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!
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.
:)
collides with architectural cardboardiness ---
my new word. Just made it up.
:)
It's all about PUTZ.
You know it,
but maybe
You know it,
but maybe
you didn't "know" it!
So what IS Putz?
Wikipedia says:
A 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,
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:
no. but those LAMBS! could eat em up.
:)
michele
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.
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
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
Alison
Can't wait to see your "barn" all decked out for Christmas. So exciting!
Connie LOU
oh I love them, last year I was on overload! Can't wait to see your Christmas decor!
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
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.
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
I have one that I have had since I was a little girl that we bought at the dime store.
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
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!)
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
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!
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!
No, but I can't wait to see all of yours on display.They look so adorable.
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
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.
Those are so adorable! Love the lambs!
Those are so cute! I should start collecting them!
They have a quiet and humble beauty even with the bling and I do not have any. Yet.
They are so sweet, what a great collection you have!
Love those little buildings... what a sweet village!!
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
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
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!!
No, but sure do love them in all their glittery goodness!
Vintage Christmas is my biggest weakness...and yes Putz houses are right up there at the top for me!
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!
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Thanks for commenting on the blog, Susan! My real little sister!
:)
xox
Wish I had been there too.
A
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