Saturday, November 26, 2011

Bling is not my thing..... usually!





 If you have spent any time here
at the Polohouse....
you will agree, 
bling is not my thing.








Not that I don't love it for other people
and other homes and other situations,
but come on ... I live in a barn!

I'm just pri-tee laid back and casual.
No crystal or sparkly objects...
they don't really belong here.

I am more of a jeans, pearls,
 and preppy plaid kind of a girl.



BUT..... then there IS
my little addiction to Putz.

I
love
it!

 Glittery and sparkly vintage sweetness
collides with architectural cardboardiness ---
my new word. Just made it up.
:)


Create Your Own Putz Glitter House Village / Onaments that Light Up / Handmade from Vintage Christmas Cards
Buy these fabulous new ones made from recycled Christmas cards here






Vintage Putz House Church Christmas Mica Extra Large Music and Light Japan
Buy this church



It's all about PUTZ.
You know it, 
but maybe 
you didn't "know" it!

So what IS Putz?


Wikipedia says:
Christmas village (or putz) is a decorative, miniature-scale village 
often set up during the Christmas season. These villages are rooted in 
the elaborate Christmas traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch
Mass-produced cardboard Christmas villages 
became popular in the United States during the early and mid-20th century.
In the 1920's,  dime stores and catalogs sold small 
cardboard Christmas houses. In 1928, the houses were then 
decorated with "snow" made of mica, translucent windows, and lights. 
There are various types of Putz houses from the US, 
Japan, Germany, Italy and other countries
  In early-colonial American Moravian homes, 
the construction of a nativity scene, or putz, 
at the base of a Christmas tree was very common holiday activity. 
The term was derived from the German verb putzen
which means "to clean" or "to decorate." 
These nativity scenes soon became very elaborate, 
and often included sawdust or fine dirt spread to represent roads 
leading to the manger; stones and fresh moss to represent grottos or caves; 
and sticks and branches to represent miniature trees. 
These details were in addition to the carved wooden figures
 that represented the Holy Family, animals, shepherds, 
and other traditional nativity figures.




Vintage Christmas Wooly Sheep Putz Stick Legs x 3
Buy these little Putz lambs here

If you remember... my roots are in Pennsylvania
and I grew up seeing these little houses and churches
but it wasn't until I started selling antiques for a living
that I really got the bug to collect them.
Aren't they the sweetest?













(I am busy trying to get my house decorated for the holidays
and will show you my collection of these little cuties once they are in place.
I started this blog last February and missed the whole experience of seeing
all of your holiday decor last year! Let me tell you.... I am beyond excited to
see how all of you decorate your homes and cabins and cottages and castles!!! )









So tell me,


do you collect vintage


Putz mica pieces too?













39 comments:

michele said...

no. but those LAMBS! could eat em up.

:)
michele

Richard Cottrell said...

I have paper houses,old for $5.00 each, if anyone is interested. I am like you, I am not much for bling. Do love the vintage and country look at Christmas. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving with your family. Richard from My Old Historic House.

FABBY'S LIVING said...

No, but love this cutie houses, wish I could buy them, but I'm so far, far away dear Alyson! When my girls were kids I used to make myself with them everything for Christmas and lived in a big house in the country with lots of land, veggie garden, couple of cows, some chicks and dogs too! Hugs, FABBY

Salmagundi said...

I've never purchased any little Putz houses, but I do have a nice collection that belonged to my grandmother. They were always on her mantle at Christmas during my childhood -- she was German, but my inherited houses/churches are from Japan. She remembered having similar ones during her childhood, however. I'll be getting mine out in the next week or so. You are in for a treat to view all of the Christmas blogs - great stuff out there!! Sally

Connie (aka LOU) said...

Alison

Can't wait to see your "barn" all decked out for Christmas. So exciting!

Connie LOU

Debra@CommonGround said...

oh I love them, last year I was on overload! Can't wait to see your Christmas decor!

Pamela Gordon said...

I love Putz houses! I have 1 large one, 1 smaller one and 3 tiny one (for the tree). I am going to an antique shop to see if he has any more as I'd like to get another one. You have some very pretty ones and I look forward to seeing your home all decorated for the season. Blessings, Pamela

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

I do have a couple of those cardboard houses with lights inside. I fell in love with them when I found them in a local store a couple of years ago. Can't wait to see your Christmas decor. I hope I get to start mine soon.

Carole said...

Oh my gosh yes I love all those. i never knew the history but loved reading about Putz houses. I have repros in the shop and think they add such a nostalgic touch. Not sure if all of my customers get the look but it makes me happy.

xx
Carole

Ann@A Sentimental Life said...

I have one that I have had since I was a little girl that we bought at the dime store.

Blondie's Journal said...

I just became familiar with Putz recently through blogging...I didn't know they had such a history! I think the little house are precious. Can't wait to see your decorations!

XO,
Jane

Unknown said...

