Hi!!!!!!!!!!! The last time you saw me I was announcing the date of the 2012 Academy of Vintage Christmas Ornament Arts & Sciences Awards!!!!!!!!!! It's TODAY!!!!!!!!!!! I AM VERY EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE NEVER BEEN ASKED TO HOST THE AWARDS BEFORE!!!!!!!!! YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
(Just in case Santa is making some last minute checks to his naughty and nice list, I should probably clarify that I wasn't exactly "asked" to host the awards. But the founder of the Academy is really really super busy. She's cooking and shoveling snow and wrapping presents, and yesterday while she was wrapping presents she was watching the White House Christmas specials on HGTV and sighing and saying things like our house looked "under-decorated." So I decided to volunteer to host the awards!!!!!!!!!! That's even NICER, right, Santa ???????????)
OK, I'm a little nervous, because I've never hosted before, but first of all I'm going to make sure everybody who wanted a good seat is all set. Amy, Carol, Renee, Jewels, Lisa W., Kim, Laurie, Gina and Diane are right up front!!!!! And I see Mitzi, Patty, Patti, Linda, Michelle, Robin, Maureen, Kathy and JKaye next to them!!!!!! I bet you're really surprised I know all of you!!!!!!!!!!! (I read your names on the snowman post, tee hee!!!!!!!!!!!!)
As soon as Skating Snowman gets to his seat, we'll get started!!!!!!!!!!
Let's meet our judges!!!!!!!!!!!! The founder always keeps the names of the judges a BIG SECRET but I believe in transparency!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our judges are Wax Snowman, Pinecone Snowman and Pipe-Smoking Snowman!!!!!!!!! I don't want to give too much away, but a little birdie told me we might be seeing more of these gentlemen when it's time to announce the best Wax Snowman, Pinecone Snowman and Pipe-Smoking Snowman Awards!!!!!!!!! (I took the opportunity to tell the little birdie we won't have time for the Best Bird ornament award this year. Sorrrr-eeeeeeee!!!!!)
Most Sentimental Ornament
It's about time the Academy handed out an award for an ornament with special meaning, like Martha and Whit suggested!!!!!!! And who better than our good friend, the pink coated cardboard snowman????? It's kinda weird, but the founder doesn't really have any ornaments that came down through her family, because her family still has them. But the founder made her dad sit through THREE HOURS of a really SUPER BORING auction until a box of these snowmen came up for bidding!!!!!!!! Time well spent, founder!!!!!!!!!!
I'm happy to see our first award is a big hit with our audience!!!!!!!!!!!
(If you guys don't mind, I'm going to stop using so many CAPITAL LETTERS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!! Because my PINKIE is about to MELT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!)
best panorama ornament
we cannot even believe the pink panorama snowman ornament got overlooked for so many years if it werent such a happy moment we might boo
super sparkly ornament
ok its really hard to tell from the photo but this is a great big pink ornament with a super sparkly snowman and ruthann wanted to see a sparkly ornament and this is the sparkliest snowman on the tree. also even though we arent very interested in this there is some fancy beaded garland on the right that the founder painstakingly restrung and jkaye was wondering about honoring an ornament that had been repaired so there it is but lets hear it for the snowman.
Best new ornament
I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! (My pinkie's feeling better, thanks.) As soon as the spun cotton pinecone snowman in the silver cage came in the house I knew he was going to win the best new ornament of the year award!
We're going to kind of rush through the next 25 awards because it looks like the founder is finishing up in the kitchen and so our next award is the best use of a chenille stem to create a snowman accesso....
Dec. 23, 2012: Today the Academy of Vintage Christmas Ornament Arts and Sciences (AOVCOA&S) released the following statement: "We wish to apologize to anyone who was offended, confused, disappointed or befuddled by the unauthorized broadcast of the 2012 awards ceremonies. The authorized broadcast will now begin."
Best bird ornament
Despite rumors to the contrary, there is certainly a Best Bird Ornament of the Year award, and it goes to this cheerful and glittery pinecone bird that despite the odds has retained both starry eyes and a complete beak. (From the judges' notes - and we do not mean those three fake judges - Bravo, little bird!)
Indent of the year
The Academy regrets to admit this, but it had overlooked the wide variety in styles of indents. Some are pointed, and some are geometric, or star shaped, or like a flower, like this one. A winner for sure!
