2003 Festival of Trees Gallery

Darth casts a long, long shadow at the Festival. This is a fantastic character tree done on the less is more principle. A simple helmet, cape, boots, and white lights make for the scariest tree on display. Definately a fans only tree. Other Star War collectable trees have included sound ornaments, poster board figures, mobiles, etc. But when you have this kind of prescence you don't have to make a sound, much less lift a finger.
Vader at the Festival

Compare Darth to the Homer Simpson tree. This is another great character presentation. The ornaments and presents are not just Simpson collectables. The colors are in the typical Simpson yellow. Homer's head and buggy eyes are pure character. The entire tree is covered with donuts, and Marge is the angel on the top. That single spike of blue hair immediately draws the eye to the most important ornament. What else would Homer enjoy seeing on his Christmas Tree? Not everyone is a Simpson fan, but there are enough of them around to make this worth the attempt. This tree dominates a small viewing area.
Ice Cascade

This is the classic store front tree. I expect alot of businesses bid on it. The garland is wide lame' ribbon. The ornaments are oversize, some 24''. The skirt is white polyfill. There is one color - gold. Be careful with the monochrome trees. When when gold is placed against a purple to dark blue backgroud it will really stand out. In front of light or busy backgrounds it might dissappear. This is where a light reflecting metallic like gold can save a monochrome display.
Cascade of Gold

The background has totally taken over here. Can you spot the Christmas tree? The display is based on a Christensen painting like the Voyage of the Bassett. But this time the dwarves, angels, sailors, mermaids in this 20 foot display are sailing for the source of Christmas. The actual tree is by the mast. It is probably 30 inches tall. Paintings and photos are a prime source for theme trees. The picture at a glance says more than a thousand words. Many of the Soldier dedication trees are based on the Freiburg ''Washington at Valley Forge''.
Sailing for Christmas

Father Frost is the same size as the tree, just under 3 feet. There are many colors here but they are all controlled by the blues and whites. The flesh tones surrounded by the white and blue center the eye on Father Frost's expression. Any light warm color placed in another area would destroy this effect. The quality of the face and hands of the Mountain Man ceramic mold stops people in their tracks. No other figures are needed in this display.

WWI theme tree. I knew the Walter Cronkite 2002 Christmas special would have an impact on decorating. This tree tells the story of the Christmas Armistace. See the Silent Night entry on the Sources page. This tree demonstrates that anything from chainsaws to table lamps can be used as ornaments. The somber colors are kept bright by a few light accents, and heavy reliance on the red brown rather than the true brown tones.

This tree is carved from a large burl. Simple and effective Christmas display. It is unique to the craftsman. One of a kind projects can really stand out if you take advantage of your teams individual skills. You don't have to use evergreen to make a Christmas tree.
Carved Burl Tree

The ultimate cop-out tree. Or should I say ''Cat out!'' tree. This is one humorous admittal that the cat is 3 for 3 up the Christmas Tree. Three story scratching post lined with ornaments, spit toys, and kitty maintainance. The cat will probably glare at you for not offering him his usual pine-bough spit toy. But just rub This with cat nip, and he may deign to climb it.
Cat Tree

Here's mine; it is called Remember Me?. Not a show stopper, but an individual stopper. Lot's of brights and colors were placed in an inverted rainbow order. Ornament clusters started with purple on the bottom, red higher, blue next, and green on top. When a viewer glanced at the shiney ornaments they experienced a shock of familiarity. I tried to keep the eye catchers at eye level, and the memory ornaments underneath them. On this tree there is a happy 40's rubber squeaky dog, a 50's skater doll, WWII ration book, 60's lucite grapes, mood rings, a Jonathan Livingston book, feed sack dress, etc. as well as all the carousel horses, porcelain birds, reindeer, dancers, and Madonna. The Reindeer harness is almost but not quite a garland circling the tree. I kept hearing ''I remember that!'' ''I had one of those!'', while I was taking the photos. That is exactly the effect I wanted on the viewer.
The Lladro type ballet dancers are another do not confess Festival disaster. I finally got this 9 piece mold safely out of the kiln and into the box. Taking them out I caught the girl's arm and snapped it off. Waahhhhh! So I glued it back on. Only the bidders knew about the repair, and the offer to repour after the Christmas season is over.
Remember Me