2018 Christmas Tree

Here is how the 2018 Christmas tree turned out.  (Got to admit disappointment, but I only had 1 day off work from Thanksgiving to the 21st -- so little time was allowed for the tree).

The oldest ornament to make it on the tree was this little baby (probably from 80's):

3 little Dreamsicles from the early 90's also made the cut:

These little clothespin dolls were fun to make  I made 3 for this tree:

The topper this year:

A couple of the birdhouses that I had posted before.  (The pearls that I had strung and posted also show in almost every picture here).

Factory Direct Craft is were I bought my paper mache stars (I added the white paint and glitter):

I made a sock snowman for this tree:

and a rag ball:

and a faux quilted ornament:

and some clear glass balls with glitter inside and pearl balls and styrofoam glitter balls on a stick and my nests (which I had posted earlier and are too deep in the tree for a decent picture).

May you and your family have a Happy New Year!

New Angel

This is the new angel from At Home:

Amelia's Blue Tree

We put up a little gold pencil tree in the spare room for Amelia this year.  She wanted blues...

Gold Balls for Christmas

  After Christmas 2017, I bought a couple boxes of gold balls on clearance.

 Not needing quite that many plain gold balls, I decided to add a little extra to some of them.

A belt of clear rhinestones:

A belt of gold glass glitter:

Crazy swirls of gold glass glitter (it looks much better than my poor photography shows):

The entire ball coated in crystal glitter:

Now, what should I do with the others?

Weber's Jonesville Band

Weber's Jonesville Band.
Organized circa 1925-1927 by Adolph Weber (a teacher at St. Paul's Lutheran School in Jonesville).
Directed by Frank LaTour of Seymour, Indiana and later by Gary Davis of Columbus, Indiana
Front row (left to right):
Harlan Bergseiker, Sr.; Orville Nentrup; Lawrence Kiel; Omer Moorman; Herbert Kiel; Chester Schneider; Walter Kreinhagen; Walter Burbrink; Keith Vincent; Thurman Hitchborn; Maurice Gore; Earl Moorman.
Standing at far right: Adolph Weber.
Back row (left to right):
Leon Kiel; Walter Kiel; Dr. B.J Teaford; Lawrence Welmer; Walter Vogt; Harry Vogt; Arthur Pardieck; Edwin Burbrink; Robert Kiel.

 — at Jonesville, Indiana.

Jonesville, Bartholomew County, Indiana     Weber's Jonesville Band  circa 1927



The February 24, 1927 Edition of The Republic from Columbus, Indiana listed these members of the band and their instruments: Clarinets: Carvin Pardieck, Orville Nentrup, Lorenz Kiel, Ben Burbrink and Omer Moorman. Trumpets: Adolph Weber, Mart Voss, Herb Kiel, Walter Donhost, Chester Synder, Oscar Pardieck, Walter Kreinhagen, Walter Burbrink, and Kenneth Wright. B.B Bass: Emil Meyer. Drums: Earl Moorman and Harlan Bergseiker, Sr. Saxophones: Robert Kiel, Edwin Burbrink, Arthur Pardieck, Thurman (Jack) Hitchborn, Morris Gore, and Frank Synder. Altos: Leon Kiel and Walter Kiel. Baritone: Alb Borgman. Trombones: Raymond Kiel, Oscar Mengler, Arthur Kiel, and Lawrence Welmer. The article went on to say that the 31 member band was one of the largest of it's kind in southern Indiana.                   
    In a nostalgia article in the May 29, 1975 edition of The Republic, Agnes Donhost Frey is quoted as saying that "The band gave concerts once a week. It was fun while it lasted."

