Collection Challenge #24 - Christmas Corsages

I have been hard at work in the studio on a multitude of Christmas crafts.  Since I am in the holiday spirit I decided to go with this weeks challenge of Christmas Corsages from Janis. 

I have collected corsages for a number of years and display them at Christmas.  I don't find them super often and I don't pay big bucks for them.  I have a nice little collection tho.

I have some favorites that include spun heads.

 

I marvel at some of the unusual Christmas items that are included in these corsages. Little wreaths wired from mercury glass garland.

Silvery starbursts.

 

Teeny tiny mushroom ornaments.

 

Mercury glass flowers and frosted pine-cones.

Sometimes there is just a bunch of old fashioned bling going on.

I think I am attracted to their shiny colors. I think you could match just about any outfit with the rainbow of colors available.  Here we have turquoise.

Silver

Pink

Red

Green

  and Gold.

I like it when I find them for a quarter...especially if they have sugary pink bells.

I also like when I find them in their original containers.

When I find corsages that have seen better days they make their way into this bin where they get taken apart for crafts.

One of my favorite things about this collection is wearing these vintage works of art during the holidays.  I added an "Ethel" pin to the bottom of this corsage and wore it during one of my craft shows.

As the holidays approach be on the lookout for these vintage corsages. Maybe you can start a collection of your own!

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ________."  I will see what I can do.

Comments

[Lynn]

I can remember how excited I used to get when Mom would get out our Christmas Corsages. They had been carefully stored away all year in their original packaging. And I also remember the year that they seemed to fizzle out and were hard to find in the stores - how I wish they would come back in vogue and be easier to find!!

[Mary B.]

I loved the corsages. You have so many. Do you have a tree that you put nothing but corsages on? They are all just so much fun. It makes me wonder if my mother ever wore one. I still don't see much vintage Christmas around here, even in the thrift shops. Have fun creating.
Mary B.

[janet]

I do Not remember these... and I'm old. I remember rhinestone pins in holiday themes. Where was I when all this was going on?
I will keep a eye open for them.
Will you ever run out of collections? Show me your collection of salt & peppers, snowglobes or other souvinirs.

[Jeannie]

hi laurie, i remember my mother making these every christmas! her's were chock full of spun cotton angels, snowmen, and santas and she made them for everyone...friends, family, teachers ...and how i hated them at the time :( now i would give my right arm to find one of her's... lol! this was the 50s & she made us wear them on our coat... i thought they too hokey for me... oh well... (Mother: :) If you're reading this, I'm sorry!)

[bella]

I remember my Mom having a Christmas corsage on her coat when I was little. They are so detailed!
I have never seen one in the original packaging but that doesn't really say much. I've been looking for spun heads at sales for you and I never find them either , lol
Sue

[Lisa W.]

Another Great collection !! And I love that you wear them too ... what fun !!!

[Lynne]

My mother and grandmother took me every year to The City to see the store windows decorated for Christmas. We would visit Podesta Baldocchi to see the trees filled with ornaments and FAO Schwarz to marvel at the extravagant toys. Maybe we would see Santa at Emporium- he had rides on the rooftop of the store. When we had lunch at the City of Paris,the ceiling would be full of the balloons from Santa that somehow got away from his little visitors. All the flower stands would have those corsages. I had one on my coat for some of those years. Woolworths was so fun at Christmas. The basement floor was filled with ornaments,lights, gift wrap, stickers and glitter, Santas and angels,every kind of decoration...sigh...wish we could go right now!

[angela]

Oh, I think this is my favorite of all your collections!! They are so pretty. I mostly remember them attached to the bows of presents when I was a kid. The aqua and white are #1 in my book!

[elma riedstra]

Oh what a lovely collection!! I f course love the pink one!! How do you display them??

[Linda @ A La Carte]

I have no thought of Christmas corsages in years. This was a fun reminder. I will keep my eyes open for them. I do remember my Mom wearing one on her coat at Christmas!

[Janis]

Hi Laurie,
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh what a GREAT
vintage corsage collection. Thank
you!! My jaw just dropped when
I saw all of your wonderful corsages! I do remember my Mom
wearing them and I also remember
my Father buying them for us during
Christmas. I was small then, but
I do remember being so excited to
receive the box with the sweet
corsage in it. It was the beginning of my wonderland Christmas excitement when I spotted the corsage box. I so
wish that I had the hindsight at
that age to keep them. Love the
sugarbells so much!! I bet if
you made some, they would sell!
Thank you for the trip down memory
lane.
Hugs,
Janis

[My Shabby Roses]

Wow, you've collected quite a few of those! Have you ever found any photos with a lady wearing one of them? They are quite ornate.
Fun post Laurie!
Debbie

[Suzanna]

Wow! I'm in love with this collection. Such inspiration! I plan on making myself one with "a bunch of old fashioned bling". Thanks for sharing!

[sandy]

I love reading your blog, it always brings back so many good memories. Just like today 7:30 am and I had a big smile on my face remembering mu Grandma's coursages.

[Melissa]

I too collect corsages...I imagine that comes as no surprise to you. I swear you are the only other person I know that likes the exact same things that I like. I wear some of mine each year and they become a gauge of who I would like to become friends with...those who say (and I quote) "Are you serious?" don't make the grade and those who see the beauty in them are in. A girl has to be selective. :o)
Actually corsages are one of my longest running collections-what's not to love?

[Sadie Lou]

Oh my! I love those pink ones! I can't believe you found some in their boxes. I discovered that if you look for them on eBay or Etsy, you're being told they are vintage but they are repro! How do you tell the difference?
~S

[Elizabeth]

Oh Laurie! Hands down this is my favorite collection! Do make corsages for your shop! How wonderful to wear one. So glad to hear you are busy in that amazing craft room of yours. Can't wait to see. PS Bad news, among the ruins that was Clancy, I couldn't figure out why there was white curling ribbon - EEK a second murder! My teeny tiny Valentine girl. Her body is still intact thank goodness! Have a great weekend! Elizabeth

[Into Vintage]

These are fantastic - what an amazing collection - they must call out to the Magpie in Magpie Ethel. I love them! I've never seen the kind with the little spun heads before. Too too cute. :-)

[rebecca]

So cute! I think the pink with the silvery bells is my favorite but it's hard to choose. I lucked into one last year for $1. It's the only one I have so far. I think we should bring this back and start making new ones. That would be a fun swap! Hmm . . . .

[Nancy Krampf]

Oh my this brings back such incredible memories with my mom who i lost when she was 65 and i was 40. I miss her soooooo. and I am 58.
Anyway my mom made these every year for extra money. she was a single mom in the 50's which there were not a lot of. And she was always thinking of creative ways to make extra money after her long day of office work.
Her creative spirit lives on in me. thanks so much for this lovely drive down memory lane.
And I love all the ones you have made. :)

[Linda Barber]

Do you have a collection of vintage mermaids.