A little new, a little old

 

The skating rink is the result of miscommunication, or at least misinterpretation.

My husband seemed mesmerized by the Department 56 display at a shop in our village.
He particularly liked the skating rink. (In case you haven't seen these, the rink is mechanized, so the skaters twirl around.)I interpreted his interest to mean that he harbored a secret desire for his very own skating rink, and so I bought it for him for his birthday. Even as I write this now, I wonder how I could have thought such a thing. Have you ever met a man who wants his own Department 56 collection?

This happened probably 10 years ago, and since the kids were instantly attached to the ice rink, it's been a centerpiece of our Christmas decor ever since. It's not that I don't like it. It's just unusual for me to own anything made after, say, 1953. And it takes up a lot of prime vintage display space. So I try to kind of disguise it. It's usually nestled behind a fence, in a grove of bottle-brush trees.

A few years ago, I found some of those old cast-iron skaters and sleigh-riders, so they joined the crowd.

The big addition this year is the tabletop aluminum tree - the first, and I suspect only, aluminum tree that I'm keeping. There are two really cool free things in this picture. One is the pie safe. It came from the basement of the first house we owned. When we found it, though, it was painted orange and had linoleum instead of glass in the doors. It was being used to store paint. Some day I'll find the "before" pictures of it. Use your imagination - you can't believe how ghastly it was. The other free thing is the original blueprint of our current house, which we found in the attic and had framed. So I guess there's a little vintage in this scene after all.

Comments

[Dawn]

So cute...so vintage!

[Peggy]

what a cute display. I really like it. you did a great job combining the new with the old. I love silver trees. my grandma had one witht the color wheel when i was a little girl. someday i will have one. maybe i'll find a small on like yours that would be so much easier to display.
Peggy
http://pegslifeinthebuttonjar.blogspot.com/

[Lady of the Mote]

that is adorable!

[Jenny]

How awesome to have the original blueprints! And the pie safe. When my dad was in college, his dorm was in an old house. He had a pass through into a blocked in closet where he found an amazing huge wooden trenchen bowl. I HAVE IT!!!! So fun those free found things!

[Vintage Whimsy]

So cute!! My husband is actually one of those men that loves these villages. He started buying them before I came into the picture and I've been trying for 6 years now to figure out how to NOT put it out during Christmas. It's just totally not my style at all! Luckily he's going to be gone for half the month so I've convinced him we don't need to put it out this year. Yay!!

[GeorgiaPeachez (suzy)]

That's too funny, but you've made it work. We are in the process of dividing up my MIL's estate and she had a HUGE Dept 56 village collection. I don't want to go near any of it, except for one piece. It's a glass conservatory and I was with her when she bought it. The tabletop tree looks perfect. I have a big, very full Alum. tree that I bought 3 years ago and it's on a musical rotating base. I covet it, my vintage shiny brites look so good on it. Yours do too! xo, suzy

[GeorgiaPeachez (suzy)]

dang, I just typed a long comment, but Typepad ate it.

[LiLi M.]

Well I think you managed to let that rink to look vintage with all those bottle brush trees (another thing that cannot be found here :-( ) That blue print is beautiful, I love these.

No presents at all for Christmas over here. Unless I'm in a very good mood, but generally the rule is: when Santa visited your home, no presents for Christmas. Then we eat and drink for two days in the company of relatives (though I have to think that over this year, I really do). I'll end now before I give away too many family secrets ;-)

[Tina in Duluth]

I love the display and you have vintaged it up nicely!

My husband is a romantic about Christmas decorations and he would love that rink, or a light up village!

[susan]

the display is so lovely! i love the story about the rink, very cute. i hope all is well with you!

[Lavender Dreamer]

I love the little skating rink amidst your vintage decorations. Everything looks like FUN at your house! I would like to link your blog so that I can come back again and again! THANKS!

[GeorgiaPeachez (suzy)]

Ok, I'm over being pissed at Typepad so here goes again.
We have been sorting through my MIL's estate, dividing things up. She had a HUGE Dpt 56 collection, which I want nothing to do with, except for just one piece. It is a glass victorian conservatory and I was with her when she bought that piece.
You really made the little rink work and I love the tabletop alum. tree. And of course I covet those ornies on it! xo, suzy

[laurie - magpie ethel]

Totally on the same page with the dept 56 stuff. Cute, but not my cup of tea. My husband brought home this haunted house (from Costco) that he loves. The witch flies around, ghost come out of the windows etc. I have tolerated it for a number of years...just add it to my vintage decor. Love the blueprint (FYI, I don't have one)

[susan]

i love this little tableau, especially the folks riding up in a sleigh

[jenny]

The blueprint is cool. You might watch in in the sunlight if it is not under UV-protective glass. I work with a lot of old maps, and have been told that old blueprints can fade over time with exposure to lights and sunlight. Just something you might want to look into- it would be a shame to have something so neat fade!