Happy Childhood
New for 2013, Happy Childhood (Inge-Glas no. 1-005-13, 4-1/2" tall) is a Limited Edition of 999 pieces, with Presentation Box, and most especially is in collaboration with the German wooden ornament workshop of Christian Ulbricht. Ulbricht has crafted the wooden rocking horse in her hand.
This sweet little girl reminds one of a child in a Victorian playroom, as seen in this Bruck and Sohn advent calendar offered by My Growing Traditions.
We must admit we scooped Happy Childhood up immediately as well as Snow Tweet - both being in collaboration with Christian Ulbricht. We have loved Ulbricht's simple and elegant Christmas ornaments and carry them proudly at My Growing Traditions.
Wendt and Kühn 2013 Eleven Dot Post
Once a year Wendt and Kühn publishes their Eleven Dot Post - the magazine from their Workshops in Grunhainichen, Germany.
We thought you would enjoy reading this special publication celebrating the classic Wendt and Kühn Angels.
Click on the image above for a copy of the 2013 edition.
You can also find a copy of it posted on our website.
My Growing Traditions carries a special Christmas selection of Wendt and Kuhn Angels.
Munich Christmas Market Advent Calendar
Brück and Sohn of Meissen, Germany have been in the printing business since 1793 and they have created a special series of Advent Calendars celebrating European towns, many of them in Germany, naturally.
Having lived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, we visited many of the Bavarian Christmas markets - Chriskindlmarkts - year-in, year-out. Munich, the capital of the Free State of Bavaria, Germany, was the closest large Christmas market and one we never missed. Bruck and Sohn's Munich Advent Calendar is a treasured memory of those wonderful years.
In 2013 Munich's Christkindlmarkt and Kripperlmarkt opens on Monday, November 25th.
Munich's Christmas Market is special, in that since the 18th century it has had a section devoted specifically to Krippen (the nativity crib or creche). The Kripperlmarkt has only a half dozen booths and features hand-crafted, hand-carved nativity mangers, figures, and accessories from Oberammergau, South Tyrol, and the Erzgebirge (all wood-carving centers in Germany).
New Carbonel Santons for 2013 - Victorine (Grande), the Quilter (Elite), and the Ribbon Merchant (Cricket)
Every year the Marcel Carbonel Santons workshop in Marseille creates at least one new Santon, and this year they have offered us three.
In Size #3 (Grande) - Victorine - a young girl with her doll
She is also available in Size #2 (Elite): find her here
For Size #2 (Elite), they have presented an entirely new character, a very special Santon - the Quilting Woman - Femme au boutis
For us, one of the delights in the world of Santons are the Provencal textiles, so having a figure representing the wonderful fabrics and quilts of Provence is more than special.
Finally, the third new Santon for 2013 is in Size #1 (Cricket) - the Ribbon Merchant - Femme aux rubans. A street peddler, she wanders the villages selling her beautiful, festive wares.
The Ribbon Merchant is also available in Sizes #2 and #3. Find them here
We are not certain as to why the Carbonel studios came up with such an abundance of new Santons this year. Perhaps it is because Marseille, the home of the Carbonel Workshops, is the European Capital of Culture for 2013. They have honored not just the city of Marseille, but the area stretching from Martigues to La Ciotat and have also included Arles, Aix, Aubagne and other towns and villages in the area. We are all familiar with the Santons figures from Arles. And Aubagne is the center for ceramicists and Santons. Whatever there reason - we are more than pleased to offer these wonderful new figures.
For photos of the history and workshop of Carbonel enjoy our Marcel Carbonel Santons board on Pinterest.
Advent Calendar Candles
In Denmark Advent Calendar Candles are traditional.
According to the official website of Denmark:
We have carried Advent Calendar Candles on and off and are pleased to once again offer them. These Advent taper Calendar Candles are Red or White. 10" tall.
They are marked with the days of December 1-24 and decorated with Reindeer and Snowflakes. A memorable tradition! The big challenge is to remember only to burn a little every day.
Gingerbread House Fairy Tale Advent Calendar
We are ever so pleased to be able to offer this German Gingerbread House Advent Calendar.
Glitter-dusted and 3-Dimensional, this special Advent Calendar folds out to form a Gingerbread House. It sets up very nicely in the middle of a table so that the children can easily enjoy it from all sides. A wonderful holiday table centerpiece.
Three Fairy Tales are seen on the sides of the house: Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the Bremen Town Musicians. The calendar stands 8" high x 9.5" wide x 5" deep and is made in Germany.
My Growing Traditions also offers Hansel and Gretel, the Wicked Witch, and an Inge-Glas ornament of the Gingerbread House itself.
We also carry Inge-Glas' Snow White and the Seven Dwarf ornaments
and a wonderful wood carving of the Grimms' Fairy Tales Bremen Town Musicians by the Christian Werner Workshop of Seiffen, Germany.
Enjoy a Fairy Tale Christmas!
Red-Headed Woodpecker
New for 2013 is Inge-Glas' Red-Headed Woodpecker Christmas ornament. Inge Glas No. 1-094-13. 5-3/4" tall.
Feeding on a tree festooned with greens, the Red-Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is a particularly charming member of the Inge-Glas bird collection. The Inge-Glas glass-blower family of Mueller-Blech has always been known for their production of glass birds. Birds are symbols of joy and happiness and are said to be messengers from God.
The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology provides thorough information on this majestic bird:
"The gorgeous Red-headed Woodpecker is so boldly patterned it’s been called a “flying checkerboard,”
with an entirely crimson head, a snow-white body, and half white, half inky black wings. These birds don’t act quite like most other woodpeckers:
they’re adept at catching insects in the air, and they eat lots of acorns and beech nuts, often hiding away extra food in tree crevices for later.
This magnificent species has declined severely in the past half-century because of habitat loss and changes to its food supply."
Their status is "Near Threatened."
Cornell's "encyclopedia of birds" page on the Red-headed Woodpecker even includes the opportunity to listen to their calls. Click through to their site to hear four different calls. "Red-headed Woodpeckers give all kinds of chirps, cackles, and other raucous calls. Their most common call is a shrill, hoarse tchur, like a Red-bellied Woodpecker’s but higher-pitched and less rolling. When chasing each other they make shrill charr-charr notes."
We are more than pleased that Inge-Glas has chosen this year to add the Red-Headed Woodpecker Christmas Ornament.
