My sister started me on collecting vintage and antique snowmen back in the 1990's. She had already amassed an impressive collection of antique mostly German Belsnickels and Santas in the 1980's (when you could still find them at a reasonable price). We started also collecting the figural glass ornaments from Germany and Italy (I love the old Italian ones!) because there was a very nice local Christmas shop that was run out an old Chapel. It was one of the few places where you could find them outside of NYC.
Well, never being one to do anything in moderation, I started buying them whenever I found them reasonable enough. My sister would add to my collection as there was always a present from her with an old snowman inside. She has given me most of my more valuable one like the guy with a baseball cap on skis. He is a candy container (as many were to hold candy and trinkets for children on Christmas morning).
Every year, I would unpack them and arrange them either on a mantel or other space but as my collection continued to grow, the space to house them shrank. When I purchased my current house in 2006, I bought a cabinet made from barnboard with a glass front so I could put them in there and view them year-round. They bring a smile to my face even on the hottest summer days! Now, they are even starting to crowd their current home so this Christmas I dragged out a few and put them in another display cabinet just so I could get double the smiles! I added some other fun vintage pieces to the spice things up and voila, instant Christmas! Enjoy the pics...
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I like the little sideways glances the angels in the background are giving to Mrs. Claus
(a vintage Japan bell) and Rudy.
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This is the new "make-do" cabinet with its original green paint (
my favorite color). Inside of the cabinet was written with silver paint "1935".
Probably the date is was made. Sure looks like it!
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Here's the other little "make-do" cabinet I recently found at a local Co-Op.
I think it was originally a bottle crate but since it has a shelf divider in it,
I decided to put some more Christmas spirit inside....
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More vintage Christmas vignettes.
I look at it and want to shrink myself so I can go in and play with them!
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I also have some newer snowmen that I mix in.
They are funky and fun so I like to keep it fresh!
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Another view of the little make-do cabinet all decked out for the Holidays!
I did buy it for re-sale, now I'm not so sure I want to part with it!
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Gnomes held captive in a bird cage...oh no!
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They don't look too unhappy in their new digs....
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These little guys were purchased as a set on ebay many years ago.
Made in Germany, I believe they were place card holders. I wish
I was at those festive Christmas dinners where they once sat holding
the diners place....
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I also love gnomes and anything that draws in my imagination....
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This vignette I put together hastily so I could start taking photos...
I kinda like it though!
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Both cabinets on display....will be for sale after the holidays at my shop at
Brimfield Acres North on Route 20, Brimfield, MA. The co-op is mostly
early antiques and prmitives but there is a nice variety of dealers with
other vintage and collectible items. I love the dealers there and the people
that run it are so nice....more like family.
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1935 was a good year....
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Since I didn't put up a tree this year, I had to hang some ornaments too!
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Old and new just hangin'
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Wooden angels gettin' their grove on....
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Mrs Santa Claus and Rudy getting Santa ready for his Big Night!
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| It takes a village.... |
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Just a little vignette I put together using an old vintage box that I decoupaged
with silver tissue paper on the outside and with vintage wooden Erzgebirge people
and other items along with vintage scrap and a little pixie dust on the ground for sparkle.
I love to use found items to create little scenes that tell stories.
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| Snoman-Land |
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"On top of Old Cabinet...All covered with snow..."
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The two plastic snow-people lit up are actually vintage plastic S&P shakers
that no longer hav stoppers so I used the little battery tea-lites to light them up....n
Now they can really shine!
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| More views...I am sick for snowmen! |
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| "Hale the Chief" |
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Big green cabinet I keep the snowmen in year-round.
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One of these days I will take inventory...
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For some reason, I really love the sweet little guy behind the sly looking
snowman. He's from a local candy store and is a candy container. There
is a plug on the bottom pulls out to hide the candy. I just love him!
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How many Snowmen does it take to (fill-in-the-blank)?
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| Snowman fashion show. |
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| Party in style! |
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I probably have at least 50 small cotton batting snowman...
but I keep buying them!
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