Best Shiny Brite
Unusual shape, delicate colors and a sprinkle of snow on top ... this Shiny Brite has it all! (From the scoring sheet: Note also the intricacy of the indent design. Rare to see an ornament do so much, and do it so well.)
Best Merry Christmas ornament
Small, silvery, sweet and almost shy - the little "Greetings" Shiny Brite adds just the right note of gentle cheer. (From the judges' notes: Awesome typeface!)
Friends, our time is running short, and while some popular categories (Best Santa, for one, not to mention the Best Christmas Ornament Reminiscent of a Joni Mitchell Song) had to be eliminated this year due to snowman hijinks, the Academy does not really disagree with many of the snowmen's choices. The snowman in the silver cage? The Academy knew it was a winner from the start, too.
The Academy would like to take this opportunity to thank you for coming, and to thank Brenda, a neighbor from Western New York, for making a brilliant suggestion: Perhaps a special ornament should come with the attendees, as a sort of ticket to the festivities. It is not too early to start planning for next year, or to start looking for the very special ornament you will want to send directly to the Academy.
As always, Merry Christmas, and when it comes to the cocoa and eggnog, please: Drink responsibly.
Have you seen these adorable scrabble tiles? I thought of you when I saw them
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Holiday-Seasonal-/907/i.html?item=181047147604&pt=Handcrafted_Artisan_Jewelry&hash=item2a27403c54&_ssn=moluccanmama
Posted by: Ruthann | December 24, 2012 at 03:53 PM
Hrrumph - while the christmas bears and I were appreciateive (bears don't spell well) of the front seat, AND quite bedazzled by bright lights and glitters we do have a thing about snowmen (one bear mentioned they do not taste good at all, and the bear next to me said that they make poor companions in July). The bird did, however did get a second look and some nods of approval. Another bear mistook the pinkie for another finger being shown him as he sat in the front row (did you not hear the sound of growling that occurred). Fortunately we were not escorted out. The bears were pleased about the announcement for next year's academy (its like adding a new category to the Grammies - best Rap/Punk/New Age Artist). But now I have to deal with a year of all of them jockying to be nominated...LOL. Thanks so much B - we were all very amused :)
Posted by: jnoman@charter.net | December 24, 2012 at 05:19 PM
hahaha! your tree is so perfectly decorated, it looks like a cartoon tree or something. i mean that in a good way, of course! i would say that my favorite (after being initially a bit repulsed by it :)) is the snowman in sparkly cage. a winner for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!! merry christmas!
Posted by: jennifer | December 24, 2012 at 08:42 PM
Every year the awards just keep getting better and better! Congrats to all!
Posted by: Beth Leintz | December 25, 2012 at 02:40 PM
Fantastic...I must whole heartedly agree that pink is the new black. Definitely going with the most sentimental ornament. I do hope you all had a wonderful happy holiday and I am already looking forward to next years...right after some coffee and many sleeps...Smiles..Renee
Posted by: Renee | December 26, 2012 at 06:05 PM
I kinda thought there was something screwy about those snowmen! Thank you for finally seating me in the front row, because it made it that much easier to see that each winner was very deserving of the honor. Oh, and the founder's tree is truly spectacular!
Posted by: Carol @ Old Glory Cottage | December 27, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Oh those rogue snowmen....someone's always trying to get their 15 minutes.....
Loved the AVOCADO ceremonies as always. Could have run long, and I would still be oohing and ahhing. You and Magpie Ethel could easily have a kitschy competition!
Your tree and home couldn't be more picture perfect. Makes me smile....:)
Posted by: Maria (Magia Mia) | December 28, 2012 at 02:03 PM
Your Chrismtas tree is the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen! Not to mention, your kitchen.
Posted by: Nashvilledeb | December 29, 2012 at 09:15 AM
Got to see the televised rebroadcast of the ceremony and it was just as exciting as live. I can't imagine how you can top this, but knowing you, you will!
Posted by: Patty | December 31, 2012 at 09:46 AM
I am stopping by again to look and marvel at these special ornaments. I still think the Shiny Brite is my favorite...I may have said that ever year but it's still the truth! heehee! I love the Merry Christmas ball and the most sparkly...I better stop there or I'll list them all! Thanks for the fun! It's one of my favorite posts of the year! Hugs!
Posted by: Lavender Dreams | January 11, 2013 at 09:00 PM