Christmas Creations for "Hard Times"

With everyone feeling the crunch of the economic downturn, we decided to create a line of inexpensive or "recession-friendly" Christmas ornaments like those adorning trees of Christmas past. With a banner decorated like old-fashioned Christmas candy tins, we pay homage to the ultimate in tough economic times, the 20's and 30's.

The first in the series is the Santa trio below. Faded red paint on muslin, old quilt batting trim, with make-do patches and knots abounding, each Santa Claus hangs by a gold thread loop knotted through his hood.

The "Hard Times, Old Times" ornaments are handmade primitives, inexpensive and old-fashioned, like the ornaments people made by hand in "hard times" and treasured through the generations.

We've been inspired by several pieces our own family has passed down through the years, and by examples found in old ornament collections, traditional patterns, and Christmas card scenes of long ago.

Santa and Mrs. Claus, courtesy of my great-grandmother

Check our listings on Ebay to see more pictures of the "Hard Times, Old Times" line, including the little Santas above.