A Little Inspiration - Part 2: Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland

As promised here is Part 2 of our trip to Frankenmuth, MI.

This is a very image intensive post because it is our trip to Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland, the main objective of our trip to Frankenmuth. Now keep in mind, I am a Visual Merchandiser at heart. Of all my jobs, by far my favorite was visual merchandising. I especially love the big dramatic Christmas displays we used to see in all the big department stores. That said imagine how ecstatic I was when I walked into Bronner's for the first time!

My favorite tree display
(probably because it is so close to my own!;o)

Spending the day in Bronner's really helped me get re-inspired to organize a community event centered on Christmas Windows. It also put me in just the right frame of mind to come home and start working on my ornaments. The little elf above was one of my favorites, so joyful!

The sugar cookie star was my son's favorite!

How clever is this train?
Loved how it was designed with the chocolate sandwich cookies
and ice cream cone as the smoke stack.

This was the display that really got me charged about creating big Christmas props again. I even love how the large red and gold ornament is placed.

I adored these lamps. If only I could figure out a place to use them.
Another moment in time when I wished I had my own storefront!

If being in Bronner's doesn't get you excited for Christmas,
you really don't like Christmas.

Not only do they merchandise the inside of their store, they fully decorate the outside, too!

Loved these elves in the outside window.
Similar to my favorite guy inside and just as sweet!

Oops!

The sign I wish I would have seen sooner. Luckily, I noticed after a couple photos and the wee tot was good about staying out of the rocks.

Oh, and not only do they decorate outside, they light it up at night, every night. It looked gorgeous and my little one loved driving under the lit archways.

Well, that's it for our trip to Bronner's. We bought a bunch of ornaments. My favorite was a big Santa hot air balloon made in Poland. Oh, and my Polish eagle ornament. My husband made sure he got a Scottish ornament, the little one picked out a dinosaur ornament and, of course, we bought a personalized family ornament for 2011.There were more but I may have to do another post of all our goodies just to entice you a little bit more into visiting Bronner's and Frankenmuth. :o)
It's definitely a worthwhile destination. Allow yourself a full day to explore Bronner's and at least a day and a half to explore Frankenmuth (more if possible).

Latest WIP (Warning: Image Heavy)

Happy Snowday!

Here is the new angel design. Much simpler, it really highlights the halo, face and wings.

I embed glass beads into the glue that adheres the halos to the angel's head.
All about the details!

A visual hodgepodge! My first show of the season is this weekend so I have new angels, paper clay ornaments and snowmen. I have also been working on making price tags. I find those little white things they sell rather distasteful and unappealing, so I am making my own. I hope it will look more pulled together than those little white buggers. In the past, I loathed these so much that I didn't use any( I do like to talk to folks!) and learned that that is an awful idea. Some folks don't want to talk to you, they want to check out your prices. So this year and in coming years, I will use and reuse my little price tags.I printed out little blue price points (above) on the same background image as my business card with my business font, cut them out with a paper punch, attached them to a piece of pretty red card stock, punched them out with the punch again and added a little white snowflake to the solid red back. On one side, a little snowflake/peppermint, on the other a lovely price all dangling from a little silver thread. I know, a lot of work but I'm weird like that. It's the little details that get me every time. :o)

The First Star

First finished Gingerbread man.
There are a few more that I'm working on today that are even cuter!

A portrait shot of the first snowman

I got a little carried away on this guys scarf but he's very cute and it's very fitting.:o)

I have so many other things that are nearing completion but that will have to wait until another day or maybe next week, I do have price tags to finish :o)