Maine Lighthouses

Day 6 of 16: Down East

Starting in 1995, we began vacationing in Maine. This I can thank my wonderful in-laws for. They told my Mom, she booked a house rental way up on the down east coast. This was a big deal for my parents, as every year of my childhood, summer vacation was in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. My father did not do change. Gratefully this was a change he liked. 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 and going. We’ve usually figured out some way to get there for at least a week. The down east coast has been good to us, giving us solitude, fresh air and incredible views which allow us to regain our energy and start creating again. It has certainly given me many opportunities for wonderful photos. Craig has written several […]

The Carrot

Day 5 of 16: The Carrot

A small and unique ornament. We were given this ornament as a wedding present by friends Craig and I grew up with. There was a story behind it, that placing this ornament every year on your tree would bring a good luck in the kitchen. Carrots have long held a special place in German legend. The glass Carrot ornament is truly a decoration that can bring a tear to an old woman’s eye. Long ago the glass carrot ornament was very popular in Germany as a traditional gift for brides. It was believed to bring good luck in the kitchen. After being lost for many years, the antique mold has resurfaced and German artisans are again creating this treasure for a bride’s first Christmas tree. — The Framework Shop If we’re willing to go with the good luck being that […]

Quebec

Day 4 of 16: Québec

When we were planning our wedding, our goal for our honeymoon was to go to Paris. Craig and had wanted to go back ever since he went in high school. As the year unfolded, this became less and less likely as our expenses mounted and our schedules got even busier than we thought they’d be. We had heard from someone that Québec was nice. I went onto AOL’s travel boards and found someone raving about this little B&B they stayed at in Vieux Québec, Manoir sur-le-cap. I passed along the information to Craig and he booked the condo unit for us. It proved to be one of our absolute favorite places to visit. We both still highly recommend not only visiting Québec but also staying at Manoir sur-le-cap. This ornament though was not purchased while there. A friend from my […]

2000 Ornament

Day 3 of 16: The Millennium

2000 was a big year for a lot of reasons. The world had a mass panic that bank accounts were going to seize all because of a programming short-sight. Alas, all continued forward and the world did not end. For us personally 2000 was a big year, lots of change, lots of happenings. Craig and I decided to hold our wedding in June. Earlier in the year, in January, while home from college, we came up with CRIANA. Craig and I wanted to have a website for our wedding attendees to visit, get directions and learn more about our service. We built a website, but wasn’t sure what to name it. We tossed ideas around and then started trying to combine our names and came up with CRIANA, long before any Bennifer or other silly Hollywood nonsense. The name stuck and it […]

Day 2 of 16: Unicorns

The story of unicorns interweaving in my life. As a girl who loved horses growing up, the mystical unicorn was something I used to draw often. Being a child of the 80’s who loved horses also meant I loved My Little Ponies (hey they’re back!). Skip forward to being a teenager taking AP Art History and I discover the Unicorn Tapestries. Who knew they’d be housed only an hour from where I grew up at the Cloisters. In 1998, Craig and I were engaged, and he introduced me to the Cloisters and I introduced him to all of the art that had been in my Jansen’s Art History book, including those tapestries. Recently we started rewatching the Harry Potter series, well there on the wall of Gryffindor’s “dorm” is the Unicorn tapestries. Finalizing all of this unicorn lore in my life is attending NEWDcamp in […]

Dad's Ornament

Day 1 of 16: Dad’s Ornament

This ornament is one of the most important to me. As a kid I could not have cared less. My Dad fussed about this, always making sure it had a safe place on the tree. As a teenager I finally asked, what’s the story with those beads? My Dad being the locked vault he usually was, did not tell me right away. Eventually I discovered they were an ornament he grew up with on their meager Christmas tree as a kid. The story, as it was conveyed to me, was someone in the family, or friends with the family made these. They were one of the very few things to survive from his childhood. Every year I make sure they get a safe and visible place on the tree. It’s amazing they’ve survived this long considering how delicate the beads are, […]

Christmas Tree

16 Days of Ornaments

As we decorated our Christmas tree this year, I realized we don’t have a theme. While we both like design and could do one in a certain style, our ornaments are not about that, each one has a story. When I pull them out of the boxes they are stored in and hang them on the tree, I am reminded of a moment, a person or a place. It’s where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are going. I haven’t blogged in quite a while and thought it might be a good time to start again, sharing the stories behind the ornaments.