Blog tagged "Trees" | My Growing Traditions

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings!

Posted on December 25, 2018 | 0 Comments

by Tasha Tudor

and a Happy New Year!

From Wendt and Kühn - Small Grünhainichen Angel in Celebration of the Erzgebirge

Posted on December 02, 2018 | 0 Comments

New for 2018, Wendt and Kühn brings us this Small Grünhainichen Angel in Toy Village. Two-inches high the Grünhainichen angel brings to life the toy-making tradition of the Erzgebirge. The Angel holds a traditional splinter box on its lap filled with treasures. In it are stored the Angel's favorite toys: a house with a red roof, a little green tree, and a small wooden horse with even smaller ears. All are reminders of the wonderful, world-famous toys that are created in Wendt and Kühn's home, Germany's Toy Villages, in the Erzgebirge that bring happiness to children all around the world.

A very special piece for all of us who love the Erzgebirge's wonderful folk art.

Posted in Erzgebirge, German Christmas, German Folk Art, Trees, Wendt and Kühn

Gold Spanbaum / 8 - 14"

Posted on October 23, 2017 | 0 Comments

For years we have enjoyed decorating with natural spanbaum and green spanbaum, and now the Erzgebirge has given us gold-colored spanbaum.

They have many names - Spanbaum, span trees, wood shaved trees, chip or chipped trees, twilled trees, splinter, and curled trees. The German word span means chip in English.

The one pictured here is 14" tall. They come in four sizes: 8", 10", 12," and 14" - find them here

They are unique to the Erzgebirge - Germany's Christmas Center and Toy Village of wood working craftsmen.

Use them to add a bit of elegance to your holidays - charming on a Thanksgiving or Christmas table.

Posted in Erzgebirge, German Folk Art, Trees

A Spectacular 16" Spanbaum with Bird Feeder Nestled Inside Its Branches

Posted on December 05, 2015 | 0 Comments

We have added to our ever popular Wood-Shaved Trees - Spanbaum - with this very special 16" tree with a bird feeder nestled inside its branches.

Meticulously hand-crafted in the Erzgebirge, Germany, they have many names - Spanbaum, span trees, wood shaved trees, chip or chipped trees, twilled trees, and curled trees. They were first created by Spanbaumstecherei (carvers of Spanbaum trees) in the 1930s and are created with the wood of a linden tree - the trunk lathed, and then each branch carved from that trunk, curl by curl.

Click here to shop and enjoy a video of how these elegant trees are crafted.

Tall and sturdy - this 16" beauty is a must for your Folk Art collection!

Posted in Erzgebirge, German Folk Art, Trees

A My Growing Traditions Folk Art Sampler - Celebrating the Best

Posted on November 26, 2015 | 0 Comments

The perfect gift of art! or, simply enjoy this sampler - a very special and wonderful opportunity to discover the artists we all treasure... and save $20.00

The Folk Art Sampler comes in a My Growing Traditions box and includes:

From Wendt & Kühn - Grünhainichen Angel with Songbook and Bird

From the Erzgebirge - Dark Green, hand-shaved Tree, 4-1/2"

From the Franke Workshop, Seiffen - hand-carved Kitten with red yarn bow

From Nils Olsson Dala Horses - Classic / Original Red Dala Horse - 4"

From Marcel Carbonel Santons - the Pig, Size #3

From Christian Werner, Master of Ring-Turning, Seiffen - hand-carved Sheep

plus a Folk Art Sampler card

There is no doubt about it, this makes a charming gift for the art lovers on your list!

Posted in Angels, Carbonel Santons, Christian Werner, Dala Horses, Erzgebirge, German Christmas, German Folk Art, Provence Christmas, Trees, Wendt and Kühn

Christmas Tree Finials from the Erzgebirge - A Tree to Top Your Tree

Posted on November 23, 2015 | 0 Comments

This year we have added several hand-shaved (spanbaum) wooden Christmas tree finials to our offerings. They are splendidly crafted in the Erzgebirge and we are ever so pleased to carry them.

These two tree toppers feature spanbaum trees that have been cut in half - the stars in the center are on both sides

click on the image above or find here

The third is "three dimensional" with full spanbaum trees all around

find here

Trees atop your tree - they will naturally add a touch of majesty to your tree!

Posted in Erzgebirge, German Christmas, German Folk Art, German Traditions, Trees

Miniatures - Putz - for your Christmas Village or Nativity Scene

Posted on October 31, 2015 | 0 Comments

We have added charming miniatures this year - perfect for use with your French Santons or German nativity scenes. These are just a few examples - baskets, wood, metal, copper, clay.

To find the miniatures and trees below, simply click on the images

They work well alongside the Carbonel accessories available for each size of Santons, and with the Erzgebirge Emil Helbig Workshop nativity figures and creche sets.

The German verb putzen means to decorate and one commonly finds the word putz to describe miniatures for a Christmas Village or Nativity Scene. Putz, miniatures, accessories, whatever one calls them, they add a very special touch to your Christmas. The traditional nativity figures, a few larger accessories, a few miniatures, and a few trees -

create a tableau, small or large, that is special to you. In both Provence and Germany, each year families wait for the Christmas fairs during Advent to find new treasures to add to their nativities (just as we in America rejoice in adding new Christmas ornaments to our trees).