipe them with a dry cloth, nothing wet should ever be used on them..paints they used back then are not waterproof.  If they are so filthy that you want to wash them..then don’t buy them.

The designers must have had a blast choosing the designs and  the colors. Since these ornaments are glass..they can break and I am sure that was part of the design..for repeat customers.

  There is whole lot of tree yet to decorate..it is a work in progress:)

Life lessons learned this week:  Do not put all of the extra wire ornament hangers in a wire basket..they will fall through the holes and it take you an hour to get them untangled..I felt like throwing the entire mess in the garbage.