Holiday Style at the Folk School

15 Dec Holiday Style at the Folk School

What do chickens, flags, pinwheels, dancing ladies, stars, and tiny gingerbread houses have in common?

Dancing Ladies

These and other motifs are featured in the Folk School’s 2012 holiday season decorations. In the spirit of a handmade holiday, many ornaments and garlands hanging around the school were created from past Folk School catalogs. Nanette Davidson, holiday style mastermind, explains the concept behind the darling dancers and the enchanting chickens:

The intention was to re-purpose our beautiful catalog in a way that would allow a lot of people to participate at very little expense. It was an opportunity to look at the wonderful photographs and design layout with a different eye and to use the actual paper it was printed on in an unpretentious but artful way. I am really happy that people got behind this and had fun with it, which was also the goal – to have fun making things together that could be shared by the community. Some of our makers could actually cut out pictures of themselves and their craft or the craft of those they love. We are uniquely tied to this paper as a medium.

A pinwheel wreath made out of old Folk School catalog pages

The mantle in the Keith House living room is adorned with paper trees and chains.

Tiny gingerbread-style house ornaments were made from old Folk School catalogs.

A large Moravian star made from recycled Folk School catalog paper hangs from each of the iron chandeliers in the Dining Hall.

Recycled paper ornaments are fun to make! Add a little Folk School into your own holiday decorating by recycling your own catalog.

Download the Folk School Chicken Ornament Template to create your own festive flock (click on image twice to get full size 8.5×11):

Chicken ornaments made from old Folk School catalogs and chicken feathers