I love those little houses. I want to try to make one. Can't be harder than doing the ones with graham crackers and royal icing... RIGHT? Just cardboard and glue instead. I'll have to see what I can come up with :-)
(PS: There's gonna be A LOT of plaid at house this year!)

Peggy said...

What memories you've revived! My mother always used these little beauties in a "village scene" under our tree. I wish I had saved them all. Thanks for sharing. Peggy
www.angel-babycreations.com

Barb@curlywillowdiy said...

Omg, Alison, I'm trying to make one right now! I've been working on it for about two hours already. It's hard work! I'm covered in glitter and glue. I hope it turns out "post worthy". Lol!

Amy Chalmers said...

We had them growing up and I wonder what happened to them...but I fell in love with them again and do have a small collection that is growing I am sure. I love the bottle brush trees and the fake fluffy snow...I love it all!

Jane@Cottage at the Crossroads said...

No, but I can't wait to see all of yours on display.They look so adorable.

Robin@DecoratingTennisGirl said...

I don't have any, Alison :( I have always seen them here and there and thought they were so sweet! Thanks for sharing with us.
xoxo
Me

Priscilla said...

My daughter has one piece. I little old house she bought in an estate sale. Like you, bling is not my thing as a rule, but her little house is sweet.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Those are so adorable! Love the lambs!

Free Art Printables said...

Those are so cute! I should start collecting them!

Olive said...

They have a quiet and humble beauty even with the bling and I do not have any. Yet.

Cindy @ Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home said...

They are so sweet, what a great collection you have!

The Starr Family said...

Love those little buildings... what a sweet village!!

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

I love these Alison! I have several of these houses with the mica flakes and bottle brush trees...I have almost finished my decorating....but I will be tweaking for weeks! lol

Lou Cinda

THE FARMHOUSE PORCH said...

Awesome! Those are very cool and i loved hearing about the history of them. I made my own PUTZ recently...little cardboard houses I shabbied up. I really hope you'll come check them out...here's the link

http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/2011/11/homemade-snow-village.html

♥Linsey

Stephanie ~ Angelic Accents said...

Another obsession we have in common, Allison! I have a few vintage ones, but most of mine are reproductions. A few stay out year-round, but all come out during the holidays! I love those lil lambies, too!!

Tammy@Beatrice Banks said...

No, but sure do love them in all their glittery goodness!

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Vintage Christmas is my biggest weakness...and yes Putz houses are right up there at the top for me!

Sarah said...

Alison, this is something I don't collect. ;-)
I'm eager to see the ones you've found and how you decorate with them. I know it will be stunning!

The French Hutch said...

Love those little houses! I have a collection of Dickens Dept 56, most given to me as gifts from family. I don't get them out every year and will probably use a only a few in decorating this year. Can't wait to see how you decorate your home.

~Emily
The French Hutch

Mary Anne said...

ALISON:

LOVE PUTZ~!!! LOVELY LITTLE POST ON A LITTLE BIT OF BLING.

FYI: GO OVER TO SAVVY CITY FARMER. I AM HOPING TO MEET YOU ON THE 8TH OF DECEMBER. HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT TO CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM. I WILL BE PARTICIPATING AND I DO BELIEVE IT WILL BE SO MUCH FUN!

OX MARY ANNE

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Adorable Putz houses...I love them!
I was just stopping by to say Hi, I have been out of the loop for awhile.
Have a sweet day, Elizabeth

Ivy and Elephants said...

See, the bling always gets you in the end! Your Putz houses are adorable and those little lambs are precious. We'd love to have you share at our linky party that's open now.Hope you can join us!
Hugs,
Patti and Paula

lvroftiques said...

Strangely not! *winks* And that's something because bling IS my thing! Lol! Those putz pieces are darling! Though I think they go perfectly with jeans plaid and pearls *winks* Vanna

Savannah Granny said...

I guess I date myself. But I remember when some of these kinds of pieces were new. My mother and aunt had them. Thanks for the memories. Ginger

An Oasis in the Desert said...

I've never heard of Putz houses before, but they are cute. I have a collection of California Missions, but haven't figured out a good location for them this year. Can't wait to see your Christmas Barn!
CAS

Julie Marie said...

Hello, your Putz houses are so pretty, but I LOVE your own home!... I just posted my extensive collection of vintage Putz houses, collected over my lifetime, and some of mine from my childhood... to me, they are Christmas at it's happiest... xoxo Julie Marie

Little Sister Susan said...

I always knew of these as Mica houses, now I know they are called Putz houses! I bought a locally handmade repro of one at a ski resort and LOVE it. Also bought a "Putz" Santa there and pull it out every Christmas. This year, my daughters and my mother and I made our own ones, we bought the plain houses at a craft store and painted and blinged them ourselves! Wish you could have joined the fun!
Love,
Susan

Alison @ The Polohouse said...

Thanks for commenting on the blog, Susan! My real little sister!
:)
xox
Wish I had been there too.
A