 As reported in the Columbus, Indiana newspapers:
June 1, 1927 “Jonesville Band purchased a plot of land near the city hall and is erecting an up-to-date band stand. Concerts will be given here each Friday evening at 8 o’clock. All are invited.” (Note: this is the site of the present day Fire Station)
June 8, 1927 Jonesville Band to play at Dudleytown annual outing.
July 14, 1927 The Jonesville Band will furnish the music for the Ladies’ Aid Picnic @ Clifty Church, east of Columbus on Sunday afternoon.
A July 1928 article says they will give 2 concerts, but it also names all the members again (they seem to have lost 10 since February of the year before).
The officers for the group are:
Dr. T.J Teaford, president
Adolph Weber, vice-president
Herbert Kiel, secretary
Morris Gore, treasurer
Omer Moorman, manager
Gary C. Davis, director (he was also director of the Columbus Band and the Columbus High School Band)
The musicians:
Clarinets: Orville Nentrup, Lawrence Kiel, Omar Moorman, Leon Kiel
Cornets: Walter Donhost, Herbert Kiel, August Welmer, Chester Schneider
Trombones: Lawrence Welmer, William Hill, Roger Vincent
Altos: Walter Vogt, Robert Donhost
Baritone: Alfred Borgman
Saxophones: Arthur Pardieck, Robert Kiel, Edwin Burbrink, Morris Gore
Tuba: Alvin Vincent
Drums: Earl Moorman and Harlan Bergsieker

Preparing a Cummins Christmas

   No one, in the team, that I presently work in at Cummins Midrange Engine Plant in Walesboro, Indiana cares much for decorating the work place for the holidays.  Me, on the other hand, I like to see a little Christmas spirit where ever I am.  Last year, I used the feet off of cardboard pallets (Thank you, Krupp, crankshafts for the supplies!), spray painted them green and filled in the voids with christmas ornaments and even added a tiny manger scene.  I left a few empty and everyday some people in the team received a candy treat (these were rotated so everyone in the team received some candy every few days).  There wasn't much to it, but it did add some Christmas cheer.

This isn't a very good picture for seeing the nativity, but you can just make it out in the 3rd row from the top:

This year I am thinking a traditional tree -- just a little table top tree.  But with none traditional colors of silver and black.  Here are the supplies I am going to use to make the first of the ornaments:

Notes:   (The stuffed tiger is not a supply, he was just sitting on the back of the chair).
Added to these supplies are vinyl cutouts of the Cummins logo.
Water based polycrylic works much better than oil based.  It costs twice as much, but is well worth it.

Directions:
 First, I poured some of the polycrylic into little Dixie cups, making it more manageable, then, I poured it into the clear glass ornaments (40% off at Hobby Lobby) making sure to coat the entire inside surface.  I poured out the excess once it was coated.  And wiped off the outside of the ornament in case there was any that ran down the sides.  Then I poured in some silver glitter, twirling it around until the entire inside was coated and again poured out the excess.  I then set them aside to dry with the ornament caps still off (I waited 24 hours to make sure they were good and dry).  Next, I put the caps back on and rubbed on the vinyl C's.

I am going to make enough of these that everyone on the team will have one to take home.  And I am going to make 4 or 5 boxes extra in varying colors to hang on the Christmas tree in the plant lobby.  I hope they like it!

Now, I just need more black and silver ornaments to fill our little tree out.  Wonder if I can find some shiny black ribbon...

The finished tree:

Bird's Nests

   At the after Easter, 90% off sale at Hobby Lobby I found a swag of 3 bird's nests wrapped together with grape vine.  The nests are about 4-5 inches and had 3 colored eggs in each.  Regular price $19.99.  At 2.00 for 3 nests that is a good deal --- if you want pink, blue and green eggs in a nest swag.  I want individual nests with white eggs for my "white" Christmas tree.  I took the swag apart, painted the eggs white, flicked brown paint on them with a tooth brush and added some glittery to a couple of them and there they were 3 nests for the "white" Christmas tree.

Nest with a little glitter and and gold wire with a little down fluff:

Nest with gold sparkly wire added:

With just the painted eggs (no bling for the Christmas tree added):

The three nests:

Legend says if you find a bird's nest in your Christmas tree, happy, healthy and prosperous you will be.
   

Pearl Necklaces for the Christmas Tree

Bead Design Company makes a tub of various sized plastic pearls, which is sold at Hobby Lobby for $17.99; this is what I used to make some pearl necklaces for the white themed Christmas tree I am planning for this year.  I thought 7 would make a good number for on the tree, but there are plenty of beads left, if I decide the tree needs more.

Strung the beads on string and used buttons for the clasps.  Hopefully they will look better on the Christmas tree than they do on the boxwood out front.

I had buttons in my stash that I thought looked pretty good as faux clasps.

Used different sizes to make the necklaces:

Pearls are always appropriate.      -- Jackie Kennedy