seperis: (Default)
seperis ([personal profile] seperis) wrote2010-10-20 09:54 am
Entry tags:

it is that time of year again, with the lights and bears and whatnot

Question:

Since The Famous Christmas Store may or may not be in Austin anymore (apparently it was supposed to move, and now it's showing somewhere else, but it wasn't there last year and there's still no number and I can't find anyone to confirm....) does anyone have any recommendations on where to look for Christmas ornaments?

Part of my problem is that I bought in groups; half random ornaments and half as parts of color and theme sets. One of these were some gorgeous butterflies that clip onto the tree and others are very specific colors that aren't easily found anywhere else; the rest were Bavarian and Polish glass ornaments that went with everything or I just liked because they were beautiful. I also limited myself to about ten a year, as they were a little expensive and most were the kind I wanted to keep and be able to pass down (or perhaps bury with me, who knows).

Anyway, none of their inventory was, AFAIK, exclusive; I remember that they imported the Bavarian and Polish glass from somewhere, but I don't know where, and I really have no idea how to get those butterflies, since I've amazoned and googled back and forth and can find some like them but not the same. And none were ridiculously luxury-level expensive--we're not talking Waterford and Lenox crystal here (because I have lines and cannot deal paying that much retail; thank God for after-Christmas sales). When I unpack them around Thanksgiving I can post pictures of them to see if anyone has seen anything like them, but for now, anyone recommend where they go for their ornaments? I have seen some pretty ones on Amazon, and Macys and Dillards both usually have a couple I get every year (along with the Dillards Christmas Bear and am I ridiculously excited about that? Yes) but if anyone has any suggestions or places they love, feel free to recommend.

[Have added new Guntz bear to Christas lineup, btw. Actually two by accident--one was a miniature Christmas bear small enough to carry in my purse. The larger will join the slow-growing-more-terrifying bear menagerie as I cement my place as the Crazy Bear Lady Who Seriously Is Getting Crazier. Yes, I know this is going toward Steiff bears really fast, but I'm holding off as long as I can. Still waiting for the 2010 Amazon bear by Gund to be released. That I remember brand names of bears just does not bode well for me.]

... yes, it is pre-Halloween still, but I have to budget now or terrible things will happen to my checking account.
jenna_thorn: a cowboy hat and Texas flag bedecked Dreamsheep (Texas Dreamsheep)

Polish glass ornaments

[personal profile] jenna_thorn 2010-10-20 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I've seen the Eastern European glass around here either at the really pricey little boutique shops or at (Cost Plus) World Market. Their locator has two stores in Austin, but I don't know how far away they are from you, specifically.

Austin (Sunset Valley)
5601 Brodie Lane
Austin, TX 78745
Tel: (512) 899-2929

Austin (North)
9333 Research Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
Tel: (512) 502-9974

They may not have what you are looking for, though. They did have the feather-tail clip-on birds last year. Though it says something that I didn't actually buy the pretty glass ornaments and instead have one of every kind of the raffia dinosaurs and the pirate ship in a bottle.

We have two trees each year. My tree has the hallmark Wonder Woman and the Lady Death Christmas ornament (no, really) and the raffia dinos and the felt angel and is politely called eclectic. The other tree is Waterford and Wedgewood (Dillard's day after Christmas, 75% to 80% off. we even scored a topper one year, plus W/W had an outlet store up the road, where we got last year's ornaments for less than $10 a piece. Yes, this is my evil laugh, yes indeed. I'm going to miss that store. It closed about the time they declared bankruptcy.) and beautiful.

But I don't have Christmas bears. I do have a Christmas Tigger and a Christmas moose, though.
cookie57: (Default)

[personal profile] cookie57 2010-10-20 03:43 pm (UTC)(link)
How expensive is too expensive?

The Christopher Radko's are beautiful glass ornaments. I have a real weakness for old European looking Santas, and they are gorgeous. Here's their website- http://www.christopherradko.com/
Photobucket

I also have a real weakness for handblown glass ornaments. I usually buy them at art shows, but this site has some that are exquisite- http://www.artfulhome.com/ornaments.htmlPhotobucket

Anything else you're shopping for? I collect way too much Christmas related stuff and I'm happy to share.
harpers_child: melaka fray reading from "Tales of the Slayers". (Default)

[personal profile] harpers_child 2010-10-20 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
i took a quick peek at etsy. most of what i saw is what i think of as pricey (8-10 per ornament), but they may have holiday sales or something.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/wolfartglass - a variety of styles.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/davidjacobsonglass - stripes and swirls.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/59257941/christmas-ornaments-set-of-3 - speckled.

you might be able to find what you're looking for by searching for it. there's all sorts of odd things on the site.
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[identity profile] lillian13.livejournal.com 2010-10-20 03:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I've had pretty good luck at World Market for glass ornaments, of all places. And Hobby Lobby generally has a decent selection. Haven't seen the butterflies, but if you post a pic I'll keep my eyes open.
fyrdrakken: (Sparkly blue eyeshadow)

[personal profile] fyrdrakken 2010-10-20 04:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Weirdly enough, I just ran off with a Bradford Exchange catalog last weekend when I visited my grandfather, and my grandmother got some absolutely gorgeous ornaments from there over the years. I actually have a photo of her shoe ornament collection from a few years ago, and I managed to find two of my favorites of those in a set of three on eBay not long after that photo was taken. (I took the catalog because I was weirdly tempted by this fairy ornaments trio.)
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[identity profile] etui.livejournal.com 2010-10-20 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Bronners Christmas Wonderland (http://www.bronners.com/) bills itself as the world's largest Christmas store. They have some clip on butterflies (http://www.bronners.com/search/advanced/?keywords=butterfly).
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[identity profile] traveller.livejournal.com 2010-10-20 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I just clicked on your link and now Amazon thinks I'm interested in Christmas bears.

go to hell.

[identity profile] seperis.livejournal.com 2010-10-20 06:48 pm (UTC)(link)
How can you not love Christmas bears? My God.
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[identity profile] traveller.livejournal.com 2010-10-20 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
I love bears. just not themed bears.

[identity profile] seperis.livejournal.com 2010-10-20 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
You hate rainbows and sunshine, I can tell.
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[identity profile] traveller.livejournal.com 2010-10-20 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I like sunshine! and orange juice and beaches and puppies.

I just don't like themed bears.

(which isn't to say that you shouldn't like them!)
Edited 2010-10-20 19:04 (UTC)

Forgive this one-time-only-I-promise! spam

[identity profile] lunefin.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Ideeli is having a sale on Gund bears now. ^_^
It seem to be cheaper than amazon?
www.ideeli.com/invite/luneiam