Alice in Wonderland Ornaments
hese Alice in Wonderland ornaments are based on Lewis Carroll’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I handcrafted these collectibles from repurposed and recycled materials. I carefully hand sew, and hand embroider the expressions of each of these one-of-a-kind collectibles. Remember your childhood playtime as you browse this incredibly special collection. These ornaments are the perfect gift for Alice in Wonderland collectors of all ages. The versatility of these figurines is limitless. You can hang them on the Christmas tree, or decorate your Tea Party table or your Easter brunch table.Alice in Wonderland Ornament Characters
If you have ever read the book Alice Adventures in Wonderland, you must know that it is full of fascinating characters. Selecting which characters to design was not easy, as each of them evokes unique memories of my childhood. After pondering this for weeks, I settled on six characters. I started with Alice and the White Rabbit. Then, I chose the March Hare and the Mad Hatter. And to complete the collection, I picked the Queens of Hearts and the Queen of Heart’s Gardener.
When I introduced the collection in 2014, it was welcomed with open arms by Alice in Wonderland collectors. As a result, I received multiple requests for other characters. So, I added the Cheshire Cat to the collection. But this book offers many more charming characters. There is the Caterpillar, Dinah (Alice’s cat), and the Duchess. And then there is the Dormouse, the Dodo Bird, and the Griffin. And if we include its companion book Through the Looking Glass, the number of characters is almost endless. So, expect new characters to be added to this collection in the years to come.
This Alice in Wonderland ornament is the perfect gift for any fans of Lewis Carroll’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Made from repurposed and recycled materials, this collectible will bring back memories from your childhood. Create new memories with your loved ones as you decorate the Christmas Tree this holiday season. Even more, add some charming accents to the mantel or side table with these ornaments.
Alice in Wonderland Ornament Design Process
What makes a character unique, recognizable, and identifiable? This is the critical question that I must answer when developing my characters. For Alice, the answer was not her dress. Nor her pinafore. Nor her hairdo. Let alone Dinah, her cat. In fact, I felt Alice needed context. I needed an iconic scene that would leave no doubt as to who this unmemorable girl might be. After pondering this question for some time, I decided to set Alice by the door to Wonderland, so she is reliving the moment when she is deciding whether to drink the elixir or not. This is the elixir that would shrink her just enough to squeeze in through the door to follow the White Rabbit.
Even though the character of Alice was based on a brunette girl named Alice Liddel, the book depicts her as a blonde. Therefore, Alice’s hair ranges from blonde to light brunette and any shade in between, including a few redheads. I added a bottle tagged “Drink Me,” a key, a lock, and a door to complete the scene. Undoubtedly, all these details indicate that our blondish girl with the blue-and-yellow dress is indeed Alice just about to enter Wonderland.
Have you decided which Alice in Wonderland ornament you want to add to your ornament collection?
My Inspiration for the Alice in Wonderland Ornaments
A while back, I found a box full of spare parts from old watches at a garage sale. As you can imagine, these discovered treasures kindled my idea for the Alice in Wonderland collection. The watches belonged to a jeweler. She had used all the inside gears to make pendants and brooches, although she had discarded the watch’s faces and hands, it took me just a few seconds to picture The White Rabbit swooping by, chanting “I’m late, I’m late for a very important date.” And so, the Alice in Wonderland collection was born.
That summer, I spent hours and hours hopping from second-hand stores to garage sales hunting for other materials. I needed mini tea sets, mini playing cards just the right size, heart-shaped beads, and whatnots. To prepare myself to design this collection, I spent many hours reading and re-reading one of my favorite books (Carroll, Lewis, and John Tenniel. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Other Stories. , 2013. Print.) I selected an edition of the book that included the original illustrations by John Tenniel. The illustrations provided me with great details that I could incorporate in my designs.
I genuinely enjoyed designing this collection, as it brought back memories from my childhood. Firstly, there were memories of tea parties with my sisters. Secondly, recollections of playing Rummy with my mom and siblings. And thirdly, learning how to play chess with my dad. Finally, there is the memory of one Halloween when my children’s babysitters knocked on our door dressed as Tweedledum and Tweedle-dee.
Can’t find your most cherished Alice in Wonderland character? Let me know. I am always looking for ideas.
Alice in Wonderland Ornament Dedication
My twin sister Claudia and I spent many afternoons playing tea parties among the banana trees that grew in our backyard. We would fill our play cups with muddy water, and we would dish flowers and leaves for pastries. Those countless hours fueled our imagination and made us grow closer as we played. In honor of those precious memories, I dedicate this collection to all little girls around the world. I hope this collection will inspire them to play Tea Party with their siblings, friends, dolls, and stuffed animals as I did with my sisters.
Frequently Asked Questions about CELIStial Art products
- How can I order customized ornaments and figurines?
Some of our ornaments have been designed with a level of customization in mind. For example, the Bride and Groom ornaments and Wedding Cake Toppers offer a large array of customizable options. These ornaments are not readily in stock since they are hand-crafted to your specifications based on our primary design. You can do your desired customizations and let us know of any specific instructions you might have. We will contact you with any questions we might have and an estimated delivery date. Please allow plenty of time for us to create your customized keepsake.
