I was looking through all of my craft findings that I got back in the Midwest in September with my mom and sister, and after staring at everything for awhile, I think tomorrow, I'll try to start making one of those hot air balloon ornaments that are so pretty. I've seen them made many different ways, simple to intricate, in all different shapes & sizes, and I want to try my hand at a Victorian one.
Dresden ornaments were some of the most beautiful decorations ever manufactured for Christmas trees. Taking their name from the Dresden-Leipzig (Germany) area from which they were made, the cardboard creations were made in endless variety of shapes. Most “Dresdens” were only 2-3 inches in size and were gilded or silvered, but a lot were painted by skilled artists. Dresdens were primarily made between 1880 and 1910. One ornament was often made of several pieces and when dry, were taken home by cottage workers, where they were meticulously assembled. Despite the fact that many thousands were produced, very few Dresden ornaments remain today, making them highly prized collectibles. Some go for thousands of dollars, and aren't for the faint of heart. Valuable and expensive, to say the least!
So, after seeing collector photos of Dresden antique ornaments and other Dresden inspired ornaments online, I'm going to "very humbly" try to make a Victorian ornament, inspired by Dresden, using my collected findings. I can tell already that this is going to be a bit time-consuming, but I'm up for the challenge. We'll see how it goes!
See ya tomorrow!
Dresden ornaments were some of the most beautiful decorations ever manufactured for Christmas trees. Taking their name from the Dresden-Leipzig (Germany) area from which they were made, the cardboard creations were made in endless variety of shapes. Most “Dresdens” were only 2-3 inches in size and were gilded or silvered, but a lot were painted by skilled artists. Dresdens were primarily made between 1880 and 1910. One ornament was often made of several pieces and when dry, were taken home by cottage workers, where they were meticulously assembled. Despite the fact that many thousands were produced, very few Dresden ornaments remain today, making them highly prized collectibles. Some go for thousands of dollars, and aren't for the faint of heart. Valuable and expensive, to say the least!
So, after seeing collector photos of Dresden antique ornaments and other Dresden inspired ornaments online, I'm going to "very humbly" try to make a Victorian ornament, inspired by Dresden, using my collected findings. I can tell already that this is going to be a bit time-consuming, but I'm up for the challenge. We'll see how it goes!
See ya tomorrow!