Home Decor — Made Just For U

A wonderful cat illustration from a friend many years ago. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Cat Wall Collage

As we all spend more time at home with family, this is a good time to make, capture and display original art work.

Over the years, I have collected a small collection of favorite cat-related framed items, from a theatre bill when our local campus hosted the traveling production of the Broadway musical “Cats” to Anna’s charming thank you cat drawing.

Every one of these cat items has a special place in my heart and mind.

Another original cat illustration from a local charity auction. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This modern cat illustration was a win at a local charity auction many, many years ago. I liked the colors and the silhouette but almost didn’t bid on it. It reminds me to go after what I want, I may just succeed.

I received six copies of this cat cartoon, a sure sign it deserved to be framed. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

There is something very funny about this little cat cartoon. Enough so that six friends all sent me a copy so I had to get it framed and added it to the cat collage.

This was the one framed photo I used to keep on my government office desk. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When I worked in a formal federal government office, this was the one cat photo I kept on my desk. Two of the cats are no longer with me but this photo has good memories of the times I shared with them. And I still live with the other two younger ones.

Love this framed silk print of a cat with a parrot. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This piece of silk may be from a piece of clothing. I love the cat at the bottom watching the parrot. I used to live with our family parrot so this scene has good memories.

That’s one of the criteria I use when deciding what to add to a wall collage. Looking at the parts should generate good thoughts and feelings.

Once I paint the wall the collection will be more evenly spaced. Right now I have them on a wall to frankly protect them until I can get to updating this small bathroom. That’s the key to a wall collage, it should capture, and bring back, good thoughts and memories!

Charlotte

Tiny Christmas Trees

Some of you spent Thanksgiving weekend decorating your big family Christmas tree, one of the many traditions some US families have over Thanksgiving.

There was a time when I did that, then circumstances left me without the time to get a large tree up for several years. That’s where the miniature Christmas trees snuck in, some less than 12 inches tall but ready to quickly add a hint of the Christmas holidays to any room.

These tiny trees started several decades ago, when one year we as children decorated a tiny tree for our grandmother who lived on the west coast in an apartment. I can still remember the fun we had making the tiny garland, star tree topper and painting some of the tiny ornaments.

Grandma loved it and wrote us every year thereafter, thanking us for the Christmas tree that fit on her living room table. Her biggest challenge was keeping her cat from playing with the tiny ornaments.

Her tiny tree inspired me to make one for my office desk one year. We used to have an office decorating contest so there was some incentive to do something more than hanging a stocking on a door knob.

Another tiny Christmas tree is very easy, a favorite little Christmas card that finds it way somewhere in my book cases:

This card of dogs and cats around a Christmas tree finds a place somewhere every year; next year I may frame it. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The most challenging part of making these tiny trees is finding the small ornaments. Thrift shops and hobby shops often offer a complimentary collection although I enjoy the hunt to find different ones and mixing and matching.

This miniature Christmas tree used to keep me company at my last office:

Tiny Christmas tree decorating my den coffee table. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The tiny Christmas trees can be found at thrift stores and hobby stores as well.

And you can make your own from scrap lace and ribbons. These 12 inch trees caught my attention at a local antique mall:

Miniature Christmas trees made out of lace remnants. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Once decorated, you store them with ornaments on. When ready to use again, they are all set to add the flavor of Christmas to any room.

As renovations take place in my den, I have this miniature Christmas tree in my basement. It’s a more traditional miniature Christmas tree with as many non-breakable ornaments as I can find. I added a few glass ornaments over the years in direct relationship to my cat’s interest in the tree.

The little salt and pepper shakers add some whimsy and will make their way back upstairs once my kitchen is no longer a temporary storage space for my den.

Basement Christmas tree collecting salt and pepper shakers around it. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Several years ago, I made one for a friend getting married and added little cards with good wishes as ornaments. She recently told me it’s still the first Christmas decoration she sets out when she decorates for the holidays.

The prognosis for my den repairs being completed before Christmas is poor. But even in the middle of home renovations, you can easily add these little Christmas trees and enjoy the holidays. So no excuse, even if you live in a small apartment. Time to get your Christmas tree up, regardless of size!

Charlotte