- Can I supply the materials for my custom ornaments and figurines?Certainly! We love making ornaments from materials that have a special meaning to you. We have designed some of our ornaments to be customizable. For example, we can incorporate the leftover clippings from your wedding dress fittings, into your Bride & Groom Wedding Cake topper and Our First Christmas Together ornaments. When ordering a customizable ornament, please indicate that you will be providing some of the materials. We will contact you if we have any questions and we will let you know when we receive the material. It is then when our work will start.
- Are the ornaments made from recycled materials?Yes, all ornaments are mostly made from recycled materials and repurposed materials. The most common recycled materials we used are toilet paper rolls, empty ribbon spools, empty tiny boxes usually from travel size toothpaste, caps from ChapSticks and medicine ointments, old clothing, old linens, old books, leather garments, board game pieces, puzzles, wigs, old jewelry, computer parts, electronics parts, discarded 3D printing filament, pop tabs, etc. As for repurposed materials, we find new uses for ordinary items such as wooden door knobs, wooden pegs, buttons, cocktail decorations, hors d’oeuvres picks, push pins, etc. We also use the gifts of mother nature in our ornaments. So, you will often see nuts, seeds, pinecones, buckeyes, seashells, tree bark, twigs, eggshells, etc. On occasion, I buy unique materials that are needed to enhance and accentuate the character the figurines represent. This is the case of the King Arthur collection in which swords and daggers came from artists suppliers. I usually buy new paint, polyacrylics, glues, fabric stiffener, and decoupage finish. But I also use leftover house paint.
- Can you suggest the creation of a collection based on your favorite book?Any suggestions are welcome! We will indeed entertain any suggestions you might have and will let you know if we are going to pursue the idea. Of course, the theme must support our goal of creating figurines that will fuel the imagination of all young at heart. That said, we only create ornaments and figurines based on creative works that are in the public domain. And of course, we create our own make-believe characters from the well of our imagination. To know if a creative work is public domain, the best way is to google it or get the advice from legal counsel specialized in copyrights laws.
- Do you make figurines and ornaments based on Disney, Marvel comics, etc. characters?Most Disney characters are under active copyrights. The same applies to the Marvel comics’ characters and the likes. So, unless the copyright of one of these characters expires, we will not be able to create figurines and ornaments depicting them. For example, Superman won’t be in the public domain until 2033. Now, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will enter public domain on January 1st,2024.
- How can I send you materials I think you could use for your ornaments?We always welcome materials from our fans. You can send us the materials to the address: 156 Webster Park Ave. Columbus, OH. Please address the package in care of Catalina Celis Reasoner. If you are in doubt whether we can use the material, just drop us a line via email describing the materials you have. If by any reason we cannot use the material, we can always find a good home for it. We often get packages in the mail from our customers, and some even bring it to us at art shows. So, we would love to push our imagination with anything you might send our way.
- Are these ornaments and figurines only suitable for the Christmas season?Absolutely not. Our ornaments and figurines are suitable for many holidays. We have ornaments and figurines designed specially for Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, Halloween, the Fourth of July, Easter, and many more. More importantly, our ornaments and figurines are designed for collectors of all ages. So, you can display them all year around, bringing a splash of magic to your home.
- In which ways can these figurines and ornaments be used to decorate?CELIStial Art figurines and ornaments are great to decorate fireplace mantels, shelves, and side tables. Most of CELIStial Art ornaments and figurines have been designed to stand on their own or to be hung, so they are extremely versatile. They are great to create magic table escapes that will be the talk of your parties and holiday gatherings. Some of the ornaments that cannot stand on their own, are perfect as dreamcatchers in front of your favorite window. And of course, they are perfect to decorate your Easter tree, Halloween tree, and Christmas tree.
- Where can I see your work in person?We usually participate in two art shows in the Columbus and Dayton area. These shows are usually towards the end of year during the holiday season. The largest show is the Winterfair, in Columbus Ohio. The second show is the Christkindlmarkt at the Dayton Liderkranz Turner.
- Can children play with these figurines?No, these handmade figurines and ornaments are NOT toys. Adult supervision is required when figurines and ornaments are being handled by children. This applies to products in all collections, including the Stick Puppet Ornaments Collection.
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD – Contain small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
- How can I take care of my ornaments and figurines?If you keep your ornaments out all year round, you should dust them while you do the rest of your housekeeping. Do not let it go more than two months before dusting, otherwise the dust may get engrain in the fabric and hair, making it more difficult. If you keep them inside your curio cabinet, it is also advisable to dust them from time to time. Use a very soft and round paint brush as your duster. Preferably, a watercolor paint brush. These are usually the softest. Gently, brush off the dust starting from top to bottom. Place it back where it was and continue enjoying its charm.
If you only display your ornaments during the holiday season, dust them as described above. You will be surprised how much dust can the ornaments collect hanging from the Christmas tree or sitting on the mantle. Whether your ornaments came on a white cardboard box or a clear plastic one, it is advisable to wrap them in tissue paper after being dusted and before placing them in their box. Store the ornaments in a dry place with little temperature fluctuations.
Never use water or any other liquid to clean the ornaments.